New to Insulin

[Jayne Day]

Hi everyone, I am a newbie to this forum. I will tell you a little about my situation before I ask my main question if you don't mind.
I was originally diagnosed in 2014 after having pneumonia. Anyway my Hb1Ac back then was 49. I quick got back into normal range of 36 with diet control.
Over the next six/seven years, I was able to control my diabetes with diet, until 2020 due to various illnesses, I was on steroids quite a lot. I had a lot symptoms to say my diabetes was back and it was, with a Hb1Ac of 109! Started low carb/keto and got it down to 52 quite quickly. Since 2021, again I have been poorly due to various conditions, and Hb1Ac has ranged from 64 down to 46 at the end of 2024.
June 2025 I was rushed into hospital with sepsis which effected my left kidney and my blood sugar went right up to 92 again with no change to my diet/lifestyle, because I was so poorly, they took me off any diabetic medication, but kept asking me about my diet, even though the hospital foods were carbs after carbs. Come November, I was rushed in again due to renal failure and soft kidney stones which were blocking both my kidneys. The Monday before I was rushed in, I had been prescribed Mounjaro (big mistake, never felt so ill) to try and bring the blood sugars down, I was so angry, because the Pharmacist and GP knew I had problems with my kidneys and you are not supposed to be prescribed it and I strongly believe, the Mounjaro was the straw that broke the camels back so to speak. During my hospital stay, I had to have stents put in my kidneys to allow me to wee, and they were only supposed to be in for four weeks. Nine weeks on, they are still in, because the pre-op team have said my Hb1Ac has to be 69 or below to be considered safe to have a spinal block. At the time of the original operation/procedure, my Hb1Ac was 121! Currently 101. But to save my kidneys, I have had to accept that I will need Insulin as my last option, to help me drop to safe levels on my Hb1Ac for the procedure. My Kidney function at the time of my first operation was 8% but rose to 13% before I was allowed home and now is around 40%. They said it should return to 70% plus in due course and once the infection has gone. I am not convinced at the moment.
I had my first 10ml of insulin today. So my question is, does Insulin help and drop numbers on our Hb1Ac results? I am very worried about it all, especially if my kidneys fail again and I end up on dialysis, which has already been mentioned as a possibility.
Thank you in advance.
Jayne

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[Lakeslover]

Hello, and welcome to the forum,

It sounds as if you have had a tough time recently.

What type of insulin have you been prescribed? I’m guessing it might be a long acting insulin taken once or twice a day to start with?

The short answer to your question is that insulin should improve your HbA1c. But (there’s always a but) it can take some time to get the dose(s) right. Diet is also still a factor, but more so in getting the dose right and deciding what type(s) of insulin you need.

 

[Jayne Day]

Hello, and welcome to the forum,

It sounds as if you have had a tough time recently.

What type of insulin have you been prescribed? I’m guessing it might be a long acting insulin taken once or twice a day to start with?

The short answer to your question is that insulin should improve your HbA1c. But (there’s always a but) it can take some time to get the dose(s) right. Diet is also still a factor, but more so in getting the dose right and deciding what type(s) of insulin you need.

Hi,
Thank you for your reply. They have given me Humulin M3, which is a premixed insulin 30% short acting and 70% intermediate acting for broader coverage. Starting dose is 10ml once a day, then increased by 2 points every three days until I see my bloods coming down. I have been told it might end up on two doses, depending on how much I may need.
Ironically, my bloods have already come down, but it will be interesting to see what my final bloods will be post dinner and before I go to bed in the coming days.

Fortunately, I do not eat processed foods, or take out and as a rule, generally have less than 40 total carbs per day. I can't eat potatoes and white bread/rice or pasta these days as they spike my BS. So this is why I am upset as to why my BS/Hb1Ac are so high right now.

It seems like a catch 22, I can't have surgery because my Hb1Ac is so high, yet I have been told the infection is likely to be the cause. I have started a food journal too, to see if I am missing something.

Take care
Jayne