To inject or not inject??..That is the question?

[kevjulyan]

Hi Guys, :wave:

I have recently been told I have diabities but as yet it would seem that they dont know which one!! altho they are steering towards type 1!

I have been given a tablet to take twice daily which is to encourage my knackered pancreas to create some insulin! But I have also been given some insulin pens just incase I need them!! My BG levels are up and down like a fiddlers elbow so I can only assume that there is a little bit of insuline being created!! My levels at certain timeS are as high as 17.9!! I have an appointment booked for the 13th of December to find out my GAD Levels and to find out if it is oral medication I need for now, or if I have to get on the insulin! so my question is, should I use the insulin that I have been given or just wait to until my appointment????!!

Thanks in advance for any replies :thumbup:

 

[mattr]

I'm surprised you've been left in any doubt by the professionals.

On diagnosis I was advised to check for Ketones if over 13 for two readings, to avoid ketoacidosis and being readmitted to hospital.

 

[kevjulyan]

Thanks for the reply mattr

ye I am feeling like I am left to my own devicies as to if i try a shot of insuline!! I test for Keytones and so far they have not gone above 0.2! they do tend to drop to 0.1 and occasionaly they dissapear altogether!! I dont wanna start using the insuline until i have 100% confirmation its what i'm going to need! even tho they have given me 5 pens!haha

 

[pumppimp]

Hi,
If you decide not to inject until you hear about your GAD results keep a very close eye on your blood sugar and ketones. some people who are type 1 can walk around feeling thirsty and tired for months before they are brought into A&E with DKA because your body may still be producing some insulin. Hopefully you've been given a meter for blood glucose and ketones or the urine strips (although these lag quite a few hours behind blood ketone strips). Hopefully you've also been given some advise on diet, until you hear your diagnosis it would probably be best to avoid carbohydrates at least very quick releasing ones like pasta breads rice fruit juices anything with sugar in it. most things have carbohydrates written on the packet have a look. If your blood sugar keeps increasing then I would inject. It's completely your decision though and I'm really quite shocked that you havn't been given a clear diagnosis or instructions of what to do. If you do start to feel ill vomiting diahorrea pains it could be a sign of DKA so get yourself straight to A&E.
Good Luck

 

[kevjulyan]

Thank you for your replies guys

Im gonna sit the insuline out until my appointment, and in the meantime i shall ensure i continue to check my levels and watch what carbs i put into my face! haha

 

[AMBrennan]

I have been given a tablet to take twice daily which is to encourage my knackered pancreas to create some insulin!

That suggests that you will need insulin anyway since the insulin secretagogues you are taking are, apparently since you still have high BG, not enough; the next step is insulin.
[Assuming you actually meant what you said rather than you just trying to be funny. Metformin, the first line oral treatment, does not "encourage the pancreas to create insulin"]

I'm really quite shocked that you havn't been given a clear diagnosis

Yeah, and we haven't found a cure for cancer because all the scientists are lazy, incompetent and just can't be bothered... Have you considered the possibility thar medicine might be *hard*? That doctors might not be doing it out of malice but because, unlike you, they are not omniscient? They are sending OP to have the tests done they need to distinguish between the two types after all.

As for the original question, given that you're asking here it's clear that you haven't been told when to start injecting insulin, and probably haven't been told how much and when either, so I don't really think that there is much point in randomly experimenting.

If you really wanted, though, the usual starting point is 10u Lantus/Levemir and 1u per 10g carbs Humalog/Novorapid (about 6u per meal assuming normal portion sizes). This and this document by NHS GGC should cover much of what you should have been told before being given the insulin pens.

 

[iHs]

I have been given a tablet to take twice daily which is to encourage my knackered pancreas to create some insulin!

That suggests that you will need insulin anyway since the insulin secretagogues you are taking are, apparently since you still have high BG, not enough; the next step is insulin.
[Assuming you actually meant what you said rather than you just trying to be funny. Metformin, the first line oral treatment, does not "encourage the pancreas to create insulin"]

I'm really quite shocked that you havn't been given a clear diagnosis

Yeah, and we haven't found a cure for cancer because all the scientists are lazy, incompetent and just can't be bothered... Have you considered the possibility thar medicine might be *hard*? That doctors might not be doing it out of malice but because, unlike you, they are not omniscient? They are sending OP to have the tests done they need to distinguish between the two types after all.

As for the original question, given that you're asking here it's clear that you haven't been told when to start injecting insulin, and probably haven't been told how much and when either, so I don't really think that there is much point in randomly experimenting.

If you really wanted, though, the usual starting point is 10u Lantus/Levemir and 1u per 10g carbs Humalog/Novorapid (about 6u per meal assuming normal portion sizes). This and this document by NHS GGC should cover much of what you should have been told before being given the insulin pens.

There is the possibility that OP has been given one of the twice daily insulins to use..... They are starting to make a come back............and will not require insulin to carb ratios to be worked out like diabetics do using bolus/basal.