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Meadowuk

Newbie
Messages
3
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi, I have recently been prescribed insulin injections. I have known I am diabetic for a couple of years, but thought I had been managing it by diet. Found out that I haven’t been. I hit the genetic jackpot as far as having things wrong with me. I have high triglycerides, which landed me in hospital with acute Pancreatitis a few years ago (no I am not an alcoholic honestly). My Pancreas has been grumbling ever since, even though I am on medication to lower the triglycerides. I am not sure if my diabetes diagnosis is due to type 2 diabetes or the fact that my Pancreas is not making insulin properly. I don’t know what diabetes type I come under if it is due to my Pancreas. I am currently waiting to hear back from the Diabetic Nurse Team. My GP surgery have referred me as I have a number of other things wrong with me that make things a bit complicated and they are a little worried that I will need extra monitoring to make sure I don’t end up with any Hypo’s. Whilst I had to manage my Mum’s Diabetes for a number of years (she had vascular dementia and was unable to manage her condition herself). It is a bit of a worry for me now that I have got it. I know I will get used to the idea of having it, but at the moment I am feeling a bit at sea with it. Anyway, I thought I would introduce myself on here, as I think I am going to have a lot of questions.
 
Well, while it's not the news you likely wanted to hear.

You have found one of the better resources online to hang out at & gather your thoughts about it, if that's any consolation.

I think if it's pancreatic I've seen it referred to a type 3 ?

Difficult enough balancing just diabetes...
Definitely gets tougher if there are competing illnesses and/or treatments.

As for the questions ..ask away.

Bound to be someone with some advice & guidance.

Welcome,
& Best wishes
 
Thank you for your kind words, they are very much appreciated and welcoming.

I have an Ileostomy due to having acute Ulcerative Colitis (Autoimmune disease) when I was 25. I am 55 now. My Colon was removed along with about another foot of my Ilium. I have a bag on my tummy. The removal of part of my Ileum means that I have to inject Vitamin B12 every quarter as the end of the ileum is where B12 gets absorbed. The Ileostomy means that I can’t eat high fibre foods (they can cause blockages and my digestive system needs slowing down not speeding up). It also means that I need to eat a certain amount of starch carbohydrates to slow things down, so that I don’t lose too my fluid and to keep my electrolytes stable. I can’t drink plain water either as it sucks electrolytes out of me, which means I drink a lot of milk. I am not sure how I am going to get around all this with Diabetes
As I said I have high triglycerides which seems to be a genetic issue. It means I can’t drink alcohol, have any sugar or eat most fruit (just a few berries). If my triglycerides get too high it triggers acute Pancreatitis, so I am on medication to lower it, though it will never be in normal range. I am not sure if there is any autoimmune involvement in the Pancreatitis as I have not had any tests done for that.
Due to the Ulcerative Colitis I get various other autoimmune issues like arthritis, blepharitis, skin issues and probably other itis’s that I haven’t had time to get a diagnosis of. I’ve got neuropathy in my feet, **** balance, a weak eye that came about suddenly, so I have double vision. I have insomnia and PTSD/anxiety issues as I have had too many operations for my brain to cope with. I had a morphine phobia for a few years after my last operation, which thankfully has calmed down over the years, but I still don’t like taking any opium based pain killers. It meant that I went through my big Pancreatitis flare up without Morphine, which believe me I never want to have to go through again.
I don’t want this to sound as though I am feeling sorry for myself. I do sometimes, but I am ok the majority of the time. I have good times and bad times just like everyone else. It is just a list of what I have got and an explanation of why I am so confused with how I need to deal with the Diabetes.
Thank you for listening. It means a lot.
 
Meadowuk said:
I am not sure if my diabetes diagnosis is due to type 2 diabetes or the fact that my Pancreas is not making insulin properly. I don’t know what diabetes type I come under if it is due to my Pancreas.
Click to expand...
If the diabetes is caused by your wonky pancreas you'd have type 3C diabetes.
If the pancreas is too damaged to produce enough insulin, injected insulin is the treatment, much like a T1.
T1s (and T3C's who are on insulin) can match their insulin doses to the foods they eat. Which is a lot of work and takes some learning, but it also means that unlike T2's we can actually deal with those carbs.
I hope you have been referred to an endocrinologist, not just to the GP's diabetes nurse?
With your underlying conditions this seems a bit much for a GP to deal with.

With a C-peptide test it's possible to get an idea of how much insulin you are producing yourself, which might give some clues on what type you have.

Producing insulin is not the only job of the pancreas, among other things it also produces digestive enzymes. T3C's often need to take oral enzymes with their food. So this might be something to look into as well.

Good luck!
 
That sounds an awful lot to contend with AND to try & balance

I'd say doing the best you can, within your abilities is the best way forward .
And while many with be offering good information, you'll have to I think bear with us, as you describe quite why 'This' or 'That' isn't sensible for you .

I liken it to a minefield.
No map, just your own evidence to responses to guide you as to what YOU should choose and what to avoid .

No where near the same, but I had major accident last Xmas.

Before that my priority was controlling T2D.
After it doing my best to walk again, so competing dietary needs according to specialists & interweb.


I gave my T2D a back seat while I coped, but now hopefully getting back to better management regime .

I'd say your journey into this, might follow a similar pathway.

Bonus points is many on. LCHF diet do report easing of many other symptoms & ailments.
(Arthritis & asthma, 2 I know of )

So there is always hope .
 
I am under a Professor of Lipidology that works in an Endocrinology Centre, but he sent a letter to my GP telling them I needed to be on insulin. They can’t give me Metformin as it apparently can cause diarhoea, wich would cause me problems and as absorption of tablets is a bit hit and miss with me oral treatment would not be reliable.

I haven’t had any of the other tests you mention yet and haven’t seen an Endocrinologist since they tested me for a suspected case of Cushings when my eyes went funny. Maybe the Diabetic Nurse Team will arrange some tests. They are more local to where I live, whereas the Lipid Professor is over an hour away, so communication and tests/results are difficult to co-ordinate. My original GP left and it has taken the Surgery a while to assign me to a new GP permanently. I haven’t met her yet and have no idea if she has dealt with any of my issues before. Every time I see a new doctor I have to explain my history which takes longer than the time allocated for the appointment. My old GP had been there for years, knew my history and actively looked in to it so since he left it has been difficult. The Diabetic nurse at my GP surgery has referred me to a Diabetic Nurse Team. I am not sure if they are Abbott Nurses as I am yet to here from them.

My glucometer tests are coming up at around 17 after eating and about 11 before breakfast (I don’t eat any sugar, but do eat bread). I have only just been given a glucometer and testing for about 3 days. I have been told not to start using the insulin until the Diabetic Nurse Team have decided what I need to do. I have run out of test strips (my luck that I find out about all this at Christmas), though my partner is going to see if he can buy some of the same type from the chemist I use. I don’t know what my HbAC1 test result was as they didn’t tell me, so I don’t actually know how bad the Diabetes is.

I guess I just need to be patient and wait for the Diabetic Nurses to contact me.

Thank you for your help
 
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