medication - insulin aspart (novolog)

[Cris Tina]

for people with diabetes mellitus or med professionals in practice, have you experienced greater success with this new med because of its faster onset of action mimicking the body's natural rapid insulin output following eating? or have you found more hypoglycemia to contend with? are you or your patients more mindful to take it at the optimal time because it can be administered within ten minutes of eating?

[drsharky]

BEING ABSOLUTELY CLEAR THAT THIS IS MY OWN EXPERIENCE AND NOT A MEDICAL "OPINION"--
I have been diabetic for over thirty years and use Humalog in my insulin pump. Actually, mine still takes about four hours to peak-- so I never enjoyed the effect that it is supposed to have.
That's just me, but it is one experience.
s

[mattiegirl]

As a nurse, I have found patients to be more compliant with it because they can take it with the first bite of food. Otherwise, they had to wait a half hour to eat and then if they got busy and didn't get to eat, they started dropping their sugar levels. Patients say that it allows them more freedom. There is also a new insulin from Germany, called Lantis. It is a twenty-four hour acting insulin and people really like that one. You only have to take that one once in the evening. I am not diabetic, I am just telling you what diabetic people have told me.

:love Mattie

[drsharky]

I should also point out I keep in touch with a pediatric diabetes doctor in my area.
Apparently now they are encouraging kids to use Humalog and to learn to count carbohydrates, because (like Mattie has heard) it helps with compliance. Better to count carbs and dose yourself accordingly (come closer to what a real pancreas would do) than to go around sneaking food that "everyone else" gets to eat.
You also have to be willing to test a lot. Perhaps that is what you are asking about, Cris Tina. But I find that lows can happen, no matter what insulin you use or how well (or poorly) you eat. Tight control does increase the risk of hypoglycemia, but I believe it's worth it to stay within an ideal range to avoid the onset of complications.
Again, that's just me, but after thirty plus years with diabetes, I have no complications... so it has worked for me.
s

[Cris Tina]

thanks for replying. i am curious what effects medication changes OR advances are having -- especially in this forum.