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I though I'd seen about everything..

TheBigNewt

TheBigNewt

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,167
Location
USA
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Saw a guy's EMR today, which lists meds of course. Says he takes 90U Lantus/day. OK that's not outrageous. And under that is A HUNDRED UNITS OF NOVOLOG WITH EACH MEAL. Any of you take anywhere near that much insulin? I know I'm Type 1 but he takes more in one day than I take in 2 weeks. Yikes! I've never seen him but he weighs 400 pounds, I guess that could have something to do with it. Right?
 
I dont know a lot about insulin but I recall when I was first diagnosed when a junior doctor on the hospital diabetes team ( I was an inpatient at the time) came to me and said
“ Im going to prescribe insulin and needles for you and youll be injecting for the rest of your life, but youll need to watch out otherwise you’ll end up the size of a house”
Luckily I didnt end up on insulin as I questioned why diet or oral meds werent the first thing to try? She replied “ dont be stupid, those will never work, youre far too young, you’re only in your 20’s” - when I pointed out that I was actually going to be 40 at my next birthday she said “0h, are you sure.?” Looked at my medical notes and said “ oh thats right, Ill prescribe Gliclizide instead and review how youre getting on in a week” - never saw her again
Anyway tales of medical **** ups and how I avoided insulin aside, that conversation has always made me wonder where cause and effect lie in situations of v high weight and v high insulin doses
 
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Sounds like a case for https://www.virtahealth.com/ if you read some of their case studies they often get people with that level of insulin usage well controlled with little insulin usage within weeks.

Give them a ring as I think they had some funding for ex-military people.
 
in a sentence @TheBigNewt
that is what insulin resistance is all about --

the person you know could do with looking at a low carb or calorie restricted diet for some weeks / months.
 
Too much insulin just like too much glucose is not recommended and will lead too bad health and complications.
Because of hyperinsulinemia the weight piled on.
Until I went very low carb did I lose the weight and my health improved dramatically.
Finding your own personal balance of fats, proteins and carbs is the best treatment for metabolic conditions, if you are overweight
To much high circulating insulin levels can be a precursor to Prediabetes and T2., years before high blood glucose levels are found.
 
The poor guy has been sold the lie that Dr Jason Fung has been trying to counter - that exogenous insulin is of any use to Type 2's who already have hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance:

 
TheBigNewt said:
Saw a guy's EMR today, which lists meds of course. Says he takes 90U Lantus/day. OK that's not outrageous. And under that is A HUNDRED UNITS OF NOVOLOG WITH EACH MEAL. Any of you take anywhere near that much insulin? I know I'm Type 1 but he takes more in one day than I take in 2 weeks. Yikes! I've never seen him but he weighs 400 pounds, I guess that could have something to do with it. Right?
Click to expand...
Yes weight makes all the difference. More overweight, muscular people too, the more insulin needed if insulin resistant.
I once was on just under 300units of mixed insulin per day.
I'm on 51units of basal now and 60units of novarapid and I'm 262lbs. I've been changed to better insulins for IR which Toujeo300 basal is nearly triple the strength of levermir or lantus.

Now you know why we type2s are always moaning about our weight?
 
Diet clinics on the nhs are only available through the bariatric surgery programme!

What a shame!

It needs funding but diabetics are getting their funding reduced not increased.
A huge elephant in the room is that people need help to change their diet.
 
I've never seen this guy, I only know how much insulin he's on and how much he weighs. Seemed almost dangerous to take 100 units of Novorapid three times a day to me. I've seen people taking 90U of Lantus before though. There are a lot of vets with Type 2 on basal/bolus MDI's here. Plenty of metformin/glipizide too of course. Most in their mid/late 60s served in Vietnam, Agent Orange service connected diabetes. If you were ever in/near Vietnam you are regarded as having been exposed to Agent Orange in the military.
 
"Agent Orange service connected diabetes" would only need the levels of insulin you are used to with Type1 unless the person has very high insulin resitance. How often do people take Metformin with insulin in the USA?

PS, what is his Trig like?
 
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