New to Levemir® (insulin detemir [rDNA origin] injection) FlexPen®?
Taking Levemir® (insulin detemir [rDNA origin] injection) 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 other diabetes medications
Sometimes taking a diabetes pill
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 medicines may include:
- Low rate of hypoglycemia. In studies, people who began
taking Levemir® FlexPen® had a low rate of low blood sugar, also called
hypoglycemia
- Blood sugar under control. Taken once a day for type
2 diabetes, Levemir® FlexPen® helps keep blood sugar levels under control for up
to 24 hours
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 glargine. 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 team 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 can be taken almost anywhere.
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.
