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Insulin - Is it inevitable

B

bluenoselouie

Member
Messages
18
Location
Birmingham
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
During my first visit to the DN she said to me '' Let's get one thing clear; you WILL end up on Insulin'' . Is that inevitable ? :( I am not following the NHS guidelines (starchy carbs etc). I am taking the low carb advice found on this wonderful forum. Have got meter / strips and my 2 hour post meals readings have been anywhere between 5.4 and 7.2 over the last few weeks.

She didn't give a time limit. I am 53 at the mo. Opinions please guys.
 
Well if you follow the NHS philosophy of "carb-up" and medicate the consequences then yes, it probably is.

Not seen much evidence that T2 diabetics who maintain good control with a sensible diet necessarily progress to insulin. In fact if you can keep your HbA1c in the 5s by moderating your carb intake it's a bit difficult to see how you would burn your pancreas out.

If you try your best and you still end up on insulin, then it isn't such a bad thing. Lots of T2s here have had positive experiences.

I wouldn't worry about it. Just prove the DN wrong.
 
Agree totally with borofergie.
According to my old company medical records, looking back with hindsight, I reckon I first developed diabetes (or maybe pre-diabetes by then) at 53, but it wasn't outside "marker" levels so wasn't picked up.
Since diagnosis, I've kept it to 5.9, and this last time 5.7, so pretty much steady state. And I'm 62 now, and apart from a couple of "preventative" metformin, I'm not on any serious meds.
The way I see it, if I DO end up on meds, it won't be for a long long time, and by then, they'll probably have a magic pill to make new Beta cells grow and we'll all be cured. Or I'll have been killed on my motorbike anyway!
Nice to be positive!
 
Grazer said:
Since diagnosis, I've kept it to 5.9, and this last time 5.7, so pretty much steady state. And I'm 62 now, and apart from a couple of "preventative" metformin, I'm not on any serious meds.
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Well the good thing is that, at 62, you haven't got long left anyway, so insulin isn't going to be a problem for you :D
 
Dont' know of figures for the UK . These are from the US.
Among adults with diagnosed diabetes—type 1 or type 2—12 percent take insulin only, 14 percent take both insulin and oral medication, 58 percent take oral medication only, and 16 percent do not take either insulin or oral medication.
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/statistics/
So the vast majority of people with T2 do not take insulin.
 
Grazer said:
I'll have been killed on my motorbike anyway!
Nice to be positive!
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This You and a pal? :lol: :lol:
 

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In my PCT area Practices were offfered financial incentives to move T2s onto insulin a few years ago. Many of course just doas they are old . If this happened in other areas then the NUMBER on insulin is no necessarily a reflection of the number who NEED to be on insulin.
As I was old I would need all my meds in addition to insulin I am convinced that this was linked at all at all to clinical necessity and
that it was probablycaused a great many problems for the unfortunates treated in this way.

The Op seems o have been subjected to a litle brainwashing or maybe wishful thinking by the DSN Some would prefer us all on insulin. Maybe easier o cover all problems by upping the dose?

Think I once posed about the sheep wo tried to drive our car. It never does to underestimate them. That one preferred ginger nuts.
A different breed maybe?
 
That one preferred ginger nuts.
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Who are you calling a ginger nut??? ROFLOL :lol:

All the HCP's I have seen so far assure me that it is only a case of when, not if I end up on insulin.

and if i took their dietary advice, they would be right.
 
No it's NOT inevitable. I've kept my Hba1c in the 5s for a number[about 8] of years on low carb and minmal Metformin. i still get bgs in the 4s most of the time. if I go over 5 I KNOW why
I'm showing ZERO progression.
Look up and read David Mendosa's story on his website.
he's been T2 for years and at least for a time, went off ALL medication successfully. I think he now uses a small amount of Metformin for its protective qualities.
As borofergie says. if you follow NHS advice, you'll get to insulin inevitably.
Hana
 
Hi. As there is a complete spectrum of diabetes types and causes there is no reason to believe that all will progress to insulin. There are many on this forum who manage to hold their Hba1C below 7 with no medication; just the right diet. There are others like me who struggle with a low'ish carb diet and too many meds. If only HCPs understood the impact of diet on diabetes......
 
Well, I was started off on insulin, Kept on it long enough to lose my 7.5 tonne & Minibus Licences :cry: :cry: . abandoned NHS diet and now I'm on minimal Gliclazide so for me it's "You'll START on insulin to foul up your driving life an proceed to tablets (poss D&E)" :lol:
 
Just do what you know works and keep reassessing... accept sometimes things can change. First I didn't believe that line either.... but here I am now on insulin. So maybe it's just some are lucky and others aren't? Go figure! Personally don't see it as a negative... I know I did... but now I don't see what my concern was now that I'm on it. I've personally learnt diabetes is progressive and you may need more help as years go by no matter which way you look at it. For some maybe this takes a lot longer, and for others it happens quicker. Just giving you my view on this as I don't really think it's worth the worry... I know coz I've been at that point myself. It aint all bad. Just keep up a positive attitude. :D
 
Thanks guys. On my next visit I will tell her that I will aim to delay 'the inevitable' for as long as possible by ignoring the dietary advice :)
 
Grazer said:

That bloke with a hat was REALLY embarrassed when he found out I was a male sheep!
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Dunno, Some bikers swing that way :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
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