Yes, it didn’t sound like a very good option to me either. I guess there are different levels of Kaiser plan, because I have heard several people on pumps who use Kaiser. Maybe it also depends on which Kaiser. I believe Melitta is on Kaiser. I guess when I get to the point of checking out Kaiser as a possibility I will have to look at the different plans, which I wasn’t even aware existed, I just thought Kaiser was Kaiser. I have a little more flexibility because there is just me. Good luck with your insurance search!
hi Manny,
A LADA type diabetic [you are also as I recall?], diagnosed late in life, I switched to Humulin-R insulin,
the “synthetic” insulin, a year ago after spending several years continuing to feel very sick on the newer more
commonly prescribed “analog” insulins – Apidra, Humalog and Novolog.
I figured I had nothing to lose by trying it and frankly
feel that Humulin-R [plus one small injection of Humulin-NPH daily] is saving my life.
Perhaps, Humulin will turn out to be a great help to you also.
In any case, it is available without Rx and inexpensive.
Very few, if any[?] endos anywhere prescribe it anymore, which makes your Kaiser story sound incredible.
When I started Humulin, for the first couple of months,
I kept my pump running basal with the analog insulin I was prescribed at the time.
Then worked in Humulin-R boluses one by one with pen injections 15-30 minutes before meals.
Eventually, I ditched the analog insulin altogether and switched over to Humulin-R in the
pump for both basal and bolus. I am very happy with the Humulin-R as basal as well.
Most difficult for me [still] is the additional planning involved in bolusing 20 to 30 minutes before eating.
Reintroducing brown rice into my diet also seems to be working well with the “Humulin” metabolism.
When Humulin was invented in the early 1970’s, brown rice was BIG.
I exercise daily and haven’t found a significant difference with Humulin as far as preparing
by either adding carbs, reducing bolus, suspending the pump or all of the above.
Ask me any other questions you think I might be able to inform you about.
All my best,
Tess
Thanks for this post Manny. The replies help with a question I posted this morning: Hello all. Recently lost insurance due to a period of unemployment (occupational hazard for a construction electrician) and went shopping for insulin. I’ve used Novolog in my Medtronic MiniMed since I started using the pump but used Humulin R & N prior to the pump. I was VERY suprised to find that the cost of Novolog was $118 per 10ml vial vs $24 for Humulin. Does anyone out there currently use Humulin R in their pump? Can anyone give me first hand comparisons on their own experience with both types of insulin via an insulin pump? Does anyone know of lower cost, but legitimate, sources for Novolog?
Danny
CANADA Several online canadian pharmacies - wheenI but out of pocket i get it t here about 35 to 40 a vial for humalog
BSC,
Here is an article that gives an explanation of U-500. I hope it helps answer your question.
Thanks for this post Tess, as I am considering switching to Humalin R u-100 for use in my pump. Very little info is out there on this subject as most endos seem to recommend the analog insulins. Since the pump tries to emulate the pancreas, my thought was that it might be best to use the insulin that most closely mimics the Human Insulin actions in both basal and bolus. I will discuss this with my endo next week .
Regular insulin has a much slower action than the analog insulins. Even if it is more similar to our natural insulin, it is injected into our subcutaneous fat and therefore takes much longer to be effective. You can definitely use it in a pump because that is what people did before analog insulins. But then IMO you compromise the functions of the pump meaning that things like temporary basals will take much longer to take effect. Correction boluses will take much longer to work. Meal boluses may have to be given 45 minutes to an hour ahead. Obviously you’ll have to change many of the settings on your pump such as Active Insulin Time and the timing of your basal changes.
All of that being said, my sister has had Type 1 for about 35 years. She refuses to use a pump or CGM and is very happy continuing to use Regular. Some people who eat low carb also like Regular for injections because of the slower action. But if you’re using a pump, you can use combo and extended boluses to get that same slower action.
For sure Regular insulin is cheaper if you buy the Relion brand at Walmart.
I’ll be interested to hear what your doctor says and if you decide to give it a try. Have you had diabetes long enough that you used Regular before the analogs were released?
I used Regular insulin, Humulin-R and Velosulin, in insulin pumps for ten years before the first rapid acting analog insulin, Humalog was introduced in 1996. It can be done and it does work but it is harder to live with, as @Laddie describes. In addition to a slower onset and peak of action, its duration is a few hours longer than the modern analogs. This aspect makes overlapping more than one dose, referred to as “stacking,” a bit tricky and unpredictable.
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Until 2009 I was on MDI with 70/30. This was so good, I almost want to go
back to it. I was able to eat to carbs until noon. No more eating required
after noon. I was a diabetic in the morning only. Unfortunately, Dexcom
shed a light on how bad my control was during the night. I got a pump to
have control over my basal. I would ditch my pump if smart insulin would
keep my BG in check when I am not eating. There have been so many advances
in the last 10 years. I am looking forward to winning in the lottery.
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Thank You for your response. You are right and My endochrinologist
agreed with you completely.
I will continue to use the fast acting insulins in my pump and I am on a
path to try to better determine my basal rates at all times of the day.
I’m hoping that may smooth my roller coaster bg ride.
Regards
MikeL
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