Lantus ?????

[Johnandsue]

My wife was recently placed on a set dose Lantus with a sliding scale Humulin injection when and if required. This regimen seems to be working okay but she takes her Lantus before breakfast and we recently heard that she may get better results control wise if she were to take it at bedtime.
Can anyone offer any advise. She has not been on Lantus very long and we seem to be having more low sugars at confusing times of the day than when she was on a Toronto and Lente regimen.
I would appreciate anyone's insight

[mfg52]

I've been on Lantus for two years in conjunction with Novolog for meals. Originally I was taking 20 units of Lantus at night 9 PM and 1 unit of Novolog for every 15 carbs. I had no problems, with A1c's in the 6+ range. I did have a frozen shoulder within the 1st 3 months though. My A1c raised to 7+ and my BG levels became more erratic the next 6 months, I increased my Novolg to 1 unit per 10 carbs and switched my Lantus to a 6 AM injection of 20 Carbs as my AM glucose was consistently high, hoping the marginal initial activation of Lantus would help. That change resulted in no change on the A1c but did result in an after breakfast of 250+ reading of BG with a descent into the high 40s or low 50s within two hours. I am now on two injections of Lantus, 6AM and 6PM and am adjusting my Novolog for meals to 1 unit per 8 carbs. Been on it 2 days now. Seems to help, I've read of other reactions similar to mine. But we are all different and my Pancrease is producing some insulin yet. I hope this helps for insight. Usually just results in more questions though.

[subbster]

Johnandsue, it certainly wouldn't hurt to try, I take it the doctor has no objections? I don't know that just "better results" are to be expected, but it would certainly have some effect.

My experience with Lantus was that it would kick in within about 2 hours, but often not last 24 hours, more like 20. I took it at 10 pm, so the result was that my evenings things could really run away. I was going to try taking it every 12 hours like mfg52 above montions, but I've moved to a pump since.

It sounds that if she took it at night it may be in a position to really be working during the night (which is oh-so-important!) and then well into the day. Sounds like a good plan. If it is currently running short of the 24 hours, that leaves things erratic in the morning which is not good. Evening is easier to cope with and diagnose.

As for Lantus vs other long acting, I thought it was of huge benefit to me, providing unequalled control overnight, and great "floating" support between meals. But then I am me (and I am type 1 as well). Give it a good go but if it doesn't work out - move on.

[Flibbertigibbet]

My dad and I are both diabetics and we're both on Lantus. But I take it at night and he takes it in the morning. Personally, I love lantus! Nothing has ever controlled my sugars so well. The Doctors at the hospital that I go to said that most of their patients had better results by taking it at night but I think that it just depends on the person. My dad's blood sugars are great and he takes his lantus in the morning. If your wife's blood sugars are dropping, it probably means that her dosage is too high.