Type 2 Having to go on insulin

[Robgiles26]

My doctor and nurse have both told me that as I am on the maximum dose of both metformin (1000mg) x 2 times a day and Gliclazide (160mg x 2 times a day), once my HBA1C goes over 7 then I will have to go on to insulin. They have never mentioned Sitagliptin. Should I be offered this drug before going on insulin.

 

[novorapidboi26]

well, I suppose wanting oral meds would be preferable yes, but is metformin and sitagliptin not very similar in the way they work...?

and so, if ones isn't working the doctors could assume the other wont.......so essentially the insulin you are producing may be at a level that doesn't function with the oral stuff....

 

[MOIBIL2]

Don't be frightened of going onto Insulin. I have now been on Insulin since the end of August after problems with oral meds and am finding injections no problem at all. My problem has always been sore fingers with the glucose meter readings!!!

 

[Daibell]

Hi and welcome. I did have Sitagliptin added to my full dose Met and Glic for a couple of years and it did help a bit. As you may know, Sitagliptin suppresses an enzyme that in turn stops the pancreas producing insulin a certain time after a meal. This results in a longer insulin production time. If you are going to need insulin assuming you are not greatly overweight then I would suggest going onto it now. As Moibil2 says, insulin isn't really a big deal and I wish I had gone straight onto it but my GP refused until even the Gliptin failed. My Hba1C was 8.3 when I started insulin which was too high. I would encourage you to agree to have the Basal/Bolus regime when you do start rather than mixed insulin. It means more jabs but much better control.