- Messages
- 2,407
- Type of diabetes
- Type 3c
- Treatment type
- Other
- Dislikes
- Uncooked bacon
This is a bit long.... rambly stuff. So feel free to run the other way.
Attended my 4 monthly transplant clinic appt recently. No major issues, but I thought I'd ask about getting a different short acting insulin while there because rapid acting humalog is just way too potent for me. I wanted to try using what I had used in the past with good success which is Humalin r or regular insulin.
The reason for this is my lchf diet and humalog just don't agree with each other. Which means when taking a single unit of humalog with a meal, I then cannot be active at all. Or that will plunge levels down quickly. So, no walking, no going anywhere. So, it's sit in front of the tv for hrs and do nothing, which is just not workable or practical. So, I stopped taking humalog 2 months ago. Just to see how things would go without it.
My endo specialist was aware of this. After a month it became clear I need some short acting. I don't need it at breakfast, but about 90mins post lunch I do need some and I do need it at night with dinner. Without it, it is just too hard to maintain bg levels at a decent level post meals, albeit, I need only a small amount of short acting. I walk (Some hills involved) about an hr per day or treadmill if wet weather. I also used an exercise bike, but the amount of exercise needed to keep levels decent on a daily basis was just too excessive in the end. My weight is starting to slide down. So I asked one of the doctors at the transplant clinic about going back to humalin r. I explained my situation why I wanted to do this. I'm insulin deficient, but clearly need the right insulin for meals. Even though I don't need much.
I was told I don't need short acting insulin. I repeated my situation, I cannot maintain this level of exercise, it is too hard to keep levels down. I'm insulin deficient. I'm fighting a losing battle, but was again told that he didn't think I needed it. He said, eat a meal and just see how high they go. Just lay around and see how high they go. 8 to 11 mmoll post meal is normal and fine he said. I seriously couldn't believe what I was hearing, I had told him levels will rise rapidly if I sit and do nothing. I don't have the right short acting insulin to deal with the meal.
I thought I most certainly was not about to conduct such an irresponsible experiment when I know exactly what will happen. I'm not going to damage my health in such a reckless way to appease someone else's curiosity.
I was told to stop using the humalog, even though I had told him multiple times I had stopped using it 2 months ago. So, he believes my levels won't rise and I'll be fine just getting by on levamir. This is far from the truth. He then had the dietician come in, who is very young (nice person) who agreed that I don't need short acting for meals. It was just incredible. She advised me to eat wholegrain bread and sweet potatoe to reverse any weightloss, this is a healthy way of gaining weight she said, but no to the insulin. And I only need to test 3 times a day, maybe 4.... no need to test after meals.
So, I thought hmmmm, eat food that seriously aggravates a condition and really send those levels sky high. Just lay around and see how high they go and don't bother testing post meals. Somehow levamir will take care of it all. No need for short acting. Yes, I was beyond frustrated.
I wasn't about to sit and argue with either of them, nor was I about to follow the advice. I could mention other things that were said, but this post has dragged on long enough.
To end all this, I called my diabetes coordinator when I got home and explained my situation, she spoke to my endo specialist and he wrote the prescription. Problem solved.
Attended my 4 monthly transplant clinic appt recently. No major issues, but I thought I'd ask about getting a different short acting insulin while there because rapid acting humalog is just way too potent for me. I wanted to try using what I had used in the past with good success which is Humalin r or regular insulin.
The reason for this is my lchf diet and humalog just don't agree with each other. Which means when taking a single unit of humalog with a meal, I then cannot be active at all. Or that will plunge levels down quickly. So, no walking, no going anywhere. So, it's sit in front of the tv for hrs and do nothing, which is just not workable or practical. So, I stopped taking humalog 2 months ago. Just to see how things would go without it.
My endo specialist was aware of this. After a month it became clear I need some short acting. I don't need it at breakfast, but about 90mins post lunch I do need some and I do need it at night with dinner. Without it, it is just too hard to maintain bg levels at a decent level post meals, albeit, I need only a small amount of short acting. I walk (Some hills involved) about an hr per day or treadmill if wet weather. I also used an exercise bike, but the amount of exercise needed to keep levels decent on a daily basis was just too excessive in the end. My weight is starting to slide down. So I asked one of the doctors at the transplant clinic about going back to humalin r. I explained my situation why I wanted to do this. I'm insulin deficient, but clearly need the right insulin for meals. Even though I don't need much.
I was told I don't need short acting insulin. I repeated my situation, I cannot maintain this level of exercise, it is too hard to keep levels down. I'm insulin deficient. I'm fighting a losing battle, but was again told that he didn't think I needed it. He said, eat a meal and just see how high they go. Just lay around and see how high they go. 8 to 11 mmoll post meal is normal and fine he said. I seriously couldn't believe what I was hearing, I had told him levels will rise rapidly if I sit and do nothing. I don't have the right short acting insulin to deal with the meal.
I thought I most certainly was not about to conduct such an irresponsible experiment when I know exactly what will happen. I'm not going to damage my health in such a reckless way to appease someone else's curiosity.
I was told to stop using the humalog, even though I had told him multiple times I had stopped using it 2 months ago. So, he believes my levels won't rise and I'll be fine just getting by on levamir. This is far from the truth. He then had the dietician come in, who is very young (nice person) who agreed that I don't need short acting for meals. It was just incredible. She advised me to eat wholegrain bread and sweet potatoe to reverse any weightloss, this is a healthy way of gaining weight she said, but no to the insulin. And I only need to test 3 times a day, maybe 4.... no need to test after meals.
So, I thought hmmmm, eat food that seriously aggravates a condition and really send those levels sky high. Just lay around and see how high they go and don't bother testing post meals. Somehow levamir will take care of it all. No need for short acting. Yes, I was beyond frustrated.
I wasn't about to sit and argue with either of them, nor was I about to follow the advice. I could mention other things that were said, but this post has dragged on long enough.
To end all this, I called my diabetes coordinator when I got home and explained my situation, she spoke to my endo specialist and he wrote the prescription. Problem solved.
