Doctors fail again...

[james_1d]

Hi,

I was diagnosed with Type 2 in 2010....and before that for years I had been complaining of frequent visits to the toilet and they failed to diagnose my diabetes then.

I've just recently had the antibodies test and the local hospital rang me this morning to tell me I have Type 1 LADA, and I've to go in tomorrow for Insulin.

I've been on the max does of Metformin and Gliclazide and they have been doing very little to bring my BS under control, so this actually does not come as a surprise to me, but I'm a bit scared now as to what this means...guess I'll find out more tomorrow!

Cheers
James

 

[Ambersilva]

Basically, you will find that injecting insulin will make the control of blood sugar so much easier and effective.

You will probably be given a choice of how you wish to manage your injections. Some of us choose to have Multiple Daily Injections (MDI) which means we have to inject two different types of Insulin. We inject a long acting insulin once a day which keeps our blood sugar at a steady level for 24 hours. At mealtimes we inject a fast acting insulin to work on the food we eat. This is the only method I have ever tried. I find that it works very well for me.

 

[james_1d]

Basically, you will find that injecting insulin will make the control of blood sugar so much easier and effective.

You will probably be given a choice of how you wish to manage your injections. Some of us choose to have Multiple Daily Injections (MDI) which means we have to inject two different types of Insulin. We inject a long acting insulin once a day which keeps our blood sugar at a steady level for 24 hours. At mealtimes we inject a fast acting insulin to work on the food we eat. This is the only method I have ever tried. I find that it works very well for me.

Thanks for that, I am not worried about injections, I just want my BS under control, and was a bit upset it's taken the Doctors this long to find out. I'd been complaining for some years that the pills are just not working.

 

[Daibell]

Hi and welcome. I had the same problem with my GPs and they refused me insulin until my blood sugar rocketed up despite all the tablets and low-carbing. Like Ambersilva, I'm on MDI (Basal/Bolus) and would recommend it as it gives you complete control. You will find being on insulin is a welcome relief from tablets and starvation! I just wish more GPs understood LADA and started insulin earlier. You will need to stop the Gliclazide and possibly the metformin. My DN has kept me on the Met as she says it has other protective properties; debatable.

 

[james_1d]

Hi and welcome. I had the same problem with my GPs and they refused me insulin until my blood sugar rocketed up despite all the tablets and low-carbing. Like Ambersilva, I'm on MDI (Basal/Bolus) and would recommend it as it gives you complete control. You will find being on insulin is a welcome relief from tablets and starvation! I just wish more GPs understood LADA and started insulin earlier. You will need to stop the Gliclazide and possibly the metformin. My DN has kept me on the Met as she says it has other protective properties; debatable.

Well that is interesting. I was told to come off the pills as of today. They sometimes keep people who's pancreas still produces some insulin like mine on Metformin, but my Diabetic nurse said no in my case.

They have started me on very low doseages of insulin. The long 24 hour one once at night 8.....and the one with meals only 2 breakfast, 2 lunch and 4 at dinner. To test bloods before each dose. So got the short one this morning, another at lunch and then a triple pack sarnie...bloods shot back up from 11 to 16.....so hoping it might just be a case of getting used to Insulin, and getting the dose correct.

I've to keep a diary and go back into Hospital on Tuesday for sesssion with diet specialist then the nurse to adjust doseage if needed...in my case I suspect I'll need to be on a lot more!

Good news is that they think even from tonight, I'll not need to visit the loo in the night.....but Bad news is I'll gain at least a stone!

 

[LucySW]

You wont necessarily gain all that weight - unless you've recently lost a lot. In fact you only will if you eat really a lot and just bolus for it. (I don't recommend that, myself.).

Keep an eye on that basal. To me (in same situation a year ago) it sounds too much. I would start on 3 or 4 units. It won't impact till day 3 or 4, but then, watch out.

If you're still having high BG after three or four days, it means, depending on testing, you need to edge the quick-acting up gradually. That is what really makes the difference.

Good luck!

 

[viv k]

Hi James, 5 years with the wrong diagnosis, that's not good. The default position for the health system seems to be anyone over 25 with an elevated HbA1c is called type 2 until proven otherwise. Not on, because they are 2 quite different conditions. Is it just diabetes that they do this for I wonder?

I was told I was type 2 April 2014 and after a frustrating journey (on other threads) I finally got the correct diagnosis last month. I just started on insulin last week, now most of my BGs are heading to target range compared to fasting 11s and post meal 14-17s for the previous couple of months.

This forum has been very helpful, with practical advice. The silver lining in my original type 2 diagnosis was that I used a low carb/low GI diet and exercise to manage my blood sugars and the lifestyle changes are ones I mostly want to stick with. One nice change with having insulin though is being able to sometimes sit down after my evening meal and not have to jump on a stationary bike in a cold, dark garage (it's winter where I am)

Hope it goes well for you.

 

[Ali H]

I have had a weight problem all my life but I started on basal/bolus a year ago and haven't gained any weight. I essentially follow Richard Bernstein's way of eating, 30 grams of carbs a day, being low carb moderate fat and protein, and it works brilliantly. If you follow standard NHS advice of plenty of starchy carbs blah blah blah you run the risk of gaining weight nice and quickly........

Ali

 

[RuthW]

Welcome to Type 1. I feel it's easier than Type 2 in many ways. I've had it for almost fifty years and have achieved best control with a pump. I do follow the NHS guidelines, and eat a fair amount of Low GI carbs, and my diabetes is under good control, as is my weight.

 

[Dodders40]

Well that is interesting. I was told to come off the pills as of today. They sometimes keep people who's pancreas still produces some insulin like mine on Metformin, but my Diabetic nurse said no in my case.

They have started me on very low doseages of insulin. The long 24 hour one once at night 8.....and the one with meals only 2 breakfast, 2 lunch and 4 at dinner. To test bloods before each dose. So got the short one this morning, another at lunch and then a triple pack sarnie...bloods shot back up from 11 to 16.....so hoping it might just be a case of getting used to Insulin, and getting the dose correct.

I've to keep a diary and go back into Hospital on Tuesday for sesssion with diet specialist then the nurse to adjust doseage if needed...in my case I suspect I'll need to be on a lot more!

Good news is that they think even from tonight, I'll not need to visit the loo in the night.....but Bad news is I'll gain at least a stone!

I am the same. Waiting to start my insulin. I

Well that is interesting. I was told to come off the pills as of today. They sometimes keep people who's pancreas still produces some insulin like mine on Metformin, but my Diabetic nurse said no in my case.

They have started me on very low doseages of insulin. The long 24 hour one once at night 8.....and the one with meals only 2 breakfast, 2 lunch and 4 at dinner. To test bloods before each dose. So got the short one this morning, another at lunch and then a triple pack sarnie...bloods shot back up from 11 to 16.....so hoping it might just be a case of getting used to Insulin, and getting the dose correct.

I've to keep a diary and go back into Hospital on Tuesday for sesssion with diet specialist then the nurse to adjust doseage if needed...in my case I suspect I'll need to be on a lot more!

Good news is that they think even from tonight, I'll not need to visit the loo in the night.....but Bad news is I'll gain at least a stone!

i too am starting on insulin. I am worried about my weight and not controlling the diabetes. I am terrified of having a hypo!
Good luck to you

 

[ButtterflyLady]

I am the same. Waiting to start my insulin. I

i too am starting on insulin. I am worried about my weight and not controlling the diabetes. I am terrified of having a hypo!
Good luck to you

Here is is some info about insulin and T2s, but I think it is also applicable to any type of diabetes:
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/15478720.php

As the article explains, it's possible to use insulin and not gain weight. As long as you test often and have good "hypo awareness" you should be able to stop hypos before they happen. If your hypo awareness decreases, ask about a CGM, a continuous glucose monitor, which has an alarm to tell you when you are going too low.

 

[Dodders40]

Thank you

 

[viv k]

I've been told by the specialist that going on insulin means I am likely to gain a little weight. As I understand it, if you eat the same diet/amount as before insulin, then your body retains some of the glucose that was previously being excreted.

 

[ButtterflyLady]

I've been told by the specialist that going on insulin means I am likely to gain a little weight. As I understand it, if you eat the same diet/amount as before insulin, then your body retains some of the glucose that was previously being excreted.

I'm not sure how it works at a cellular level, but from what I've read, having too much insulin increases appetite, and it can also lead to hypos, which make the person want to eat more and/or run higher BGs. So, my reading suggests that the key is to use the least amount of insulin possible. This requires matching the dose at each meal to what your meter says and how many carbs you are going to eat, and this is called basal/bolus MDI with carb counting. Often doctors will put people on basal only, or basal/bolus with set doses, or mixed insulin, which works differently again. So, I think if you use insulin carefully, it doesn't need to mean weight gain.