type 2 new to insulin

[anna29]

Hi All. please can someone answer this question for me, am thinking of 'trying' levemir insulin to get some better control of my fluctuating high BS. I wish to know n understand, can you just be on a basal insulin only? or do you have to do a basal plus bolus regime? Am currently on victoza only, 1.8 dosage. They have said at clinic that I can stay on victoza with adding basal insulin levemir to tweak down my high BS readings. Many thanks. Anna. x

 

[cugila]

Yes you can just take a basal Insulin to help. I almost had to go onto Insulin temporarily together with Byetta during anti-Cancer treatment. Managed to avoid that though with some extra tweaking of my diet.......wasn't perfect but it allowed me better control until treatment was over.

As you are on Victoza the combination of the two may be sufficient to deal with your high Bg levels. Even better is to add some dietary changes which will help the two drugs to work more efficiently and also help lower your Bg levels.

Have you been told that this combination is what is termed 'off licence' use and is not something that the drug was initially trialled with ? Make sure that your GP/Nurse discusses this aspect with you thoroughly first. There are some Members who are on this combo and are doing very well. It appears to be coming more common place now.

 

[anna29]

Hi . Thanks for your reply ken, yes have been told its not the norm to just combine the two, but have been told I definetely need to consider the insulin treatment as my pancreas is insulin deficient??? [dunno what that means!] no cells left to produce the insulin? is it? victoza just made a dip in my high BS readings n not enough to get good BS control. Am n have been following a low carb n healthy eating regime plus never eat a great lot due to my bowel disease n the appeptite suppressant action of the victoza peptide. When was first diagnosed was told I was insulin resistant now am being told I am insulin deficient??? whats with the two different words? the same? a poor functionong pancreas? its so confusing out here as a diabetic! Anna.

 

[cugila]

Simply put.......

When you are insulin deficient your pancreas is not producing enough insulin due to a problem with your insulin producing cells, this results in a lack of insulin and an excess of blood sugar.

When you are insulin resistant the pancreas produces plenty of insulin, unfortunately your body does not process the insulin correctly so you get the same effect with an excess of blood sugar.