How did you feel about switching onto injections?

[Mothership]

I have been on low dose Victoza for a week and I don't find the injection a problem. I have reduced my gliclazide and come off the sitagliptin. I am hoping I will be OK when I increase the dose next week and hopefully will soon be off the glyclazide completely.

 

[Sucina]

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

When first told I was to go on to injections I was a bit worried,but after a couple of weeks I found it ok to inject,having not been a fan of needles I now don't think about it.

 

[m3bnn]

I'm going on insulin this week as I'm on 8 tablets now and still have hi readings 20 to 30+ so now going on insulin hope this helps now bit worried about it but got to be better then hi sugar glucose readings

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[Alanp35]

M3, don't worry about the injections. It is a very short small needle. Sometimes I feel it and sometimes I don't, but it is helping to save, my sight, my kidneys and my limbs. I done need much more encouragement than that.
You'll be fine.



Late onset T1, several auto immune issues.
Humalogmix25 twice a day, Methotrexate 25mg once per week, FolicAcid 5mg once per week, prednisolone 5mg daily, Allopurinol 300mg, Calcichew-D3 800iu, Levothyroxine 50mcg, Atenolol 50mg, Losarten 100mg, Aspirin 75mg, Nicorandil 20mg, Nitrolingual GTN spray, Metformin 2000mg, Allimemazine 10mg, Lanzoprazole 30mg, Atorvastatin 20mg, Co Codamol 8/500mg, Depo Medrone (Methylprednisolone) or double Prednisolone for 7 days in case of RA flare.

 

[myrio]

only problem i have is i somtimes forget if i have injected or not

 

[SweetGuy]

I have been injecting Victoza for just over a week. The anxiety of thinking about starting to inject was a lot worse than actually doing it. When you realise you can hardly feel it and there no blood or anything it is really nothing.

 

[lianne85]

Hi I have just been put onto insulin today and my first injection went ok and my diabetic nurse showed me what to do and everything.
Only problem is storing it until I get my own mini fridge but am using my grandfather fridge to put it in for now.


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[eddie1968]

Don't dread going on injections. The needles are small and testing your BGs isn't rocket science. It's all part of a routine you pick up and learn like brushing your teeth etc lol. Best move I made in ages and feel a lot better coming off oral meds.

 

[Alanp35]

Don't dread going on injections. The needles are small and testing your BGs isn't rocket science. It's all part of a routine you pick up and learn like brushing your teeth etc lol. Best move I made in ages and feel a lot better coming off oral meds.

Best way is to look for the positives which we all know are rare, and expertise comes with practice.
I had no option but to go onto injections etc, still a newbie even after 8 months.



Late onset T1, several auto immune issues.
Humalogmix25 twice a day, Methotrexate 25mg once per week, FolicAcid 5mg once per week, prednisolone 5mg daily, Allopurinol 300mg, Calcichew-D3 800iu, Levothyroxine 50mcg, Atenolol 50mg, Losarten 100mg, Aspirin 75mg, Nicorandil 20mg, Nitrolingual GTN spray, Metformin 2000mg, Allimemazine 10mg, Lanzoprazole 30mg, Atorvastatin 20mg, Co Codamol 8/500mg, Depo Medrone (Methylprednisolone) or double Prednisolone for 7 days in case of RA flare.

 

[lianne85]

Don't dread going on injections. The needles are small and testing your BGs isn't rocket science. It's all part of a routine you pick up and learn like brushing your teeth etc lol. Best move I made in ages and feel a lot better coming off oral meds.

 

[lianne85]

Hi yeah it just getting the right amount of insulin to sort it out but I am getting there. Starting to become an expert at it only been a week

 

[eddie1968]

See...easy peasy, lemon squeezy....top tip though, dont press down too hard when injecting as it will cause bruising. I kinda learned the hard way when I looked at my belly and it resembled a pepperoni pizza lol

 

[Bev18]

Hi I started injecting yesterday and felt quite weird today, sickly, spaced out and everything seemed much brighter. It happened about 3times lasting 20 mins I tested blood to check and at 9am it h ad dropped from 15 to 14 so wasn't a hypo I reckon it's just the glucose reducing as my readings lasts week were around the early to mid 20's. So coming down slowly.

The injections sometimes sting when holding the needle in as insulin comes out. 2 I haven't felt at all, it's all down to practice makes perfect I suppose..

 

[Crystal Lady]

I don't want to have injection as much as possible. I know metformin and any other drugs is not good for the body. I have read one article that you can actually reverse diabetes if you only have type 2. So I am on my way to target that.

So what do I do? As of the moment, I am on medication to control my sugar for the next three months so I take diamicron and metformin. But, I also take a food supplement and some herbal tea that can help me protect my kidneys. And if I will go normal for three months (actually my blood sugar is already normal now), I will try to stop taking medicine, instead will go for natural herbs and strict diet, plus herbal food supplement then. I will also continue my daily exercise like what I am doing right now. I will try to observe it for a week. If my blood sugar levels go up again, I will try going back to meds, but if not, I will continue the natural medication.

Careful about the diet, I am T2 and controlling it with food as allergic to all meds taken so far and also have psoriasis to go with it so cannot take insulin as no area free to inject. The food is a boring diet unless you like herbs and spices but it is very hard to control the sugar levels, as the least diet change can make such a difference. Trying new foods can be good at first but eventually you will realise that food holds no joy. Life for me is good at the moment but I can see a day when my diet might not work, so good luck.

 

[Geoff-O]

Interesting replies! I'm T2 (genetically down the male line 3 generations) for about 20 years. On maximum Metformin & gliclazide. Not overweight. Over the past few years my HbA1c seems to increase each year 8-9, then 9.5, now 11.5. Nurse has now given me a choice of Vitoza or Humulin M3. My choice she says. "I'll leave it to you to do the research". Which in a way is good I guess - it does empower me to help manage my own condition. So I've researched, but I can't determine clinically what would be best or as regards lifestyle. They each seem to work in totally different ways. I live on my own so I'm a bit concerned about hypos during the night - though I've always had very high bg levels in the morning no matter how low before bedtime. I'm guessing as it's genetic diabetes the insulin producing cells will just die off every year, so will get worse even if diet/excercise remains constant. How do I make that decision?

 

[Expat in Turkey]

Hi Everyone,

This is my first post on this forum so I think I need to give some background. I was first diagnosed type 2 in 1999, following a bout of pacreatitis. Recovered and managed to control with diet until 2005. Then went onto daily metformin. In 2009 my BS levels started to rise and this was supplemented by Amryl - 2mg. We moved to Turkey in 2007 so this was on the Turkish Health insurance - SGK. In 2011 the Amryl dose was doubled to 4mg. In the begining of 2014 I lost control of BS levels again. Briefly my Amryl was upped to 6mg and I was on strict 8 times a day BS monitoring. My endocronologist said my pancreas was no longer producing enough insulin and more drugs to stimulate it were not likely to be effective. Advised I went on Insulin injections...

I take Humalog 50/50 twice a day before breakfast and before dinner. When I first started I felt as if I was going down hill - fast ! Now I think these feelings were due to my eratic BS. Like most people I did'nt like the idea of injections but with a pen and 5 mm fine needles, it is not a problem. Not painful as long as the insulin has warmed up ! (living in a hot climate insulin has to be kept in the fridge).

It took several weeks to get the dosages stable but now my BS is back under control again and I feel great. All the bad things appear to happen when your BS is uncontrolled. I would like to say to everyone, don't be put off by going on to insulin injections. They quickly become part of your routine. Keep monitoring your BS. Make sure you keep your BS under control.

I have read a lot of useful things on this forum. It has been very helpful. Thank you everybody!

 

[Bev18]

What I don't understand is why sometimes the needle doesn't hurt but by God the insulin stings, or the needle stings but the insulin doesn't. I find the long acting insuman does that more, especially now I'm on 22 units at night.

 

[Bev18]

A good position is your upper arms, outside, about where your biceps is.
Or again on the side of your upper leg, middle between knee and hip.
Relatively painless, and after injecting wait 15 seconds before you pull out the needle again.

Inject it slow and don't wiggle around with the needle. More units are increasing the volume
of course, simply wait 10 to 15 seconds after. I went up from 24 to 30 units and there are no
pain issues.

And rotate the position, as example, right leg, right arm, left arm, left leg… and so on

Tried my left arm this morning not sure I did it quite right tho but practice makes perfect lol. Thanks

 

[pipwizard]

I was offerd injections but I'm too scared in giving myself a air bubble don't laugh lol I realy would be hopeless but I've just got used to my carb intake I've cut out bread at lunch wow my bg levels go down nice at night how it should be . We don't get told these things we have to work it out our selfs but guys girls I'd rather put up with a dogy belly now and then than go on injections for now


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[greybags]

Just started on Victoza...
The first injection was the worse as didnt know what to expect. The idea of sticking a needle (no matter how small) in to myself was not top of my list of enjoyable things.
But didnt feel thing, and after a week, still dont feel anything.
Now feeling better than I have been for the last 12 months, so actually wish I had been offered it earlier.