Insulin ?

S&B

Member
Messages
8
Looking for Type 2 person’s experience with moving onto slow acting insulin. I’ve been diabetic T2 for 20+ years. Initially on meds, including metformin. Managed to stop glicazide, sitagliptin and now just take Metformin. My Hbaic Is slowly creeping up. Been on LCHF for a long time with a lot of success. But now seem to have got to the stage where pancreas just isn’t responding. I know that i am going to be advised to start slow acting insulin and just seeking people’s experience/advice. Any advice?
 

kaylz91

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,090
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Sorry I know I'm Type 1 but slow acting insulin may not be the only insulin you are given, if things have gotten too much they may want to introduce a basal/bolus regime so slow acting and a fast acting to take when you consume carbs as well, if you do go onto any insulin then it can take a while to get the dose right so you may stay as you are due to the dose being too low or end up with lows if the dose is too much, when first started on insulin they generally base it from your weight etc so it is a complete guess to start off with, if you have any questions about insulin then I'm quite happy to answer those if I can but remember us Type 1's started off from scratch as well so we had to learn just the same a Type 2s would so don't discount help from them xx
 

NicoleC1971

BANNED
Messages
3,451
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Have you had your insulin levels checked to confirm what you suspect? Cpeptide measures this.
LCHF has helped you this far. Could you add fasting into the mix? Could you do some post meal exercise if that's when the spikes are occurring? Or just adding some muscle building stuff to make you more sensitive to your insulin?
The problem with insulin for an insulin resistant type 2 person is that you will increase insulin resistance and need more and more insulin unless you truly are insulin deficient.
 

kaylz91

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,090
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
The problem with insulin for an insulin resistant type 2 person is that you will increase insulin resistance and need more and more insulin unless you truly are insulin deficient.
Not strictly 100% true, insulin dependant Type 2's often still take Metformin to help with the insulin and therefore can require the same as any Type 1, Type 1's on higher doses have even had Metformin added to their regime to help which it has so there isn't any guarantee the OP would have more and more insulin
 

NicoleC1971

BANNED
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3,451
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Not strictly 100% true, insulin dependant Type 2's often still take Metformin to help with the insulin and therefore can require the same as any Type 1, Type 1's on higher doses have even had Metformin added to their regime to help which it has so there isn't any guarantee the OP would have more and more insulin
Well OP needs to check his C pep levels. Agree you can get insulin resistant type 1s and insulin deficient type 2s for whom metformin and Sglt2 inhibitors could help them reduce glucose production or increase glucose excretion.
 

Fenn

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,405
Type of diabetes
Type 1.5
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi, sorry to hear things arent going to plan.

Anything specific you are worried about or just a general experience run down?
 

Fenn

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,405
Type of diabetes
Type 1.5
Treatment type
Insulin
In my experience insulin has been more of a pain than a problem

I was started on slow acting nightime happy juice but was still getting silly spikes with food, to reduce this I had to take an amount that made me go too low during the night,

I must just say how horrific night time hypos are, worse than daytime X 100 (for me anyway).

So I also take fast acting before food or to correct, I say correct because if my bg goes up, it stays there, so I adjust it by injecting without food, I mention this because I have no idea if im supposed to do this and I found it hard to find an answer for. This is very tricky and can make me go low very easily.

The injections themself are easy and relatively painless, I use the same needles for days, this is stupid and very lazy but heyho.

Insulin for me wasnt really an option so I am just accepting things and getting on with it, like all of us here I guess.

It is magical, you can get it right after a while and some meals I can get a flat line, feels great, this leads me on to my biggest tip...

Freestyle libre, game changer! Its the difference between finger prick testing and not, if you can afford it, do it always, if not alternate, or just at first or just for a fortnight but you must must must get hold of one of these.

I have a silly problem, if I take the correct amount for any meal, an amount that would give me a flatline if sitting and unexpectly walk the dog (because for example my kids are lazy gits (their only job) and I wont let my wife walk in the dark alone) my bg falls fast, really fast, like a stone! For this I have no answer, its very frustrating.

So as I say, its a pain.

Risk of rambling so will shup and wait for any questions if you have them?
 
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Fenn

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,405
Type of diabetes
Type 1.5
Treatment type
Insulin
Have you tried having a small snack before walking the dog.
No dog walk, no need for the snack.
Dog walk, snack (without insulin) and no hypo.
No, I will give it a try, seems weird eating when not wanting food but its a good idea, thankyou.
 

S&B

Member
Messages
8
Thank you everyone for your insights. I really have exhausted the lchf, And with exercise regime - not working any longer, BMI is 21. I normally managed BS after the morning/lunch spikes - these are not food related as I low carb. Starts off with Dawn phenomenon and I have tried everything is little success. Fasting makes me feel so ill
GP will not do C-Peptide test . I have self funded Freestyle Libre, however as I have little subcutaneous fat I get way off readings, so is not reliable. So next step I understand will be nighttime slow insulin so we can get over the dawn phenomenon to start. ‍♀️
 

Fenn

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,405
Type of diabetes
Type 1.5
Treatment type
Insulin
I too had amazing success with lchf, I was told I would be taken off the diabetic register and year after being diagnosed in the mid 20’s I had stopped testing and was cured! but alas I just very slowly got worse numbers, this was over the years, so I feel your pain.

Fasting? Not for me. And after visiting a 91 year old in hospital this evening, im doubting the whole staying healthy thing full stop lol.
 

kaylz91

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,090
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
So next step I understand will be nighttime slow insulin so we can get over the dawn phenomenon to start. ‍♀️
slow acting wont stop the rise of dp unfortunately, those Type 1's that suffer with it generally have to take a dose of fast acting to stop a dp rise, if long acting stops the dp rise then I would more than likely expect to see a hypo later in the day as its a 24 hour insulin (well some are) xx
 

Daibell

Master
Messages
12,642
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi. You can get the C-Peptide test done privately as I did e.g. Medichecks.
 

DCUKMod

Master
Staff Member
Messages
14,298
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Looking for Type 2 person’s experience with moving onto slow acting insulin. I’ve been diabetic T2 for 20+ years. Initially on meds, including metformin. Managed to stop glicazide, sitagliptin and now just take Metformin. My Hbaic Is slowly creeping up. Been on LCHF for a long time with a lot of success. But now seem to have got to the stage where pancreas just isn’t responding. I know that i am going to be advised to start slow acting insulin and just seeking people’s experience/advice. Any advice?

S&B - If you presently only the only diabetes medication you take is Metformin, would i not seem more likely that your Doc would consider prescribing another oral medication before considering insulin?

I recall a while ago now, listening to a presentation by a Endo, specialising in diabetes, who stated there were around 400 potential combinations of oral medications to help with control in T2, before considering insulin.

To be clear, these are combinations of various meds - not 400 individual options.

I hope you get the help you need. It must be very frustrating when things seem to be going in the wrong direction.
 

S&B

Member
Messages
8
S&B - If you presently only the only diabetes medication you take is Metformin, would i not seem more likely that your Doc would consider prescribing another oral medication before considering insulin?

I recall a while ago now, listening to a presentation by a Endo, specialising in diabetes, who stated there were around 400 potential combinations of oral medications to help with control in T2, before considering insulin.

To be clear, these are combinations of various meds - not 400 individual options.

I hope you get the help you need. It must be very frustrating when things seem to be going in the wrong direction.
 

S&B

Member
Messages
8
Thank you. I have been on glicazide slow release, glicazide, avandia, sitagliptin, saxagliptin in past but came off and worked on LCHF which has been great for 10 years +. However, when diagnosed I was informed to eat a certain amount of carb with every meal and it all seemed to be spiralling out of control and more meds! Those meds made me feel so unwell and my bs were unpredictable and would crash without warning. Eventually and with the power of the internet and forums like this I came off and started LCHF which worked. I have been on DPP, SLP, Glp these don’t suit and I have bad side effects.
I just feel that my pancreas is now exhausted and struggling