Humulin/novolin are they the same?

[Adinsmom]

Hi. We need to refresh Adins insulin. So I went to the fridge and the bottles are different. :confused: He had Novolin and the new one is Humulin. Are they just different manufacturers? I asked at the pharmacy when I picked them up and she said they were what he needed.

Will there be any difference in his numbers because of this?

I left a message with the nurse when I called in bg numbers. But thought you guys could help me get a jump on it with the pharmacy or reassure me till she calls.

Thanks.

[EmmasMom]

They are basically the same, just made by different manufacturers. Novolin R (regular), Novolin N (NPH) and Novolog (fast acting) are synthetic, Humulin R (regular), Humalin N (NPH) and Humalog (fast acting) are human based insulin, but they work about the same, you should keep a close watch on numbers just in case he reacts differently to them. But they should have the same effect and peak times.

[selketine]

So is it novolog and humalog or ?

Did the pharmacy or the doctor switch the insulin brand? Some people think they work slightly differently (one works a bit better than the other or longer or has a "kick" at the end of it). We've used both humalog and novolog without any differences noted.

[Ben'sMommy]

You really should have been told something like that.
Even if they do work in exactly the same way, you should have been alerted to the fact that they have different names. To avoid any panic or confusion.

That would really annoy me.

[pookas]

I agree you should have been made aware of the change and I would call the endo. to see if they made they change or the pharmacy? I don't think the pharmacy can make that call. Maybe your insurance changed and will cover Humalin and not Novalin now? I'd dig for the answer. They should basically work the same. We switched from Novalog to Humalog a while back because we are diluting his insulin now and Novalog can't be diluted [they claim].

[Adinsmom]

It is the nph type insulin that he is on right now. Humalin instead of novalin. It actually came from the Children's Hospital Pharmacy that my husband picked up before we left. I asked about it when I turned in perscription's at our pharmacy. Hubby pointed this out at lunchtime when I was trying to get a hold of Adin's endo. He checked it over while I was on the phone and read the excerpt. So after discussing it with him and reading Amy's explanation, things make more sense.

The nurse hasnt gotten back to me :( but I didn't go the emergency route. So it usually takes them a day. I will ask why the switch though.

Thanks all.

[Pammers]

When Joey was dx'd we were given Novalin NPH/Novalog. The mail away pharmacy switched us to Humulin/Humalog because it was their "approved product". I checked with the endo and the pharmacist. They basically work the same, but as a disclaimer the packet inserts tell you not to mix brands (use Novalog with Humulin NPH and vice versa) because they haven't done studies that way.

That made me go over my hour per day of diabetes related work. :rolleyes:

[jeep_bluetj]

They are effectively the same.
The analogs are made slightly differenly (Novo and Lilly have different base processes) but for the vast majority of people Novolog works just like Humalog. And Novolin N works just like Humalin N. Rarely there's a difference. We have a friend the doesn't respond at all to Novolog. Humalog works fine. But that's very rare. Like all other things D, try it out and watch.

(Sometimes I think my son is a little D experiment. But that's the way it goes...)

http://www.uchsc.edu/misc/diabetes/ud08.pdf is the pinkpanther chapter on insulins.

[Adinsmom]

His numbers have been off since the switch. :( I am seriously wondering if it is because of the Humulin change and giving it with the Novolog? I didnt see the packet disclaimer :eek: , thanks for the heads up Pam.