New to Levemir® FlexPen®?
Taking Levemir® after diabetes pills may be helpful for some people. You may be
adding Levemir® to your diabetes pills, or changing to Levemir® FlexPen® from vial
and syringe or another insulin therapy. Whichever path you have taken, Levemir®
can help you control your blood sugar and get to goal.
In addition to a diabetes pill
Sometimes taking a diabetes pill alone is not enough to control your blood sugar
levels. In this case, you may find it helpful to add Levemir® FlexPen® to your treatment
plan.
Benefits of adding Levemir® to your diabetes pills may include:
- Less weight gain. In studies, people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes gained
less weight when taking Levemir® FlexPen® than with older insulin therapies (NPH)
- Low rate of hypoglycemia. In studies, people who began taking Levemir® FlexPen®
had a low rate of low blood sugar, also called hypoglycemia
Transitioning to Levemir® FlexPen® from another insulin therapy
The benefits of transitioning to Levemir® FlexPen® from another long-acting insulin
therapy may include:
- One-to-one conversion. The same dose of Levemir® FlexPen® can be taken as
other insulin therapies—1 unit of Levemir® is the same as 1 unit of your previous
basal insulin. The dose of Levemir® should then be adjusted to achieve glycemic
targets. In some patients with type 2 diabetes, more Levemir® may be required than
NPH insulin. Work with your healthcare provider to determine the appropriate dose
for you.
- Covered by most health insurance plans. Levemir® FlexPen® is covered on more
than 90% of managed care plans
Transitioning to Levemir® FlexPen® from a vial and syringe
Not all insulin delivery is the same. While many people still use a vial and syringe
to take their insulin, many others have found the Levemir® FlexPen® to be an option
that provides more freedom.
Learn more about the benefits of changing from vial and syringe to Levemir® FlexPen®
on the following page, which addresses delivery options for Levemir® insulin therapy.
Talk to your doctor
If you’re currently on another diabetes therapy but your blood sugar isn’t well-controlled,
talk to your doctor. Together you can decide if Levemir® FlexPen® is right for you.
For help with talking to your doctor, you can use our
Doctor Discussion Guide.