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Diabetes Discussion
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 with Insulin
Is control easier with insulin?
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<blockquote data-quote="MEValentijn" data-source="post: 2071731" data-attributes="member: 498395"><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">I just started on insulin myself a few weeks ago, so have been reading up a lot.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">Basically it's helpful to start on insulin as soon as it's clear that other meds and lifestyle changes aren't sufficient. Research shows that most Type 2's will need insulin eventually, though it might take over a decade for some. Drawing out the process more than a couple months when blood sugar is poorly controlled just prolongs the misery and the hyperglycemia. But going on insulin is expensive due to the testing materials, so that's probably why health services delay switching to it as long as possible.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">Initially I started on rapid insulin with a prescription from my GP for a few weeks while waiting to see the specialist. The specialist switched me to basal primarily, with the rapid just for corrections (I get sick a lot). The basal insulin is really wonderful. Very low risk of hypos and weight gain compared to rapid insulin. I assumed that meals would still raise my glucose levels enough to require the rapid insulin, but this hasn't been the case - it seems like having my basal output handled by injections means that my pancreas can relax most of the time, and kick into action in response to meals adequately now.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">The mechanisms of insulin resistance don't seem very well understood, but it is known that increasing the amount of insulin with injections is helpful and not harmful for Type 2. So basically, elevated insulin levels are not causing or exacerbating insulin resistance, and injections simply help your cells get enough insulin to persuade them to take up the glucose in your blood.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">The major thing to watch out for is injecting too much and over-eating to counteract the resulting falling blood sugar. Though I haven't had a problem with that, even at 70 units basal every night. Also no problem with hypos ... when I get down to under 5 or so, I think my liver just dumps a bit of glucose to bump me up to a comfortable level. So with one injection every night, 30-60 carbs at lunch and dinner, and some small snacks during the day, I'm nearly always at 6-8 blood sugar, with a brief peak for an hour or two after meals before it goes down again.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: 'Arial'">Insulin shouldn't be feared or avoided or delayed if the regular meds aren't working. It can be extremely helpful and end the misery of constant hyperglycemia.</span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="MEValentijn, post: 2071731, member: 498395"] [FONT=Arial]I just started on insulin myself a few weeks ago, so have been reading up a lot.[/FONT] [FONT=Arial]Basically it's helpful to start on insulin as soon as it's clear that other meds and lifestyle changes aren't sufficient. Research shows that most Type 2's will need insulin eventually, though it might take over a decade for some. Drawing out the process more than a couple months when blood sugar is poorly controlled just prolongs the misery and the hyperglycemia. But going on insulin is expensive due to the testing materials, so that's probably why health services delay switching to it as long as possible. Initially I started on rapid insulin with a prescription from my GP for a few weeks while waiting to see the specialist. The specialist switched me to basal primarily, with the rapid just for corrections (I get sick a lot). The basal insulin is really wonderful. Very low risk of hypos and weight gain compared to rapid insulin. I assumed that meals would still raise my glucose levels enough to require the rapid insulin, but this hasn't been the case - it seems like having my basal output handled by injections means that my pancreas can relax most of the time, and kick into action in response to meals adequately now. The mechanisms of insulin resistance don't seem very well understood, but it is known that increasing the amount of insulin with injections is helpful and not harmful for Type 2. So basically, elevated insulin levels are not causing or exacerbating insulin resistance, and injections simply help your cells get enough insulin to persuade them to take up the glucose in your blood. The major thing to watch out for is injecting too much and over-eating to counteract the resulting falling blood sugar. Though I haven't had a problem with that, even at 70 units basal every night. Also no problem with hypos ... when I get down to under 5 or so, I think my liver just dumps a bit of glucose to bump me up to a comfortable level. So with one injection every night, 30-60 carbs at lunch and dinner, and some small snacks during the day, I'm nearly always at 6-8 blood sugar, with a brief peak for an hour or two after meals before it goes down again. Insulin shouldn't be feared or avoided or delayed if the regular meds aren't working. It can be extremely helpful and end the misery of constant hyperglycemia.[/FONT] [/QUOTE]
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