I am a 7 year pumper, 21 year diabetic, and I'm 23 . I am using a Minimed 712 with Humalog. Being the wonderful age that I am, I am no longer no my parents insurance (fun!). I have decent insurance, but am having to pay around $60 a bottle of Humalog currently. After researching my insurance to see if paying more there would lower the price I came across a comparison of Humalog and Novalog. Novalog on my insurance would be drastically less.
So my question/discussion post is: Are Humalog and Novalog interchangable (with minimal adjustments of course) as they appear? Does anyone use Novalog in their pump? Thoughts?
I am contacting my doctor about this as well, but we have been playing phone tag lately. Just wanted to hear what others thought/knew.
I use Humalog as well, thankfully my insurance covers most of it. The cost though for a bottle is ridiculous. Before my insurance changed I was paying out of pocket first for the insulin before it would be reimbursed by my insurance coverage.
When I started on the pump, I asked the nurse who was the trainer about the insulin. As I was already using humalog, she saw no reason to change the insulin to Novolog. From what I have heard there is not much difference between the two. They are both fast acting insulins. I think the main difference is the break down of how fast each unit lasts and for how long. I know it takes about an hour from bolus for humalog to kick in. I believe that there is a difference with how Novolog does its job. I don't think it will be to much of a change to go from one to another. However, I am sure some settings may need to be tweaked including insulin sensitivity. If you can hold out financially until your next appointment. I would ask your doctor at that point if you keep playing phone tag. I mean either way you still need them to fill out the prescription so at some point you would need to talk about it.
I use Apidra. It's a VERY fast-acting insulin and is particularly good if you start become "insulin resistant" (I actually go through 5 (yes, count 'em, 5) vials a month). Thankfully, my insurance company covers it.
Ive used humalog since i was diagnosed but my doctor just switched me to Novalog cause my insurance covers it. I haven't used it though. Im going to see a new endo on Friday i'll ask him and try to provide u with useful information.