Type 2 but been recommended Insulin...

[MalcolmB]

Hi All...

I'm not sure if this is the right forum but here goes.

I was diagnosed with Type 2 about 16 years ago. It was diagnosed while I was in Hospital for seemingly unconnected symptoms.
I'd had a gallstone stuck in my common bile duct for several days ( unbelievably painful!) and I ended up with pancreatitis. They also found an unsuspected thyroid problem. Talk about going into hospital and coming out with more than you took in.!
I'd suspected Diabetes before that due to family history and I was showing all the usual symptoms as well. The consultant at the hospital couldn't be sure if the pancreatitis had anything to do with it or not.
Anyway, 16 years on I'm maxed out on Metformin, Gliclazide and Sitagliptin and while my A1C has come down over the last year, mainly because of the drugs and a healthy lifestyle it's still about ten points above my target %age.
Last year my nurse practitioner advised my to think about Insulin but I had a pretty chaotic life at the time with one thing and another and wasn't sure if I'd be able to stick to an Insulin regime. Today at my annual review I've decided to take the plunge and give Insulin a try.
I just wondered if any Type 2s on the forum have moved over to Insulin and would be happy to give me any comments for or against.
I'm 64 and my BMI is only 25 or so so I'm not suitable for the non-insulin injectables.

Best wishes

Malcolm

 

[tmv5658]

My husband moved over 2 yrs ago following all the same Meds you mentioned.
He was very anxious and very anti. But it has been really fine - he has Lantus which he injects every night at bed time. It took a while to get the right dose but it has made a big difference to his Levels, he is now reducing weight and eating much more healthily and has reduced his dosage, the D dr has said a further stone and a half and he could probably come off the insulin. It gives him good control and he can alter dosage by 1 or 2 units as his rate comes down.
Hope that helps

 

[MalcolmB]

Thanks for the quick reply. I'm feeling happier about moving to Insulin now!

 

[LincolnLizzie]

Hi, I had pancreatitis following issues with gallstones and ended up diabetic too, about 13 years ago. I moved to insulin (Lantus) in January, once daily, supported by Forxiga and Glicazide and I can hand on heart say that life has been easier since doing so. It takes a little while to get the dosage right and with regular testing I have amended my way of eating to ensure I come within the target range. Occasionally I'm a bit higher, but not by much, just a point or so, whereas I never managed that with tablets alone despite eating healthily.

The needle is so fine you really don't feel it, sometimes the insulin stings a little, but this is for only a moment or two.

No side effects at all for me, unlike Glucophage/Metformin

Incidentally, it is supposed to last 24 hours, but doesn't quite make it with me, so I take my insulin around 6pm, which gives me protection for the rise in BG which happens to most people just before getting up.

Incidentally, I was taken off sitagliptin by my community diabetic nurse (I moved to this team when I went on to insulin) as it is contraindicated for people who have had pancreatitis.

Hope this helps and don't hesitate to get in touch if I can help further.


Sent from my iPad using DCUK Forum mobile app

 

[Cumberland]

Hi All...

I'm not sure if this is the right forum but here goes.

I was diagnosed with Type 2 about 16 years ago. It was diagnosed while I was in Hospital for seemingly unconnected symptoms.
I'd had a gallstone stuck in my common bile duct for several days ( unbelievably painful!) and I ended up with pancreatitis. They also found an unsuspected thyroid problem. Talk about going into hospital and coming out with more than you took in.!
I'd suspected Diabetes before that due to family history and I was showing all the usual symptoms as well. The consultant at the hospital couldn't be sure if the pancreatitis had anything to do with it or not.
Anyway, 16 years on I'm maxed out on Metformin, Gliclazide and Sitagliptin and while my A1C has come down over the last year, mainly because of the drugs and a healthy lifestyle it's still about ten points above my target %age.
Last year my nurse practitioner advised my to think about Insulin but I had a pretty chaotic life at the time with one thing and another and wasn't sure if I'd be able to stick to an Insulin regime. Today at my annual review I've decided to take the plunge and give Insulin a try.
I just wondered if any Type 2s on the forum have moved over to Insulin and would be happy to give me any comments for or against.
I'm 64 and my BMI is only 25 or so so I'm not suitable for the non-insulin injectables.

Best wishes

Malcolm

Hi

Very similar to you

On Metformin and Gliclazide and now on Injections of Humulin I and Novorapid

I felt no side effects and no issues
I had my ratio worked out for carb counting and I eventually settled from readings 33.0+ to under 10.0

Ask your team to go on a week long DAFNE course it is aimed at type 1 but my team placed me on it because I had been hyper for such a long time

Good luck

 

[Daibell]

Hi. If you are max'd out on those three tablets and have had pancreatitis then you are right to take the move to insulin. It may be a bit of nuisance having to inject but it's not a real problem and really does give you control. Check that you will be put onto the Basal/Bolus regime and ask about carb-counting so that you can be very flexible with your meals.

 

[MalcolmB]

Hi All...

Thanks for the all the replies - most appreciated.

Looking back, I've been taking all this medication for the last 16 years and since I started taking them my brain has always been a bit foggy if you know what I mean. The only time that I've felt OK in myself was when I was in hospital for an operation where I needed a general anaesthetic. I was taken off my oral stuff and put on a 4% glucose and insulin drip a day before my operation. The only way that I can describe the feeling is that it felt like a "curtain" had opened up on my conciousness. I could think clearly for the first time in ages. Of course, when I went back on the oral meds it felt like the "curtain" had closed again.
I'm really looking forward to moving on to insulin now. Anything's better than the foggy feeling that I've had for all these years and I hope that I'll get back to feeling the way I did before I developed this horrible condition.
Best wishes

Malcolm

 

[MalcolmB]

Hi again All..
Just a quick heads up.
Two weeks in to nightly Insulatard basal plus Metformin and Sitagliptin now. I was initially told to inject 8 units but my morning BG was still a bit high so I upped the dose to 10 and my BG is now between 5 and 6, which I'm happy with.
I've also been logging everything I eat and doing the usual two hours after eating test to work out what's happening with these foods. Bread, potatoes and pastry are off the menu now as they cause huge spikes that take hours to settle down even after Metformin. I'm seeing my nurse in a month or so and I'll ask about going full on with bolus injections as well as basal. I might as well go the whole hog!
Keep well everybody
Malcolm

 

[LincolnLizzie]

Hi MalcolmB

I have felt so much better since going on to insulin too.

I was on 18 units Lantus (basal) plus 1 X Forxiga and 4 X Glicazide daily. Since going low carb I have been able to drop all the Glicazide, which I did gradually, one by one and am still averaging 5.8. I can't tolerate Metformin or Glucophage. Really happy with this and am hoping to reduce my insulin by 2 units daily soon.