Are you suffering from diabetes? If you have diabetes, taking long-acting insulin diabetes meds can help you restore normal levels of blood sugar. The best long-acting insulins available today are Lantus, Levemir, Toujeo and Tresiba, and there is also a closely aligned alternative. Here, we will answer questions about these insulin medications and explain how they work. These long-acting medications can help diabetics control their blood sugar levels without as many painful fingerpricks. High blood sugars, when not managed over time, can often lead to nerve damage and damage to the blood vessels, in turn damaging vital organs. While there are numerous ways to control blood sugar, longer lasting medications are more effective than ever at regulating blood sugar and preventing further damage to the body, and especially disability. If you are in need of diabetes medications, it may be time to talk to your doctor about long-lasting insulin medications. Check out these top eight most frequently asked questions about long-acting insulin diabetes medications to learn more.
When choosing a long-acting insulin, your doctor will want to review the different types. The four different long-acting insulins available today include Lantus, Levemir, Toujeo and Tresiba. Toujeo and Tresiba are injected insulins. Another option is Basaglar, which is biologically similar to Lantus.
Long-lasting insulin can often be used with other diabetes medications if needed. You can use meds with fast-acting insulin medications that are using taken around meal times or with oral medications like metformin that help to manage blood sugar.
Long-acting insulin can tend to cause low blood sugar in some individuals. If this occurs too often, the dose may be too high. In many cases, however, it is likely because you are not consuming enough calories during the day.
The most painless type of long-acting insulin is the drug Lantus SoloStar. It is a pen that contains 100 units/mL of insulin glargine, a form of insulin that regulates blood sugar for a full 24 hours. The pen administers the drug slowly enough to cause minimal pain and inflammation, and also features an ultra-fine needle that is virtually painless.
Levemir is an insulin detemir medication that is a pre-filled syringe. It can regulate blood sugar for 18 hours at least but can possibly provide up to 23 hours of blood sugar management. The syringe is injected under the skin as directed by a doctor or pharmacist.
Long-acting insulin medications use a synthetic form of insulin that can regulate blood sugar by encouraging the body to store and use sugar as energy. It works similar to the same hormone, insulin, secreted by the pancreas, but lasts a lot longer in its synthetic long-lasting form.
Side effects of insulin injections are typically related to the injection site itself. Some pain is normal, and redness and irritation may occur as well, especially for those with sensitive skin. Make sure injections are room temperature as taking medications cold can be painful. Some people might be better off using other diabetes medications.
The insulin medication that lasts the longest is a drug called Tresiba. It comes in the form of an injectable pen that provides a 200 units/mL supply of insulin degludec. This medication works for up to 42 hours, requiring that you only need to take it every other day.