I have been trying to send this post and it keeps disappearing on me. So here I go again:
I have been T2 diabetic for 9 yrs and a month ago started with insulin for the first time. I started taking an insulin pen (lantus solostar) and using 1 unit, increasing 1 unit every second day. I now take 36 units. Over the past week I have been experiencing severe pain at night on my left side (kidney area). I also have an asthmatic cough that won’t go away and itching all over my body (not just at injection site)and bloating in my hands, feet and face… When I tell my doctors and nurses they don’t take me seriously and say lantus dosen’t have side affects. It is a very safe insulin. Can anyone confirm my findings or know of a site that can?
http://products.sanofi-aventis.us/lantus/lantus.html
scroll down to the injection site and allergic reactions.
I don’t think that what is happening to you is because of the lantus, but you could be a rare sort.
Has it gotten worse? Do you already have kidney problems?
Hi Jackie, Thank you for sending me the link. I appreciate your reaching out. The site is very informative and eventhough I have been researching I find this site the best so far. My reactions are getting more severe with wheezing, shortness of breath and more kidney pain. My doctors advised me to increase dosage very very slowing and even cut back by 10 U. and start a gain to gradually increase by 1 unit every second day. I am getting a little better as of the last 10 hours or so. I am at 28 units today. I also started to take it in the am. I have also decided to learn more about macrobiotic eating for diabetes and I’ll be taking a week long retreat the end of June. Thanks again for your caring. Ro
I’m gonna throw in my two cents worth even though it might be completely unrelated. I have had type 1 for 34 years.
Several years ago, when lantus first became widely available, I switched from NPH. Within 3 weeks I had gained over 40 pounds of edema - swelling in my feet and ankles, moving upward. I went to the ER and they rushed me up to the cardiac ward, thinking that I was in heart failure. It was horribly frightening - test after test with nobody telling me the results. Everything was normal as far as my heart, kidneys and liver went. I told them that it seemed to start with the Lantus and as a last ditch effort, they ghad me discontinue it. Within a week the swelling was gone. …and my insurance company had a big bill to pay for the hospital stay.
Good luck to you. Be persistent. If nobody is answering your questions, ask again. And again. You need to get to the bottom of this.
Hi Ro,
I wanted to ask if the cough is persisting? And if so, are you taking any medication for blood pressure? The one I am specifically asking about is one of the beta blockers. The reactions you describe can be any of a number of things, but the first one that came to mind was a beta blocker. Anyway, if you truly think it is the Lantus, keep on telling the doctors what you think. No one knows how you feel better than you do. And remember that allergic reactions can happen at any time, the same day you start a medication or even after you have been on something for years.
No, I am not on ANY other meds at this time. Docs agreed that my serious reaction to drugs was real and they agreed to start with ONLY one med at a time. In the past other docs gave me up to 10 meds and the reactions were life threatening. Now they are at least listening. Thanks for your reply. Ro