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insulin intolerance

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gig1964

Member
Messages
10
For 2 years now I have had blood sugars ranging from 12 to 30 mmol/l never anything lower than 12. I only have 15g carb at each meal. I have been diagnosed as insulin intolerant amd am on short acting insulin 3 times a day 96 units each time and long acting insulin 2 times a day 90 units plus max dose of metformin twice a day and max dose of pioglitazone once a day.

I have been diagnosed with neuropathy in my limbs and spine and have extremly painful cramps / muscle spasms in my limbs and neck. As I cannot stand independently these causer my lower leg muscles to be tight and painful it feels as though I have pulled a muscle. I have recently been taken off quinine as it was only marginally effective.

All the medics accept my blood sugars but all I get about symptoms is that they are caused by the blood sugars.

I am at my wits end
 
You poor thing!

Sorry, I don't know what to suggest, as this is not something I have experience of. All I can suggest is that you do everything you can to get the professional help you need. Begging, crying, pleading..whatever it takes. If you are doing everything they suggest, and are still not getting any improvement, then I would ask them to refer you to the specialist....even if you are with teh specialist at your hospital, try and get yourself referd to teh countries expert.

I have found that if I am obviously trying my best, and still need help, teh are pretty accomodating.

I wish you all the very best
 
gig1964.

Before offering you any advice can you clarify a couple of things for me please ?

Your profile says you are a Type 1 ? Yet you are on max doses of Metformin and Pioglitazone ??

You state that you only have around 15g carbs each meal, can you give us an example of a daily menu, the type of things in each meal, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and drinks ?

Might help us if we know a bit more about things.......
 
I have been on insulin since 1984 and just over a year ago was also put on tablets to try and help me use the insulin I was injecting as had built up an intolerance / resistance to it. My 15g of carb at 3 mealtimes are eithe rin the form of bread, cereal or fruit.
Thank you all for responding
 
I'm still not quite sure about this..... were you diagnosed a Type 1 or are you a Type 2 on Insulin ?

You also mention bread, cereal etc. A slice of bread can be 16g upwards of carbs, a bowl of cereal can be 30g upwards depending on the portion size ? We are talking about total carbs aren't we ?

Sorry for the questions but I like to be sure of my facts before giving people advice about anything..
 
its 15g 3 times a day meaured portions to give the 15g if I ate 20g for instance my blood sugar goes over 30.

I was diagnosed type 1 and have developed tpe 2 on top of it nearly 30 years later
 
Thanks for that.

'Double Diabetes' ........ we do have some members with the condition, but for the life of me I can't remember who they are !!

I do know that treatment is difficult and that somewhat different treatment methods are required. I seem to recall that Diet, weight loss and exercise are the current methods employed. Hence me asking about your actual diet.

Is that all you eat in a day ? Would you mind giving us an idea of a typical days meals/snacks/drinks please. Sorry to be nosey but I like to find out as much as I can especially as this seems to be on the increase.
 
9 months down the line my insulin has gone up to 180 units fast acting 3 x a day and 190 units long acting. this is along with metformin 500mg 2 x day, pigoglitazone 30mg once a day, sitagliptin 100mg once a day my blood sugars fell to the teens with the odd one under 10.

Due to other disabilities I cannot give my own injections or check blood sugars. Social services after 3 years are withdrawing any funding that meets a health need. Health says they can only do a 2 injection a day regime and will only come to my home so I would need to give up work. I feel as though I am being handed a death sentence and not being able to work would destroy me as I have only gone back after 5 years unemployed.
 
Sounds like one for your MP ... what a difficult situation. Are there colleagues at work who could help you with testing/injecting if your help is withdrawn?
 

Hi,

Might be worth contacting Diabetes.org.U.K.

They have a Careline for help in these sorts of situations.
http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Get_involved ... /Careline/
 
I'm so sorry to hear of your situation it must be very hard having Type 1 with such insulin resistance and other disabilities on top of that my heart goes out to you.

Could I ask what does not enable you to give yourself your insulin and be able to test? How do you go on on a night ?
Would it be possible for your Diabetic team to switch you back to a two injection regime , it may even give you better control and they would come out to do this for you and you will be still be able to do your job???
 
My consultant and diabetic community nurse say 2 injections a day will not work for me but will send my blood sugars higher again.

I canot do injections blood sugars my self due to neuropathy in arms and hands cannot grip.

the people at work run a mile at the thought of injecting

Thanks for replies
 
met with social worker friday. District Nurses will not deal with me as I am not housebound and have suggested my gp practice deals with my medication. Quite rightly I think the practice says no. I does not help me. The social worker is now saying no one should give me the glucogen injections at the times when my blood sugar for no apparent reason drops through the floor. She says I should be taken to hospital as it is healths responsibilty not social services. I feeling so despondent and feel I am reaching the point when diabetes wise the rot has terminally set in.
 
Went to clinic last weeek blood sugars averaging 28 as a desperate measure instead of 160 unirs of humalin s 3 timea a day and 180 unirs lantus 2 times a day I started giving 20 unirs of humalin s every 2 hours and lantus as normal 4 days later I have not had a blood sugar over 11. Rang the nurse today and not sure she is well pleased but to me its a result
 
My blood sugars have not peaked above 13.7 since doing this regime and I feel as though I have the energy to do things
 
You should feel really proud of yourself that's fantastic. I read the thread from the top and saw how long you've been battling with your problems. Hope you can to continue to make progress a brilliant result :clap: :thumbup: :clap: :thumbup:
 
hello
my daughter had a similar experience to you with having to give herself ridiculous amounts. eventually we managed to get her onto Porcine, which made all the difference - this is a natural pig insulin. She's now on novorapid which works better than the porcine now. the one she became resistant to was Humalog. it also made her suicidal. Another thing which can help insulin resistance is cinnamon. Sprinkle it on wholemeal toast with a bit of Xylitol bought from Sainsburys or health shops - makes a lovely breakfast and also low GI. hope this helps
 
It is certainly worth making people aware that not all insulin's work equally for all people! If you are having a problem with a certain insulin do not suffer in silence.. I had real issues with both Lantus and Levemir.. both of which I needed 200+ units a day on to even dent my background blood glucose.. I switched this to Insulatard and instantly my control was 10 times better and I needed a much smaller dose around 70 units at the time.
 
I am progressing well blood sugars mainly below 13 with some hypos buy hey I am feeling 500% better. now to write that letter to the consultant.

Graeme
 
I'm so sorry to hear the difficulties you are experiencing, but well done on the BG control, what a wonderful achievement. You deserve a huge pat on the back.
 
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