For those who have tried the above three rapid acting insulins, did you find one better than the other? Take less of one than another?
I've tried humalog and Novolog. Humalog was not for me, it seems like it doesn't do as much for me as Novolog does and I have better control with Novolog, but I'm not sure why, maybe it just works faster? I'm not sure . I also had headaches with humalog, and I'm not sure why I had those either. I haven't tried Apidra , but it seems like everyone loves Apidra.
Also the kwik pens for humalog suck compared to the novolog flex pen and the solostar that they use for apidra and lantus. It doesn't click when delivering doses and it feels flimsy and I busted one up in my purse when I used humalog. This might be minor for some people but I hated those things and that drove me further away from using humalog. I also had humalog pens leak all over me after dosing so combined with the lack of clicks I never knew if I got all my insulin with that.
How much are you taking?
If that's with long acting included, that's already pretty little insulin where I don't know what you could really do to decrease it, you're already using just around what I use, and it's not much.
I’ve used humulin or log, the fast one and novolog. And now I can’t remember which is which but one of them has a quicker onset but longer tail. I could only tell the difference during marathon training. One was better for marathon training. Or was it the false CGM readings that made me think so. I remember I’d get a false low at the beginning of running. The long tail was bad because I’d want to eat but nt have insulin in me at running time.
Apidra is fast and has a short life, but it is a more delicate insulin. It does not like heat. I used it with my pump. It would only last 2 days. I now use Humalog because my insurance would no longer cover Apidra - not because of any other issues. Humalog lasts 3 days in my pump, and I have not had any insulin failures with it. I miss the shorter tail (4 hour) and quicker onset time of Apidra.
I started off with Novolog and switched to Apidra due to cost savings. I didn’t notice a difference between the two, although I know some people have major issues with Apidra in their pump. I found that by using an Apidra savings card, I could get my insulin at no cost compared to the $40 I spent a month on Novolog without a savings card. I’m very grateful that I couldn’t pass a Pepsi/coke challenge between the two.
i used novorapid for 2 and a half years and just started apidra last month. i like apidra a bit better because it has a junior pen with half units (!!!) and being very sensitive to insulin and low carbing and exercising, it really helps to be able to dose smaller. it is a permanent pen so you have to screw in the cartridges, the first time (and only, so far) i put it together it was like the da vinci code of insulin pens. i saved the instructions just in case!
i THINK it works faster and has a shorter tail for me, though it might be the heat that seems to be making the insulin work faster? i guess ill have to wait and see when cooler weather comes.
Just understand, your body might just need that amount of insulin , you might not be able to really decrease it much further if at all.
I have used Novolog® and Humalog® for many years. I started using Novolog (MDI) as soon as it became available on the US market, and in a pump for 7 years, My insurance company stopped covering Novolog® in 2012 and I started pumping Humalog®. I see no significant difference in My TDD and it makes perfect since because all U100 insulin lowers my BG the same amount per unit (although timing may be a little diffrent). I do like Humalog when correcting, it has always given me a little more predictable bolus, but I would have to give overall performance to Novolog...it lasted longer in my pump, 4-5 days without fail, Humalog® performance starts to fail after 2-3 days so I think Novolog® is the most heat tolerant, I have never used Apidra because several of my Doctors have said Apidra does not hold up to the outdoor temperatures we regularly experience here in Texas...JMHO