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Type 2 - new to insulin - pancreas "may need a rest"

Silver678

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hello

I am using the app on my iPad so please forgive me if this is all in the wrong place. The navigation doesn't seem intuitive but I should get there.

I'm not new to diabetes or Type II, having been diagnosed since 2006. I do have to admit to not taking care of myself in ways that I should.

(In 2012 I reduced my meds from 4 Metformin and one gliclazide to 1 Metformin daily by losing 40lbs - which I put back on again).

For the last month I have been injecting insulin each morning and have kind of levelled out between 16 and 18 units once a day.

I have been seeing what seems to work for me and what doesn't (my experience so far has been more about what doesn't work!). I spoke with my DN this morning because we are finding a BG meter that is right for me and she reminded me about our initial conversation, when she decided I needed to have insulin, when she told me that "my pancreas may need a bit of a rest".

Now, this has confused things for me slightly – okay a lot – because I have been reading about fasting, intermittent fasting and using diet.doctor.com and reading some of what Dr Jason Fung writes about.

If my pancreas is deficient then is the diabetes reversal, fasting and low-carb out of reach for me? Is current teaching and research saying that I am unlikely to succeed?

(It seems to me that medical professionals are not permitted to step outside of or promote ideas that are outside of NHS guidelines - this doesn't make a great deal of sense because for most of my life I've been told to eat carbs and not fats – and we are still, mostly, at the mercy of the sneaky supermarkets and food producers who seem to go to great lengths to conceal the carbohydrate content of their foods - which is making me really, really cross right now!)

Sorry that this post is so rambling waffly but in essence my question is about my pancreas and am I beyond redemption and can I still pursue the fasting, diabetes reversal goal?

Many thanks indeed for reading
Silver x
 
I'm sorry that you haven't been given a response to your question, as I'm only a month or so into my diagnosis i can't really add much but I would like to say that I spend a great deal of time on these forums and have come across users who we're given the insulin talk by their GPs but managed to turn it around by dieting and low carbing
 

Sorry I didn't see your original post. I think that Dr Fung has had successes with people with Type 2 who have been on long term insulin therapy but as with anyone who is currently taking strong medication weaning yourself off it will be more difficult than someone simply controlling with diet. I have no experience of your situation personally but I know that IDM (Dr Fung's practise) do offer a remote consultation and support service although I would imagine it is not cheap and there may be a wait.
I would have to suggest you sit down and talk to your doctor about the approach you want to take and see if at least they will support you for a period of time (suggest something like 6 months) where you are monitored more closely. I say doctor rather than DN because I think doctors are permitted to "wander" from the script bit more. I would however suggest that you go in well educated on what you are proposing rather than it just being "something I saw on the internet". We can't advise you on what to do about meds but suggesting to the doc that you want to reduce yours should hopefully at least ensure you get a decent hearing. I wish you much luck.
 
As I understand the problem, taking insulin for T2D ends in the circle - at the end you will need more and more and more... - this way goes to nowhere. You should try to stop taking insulin. Talk to your doc that you will try LCHF diet.
Silver678 said:
If my pancreas is deficient then is the diabetes reversal, fasting and low-carb out of reach for me? Is current teaching and research saying that I am unlikely to succeed?
Click to expand...
First I would try real (no cheating) LCHF diet without fasting, measure and measure and slowly lowering the insulin. There is allways hope that if you will get the BG to normal levels and with diet and excercise the pancreas will work enough for you.

I have "strong" diabetes, I can eat only 5g (well, what I can count) per meal to not elevate my BG from starting 5.6 over 7.7. Maybe my pancreas is also out of duty. But no meds and no insulin for me. With more carbs I have to go immediately for a walk to burn it (that's why my priority is to check 1 hour after meal, less priority 2 hours) .

"my pancreas may need a bit of a rest" - the best rest for pancreas is to remove carbs from your diet - she will not be at work, thus in rest.
 
Those not too highly insulin resistant, for sure.
 
When I go for a walk after a meal I elevate my bg. It stresses my body out.
Just goes to show how different we are.
 
It is possible to reduce your insulin need then maybe stopping insulin but when I tried I still needed huge basal insulin due to my heavy weight.

I will try again after bariatric surgery. Even though I'm hugely insulin resistant compared to your insulin need.

Are you over-weight?
Losing weight is the best start anyone can give themselves trying to come off insulin in those who aren't needing at least some insulin because of no insulin being produced.
Even some type1s with no own produced insulin can go very very low insulin units on low carb eating. Especially not over weight ones. I'm not sure how healthy that is thou.
 
Are you restricting your carbs? My understanding is that basal insulin such as you are taking can't stop post meal bg rises, it just helps with pre-meal and fasting bg. My suggestions would be: (1) Go back to taking more Metformin unless it is causing you too much gastric distress. It is considered a well-tested and pretty harmless drug with lot of benefits. Why deprive yourself of its help when you obviously need all the help you can get? (2) Get hold of a meter and testing strips, even if you have to pay for the strips yourself, and start testing your bg fasting first thing in the morning and before meals and 2 hours after meals. (3) Reduce your carbs until you see better numbers. This is key. The worse state your pancreas is in, the more you will have to cut carbs. (4) Tell your doctor what you intend to do. Actually this should have been (1)!

You can get a free meter and starter kit here: http://spirit-healthcare.co.uk/product/tee2-blood-glucose-meter/
 
You might like to pose more questions in the 'Type 2 on Insulin' part of the forum. This section is within the general T2 section. There you will get more information and advice about your particular situation. Best wishes.
 
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