Does anyone get tested for insulin resistance?

[Rosie9876]

Sounds stupid, but I only realised that I wasn't properly treating my longstanding T2D last October. Since then, I've been reading up, watching videos, found this forum, etc. I'm pleased to say it's dropped from HbA1c 88 then to probably about 47 by now. What I don't know, and that's a different matter, is how insulin resistant I am now. This makes a difference to coming off my medication and relaxing my diet. Has anyone got tested specifically for insulin resistance? What tests did you get? TIA.

 

[KennyA]

Mine hasn't been, ever. I think the official assumption is that "as T2 diabetes is a progressive disease and will only need increasing management by ever stronger medication there's no value in it ....etc" . I would disagree with that.

Interestingly Michael Eades addresses this in his blog today - it's about half way through, after the section on lard.

The Arrow #217

arrow.proteinpower.com

 

[Rosie9876]

Mine hasn't been, ever. I think the official assumption is that "as T2 diabetes is a progressive disease and will only need increasing management by ever stronger medication there's no value in it ....etc" . I would disagree with that.

Interestingly Michael Eades addresses this in his blog today - it's about half way through, after the section on lard.

The Arrow #217

arrow.proteinpower.com

Thank you. I had a look at the article. The common medical attitude to T2D is shameful, as though we're not worthy of real (expensive) treatment because it's our fault. Btw apart from belly visceral fat, I am not particularly "fat", not that it makes me more "worthy". I hope this is changing though, now that it's reaching epidemic levels

 

[KennyA]

Thank you. I had a look at the article. The common medical attitude to T2D is shameful, as though we're not worthy of real (expensive) treatment because it's our fault. Btw apart from belly visceral fat, I am not particularly "fat", not that it makes me more "worthy". I hope this is changing though, now that it's reaching epidemic levels

The elephany on the horizon for healthcare systems is that Bilous and Donnelly estimate that, by 2035, 35% of NHS spend will be on the (eminently avoidable) tertiary complications of T2 diabetes - the blindness, kidney disease, CVD, amputations etc. That doesn't include social care costs, either. Bilous and Donnelly were right last time they did such an estimate, except that the 17% "target" was reached a few years sooner than expected.

So anyone serious about ensuring that the health service continues to function should be looking at reducing some of those avoidable consequences, and doing it now - it would take ten years to have effect.

 

[Grant_Vicat]

Thank you. I had a look at the article. The common medical attitude to T2D is shameful, as though we're not worthy of real (expensive) treatment because it's our fault. Btw apart from belly visceral fat, I am not particularly "fat", not that it makes me more "worthy". I hope this is changing though, now that it's reaching epidemic levels

A few days ago I was talking to the manager of a traditionally made pizza restaurant, who is genuinely interested in nutrition. He told me that all Type2 diabetics are obese. My response was "That's an urban myth!"
"What makes you so sure?"
"I'm a moderator on a diabetes forum"
Sadly, we have to cut through well ingrained assumption.

 

[Rosie9876]

A few days ago I was talking to the manager of a traditionally made pizza restaurant, who is genuinely interested in nutrition. He told me that all Type2 diabetics are obese. My response was "That's an urban myth!"
"What makes you so sure?"
"I'm a moderator on a diabetes forum"
Sadly, we have to cut through well ingrained assumption.

When I was diagnosed, I was actually thin, and I'm not muscular - just my legs a bit, but still thin. I suspect my threshold for glucose storage was very low, not that I understood it then.
I asked my surgery for HOMA-IR for insulin resistance to be added to my blood test. They said it's not available on the NHS. They're not making it easy for diabetics who want to sort themselves out, are they?

 

[Grant_Vicat]

When I was diagnosed, I was actually thin, and I'm not muscular - just my legs a bit, but still thin. I suspect my threshold for glucose storage was very low, not that I understood it then.
I asked my surgery for HOMA-IR for insulin resistance to be added to my blood test. They said it's not available on the NHS. They're not making it easy for diabetics who want to sort themselves out, are they?

I agree @Rosie 9876 but it amazes me what they manage to achieve with at least one arm tied behind their backs. It's very hard for those of us who are trying to aim at ideal personal health management, which in itself should take some of the financial burden away from the NHS. I hope you get what you need!

 

[Rosie9876]

I agree @Rosie 9876 but it amazes me what they manage to achieve with at least one arm tied behind their backs. It's very hard for those of us who are trying to aim at ideal personal health management, which in itself should take some of the financial burden away from the NHS. I hope you get what you need!

It's true, the NHS is very constrained, and I appreciate that, but I wonder if greater understanding and spending on preventative medicine would save money in the end. For example, in my experience of a check up with the diabetic nurse, feet are only tested for absence of sensation. Pins and needles, discolouration, etc. dismissed, even if I raise it. I had diabetic neuropathy for years without knowing it. And encouraging T2 patients to self-monitor, even if not including the testing strips, would help enormously. I've been told T2 shouldn't monitor.

 

[Grant_Vicat]

It's true, the NHS is very constrained, and I appreciate that, but I wonder if greater understanding and spending on preventative medicine would save money in the end. For example, in my experience of a check up with the diabetic nurse, feet are only tested for absence of sensation. Pins and needles, discolouration, etc. dismissed, even if I raise it. I had diabetic neuropathy for years without knowing it. And encouraging T2 patients to self-monitor, even if not including the testing strips, would help enormously. I've been told T2 shouldn't monitor.

It annoys me that such short-sighted advice is still dished out. I completely agree with paying more attention, and money, towards preventative medicine.

 

[jjraak]

Sounds stupid, but I only realised that I wasn't properly treating my longstanding T2D last October. Since then, I've been reading up, watching videos, found this forum, etc. I'm pleased to say it's dropped from HbA1c 88 then to probably about 47 by now. What I don't know, and that's a different matter, is how insulin resistant I am now. This makes a difference to coming off my medication and relaxing my diet. Has anyone got tested specifically for insulin resistance? What tests did you get? TIA.

I vaguely remember when I first arrived and like you taking more interest in the specifics of the disease.

Coming across Hugh's calculator, a method of finding the ideal levels of ratios in any given lipid panel.

Iirc there was in amongst the conversation a 'method' on line very similar to hughs calculator that offered an insight into how insulin resistance we were according to our blood tests as well

I must admit using hughs calculator gave me tremendous confidence that lchf was working extremely well for me personally.

But I think I was a little to early in my journey to really use it or understand the insulin resistance method one, so never really followed it up bar my first attempt.

Which did agree I had a measure of I/R.

Can't offer a link, but perhaps searching the forum for hughs calculator 'may’ turn up the thread/post with the I/R method link .

As for testing etc, the only one I can think of who may have had that done was bulkbiker.

A member no longer with us.

 

[jjraak]

Ok, curiosity got me

Found this thread which may be of interest .

Mentions one or two who seem to have been tested (?)
And offers links to the method of calculating I/R.

Not read or investigated any further
Simply offered as a note of interest.

Insulin resistance

It's useful, because it often is difficult to persuade your doctor to order an insulin test for you. :) Winnie53,Im going to be getting a ton of labs done on 9/11/2019 at VA clinic.What exactly is the insulin test name I want to get? Im also going to try to get fractionalized LDL/triglycerides...

www.diabetes.co.uk

 

[Lamont D]

There has been many threads and blogs on the testing of insulin resistance and levels of circulating insulin in the blood. The number of T2s and other who have a reason to overproduce insulin because of abnormal high spikes. And the imbalance produced by carbs and sugars.
The main reason for not doing the tests is cost.
However if you are lucky like myself, I had these done by my endocrinologist during the diagnostic tests for RH.
It does seem relatively short sighted and why so many, like myself were misdiagnosed.