Since switching from Humalog to APIDRAhttp://www.apidra.com/ I have lost over 35lbs and no longer have any edema, I use no Lasix at all.
It took nine months for the old preservative in the Humalog line to start working out of my system. I use 400U of Insulin a day so . . . it is not the amount of the insulin that causes the edema (water retention) it is rather the type or brand.
No more cramps or hunger issues either and I no longer need any blood pressure medicine either!
Here what I found that you need to survive.
You need a GOOD pharmacist!
You need a GOOD Doctor
You need to question and research everything
You need to ask others what they are doing
Don’t accept general answers or tolerate Doctors that don’t act on you issues
I enjoy ALL foods now, I eat Ice Cream and Drink some Jim Beam and Beer too!
I do have a pump now and use it at 200% rate for my noctural hypoglycemia.
I use Humalog and have noticed that I’m always hungry. Has switching to Apidra helped you and what do you think the difference between that and Humalog is?
Yes the hunger is gone with Apidra and the difference is the preservative; old style vs. newage. I have noted that another manufacturer has changed their preservative but, to much product to burn through to announce it as the labels are not marked as such.
The documentation exists but . . . It is in the hands of the drug reps and pharmarcists [ a good pharmacist is easier to find than a good doctor] . Pharmarcists track and store scripts that interact and they are the ones that see the returns too. One Endo stated that less than 2% of all diabete have any problems with insulin and I asked . . . what about allergic reactions to the preservatives? The Endo’s face went Blank! (DING) “we never thought of that they said”
Here are the clues to insulin preservative reaction:
Severe - No kidding Edema [ REQUIRES LASIX ]
Hunger - That hits as soon as you adjust or dose?
Insulin - Usual Dose continue to increase?
Pain - Muscles and Joints . . . Cramps too.
Sweating after dose and BG is not high or low?
Steriods - Make it feel Better?
There are many of us with systoms just like the above that suffer until a doctor can or will prescribe new meds. And when they do actually make the change for you that are doubtful that it will do any good. However, if you find an Endo that kids have diabetes then you might have one that really cares about their clients.
I have kept records too and I share them will doctors that care.
My A1C has improved by 30%
My LASIX Usage is 80ml ONCE A MONTH! Still trying to get years of the old stuff out.
My Energy 300% Improved
My Muscle Mass is Back !
I am still down the 35 lbs but I am 275 lbs and can lift 300 lbs. Losing my belly and love handles too.
As I said once before; Diabetes is a very peronsal disease and not everything works all the time for everyone. You gotta dig in and when you see changes note it. And not just good changes either . . . I had an issue where my BG was climbing all the time to 269 for seeming no reason. I went to a GP who said that everything was ok. So I next went to see a trusted pulmonary doctor that I had seen for many years but worked 60 miles away. They checked me out and I had the beginning of Pneumonia after to runs of Avelox I am back to running between 108 - 160 which is great for me.
I started with Humalog at 1 to 10 [ 1 unit per 10 carbs or BG trimming which ever applied. After several months. I was using 3:10 then 5:10 a few month later at 18 months I was at 1:1 and put on Lasix. Lasix reduces the uptake so . . . more adjustment where needed. Then more Lasix was needed to counter the fluid retention. I was started to die, I was taking huge dosages of Potassium to reduce the cramps. I could barely walk and my legs were the size of elephant legs.
Then I read a post from a very scared diabetic in regards to using 70 units of Humalog to adjust their BG. Nobody replied and I knew then that I was NOT alone. So I began to take control and not relying on any one opinion from any one doctor. I soon found by writing down usages and medication consequences that I was on to something. I openly talked to drug reps, pharmacists and doctors. Most doctors were kinda blank faced but wanted the feedback.
This is why I say the diabetes is a very personal disease and failing to check facts, log your meds and due your own research will leave your destiny in the hands of others, We are all different with simularities but, we can help each other. Another friend was told that they were having kidney failure and that is why they had to take lasix. I told them to go to the lab, get a copy of the test and check the numbers to themselves. They found that they had doctor failure and not kidney failure.
So . . .
All of this stuff sneeks up on you and the next thing you know, you are very sick. I met a young lady that told me that her new doctor took her off her pump. What the Heck? I asked how are your BG’S trending and she replied awful. Then I told her that she is not a guinea pig and if you know that they are wrong then tell them and get a new doctor. This doctor in the aforementioned has a case history and is a co-pay prostitute.
Yes it does take a few months for symtoms to appear and years to get rid of them.
Thanks Peter. I will take reading your post as another piece of good fortune in my life. As a type 1, I’ve learnend long ago how to fire Dr’s, after a lot of bad experiences, and I’ve gotten pretty good at researching my own disease in terms of cure research and different therapies.,But I’ve not really considered that the “preventitive” medications I have been taking may have an adverse impact on me, or that even my year over year increase in insulin usage or general overall feeling of being unwell, and always so tired may be more than my body turning 40’s and showing the signs of 40 years of living w/ D-maybe there are other factors I hadn’t really considered.
Thanks again Peter, I hope you continue to do better, and thank you for opening my eyes to a way of thinking I hadn’t really considered before.
