Questions about Insulin.

[ClaireG 06]

I am due to be started on insulin tonight. I know the DN will cover a lot of the basics etc etc but wanted to ask a few questions from people with personal experience.

How long was it before you started to feel better and get lower bg levels?

I am slightly concerned about hypos as my two sons are at school all day and hubby at work. Were you alone for the first few days after starting or did you have someone with you all the time? I could possibly stay with inlaws or parents if you thought that would be a better idea.

I know i need to inform DVLA and car insurance but is there anyone else i need to inform?

Are there any products you have bought ie cool bags etc that you would recommend? I am thinking of buying a wristband any you suggest?

Any other advice?
I will pop more questions on if i think of anything!

 

[catherinecherub]

I haven't got any answers for you Claire but wish you all the best and please keep us updated.
Glad you asked these questions and someone who knows will give you answers. You are very wise to want to know all there is to know.

 

[noblehead]

Claire,

Hopefully some other type 2's with experience of taking insulin will be along shortly. What I can say is that insulin will almost certainly bring your bg down to acceptable levels, but taking insulin also means that the risks of hypo's is increased, but with careful management and regular checking of bg these can be kept to a minimum and hopefully your body's own hypo awareness will alert to when you are running low.

Frio bags are great for keeping insulin cool in warm weather and I use these when travelling, in-use insulin can be kept at room temperature for 28 days but any other insulin must be kept in the fridge in keeping with the manufacturer's recommendations, listen to what your DSN says and ask her/him any niggling questions you may have at the moment regarding starting insulin, just remember to always carry fast acting insulin with you such as gluco-tabs, jelly babies or lucozade.

Good luck!

Nigel

 

[ClaireG 06]

Thank you Catherine and Nigel
I have already stocked up on gluco tabs,lucozade and little cartons of orange juice! I will check out the Frio bags.

 

[Sid Bonkers]

Hi Claire, when I was diagnose I was put straight on insulin and my numbers came down over a few days but I was on an intravenous insulin drip initially. I dont exactly remember how long it took me to gain good control but I dont think it was too long. It may actually have been a bit too quick as I suffered background retinopaphy as a result of my levels dropping so quickly. Thankfully now reversed.

My wife did take a few days off after I was released from hospital as I recall and I did feel a bit scared initially but I had a long chat with my diabetes nurse in hospital who explained everything several times and also told me to phone the diabetes clinic at any time (office hours of course :roll: ) if I had any problem, she actually phoned me the day after I got home to check all was well

Do try to relax, you will soon get the hang of sorting out doses etc and you will be wondering what you were worrying about before you know it. If I had to return to using insulin at some time in the future I wouldnt be too concerned as it enabled me to gain really good control.

You will no doubt be worried about hypos, I know I was, and I actually had one within a few weeks of starting on insulin, but after that first hypo you will know what to expect and be able to treat it quickly. It may be an idea to test between meals for a few days/weeks till you get to know what causes you to hypo, in my case it was walking the dog before meals, it happened a couple of times until I learned to take an apple or a bag of mini cheddars with me to eat on my walks. You will soon get used to your own regime and will be more relaxed about it before you know it.

Good luck

 

[donnellysdogs]

I think HCP's will generally start you off on the lowest dose of insulin to start getting your levels down slowly, they don't want hypo's...and I believe it is more recognised nowadays that bringing people down fast can increase the chance of retinopathy.

Ideally you need to have blood strips to test every 2 hours whilst awake initially for a while to see what is happening with your levels.

Just in case of hypo, you need to get something that you will eat easily...I hate gluco tabs...jelly babies are preferred to this...or when I am at home...I know 1 teaspoon of sugar in a coffee brings me round efficiently and quickly. You must have something in your car on your dashboard ideally, my current ones to have are midget gems that I can eat small qty of if driving...however I do not drive for more than 10 minutes to be quite honest nowadays...but you MUST have enough strips to test everytime you drive...even if it is just a 10 minute drive.....

Keep something easy to get to and eat by your bed.

Hypo's are not nice to think of ahead of going on to insulin...but I really hope that your HCP will bring your levels down slowly....ask them are they setting you on a level that will bring you down slowly? Will the dosage increase slowly? etc etc....ask them what their plans are to stop you going hypo?

Best of luck....

 

[RussG]

I'm T1 / 1.5 but started recently. The doses I was told to take in the early days were pretty low and crept up slowly. Looking back over my data, I'd say it took about two weeks before I was getting some decent results and about a month before most of my daily results were decent. I am happy with that speed.

I had very few hypos in the early days but a small number of false or phantom hypos (I saw someone use phantom hypo - it may have been Ebony321, and what a lovely phrase) when I was in the lowish fives. I treated them as I would do a 'normal' hypo - it is easy to over treat though! Medically you probably don't need to treat a phantom hypo but I figured that it wouldn't do any harm long term and I would at least get into the practice. As well as dextrose etc. I carry some small cereal bars / mini bags of carb snacks (M&S do some nice mini pretzels and rice cakes etc) that I take after the dextrose. Boots do a nice white chocolate shapers bar that's 16g of carb.

Good luck and I'm sure it will be fine. People here have a wealth of experience to share and I'm certainly learning all the time.

 

[phoenix]

I am due to be started on insulin tonight. I know the DN will cover a lot of the basics etc etc but wanted to ask a few questions from people with personal experience.

How long was it before you started to feel better and get lower bg levels?
I went onto insulin in hospital at diagnosis, I had however had slow onset T1 for quite a long time.
I hadn't realised how ill I actually felt but when the glucose levels went down, I felt very much better They wouldn't let me out of hospital for 10 days so I ended up going for 'clandestine' walks
I am slightly concerned about hypos as my two sons are at school all day and hubby at work. Were you alone for the first few days after starting or did you have someone with you all the time? I could possibly stay with inlaws or parents if you thought that would be a better

I think that you'll be fine. Just keep some glucose tabs with you and try to get into the habit of not overtreating. I actually forgot to take any with me on a visit to a garden centre soon after diagnosis. The heat in the greenhouses brought on a hypo and horror of horror I hadn't anything with me (and it wasn't like an English garden centre that sells all sorts of things. We had to drive home, about half an hour. By the time I got home my glucose levels had gone back to normal..... don't advise it but at the least at the start you tend to have a good conter-regulatory system that, if there isn't too much extra insulin can help you out.
I know i need to inform DVLA and car insurance but is there anyone else i need to inform?

Are there any products you have bought ie cool bags etc that you would recommend? I am thinking of buying a wristband any you suggest?
Frios are great. I wear a wristband (road ID) with T1, and phone numbers etc engraved on it when I'm out running alone (and at other times when I remember!)
Any other advice?
I will pop more questions on if i think of anything

 

[ClaireG 06]

Thank you all so much I have actually been on sliding scale of insulin before when in hospital before Christmas with DKA and Pnumonia but of course didn't have to do anything and was pretty much out of it :lol: I am actually looking forward to starting insulin :lol: I am so fedup of feeling grotty and being sick etc and just want to feel normal and able to do things again. Have filled a sheet of A4 with questions to ask the DN later!

 

[donnellysdogs]

Good luck for the rest of the day...let us know how you get on...and how you feel etc.....give your body time to adjust...looking forward to feeling better is a great positive as it helps having that acceptance...and research and questions are good too....you have done everything you can to prepare....and we all look forward to hearing from you....good luck....

 

[ClaireG 06]

I will be letting you all know my experiences etc over the next few days. Appt isn't till 7pm, was the only time they could fit me in.

 

[ebony321]

Wow,

Seems like people have covered alot already!!

Hope it all goes well, i'm sure you'll feel better for it, good idea taking a list of questions and things you want to talk about!

I don't think anyone has mentioned prescriptions, make sure you leave knowing everything is on your prescription that you need and that you have plenty of what you need. Insulin, needles, test strips, sharps bin. Also as your taking more of your other meds could be a good idea to change it all at once (not sure if you have already done that)

May also be useful to find out if your DR will accept full sharps bins, as some people find themselves wondering what to do as everyone seems to say the other person takes them!!

If your GP or pharmacy don't then your local council should pick them up for you but you have to arrange this i think.

Keep testing throughout the first few days, as people have said your nurse should start you on a low dose so you can work your way up to what is the right amount for you so hopefully you shouldn't have to worry about being hypo alot at first, but it's best to be prepared and seems like you've thought of that side already!!

As for medical bracelets i wear a stainless steel one with a talisman tht can be unscrewed with my details inside. cos around £30-£40 i think, i've been wearing it for 2.5 years now and it's never fallen off or broke, and i've only replaced the paper 3 time due to insulin changes. It also has the UK recognised sign for medical emergency (SOS) as well as the world wide recognised one (the snake) so wherever i go it will always be recognised.

I think only a few people have commented on it remarking that it's medical, a fair few more have said 'oh what a pretty bracelet'

You can also get a diabetes ID card from your nurse to keep in your bag/purse/wallet whatever you use in case of emergency too.

As well as informing DVLA and insurances of diabetes it's a good idea to tell people at work (not sure if you do) and your closest family and friends. I'm sure your nurse will give you a few leaflets for people to read. Always good to know that if you are hypo then people around you are aware of what to do to help you if need be.

Hope this helps and looking foward to knowing how you get going with insulin over the next few days would be great to hear your feeling better

 

[ClaireG 06]

Thanks Ebony Sharps and what to do with them, strips and other meds have now been added to my growing list of things to ask about!

 

[RussG]

re: sharps

My understanding is that GP practices and pharmacies may take full sharps boxes, and GPs can certainly prescribe empty ones. However this seems to vary from place to place but I am fairly sure that local authorites are under a legal duty and have to take them away, even if your GP or hospital won't. This is the case where I live and I had to get my GP practice manager to write to the council, who then contacted me regarding collecting my full boxes and providing empty ones. If this is the case where you are, the practice manager should be familiar with this.

 

[ClaireG 06]

I am back from seeing the DN. I'm not starting insulin tonight but am starting Monday. Tonight was just a talk about everything, answering my questions etc and discussing what insulin i'm going to use and in what delivery system, how i dispose of sharps, deal with hypos an, rules around driving, who i need to inform etc I got to inject a plastic teddy with water :lol: Change needles etc and then i got to stick a needle in my tum. It is so so easy i can't believe it and didn't hurt a bit. I am going to use a prefilled Humulin kwik pen and start on a dose of 10 units half an hour before breakfast and 10 units half an hour before my evening meal and see how that goes. It's a low dose that will gradually be built up. I've been given a pen and some needles to practice with so i can try putting a needle in myself again and practice by injecting an orange. When i go Monday she will discuss sick day rules with me and what to do about holidays etc. and i will give myself 2 units of insulin infront of her which she said won't do anything but just make sure we are both happy with what i'm doing.
Anyone who is told they need insulin, please don't be scared i promise the needles are so tiny, i'm going to use 5mm ones and injecting hurt less than doing a finger prick!

 

[catherinecherub]

Hi Claire,

So glad you have had such a positive session today. Sounds like you have a great DN.
The only way now is up, except for the blood sugars. :lol:
I am sure your posts will help others who have been offered insulin and who have been scared.

 

[anna29]

Hi, great news claire, keep us posted n let us know how you get on. Also can I just say to everyone this is great so much help n info its even helped me as a newbie to insulin am due to see a new DSN 6th july and will take along my list of questions as well. Anna.x

 

[ClaireG 06]

Thanks, i will keep you all updated on my progress I don't know why but i thought the pens would be a lot bigger than they are!

 

[HLW]

If you are looking for something to carry your insulin pens and meter in, this is a very useful one: http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetic-prod ... t-bag.html

novotwist needles are great but I don't know if they'd work with than pen.

 

[ebony321]

I am back from seeing the DN. I'm not starting insulin tonight but am starting Monday. Tonight was just a talk about everything, answering my questions etc and discussing what insulin i'm going to use and in what delivery system, how i dispose of sharps, deal with hypos an, rules around driving, who i need to inform etc I got to inject a plastic teddy with water :lol: Change needles etc and then i got to stick a needle in my tum. It is so so easy i can't believe it and didn't hurt a bit. I am going to use a prefilled Humulin kwik pen and start on a dose of 10 units half an hour before breakfast and 10 units half an hour before my evening meal and see how that goes. It's a low dose that will gradually be built up. I've been given a pen and some needles to practice with so i can try putting a needle in myself again and practice by injecting an orange. When i go Monday she will discuss sick day rules with me and what to do about holidays etc. and i will give myself 2 units of insulin infront of her which she said won't do anything but just make sure we are both happy with what i'm doing.
Anyone who is told they need insulin, please don't be scared i promise the needles are so tiny, i'm going to use 5mm ones and injecting hurt less than doing a finger prick!

Hi,

Sounds like it was very positive, i'm happy to hear you've seen that going onto insulin is not as bad as it may seem! as Catherine said it'll be great for others to see that probably have worries about it that it can be positive and having a great DN with so much patience is fantastic. It's great she spent that time with you to explain everything and even let you have a go with the teddy bear! My mum told me my dad used an orange to practice on when he was diagnosed in the 70's so that practice is still there :lol:

I used to use the 5mm needles when i injected, tiny aren't they! you can even get 4mm ones now!

I think when your starting something new it's normal to expect everything to be big scary and complicated!

Starting on monday will give you plenty of time to practice and get everything sorted and into place before you start.

You'll be feeling better in no time, let us know how you get on and as always post away with any questions