Your blood sugar level and diabetes
Diabetes is a condition where your blood sugar level can be higher than normal. When you have diabetes:
- Your pancreas makes little, not enough, or no insulin, or
- Your body prevents the insulin you do make from working correctly
As a result, sugar can’t get into your cells, so it stays in your blood. This causes your blood sugar to stay too high (also called hyperglycemia).
Both high and low blood sugar can result in serious complications. That’s why controlling your blood sugar level is an essential part of managing your diabetes.
Follow your doctor’s recommendation about the best time of day to check your blood sugar. Once you get a little practice checking your blood sugar, it will become part of your routine.
What are the symptoms of diabetes?
If you have diabetes you may have some or all of these symptoms:
- Increased thirst and hunger
- Frequent urination
- Weight loss
- Blurry vision
- Feeling very tired
You may also have problems with:
- Scrapes or bruises healing slower than usual
- Tingling or numbness in the limbs
Or you may have no symptoms at all.
What are the types of diabetes?
Your health care provider may have spoken with you about your type of diabetes, but you may not know about the other types.
- Type 1 diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the body makes little or no insulin. People with this type of diabetes must take insulin every day. Type 1 diabetes usually is diagnosed in children and young adults, but can appear at any age
- Type 2 diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, your body prevents the insulin it does make from working right. Your body may make some insulin, but not enough. Most people with diabetes—about 90% to 95%—have type 2. This type of diabetes usually occurs in people who are older or those who are overweight. In fact, many people with type 2 diabetes are overweight
What causes type 2 diabetes?
No one knows the exact cause of type 2 diabetes. However, certain risk factors—such as being overweight, older, having a family history of type 2 diabetes, or having a lifestyle that doesn’t include staying active—may increase a person’s chance of developing type 2 diabetes.
See how diabetes affects your body
Treating type 2 diabetes
Every person with diabetes is different. You and your diabetes care team may be able to work together to manage your condition in the following ways:
- Diet and exercise alone
- Diabetes pills
- Pills plus insulin or non-insulin injection (GLP-1 receptor agonist)
Even if you have been managing your diabetes well, there may come a time when you need to add insulin to your treatment plan. Moving to insulin is not a sign of failure. The truth is, many people with type 2 diabetes may need to take insulin at some point in their lives. This is a natural progression of diabetes. Although you can’t always control it, you can control the next step you take.See if insulin is right for you
What is Levemir® (insulin detemir [rDNA origin] injection)?
- Levemir® is a man-made insulin used to control high blood sugar in adults and children with diabetes mellitus.
- Levemir® is not meant for use to treat diabetic ketoacidosis.
Important Safety Information
Who should not take Levemir®?
Do not take Levemir® if:
- you have an allergy to Levemir® or any of the ingredients in Levemir®
Before taking Levemir®, tell your health care provider about all your medical conditions including, if you are:
Talk to your health care provider about how to manage low blood sugar.
How should I take Levemir®?
- Read the Instructions for Use and take exactly as directed.
- Know the type and strength of your insulin. Do not change your insulin type unless your health care provider tells you to.
- Check your blood sugar levels. Ask your health care provider what your blood sugar levels should be and when you should check them.
- Do not share needles, insulin pens, or syringes. You may give or get an infection from another person.
- Never inject Levemir® into a vein or muscle.
What should I avoid while taking Levemir®?
- Do not drive or operate heavy machinery, until you know how it affects you.
- Do not drink alcohol or use medicines that contain alcohol.
What are the possible side effects of Levemir®?
Serious side effects can lead to death, including:
Low blood sugar. Some signs and symptoms include:
- anxiety, irritability, mood changes, dizziness, sweating, confusion, and headache.
Your insulin dose may need to change because of:
- change in level of physical activity, weight gain or loss, increased stress, illness, or change in diet.
Other common side effects may include:
- reactions at the injection site, itching, rash, serious allergic reactions (whole body reactions), skin thickening or pits at the injection site (lipodystrophy), weight gain, swelling of your hands and feet and if taken with thiazolidinediones (TZDs) possible heart failure.
Get emergency medical help if you have:
- trouble breathing, shortness of breath, fast heartbeat, swelling of your face, tongue, or throat, sweating, extreme drowsiness, dizziness, or confusion.
Please click here for Levemir® Prescribing Information.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Levemir® is a prescription medication.
If you need assistance with prescription drug costs, help may be available. Visit pparx.org or call 1-888-4PPA-NOW.