Endo appointment for Tresiba

I’m going to see my Endo today and will ask for tresiba vs the Lantus I’m taking. I’ve been on the same meds for the last 15 years! Hoping my Dr. will be open to my suggestion :weary: I feel like they never give me any support when I go. Just say your doing great… (Even though my sugars are out of Wack with steady morning, afternoon and evening highs) Ohh you have a question let me make you a separate appointment with my nurse to answer that. Smh. I’m getting fed up! I got Dexcom because a kids mother told me about it and I got a pump because I looked it up online(back to injections btw). Why don’t my doctors offer me better options to improve my life instead of leaving me in the same situation. Sorry horrible to vent but I hate appointments that offer nothing. I will be surprised if he gives me what I ask for… I’ll let you all know if I start the new med and how it works for me. :sweat::cold_sweat:

Btw good morning people!!! Hope you day goes well :smiley:

You are making a reasonable request. I would be nice if the doctor had some samples of Tresiba for you to try before you go through the whole pharmacy process. Good luck.

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I agree with @Terry4 and would add that you could also try Levemir if that’s easier to obtain. I do MDI and for basal have found Levemir to be quite good, though for me it requires 2x/day. More recently I’m using Tresiba, which seems equally good at 1x/day. I’ve used Lantus but didn’t like it.

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I’ve been using Levemir for some years now. I agree that it works better at 2x a day. That aside, the results are great.

I would like to try Tresiba but first I have to find a drug plan that will cover it. No luck so far.

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If your plan covers Levemir, I would imagine it would very soon cover tresiba too, as they are from the same manufacturer…

To the OP— There was a post here just recently that CVS has dropped coverage of Lantus in order to provide tresiba instead. It’s pretty mainstream stuff, seemingly becoming the gold standard very quickly I can’t imagine any doc would object to it… Please let us know how you like it…

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Seems intuitive but it ain’t so. In fact, they just dropped Apidra from their formulary as well.

Hmm… interesting. Apidra (sanofi) seems to be falling out of favor with a lot of US insurers…

In my experience (which is somewhat limited) they usually give the nod to one manufacturer’s entire lineup vs another. I’d be interested to see what you think of tresiba if you ever get a chance to try it

Oh, it’s absolutely on my to-do list. Only question is when and how.

So very frustrating when you can’t discuss different treatment options with your doctor. It is their job to work with you to find the best treatment plan for you.
I agree that you should always ask for samples first to see if it will work. When I talked a few years back about Symlin, my doctor agrees we could give it a try and I got samples first. Later when we talked about different type 2 medications to help with those post meal spikes, I again got samples of Victoza to see if it might help.
Any doctor worth their weight, should be open to trying new things. Nothing with this disease ever stays the same and what works today might not work next month. Everyone needs to be open to change because that is all this disease does, is change.
Good luck and let us know how the new treatment is working and if you have a new doctor.

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My doc is as open as any anywhere. The problem is access, not willingness. But you can’t watch this forum for any length of time without realizing how many people do have that mountain to climb.

Well just left my appointment and he basically said it wouldn’t help me. First I asked him for his recommendation regarding different type of basal/background insulins and he said nothing other than he doesn’t see it helping me. Okay :fearful: Instead I will now be splitting my Lantus and upgraded from a vial to a pen. Which honestly is the highlight of my visit other than having good blood pressure. I will see if splitting the Lantus helps with my dawn phenomenon and if not I will go back. My husband just stated he seems old school…but will that help me live longer? I dunno…thanks for all the feed back today everyone. Sorry I wouldn’t be able to experience Tresiba :disappointed_relieved:

I’d just tell him that you’d like to be the judge of whether it helps or not…

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Sorry you received that response from the doctor. Are you OK with that? I would find that relationship frustrating, but it’s not me who must live with it. Have you considered switching doctors?

I hope that your Lantus dose splitting does the trick for you. Please keep us posted.

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I am frustrated with the system period and yes if this doesn’t help then I will be looking for an Endo that can provide me more feed back like all of you fellow diabetics and diabetic supporters! Ox I do appreciate all of you…I’m learning so much just by reading :hugs:

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KatBB can I ask how much Lantus that you take for your daily dose and when do you take it. Maybe you mentioned it, but if you did I missed it. I have used
it for several years and the biggest complaint I have is the stinging with my pen injections, but It has worked great for me. I think you mentioned high BG levels in the morning. Maybe your dose is not sufficient and needs to be adjusted. To me if you are having problems keeping you BG levels under control taking Tresiba is not going to solve that problem. All I know is that one needs to have good management or control of the BG levels and then adjust your basal dose(s) accordingly. I believe you did say that you are using a pump and Dexcom CGM so you have the tools to take control of your sugar with good insulin dosing for meals and corrections when needed and of course your basal needs, even if you use your pump for your background insulin needs. I have probably said to much, so I will stop before I stick my foot in my mouth, lol.

Good luck,
Bob

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I currently take Lantus 32 units around 9pm with highs when I wake up. I agree with you about having control. I have an insulin pump that I am not using. Did not like how the site would get red & Irritated once removed. Just never had a pump before so the change was big for me. I’ve decided to try Levemir for now since my Endo agreed to allowing me to try it. (As of today) I should have it within the next week :hugs:

Kat, may I ask what your most recent A1C number was?
How long have you had T1?
What are you normal morning fastings?
Are you taking a fast acting insulin?
Do you count carbs and do you do correction injections.
What is you BG target range?
Do you current know you insulin to carb ratio?
When was the last time you changed you basal dose ?
I know you said you have a Dexcom, but are you using it and do you dose from it?

Bob

I really don’t think that changing your basal insulin is going to solve your problems

Bob,

II don’t expect it to solve my problems but I wanted to try it anyway :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

I’ll double check my Dexcom with testing. My goal range for now is 100. Yes I know my ratios and correction ratios too. I have a stressful work environment by choice and commute that adds to my sugars going up. But life is good just trying something new.

Hey Kat just trying to help.

Good Luck,

Bob

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That sounds really frustrating re: Tresiba! I couldn’t get it covered myself, so for now have been sticking w Lantus (and I’m allergic to Levemir—get reactions at the injection site). For what it’s worth, I can’t imagine using Lantus and not splitting it, because it very clearly lasts about 20 hours in me, and then I spike—I switched to splitting it very early on, and it made a huge difference. Sounds like you’re trying Levemir though, so good luck with that! If for some reason you go back to the Lantus, I’d give splitting a try.

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