Type 2 , Just been put on insulin ,Scared

[bill45]

Hi no need to be scared i myself have not long gone on insulin. It will be strange at first but getting ur levels sorted and stable makes you more aware of what is goid for you and what you have to avoid with foods. Just remember dnt punish urself if counts are high. Just note dwn what you think may have caused it and carry on.
Good luck.

 

[lesleyann]

I had to go onto injections last month and its nowhere near as scary as i thought it would be. I take tablets too. I can even do my injections in public now as they are so easy to do. good luck x

 

[bill45]

Thats great lesleyann its ok once you get over the first couple of times injecting. I am ok as i have a slow release insulin and its just once in the morning.

 

[dbr10]

Please don't take this the wrong way!

Have you been testing your blood at home and if so what sort of numbers have you been getting? Have you tried controlling your diabetes with diet/exercise/weight loss?

The NHS is so good at telling people they have T2D, take some tablets, carry on eating as you are and then find it's not under control and so prescribe more pills until they deem it necessary to use insulin or it's too late and complications have set in.

Sadly true.

 

[dbr10]

Last night I watched an episode of 'GPs: Behind Closed Doors'. I was shocked to see a DSN congratulating a fairly recent T2D who's A1c had come down to 84. Fair enough, he had made an "improvement" - but instead of explaining that it should be as low as possible or at least below 48mmol/mol, it was simply a case of: "Good work and I'll see you again in 6 months". There was no referral to a dietician or even a basic dialogue highlighting the importance of weight loss, diet and exercise. I can confidently say that there would definitely have been no mention of testing BG in this instance.

The poor guy probably left thinking that he'd done everything he had to and could continue perfectly fine the way he was. And as you've said @slip, complications will take hold - especially when sitting up at those numbers. It's not the diabetic's fault; they are blissfully ignorant when not fed the correct information.

Since diagnosis, I have met several diabetics who think they are doing fine, when they are obviously not.

 

[bill45]

Sadly true.

Hi my bloods are tested daily and yes diet and exercise in place for a long time.
My team are fantastic with infprmation and tests.

 

[ickihun]

I'm sure health team are encouraging positive changes and not wanting them to rush into high doses of insulin. Slowly, slowly helps with complications and keeping a lid on insulin resistance is always a good aim. Type 2s need to be aware of many problems with increasing their insulin intake. Getting those damaging lingering high sugars down is always a significant health benefit. Keeping them down and reducing insulin units are the real challenge with insulin treatment for insulin resistant sufferers.

 

[bill45]

I agree with you totaly on this your whole way of eating and exercise has to change. I have always been a healthy eater and exercised often before going on meds and insuline.

 

[noidea21]

Thank you all so much for the replies , this is day 4 on insulin, I have been started on low dose twice a day at moment as they said I don't eat enough carbs , I have to see the nurse again tomorrow as they will want increase she said , I don't know if there are any kind of side effects I just know I am extremely tired all the time and can't work out why ... Thank you all again for your support on here xxx

 

[ickihun]

Thank you all so much for the replies , this is day 4 on insulin, I have been started on low dose twice a day at moment as they said I don't eat enough carbs , I have to see the nurse again tomorrow as they will want increase she said , I don't know if there are any kind of side effects I just know I am extremely tired all the time and can't work out why ... Thank you all again for your support on here xxx

The only side effect I've experienced is ive added weight since starting insulin treatment. Many type1s argue that no weight gain on insulin. Ive added.
However I'd rather add the extra lbs than go blind or need an amputation.

 

[Manda323]

Hi I have been struggling so long on all tablets for my type 2, this morning the specialist nurse has said I have to go on insulin as none of the tablets are bringing sugar levels down , I have always worried if I went on insulin ,now I am terrified, I will be starting in the next five days .. Am I being foolish to be so scared ? x Thank you

Hi noidea21. I am in exactly the same place. Type 2, went on insulin 2 months ago. I was so scared of hypos, my blood kept going less than 4 and I was fatigued regularly. I recommend snacking about 10am to get you to lunch and again about 3:30pm to get you to dinner time. It helped me a lot to get through a very scary first month.
As for the injections, I find it doesn't hurt at all if you relax whilst doing it and don't forget to breathe.

All the best hun! Manda

 

[noidea21]

The only side effect I've experienced is ive added weight since starting insulin treatment. Many type1s argue that no weight gain on insulin. Ive added.
However I'd rather add the extra lbs than go blind or need an amputation.

I did panic when the nurse asked me to add more to my diet, she said its ok don't worry about weight gain we have a tablet we can add to stop that , I don't like this starting point I hope it works out , I just want some energy ..

 

[noidea21]

Hi noidea21. I am in exactly the same place. Type 2, went on insulin 2 months ago. I was so scared of hypos, my blood kept going less than 4 and I was fatigued regularly. I recommend snacking about 10am to get you to lunch and again about 3:30pm to get you to dinner time. It helped me a lot to get through a very scary first month.
As for the injections, I find it doesn't hurt at all if you relax whilst doing it and don't forget to breathe.

All the best hun! Manda

Aww thank you for the reply, my biggest fear is hypo's and have had 2 this week,, I am wondering what I can add in between meals I have already added extra fruit but that is doing nothing at the moment, I will make sure I ask tomorrow Thanks again.

 

[asparagusp]

Early days but you may have to lower your insulin dose slightly.. Discuss this with your nurse.

As for insulin weight gain. I have always been slim and went on Lantus a year ago. I have not put on weight. I have been able to reduce my dosage from ten to six units and I ha still having the odd hypo. A forum member here very kindly suggested I take it earlier in the evening but to discuss this with the nurse first.

 

[noidea21]

Early days but you may have to lower your insulin dose slightly.. Discuss this with your nurse.

Thank you , yes I am seeing nurse in morning will definitly be asking more questions ..

 

[asparagusp]

Also when you say you are taking tablets, Gliclazide? They are known to cause hypos ..... Mention this to your nurse too if you are on them.

Please let us know the outcome tomorrow.

 

[noidea21]

Also when you say you are taking tablets, Gliclazide? They are known to cause hypos ..... Mention this to your nurse too if you are on them.

Please let us know the outcome tomorrow.

Oh yes I am on them I will mention it thanks so much .

 

[LincolnLizzie]

I went onto insulin - Lantus, in January, supported by Forxiga and Glibencamide. It took a little while to get things right but life is much better now with testing coming in around 5.5 most of the time. I found that once daily injections suit me, and unlike most people I have this at 6pm which seems to have helped reduce the dawn phenomenon.

By low carbing I have also been able to drop Glibencamide completely. I had started to reduce my insulin gradually, but unless I can reliably exercise currently I need to stay at 18 units. My BG dropped quite low at times when I was taking the Glibencamide, so perhaps this might apply to you too?

Insulin has given me a much better quality of life - that and the low carbing. Good luck with your next visit to the DN.

 

[asparagusp]

I have this at 6pm which seems to have helped reduce the dawn phenomenon.

Yes that ties in with the very useful advice I received here earlier this evening. I have been taking the Lantus at 10 pm and having hypos - Dawn Phenomenon and the Somogyi effect - http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/tc/dawn-phenomenon-and-the-somogyi-effect-

 

[noidea21]

I went onto insulin - Lantus, in January, supported by Forxiga and Glibencamide. It took a little while to get things right but life is much better now with testing coming in around 5.5 most of the time. I found that once daily injections suit me, and unlike most people I have this at 6pm which seems to have helped reduce the dawn phenomenon.

By low carbing I have also been able to drop Glibencamide completely. I had started to reduce my insulin gradually, but unless I can reliably exercise currently I need to stay at 18 units. My BG dropped quite low at times when I was taking the Glibencamide, so perhaps this might apply to you too?

Insulin has given me a much better quality of life - that and the low carbing. Good luck with your next visit to the DN.

Thank you so much , I am so pleased they found a level that seems to have helped for you ,, I seem to be going very low in the night, the nurse asked me to have something before bed but also to take emergency hypo pack as she called it and leave it at side of bed also if I go out take hypo pack with me .. I will be telling them in the morning what has been happening over the weekend , I know it is trial and error it just is so hard not to be scared I try to be upbeat but it doesn't always work ,Thank you so much and best wishes ,,xx