Very very frustrated today. My insurance is forcing me to stop Tresiba and to use Toujeo. My family currently is using UHC. And unfortunately, my Endo will not provide a Prior Auth until I’ve tried all options. Maybe I need to find a new Endo who will fight for me…
So yeah, during a global pandemic my insurance and doctor think it’s a good idea to switch everything up on my diabetes treatment. Also, the concentration in Toujeo is different (300 units per mL), so how do I figure out my dosage?
I few questions about Toujeo for those who have tried it.
What was your overall opinion of the long acting insulin?
Did you experience any side effects?
For those switching from another long-acting insulin, how did you determine the dosage? I’m asking because Toujeo has a different concentration?
Assuming you get it in pens, the physical pen will match the concentration and deliver correct amount, no change required by you to adjust.
Unfortunately insurance frequently changes to get the best deal for them. Mine dropped novolog in favor of humalog, and I found a discount cash card to allow me to get novolog.
Hope others will help that have used both of your insulins.
Since it is not equivalent, I don’t believe they can force you to switch.
During this time of lots of people working from home, I think that big mistakes are being made. Fight this on the basis of it not being equivalent to Novolog. Write them first. I’ll bet they back track on it.
Sorry for my error. I don’t think that Tresiba is a 300 insulin like Tujeo either. Either way, it is not a switch to a comparable. I don’t believe that there is another insulin comparable to Tresiba at this time.
They are comparable long acting insulins taken once a day. My insurance has switched many times for insulin I prefer. Currently doing cash discount option without insurance so all oop.
Original poster may be able to switch to that. But if Toujeo costs less with insurance, I’d recommend giving it a try, then determine if worth the effort and possible cost increase of other cash pay options.
My previous post has link to discount option for Tresiba, my99insulin link above.
Well, it’s only been two days and have had the worst experience. I really wish my Endo would fight for me.
I have had extreme swings in blood sugar, particularly high blood sugars and debilitating headaches. I was also spilling small ketones last night. At this point, my family is concerned about me going into Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and being admitted to the hospital.
This morning, I switched back to the half-used Tresiba pen until I can figure out a plan with my company’s HR dept.
If I pay out of pocket for the Tresiba, it will be $371 for the month. What is the cash discount option?
Check the link in earlier post for my99insulin.
You pay $99 for up to each 3 vials ( check for pens) per month.
You will be emailed info to print and give pharmacy to process, and need new RX from your doctor. Program may end at year end, but generally there are different offers each year.
Tuejeo is Lantus concentrated at 300 units per ml instead of 100 per ml. So if you can figure the Lantus equivalent to Tresiba, you have your units of insulin for Tuejeo. If the smallest increment on the pen isn’t small enough for your insulin dosing (if pen doses in full unit increments and you need half units), then you could make a case that Tresiba isn’t suitable.
Pens are specifically designed to deliver by UNITs, and automatically deliver correct dose via the pen it is purchased in. If you get a U200 or 300 concentration in vial, it would need conversion, which is why i’m pretty sure they only sell in pens when not U100.
I switched from Lantus to Tresiba about 3 years ago and found Tresiba to be a remarkably better basal insulin. Tresiba actually works for me once a day, compared to Lantus that I had to take twice a day. My Tresiba dose was about 30% lower than my Lantus dose.
If you are forced to go the other way (Tresiba to Toujeo) you might try twice a day, maybe bumping up the total daily dose.
The U-300 form of Toujeo is probably best suited for diabetics with poor insulin sensitivity who would have to take a lot of units in their daily dose. In the U-300 form you may not be able to dial a dose in very accurately (maybe only in steps of 3 units?) If you have good insulin sensitivity, I think UHC still covers Lantus, which comes in a more reasonable U-100 concentration.
I myself have UHC and yes they discontinued covering Tresiba for me in June. I was lucky to have a substantial stockpile of Tresiba. But if you don’t have a stockpile and want to continue taking Tresiba, Novo-Nordisk has a program called “My$99Insulin” where you get 2 boxes of Tresiba pens for $99 even if it’s not covered by your insurance. Depending on your dose those 2 boxes of pens might last a couple months or (if you have good insulin sensitivity) more than half a year. my99insulin
