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Starting out with Insulin

Steveteare

Steveteare

Member
Messages
7
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Well this has been coming 14 average fasting blood sugar so they have started me on the 4 day increase of dose of insulin. Apart from I'll give you a ring next week which didn't happen the nurse has been useless and I am left to test myself and understand what I can do to get my glucose readings under control and I have to be honest I'm a bit overwhelmed by this.... testing is something I did infrequently now I'm twice a day and looking at what I can do to monitor this without the pin pricks..... but I wonder how good and what to buy? Any help Starting out on this would be helpful.... I'm at Day 11 and my readings are coming down injecting once in the evening but not near the magic sub 10 yet ☹️
 
Steveteare said:
Well this has been coming 14 average fasting blood sugar so they have started me on the 4 day increase of dose of insulin. Apart from I'll give you a ring next week which didn't happen the nurse has been useless and I am left to test myself and understand what I can do to get my glucose readings under control and I have to be honest I'm a bit overwhelmed by this.... testing is something I did infrequently now I'm twice a day and looking at what I can do to monitor this without the pin pricks..... but I wonder how good and what to buy? Any help Starting out on this would be helpful.... I'm at Day 11 and my readings are coming down injecting once in the evening but not near the magic sub 10 yet ☹️
Click to expand...

Just to give you a background I had been type 2 for 12 years but losing the battle with meds....
 
Steveteare said:
looking at what I can do to monitor this without the pin pricks.....
Click to expand...

Lots of us are using the Freestyle Libre. A sensor is stuck on your arm for two weeks and measures glucose in the interstitial fluid and does some sums to figure out what the blood sugar is. It does it continuously 24 hours a day, so you get a graph showing where it's been, and an arrow to give a guess as to where it's going. You still need to blood test once in a while but getting to see that graph is like getting to see the whole movie instead if just snapshots. I've learned more from it in 6 months than in the last 30 years! Particularly useful for stopping hypos before they even happen. Downside is not on the NHS yet so costs £100 per month if using it all the time, but a lot if people just use it once in a while. The makers are trying to get it NHS approved. There's a stucky thread in the blood monitoring section with hundreds of posts on it for morr user info.
 
@Steveteare I don't know if you're aware but type2s on insulin are still a type2 not type1.
I'm insulin dependant type2, like you. However if your pancreas is still producting insulin you can reduce or get rid of your shots. Low carbing reduces my units but won't allow me to be insulin free. I've tried twice. On 2 different low carb diets. Both with the r-ala supplement which thirds my insulin need. Metformin has reduced my insulin need too but more so low carbing.
Welcome to the forum filled with all types of diabetic experience.
 
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@Steveteare Hi and welcome to forum. Can you clarify what type are you and which insulin have you been started on? This will help get the most suitable responses from the people knowledgable on insulin.
 
ickihun said:
@Steveteare I don't know if you're aware but type2s on insulin are still a type2 not type1.
I'm insulin dependant type2, like you. However if your pancreas is still producting insulin you can reduce or get rid of your shots. Low carbing reduces my units but won't allow me to be insulin free. I've tried twice. On 2 different low carb diets. Both with the r-ala supplement which thirds my insulin need. Metformin has reduced my insulin need too but more so low carbing.
Welcome to the forum filled with all types of diabetic experience.
Click to expand...

I'm Interested in the r-ala supplant you take. What strength and which brand works for you?
 
Steveteare said:
Just to give you a background I had been type 2 for 12 years but losing the battle with meds....
Click to expand...

Hi @Steveteare :)

Can you just confirm your diabetes type? Are you a Type 2 who now needs insulin or are you a Type 1? They're two different conditions so clarifying which you are will get you the most relevant answers :)
 
ickihun said:
@Steveteare I don't know if you're aware but type2s on insulin are still a type2 not type1.
I'm insulin dependant type2, like you. However if your pancreas is still producting insulin you can reduce or get rid of your shots. Low carbing reduces my units but won't allow me to be insulin free. I've tried twice. On 2 different low carb diets. Both with the r-ala supplement which thirds my insulin need. Metformin has reduced my insulin need too but more so low carbing.
Welcome to the forum filled with all types of diabetic experience.
Click to expand...

I'm interested in your use of an r-ala supplement to lower your insulin requirement. How much do you use and which supplier?
 
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