Gliclazide or insulin?

[Hayley23472]

Hi

I've had an elective procedure delayed as my hba1c is too high for it, apparently. The most recent one was 83. It has to be 69 or less for the procedure. I've been offered either gliclazide or insulin to try and get a handle on it, but I'm not sure which to go for. I'm overweight and a little concerned about taking gliclazide as from what I've read, it can cause weight gain. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Lamont D]

Have you tried dietary changes, such as a low carb diet?

as I don't know your T2 history, I won't say which is best. But meds of any type, is not what I would recommend unless it is the healthy option for you.

 

[HSSS]

I’d say best options depend if you are insulin resistant and already producing a lot of insulin but it doesn’t work well or actually deficient and needing more. The only way to know this for certain is an insulin or a peptide test. The nhs are reluctant to do either for a type 2 though. If deficient adding more insulin is really the only option as it is in type 1

Most type 2 fall into the first group especially in the earlier years/decades. In which case adding more insulin by either making your pancreas kick more out (gliclizide) or injecting it will short term reduce blood glucose by brute force. Long term it adds to insulin resistance and means you’ll need more and more over time and have more and more chance of complications

Better in this case to reduce the stimulation of high glucose in the first place - carbs being the biggest single factor. No need for extra insulin then and in fact you’ll need less. Having less glucose and insulin circulating reduces the insulin resistance which is the the underlying issue in type 2.