What's Velosulin Human BR?

[Richardz]

I'm using Mimimed 508 insulin pump and Humalog, recently my
blood sugar has been completely out of the control, yesterday
my pharmacist suggested me to use Velosulin Human BR with
Humalog(mix them by
50/50). I know Velosulin is buffered insulin, could anyone
explain it to me what's the advantage of changing
Humalog to Velosulin? Thanks.

[Mack]

On 31 May 2003 19:11:53 -0700, xiaohuiz@hotmail.com
(richardz) wrote:

>I'm using Mimimed 508 insulin pump and Humalog, recently my
>blood sugar has been completely out of the control, yesterday
>my pharmacist suggested me to use Velosulin Human BR with
>Humalog(mix them by
>50/50). I know Velosulin is buffered insulin, could anyone
> explain it to me what's the advantage of changing
> Humalog to Velosulin? Thanks.

This is a question you should ask at
http://www.insulin-pumpers.org for the most accurate answers.
also, what the hell is the pharmacist doing making insulin
recommendations like that? He's not qualified and could open
himself up to law suits if someone following his advice were
to get hurt or hurt someone else.

Mack Type 1 since 1975 http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org
http://www.insulin-pumpers.org

In tribute to the United States of America and the State of
Israel, two bastions of strength in a world filled with
strife and terrorism.

[Willbill]

On Mon, 02 Jun 2003 06:50:47 GMT, Mack
<asdnospam@example.com> wrote:

> On 31 May 2003 19:11:53 -0700, xiaohuiz@hotmail.com
> (richardz) wrote:
>
> >I'm using Mimimed 508 insulin pump and Humalog, recently my
> >blood sugar has been completely out of the control,

how long have you used Humalog for?

any chance that you have an allergy with Humalog?

> >yesterday my pharmacist suggested me to use Velosulin Human
> >BR with Humalog(mix them by
> >50/50). I know Velosulin is buffered insulin, could anyone
> > explain it to me

the "BR", in the name Velosulin-BR, stands for
Buffered-Regular. so Velosulin-BR is similar in speed to the
other "human"-R insulins (Humulin-R and Novolin-R)

> >what's the advantage of changing Humalog to Velosulin?
> >Thanks.
>
>
> This is a question you should ask at
> http://www.insulin-pumpers.org for the most accurate
> answers. also, what the hell is the pharmacist doing making
> insulin recommendations like that?

afaik, Novo's rDNA Velosulin-BR is an over the counter
pharmaceutical in most USA states. and it's also not fully
clear exactly what the pharmacist did/didn't say.
e.g., while i wouldn't bet my life on it, i would be surprised
if the pharmacist said anything to richardz about mixing
V-BR 50/50 with Humalog. and if the pharacist did say
that, i'd like to hear more (from richardz)

bill t1 since '57, ex 8-yr pumper, beef-L 1x, simple MDI/DAFNE

> He's not qualified and could open himself up to law suits if
> someone following his advice were to get hurt or hurt
> someone else.
>
> Mack > Type 1 since 1975

[Richardz]

I have been using Humalog for 2 years, i don't think i have
allergy with Humalog. Because my blood sugar has been out of
the control even if i had huge dosage of Humalog, my
pharmacist thought it's because Humalog has effectiveness
only in 3-4 hours, but Velosulin Human BR lasts for about 6
hours, and it has fixed effect from the first 1 hour to the
third hour, that's the reason why he wanted me to try
Velosulin Human BR?

BTW. Do your guys think Novolog is better than Humalog?
Thanks.

willbill <NOmail@NOmail.net> wrote in message
news:<f3gmdv4i1jirr1vjdlc0ack7ivpg1nfagr@4ax.com>...
> On Mon, 02 Jun 2003 06:50:47 GMT, Mack
> <asdnospam@example.com> wrote:
>
> > On 31 May 2003 19:11:53 -0700, xiaohuiz@hotmail.com
> > (richardz) wrote:
> >
> > >I'm using Mimimed 508 insulin pump and Humalog, recently
> > >my blood sugar has been completely out of the control,
>
> how long have you used Humalog for?
>
> any chance that you have an allergy with Humalog?
>
>
> > >yesterday my pharmacist suggested me to use Velosulin
> > >Human BR with Humalog(mix them by
> > >50/50). I know Velosulin is buffered insulin, could
> > > anyone explain it to me
>
> the "BR", in the name Velosulin-BR, stands for
> Buffered-Regular. so Velosulin-BR is similar in speed to the
> other "human"-R insulins (Humulin-R and Novolin-R)
>
>
> > >what's the advantage of changing Humalog to Velosulin?
> > >Thanks.
> >
> >
> > This is a question you should ask at
> > http://www.insulin-pumpers.org for the most accurate
> > answers. also, what the hell is the pharmacist doing
> > making insulin recommendations like that?
>
> afaik, Novo's rDNA Velosulin-BR is an over the counter
> pharmaceutical in most USA states. and it's also not fully
> clear exactly what the pharmacist did/didn't say.
> e.g., while i wouldn't bet my life on it, i would be
> surprised if the pharmacist said anything to richardz
> about mixing V-BR 50/50 with Humalog. and if the
> pharacist did say that, i'd like to hear more (from
> richardz)
>
> bill t1 since '57, ex 8-yr pumper, beef-L 1x, simple
> MDI/DAFNE
>
> > He's not qualified and could open himself up to law suits
> > if someone following his advice were to get hurt or hurt
> > someone else.
> >
> > Mack > Type 1 since 1975

[Willbill]

On 3 Jun 2003 12:46:09 -0700, xiaohuiz@hotmail.com
(richardz) wrote:

> I have been using Humalog for 2 years, i don't think i have
> allergy with Humalog.

means nothing

i used Humalog 100% via pump for 10 months

it was at roughly the 8 month point when weird things
started happening and i switched completely away from
pumping and Humalog

after quitting (at the 10 month point) it was still another 6
or so months (with occasional use of Humalog for dinner only)
until it finally became obvious that i'm allergic to Humalog

> Because my blood sugar has been out of the control even if i
> had huge dosage of Humalog,

is this true on the 1st day of a new set??? (and therefore a
new injection site)

> my pharmacist thought it's because Humalog has effectiveness
> only in 3-4 hours,

nah

the pump takes care of that issue due to it's ongoing delivery
of basal insulin

> but Velosulin Human BR lasts for about 6 hours, and it has
> fixed effect from the first 1 hour to the third hour, that's
> the reason why he wanted me to try Velosulin Human BR?
>
> BTW. Do your guys think Novolog is better than Humalog?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^.

maybe

then again, maybe not

i'd sure be cautious about leaping from one somewhat new
analog insulin (lispro/Humalog) to another very new analog
insulin (aspart/NovoLog)

i'd suggest trying something else first

one of the lesser know things about Humalog is that it has
more occurrence of early skin fatigue with insulin pumps

meaning that after a day (give or take, YMMV) the skin at the
infusion site becomes insensitive to the Humalog, whereas
Velosulin-BR (which is a "human"-R) doesn't have that problem.
(i have no clue on aspart as it's still very new and i've not
used it and have *no* intention of again being a guinea pig on
insulin any time soon)

given that as a pumper you should at all times carry a backup
syringe filled with insulin (it's easy, see p.s.), my
suggestion is to use Velosulin-BR in your pump for awhile (the
slower speed of V-BR isn't an issue for your basal insulin),
and the syringe with Humalog for your evening meal which is
the primary meal where very fast insulins, like lispro/aspart,
have merit. (and as your backup in case of pump failure)

if this works, then at a minimum you have skin issues with
Humalog. fwiw, i too had skin issues and that was *the* first
thing i noticed about Humalog immediately upon starting use of
it. iow, i could no longer run my long preferred 4-to-5 day
site times and was now restricted to at most 3 days (sometimes
less). this was in late '97 and my Endo doc was still such a
newbie with lispro that it was new news to him. :(

if it does work, also keep in mind the possibility that you
may be in the process of also developing an allergy with
Humalog (in my case the key symptoms were occasional intense
high heart rate with heavy upper body sweating while asleep at
nigh. which i've not had since my last small use of Humalog
(for dinner only) in '99)

there may also be other possiblities, and you definitely want
to talk with your doc about my suggestion before charging off
and trying it

bill t1 since '57, ex 8-yr pumper, beef-L 1x, simple MDI/DAFNE

p.s.take a 30u BD plastic syringe and fill it to 25u with your
backup insulin (in this case lispro)

wrap it in one of the small plastic syringe bags that BD puts
10 syringes into (same the bags as you use up syringes) and
tape it shut with celophane tape (it'll just fit into the bag
with 25u of less). fits into every shirt pocket i've ever
tried and no one's yet noticed. :)

[Willbill]

On 3 Jun 2003 12:46:09 -0700, xiaohuiz@hotmail.com
(richardz) wrote:

> I have been using Humalog for 2 years, i don't think i have
> allergy with Humalog. Because my blood sugar has been out of
> the control even if i had huge dosage of Humalog,

one other thought...

any chance you have Humalog that is bad? (for whatever reason)

bill

[Richardz]

I don't think it's possible, i just got it from pharmacy.

willbill <NOmail@NOmail.net> wrote in message
news:<ct3rdv4cksn1vbsn87jn43oderbupm2cl9@4ax.com>...
> On 3 Jun 2003 12:46:09 -0700, xiaohuiz@hotmail.com
> (richardz) wrote:
>
> > I have been using Humalog for 2 years, i don't think i
> > have allergy with Humalog. Because my blood sugar has been
> > out of the control even if i had huge dosage of Humalog,
>
> one other thought...
>
> any chance you have Humalog that is bad? (for whatever
> reason)
>
> bill