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Stay on medication or switch to insulin?!

yycdordor

Well-Known Member
Messages
48
Location
London
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Dislikes
washing dishes lol
Hi all,
Just want a bit of advise here. I diagnosed as type 2 back in Nov 2015 and confirmed got type 1back in march 2016. Doctor said i should go onto insulin, however, the medication seem working at that time - was around 10mmol; but now my reading is going up again and Im a bit concern if i have to go on insulin. So just wana can anyone share their experiences and recommendations. As i heard people say try to avoid injecting insulin and other japanese researcher said the early LADA patients inject insulin is better, as it helps to slow down the antibodies killing the beta cells..... so confused n scared!
Thanks
 
hi and welcome
i am tagging @LucySW for her support on this.
much more knowledgeable than me.
 
Hi and welcome. Based on my own experience and that of other posts, as soon as up to three tablet types fail to control your blood sugar within range anf you HBa1C is rising then the time for insulin has arrived. My GP refused me insulin at first but after a difficult year with high sugar and a rising HBa1C I was offered it and it was the best thing I did in years.
 
I also think the consensus is that the earlier you go on insulin, the better. For precisely the reasons you are mentioning. As LADA you can start by doses that are relatively small. If you decide to low carb, that can make the doses even smaller. You will see that after the initial shock, you will gradually gain confidence and life will return to almost normal. Good luck!
 
Whilst I'm not late onset, I tend to agree with the Japanese researchers. There's a reasonable amount of evidence that if you can reduce beta cell damage you will be more stable, so the earlier you go on insulin as a LADA, the better really.
 
Thanks Lucy, thats very helpful! Im going to ask my doctor to start my insulin treatment as my reading is going crazy high, i dont really eat carb and i exercise 3 to 4 time per week!! Beta cells..please.hold on there!!!! Also, i constantly feel dizzy at work, especially in the morning (did a blood test asap and its around 12 mmol), not sure if that is normal
... seem like i better get on with insulin!
 
Hi I was diagnosed the same as you, type 2 and then a few years later diagnosed as type 1 LADA. The consultant put me straight onto insulin and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. It took a while getting used to insulin but eventually I saw the results of controlled sugars and feeling a lot better in myself. Also reassured that it's slowing down the antibodies. Good luck.
 
Oral medications were never presented as an option for me and I'm very glad I was immediately prescribed insulin.

I like insulin because I feel in control.....in control, in the sense that it's a puzzle and I have all of the pieces to put it together. It may take me a while to complete it, but I have all of the tools to do so.

Oral medications make the puzzle a little easier to solve, but eventually you'll lose one of the pieces and no matter what you do, it will never be complete.

I'm not sure if that makes sense, but that's the way I've always looked at this situation. I've always preferred to have something and not need it rather than need something and not have it.
 
Hi all, my doctor going to put me on insulin tomorrow, just want some recommendations on what kits i need to get. As i hate that massive scary needle!!! He only told me he will give me the slow reacting one, so i assume i dont need a pump?! please advice.... very nervous!!!!!!!
 
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I'm pretty happy with my Levemir (basal/long-acting) and Novolog/Novorapid (bolus/short-acting) insulins.

I use 4mm needle tips which are much friendlier than some of the longer ones.
 
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