How did you feel about switching onto injections?

[NewdestinyX]

Same here. Finger pricks are worse..

 

[Cath1962]

This subject has come at just the right time for me, I am due to go on insulin on Tuesday and am very nervous, have had type2 for 16 years, medication not working anymore my readings rarely lower than 14 feeling anxious about injecting and the possibility of having hypos

 

[NewdestinyX]

This subject has come at just the right time for me, I am due to go on insulin on Tuesday and am very nervous, have had type2 for 16 years, medication not working anymore my readings rarely lower than 14 feeling anxious about injecting and the possibility of having hypos

Just start low. In units. And go up one unit a day.. until numbers start coming into alignment.. A low doesn't feel great - but just keep some orange juice on hand.. And some Glucose tabs on you (like sugar candy).. It'll take about 5 minutes for glucose to get into system and take away the shaky feeling.. Try not to overreact or you'll send your BG level way high. If you're not on Metformin anymore you likely won't go low as your liver will dump for you.. If still on Met - then again.. Just keep some Glucose tabs on your person (purse) and OJ at the house. You'll be fine!

 

[ukwombat]

I didn't mind at all I knew was that's what was needed to treat me and I'd rather be healthy than not, but after a diet fix up and weight loss I was off then - took 2 months

 

[ukwombat]

Just start low. In units. And go up one unit a day.. until numbers start coming into alignment.. A low doesn't feel great - but just keep some orange juice on hand.. And some Glucose tabs on you (like sugar candy).. It'll take about 5 minutes for glucose to get into system and take away the shaky feeling.. Try not to overreact or you'll send your BG level way high. If you're not on Metformin anymore you likely won't go low as your liver will dump for you.. If still on Met - then again.. Just keep some Glucose tabs on your person (purse) and OJ at the house. You'll be fine!

Cath just do what is needed - it's better than not and soon you get into the habit and it doesn't hurt at all

 

[Debs1970]

Well - the docs will tell you, as they did me, to tough it out with the gastric stuff - that your body will acclimate in 30-60 days.. Uggh.. Even that would feel like an eternity.. But I toughed it out for 6 months!!! And that daily - "I better not leave my house" did get better over time. But never went fully away for me - and after 6 months I truly begged him - and he was happy to start me on MDI (multiple daily injections). He was actually happy that I asked as the newest research shows that early insulin use has very favorable outcomes. Not waiting to us it as a last resort which is what most people think.

He/She will start you on a basal (long acting insulin) like Lantus or Levemir at 10iu's a day and then tell you to 'titrate' up (go up by 1 unit a day) until your fasting glucose is between 95-105 (sorry for American BG level numbers) .. At first that will feel very low and a little shaky to you. It's called a 'false hypo' since your body is used to being much higher than that. But that truly will pass in short order. Keep us posted on how you do. The docs in UK might be more strict in when to start insulin. But 'beg'. For some of us, Metformin/Glucophage are a living hell!

30-60 days? I tried metformin for 6 and a half weeks til I could stick it no more. So far I'm controlling my bloods myself with a low carb diet, but my DN has mentioned the Bydureon injection, but I need to read up on it first. I'm happy to keep going as I am for now anyway.

 

[NewdestinyX]

30-60 days? I tried metformin for 6 and a half weeks til I could stick it no more. So far I'm controlling my bloods myself with a low carb diet, but my DN has mentioned the Bydureon injection, but I need to read up on it first. I'm happy to keep going as I am for now anyway.

Well 30-60 days and 6.5 weeks are about the same according to my 6th grade math.. Lol.. Not sure why you questioned my numbers there..

But we agree. Met simply is intolerable to some/many of us.

 

[Debs1970]

Jeeeeeez calm down - I wasn't questioning your numbers, I simply said that because - how some doctors expect you live like that for that length of time, with all the bad side effects is asking a bit much. Just writing down that 6 weeks= 42 days, just in case I forget.!!!!! thanks for that.

 

[Peter Hulse]

I had the same experience, and of course once I started it was fine. It's a pity no-one had explained earlier what injections entailed, as I should have started a year or so earlier than I did.

 

[Peter Hulse]

I wasn't warned that my weight might increase, which it did, fairly abruptly, by several stone. Furthermore, I'd been losing weight gently for a couple of years, and had just got down to a weight I was happy with. So my illusion that this was due to my innate virtue and healthy lifestyle was rudely shattered.

 

[Mep]

yeh I've been on injections since February 2010. I've had type 2 for 17 years now. The oral meds stopped working and my endo did a c-peptide test on me again and the GAD test. The c-peptide came back in the red showing I no longer produce much insulin so I had no choice but to go on insulin. Right now I'm struggling to get my levels right after my endo told me to stay on 12 units of basal but I've suddenly had high sugars for days. I have multiple other conditions to manage and dealing with a lot of pain. I've suddenly gained weight since being taken off and put back on a drug a few months back (baclofen). Now i'm not only dealing with lots of pain, but weight gain. ugh. Having to increase my insulin dosages isn't helping that either.

 

[queenie01]

yeh I've been on injections since February 2010. I've had type 2 for 17 years now. The oral meds stopped working and my endo did a c-peptide test on me again and the GAD test. The c-peptide came back in the red showing I no longer produce much insulin so I had no choice but to go on insulin. Right now I'm struggling to get my levels right after my endo told me to stay on 12 units of basal but I've suddenly had high sugars for days. I have multiple other conditions to manage and dealing with a lot of pain. I've suddenly gained weight since being taken off and put back on a drug a few months back (baclofen). Now i'm not only dealing with lots of pain, but weight gain. ugh. Having to increase my insulin dosages isn't helping that either.

Hi I am T2 24 years ago, moved to insulin in 2008, still kept metformin as oral meds. It is a constant battle I'm afraid to say but the alternatives - amputation, blindness, CKD are just not an option. My current medication is Levemir 10 units morning and evening and Novarapid roughly calculating carb content of food at mealtimes - this may add up 20 units through out the day. I still take metformin, also now have linagliptin, bezafibrate for cholesterol and ramipril 1.25 mg. I have very low background retinopathy, lots of things affect your levels - if you're coming down with a bug, how much exercise you take. LCHF has helped me lose 21lbs in the last year - try 80% diet and 20% naughty. You can do this, you will do this because the alternative is not an option!! All good wishes

 

[Mep]

Hi I am T2 24 years ago, moved to insulin in 2008, still kept metformin as oral meds. It is a constant battle I'm afraid to say but the alternatives - amputation, blindness, CKD are just not an option. My current medication is Levemir 10 units morning and evening and Novarapid roughly calculating carb content of food at mealtimes - this may add up 20 units through out the day. I still take metformin, also now have linagliptin, bezafibrate for cholesterol and ramipril 1.25 mg. I have very low background retinopathy, lots of things affect your levels - if you're coming down with a bug, how much exercise you take. LCHF has helped me lose 21lbs in the last year - try 80% diet and 20% naughty. You can do this, you will do this because the alternative is not an option!! All good wishes

thanks I did the LCHF before and didn't feel too good on it and kept getting very high cholesterol readings... so not doing it ever again as have a history of heart disease in my family. Plus these days my diet is quite restricted as my bladder reacts to a lot of food... eat the wrong food and I certainly know about it. I'm missing a lot of foods I used to eat. But I'm considering using optifast again to help... I'm hoping my bladder doesn't react to that. I also eat for textures... I no longer can sit down to a steak as it usually gives me a lot of pain, and avoid most raw foods. I can't eat bacon, ham, or any processed or smoked meats. I've eliminated citrus, most fruits, some veggies, dressings, vinegars, quite a few spices. artificial sweeteners, I can't tolerate most coffees & teas, alcohol, most dried fruit, some nuts, cheeses, etc. I think with me it isn't my food that is a huge factor, more the other stuff going on with me. I can eat the exact same meals and get high readings one day and low the next. I just try and figure things out as I go.

 

[notned]

I was on insulin when they woke me from a 5 week induced coma to get rid of double pneumonia. As 'ukwombat' said above - it was what was needed and the alternatives didn't sound too appealing. The first year (2013) I think I was in denial. In January 2014 a scan showed that I had cirrhosis - even though the scans they'd done during my coma were AOK.
In April 2014 I got mad with it and implemented a low carb (<150g) diet. In September '14 I started a food blog, seriously counting carbs. Since then I've lost 10 kilos, got rid of insulin and brought my liver blood figures back to normal.
Actually I have gained about half a kilo over this summer - thanks to inordinate time spent at my desk moving my late wife's estate through probate.
The little prick from the insulin injection never bothered me at all - most times I never felt it. On the other hand I hate the finger pricks - which I'm still doing. Didn't I read that someone is developing a test patch? Bring it on!

 

[Scubastu]

I was diagnosed type2 about 9 years ago and gradually the oral meds stopped working until 4 months ago had a really bad chest infection and couldn't throw it off, turned out I had a HbA1c of 120 and my imune system was struggling. It was sugested that the meds weren't working and would i consider insulin. Spoke to a couple of type 1 friends and they said it would be the best thing to happen to me.
So I was put on Insumen comb25 twice a day morning and evening and told to just keep upping the dose till my blood glucose was in the right range. Which i did until I was taking 42 units a day ( the more you eat the more insulin you need etc. vicious circle) I put 5kg in weight on in less than 2 weeks. I thought this isn't right and talked to my diabetic nurse who then said yes you will put weight on if you don't watch what you eat. Thanks could have told me that at the start!
So I started calorie counting and excercising ( 2 great apps Nutracheck and Probike fit) 3 months later my HbA1c is 39 and my insulin is down to 28 units 14 in the morning and 14 in the evening. I've lost nearly a stone and a half and achieved my ideal BMI.
I didn't know if I could inject myself but once I tried it and had to look if the needle had actually gone in I found it a breeze.
I'm still on metformin twice a day but luckily I dont have any of the side effects that some do.
Would I recomend someone to go onto insulin a resounding YES.

 

[mojo73]

As part of our Diabetes Week questions, here's a question for people with type 2 diabetes who have gone onto injections -or are considering going onto injections.

How did (or do) you feel about switching onto injections?

Did/do you have any worries about going onto injections?
If/when you made the switch, how did you adapt to being on injections?
- was it easier or harder than you thought?
- was there any part of it that struck which you hadn't considered before going onto injections?

This question covers injections for insulin or for incretin mimetics like Byetta, Victoza and Bydureon

I was diagnosed in January 2003 with type 2, I was managed by diet and tablets, but I was very unstable and quite unwell with it I was getting married in February 2004 and by the November of 2003 the doctors decided to put me on insulin so that I would hopefully feel better and get better control, well I have been on insulin since then and would not change it for the world, I feel better in myself and have much better control of my sugars. It may not work for everyone but I would recommend trying it.

 

[Mandysmith]

Was diagnosed type 2 about 4 years ago. Nothing has kept my sugar levels down so went on insulin in August. Still having real trouble getting levels down. Can eat same thing 2 days running and have several hypos and then high readings one day then sensible readings the next!! Trouble is, I also have AF (along with pacemaker and artificial mitral valve due to CHD). Each mad variant of sugar levels sends my heart rhythm completely bonkers which makes it very difficult to function. Needless to say, I'm totally fed up and have off work since September cos of it. Oh, and I was also very allergic to something in both lantus and levemir and still getting awful skin reactions to the novomix that I'm on now. Grrr

 

[vicauld]

As part of our Diabetes Week questions, here's a question for people with type 2 diabetes who have gone onto injections -or are considering going onto injections.

How did (or do) you feel about switching onto injections?

Did/do you have any worries about going onto injections?
If/when you made the switch, how did you adapt to being on injections?
- was it easier or harder than you thought?
- was there any part of it that struck which you hadn't considered before going onto injections?

This question covers injections for insulin or for incretin mimetics like Byetta, Victoza and Bydureon

After 5 years of gradually increasing oral medicines(to 2x1grm metformin and 4x gliclazide) for my type 2 diabetes and arriving at 10 / 25 readings which had continued to increase I opted to go on to insulin injections which I startd a month ago. I have gradually increased the dosage and i am currntly taking 58 units in the morning and 38 units at night. I have stabilised at 7 /10 and feel much better. I have no problems with the injections but I find that taking the 58 unit injection is easier in two smaller injections because a single injection was causing some bruising of my skin..

 

[babsy2]

I'll try anything not to go on injections my gp & diabetic nurse says the chances are slim but at them moment I'm doing ok and
quite along way from them at present

 

[TrevorFisher]

I was put on victoza before going on insulin. it's still an injection though. i was never very good with needles, in fact before being diagnosed with diabetes, i used to give blood, and regularly passed out if i saw needle or my blood collecting.

Anyway, i didn't get on with victoza, i did lose weight with it, but it made me feel permanently full and uncomfortable, i was then put on insulin. I have now got over problems with needles, except when i get a blunt one, hurts like hell!!