Lantus to Kathleen

[Guest guest]

Kathleen,

I've been on Lantus since the very beginning and I love the results

I've had with it. My last HbA1c was 5.4, and none of my scores have

been above a 5.7 since I started insulin treatment. I've had to

increase my dosage as my pancreas has further burned itself out, and

with weight gain that I've pleasantly been able to accomplish now that

I'm on the right enzymes and supplements.

Even these adjustments have been easy, keeping in mind that one only

makes minute (1-2 unit(s)) increases or decreases in dosage, and

always waits 3 days between each adjustment to allow the insulin

enough time to properly adjust the glucose pattern. Since it is

intended to cover one for a 24 hour period of time, the 3 days are

needed to get an accurate pattern. Some people may have to go through

several days-weeks to get the dosing just where it needs to be, but

the wait is worth it, since you ultimately get such dependable BG

readings. It is sensitive enough, though, that you have to get it

just right or then be wary of hypo's at night.

I've learned by trial and error to eat a small snack with protein

every night before I go to bed to avoid this, and never go to bed with

a BG of less than 100. Initially, I had some frights with hypo's

until I got my dosage where it needed to be. I still have occasional

problems with hypo unawareness, yet only during the day, and have to

keep a close eye on myself if I'm eating frequently and dosing with

fast acting Humalog when I eat. It taught me to keep accurate,

detailed records of what I eat and how that food affects my BG levels,

so that now I can pretty much stay right on target as long as I'm

eating the same things most of the time, and getting the same levels

of exercise.

But I'd have to say that insulin dosing, too, is a VERY individual

process, even more so than people's different pain med reactions.

There's just so much to take into consideration. I found it much

harder to figure out what to expect with insulin dosing, and was not

at all impressed or educated that well by my CDNE. Much of the advice

that she gave me just didn't work for my situation, and she admitted

that I was her only patient with type 1 diabetes as a result of

chronic pancreatitis. She tried, but the things she recommended just

didn't work! So I learned most of what I did by trial and error and

with some help of an internet insulin " guru " ....lol!

As far as what kind of specialist you should see first after a TP/ICT,

that suggestion should come from one of our TP/ICT members, like

Chrissy, Bert, Crystal, Darren, Kristy, Shirley, ......gee, we

have enough of them out there, I'm sure one of those guys would know

better than I!! I can forsee that some day in the future, there will

be a new specialty in the medical field to just do that - wouldn't

that be wonderful? I say we should petition for or nominate Chrissy

to be the first one! She could even think up her own new medical

classification title, right?

If there's any way I can help, just holler!

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

SC Rep

SE Regional Rep

PAI

Note: All comments or advice are based on personal experience or

opinion only, and should not be substituted for consultation with your

medical professional.

[Guest guest]

Kathleen wrote...are you starting to see my frusteration, aggrivation

and determination to get this party started with the tp,ict????? Kat

Kat-

Yup, I do! :-)

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

SC Rep

SE Regional Rep

PAI

Note: All comments or advice are based on personal experience or

opinion only, and should not be substituted for consultation with your

medical professional.