Type two now insulin dependent
- Thread starter Sharon30
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- Messages
- 9,031
- Type of diabetes
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- Dislikes
- Hypos, rude people, ignorance and grey days.
Hi @Sharon30 To be honest I didn't really think about it, I was told I had to go on it the day I was diagnosed and there was no other choice, I had to do it. I think if you're given that option rather than being told you're going on it and have time to think about it then you would just get on with it. Perhaps focus instead on the health benefits of taking it and better glucose control which will help you feel better.
The needle is so small you honestly don't feel it most times and there are techniques for injecting so pinch an inch, inject, count to ten. I know some prefer to hum a tune whilst doing this so it takes their mind off it, in regards to coping with it all, well cross that bridge when you come to it, humans are adaptable and we do cope, and of course you have lots of folk here to talk to if and when you do have any issues coping with it, but as I said deal with that when it happens, at this present time just distract yourself with your day to day life and deal with injections as and when it happens but am sure you will be fine
The needle is so small you honestly don't feel it most times and there are techniques for injecting so pinch an inch, inject, count to ten. I know some prefer to hum a tune whilst doing this so it takes their mind off it, in regards to coping with it all, well cross that bridge when you come to it, humans are adaptable and we do cope, and of course you have lots of folk here to talk to if and when you do have any issues coping with it, but as I said deal with that when it happens, at this present time just distract yourself with your day to day life and deal with injections as and when it happens but am sure you will be fine
Traceymac23
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Krystyna23040
Expert
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- Type of diabetes
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- Diet only
The insulin needles are really small now. I actually found them a lot less painful than the finger pricking which can be quite "ouch" sometimes.
May I ask if any dietary strategies have been exhausted and still led you to this point? Exogenous insulin can often not be the ideal intervention for those with insulin resistance. It may not yet be inevitable unless you have an insulin deficiency, which is of course possible, depending on the progression of your diabetes.
Obviously I’m not trying to scare you. Just wondering if you’ve tried any particular types of diet before you go down this path, as once on that path it can be difficult to turn back. Type 1 diabetics of course have no choice, and the issue for them is usually the exact opposite of type 2.
However things turn out, you are in the right place for help and support.
Obviously I’m not trying to scare you. Just wondering if you’ve tried any particular types of diet before you go down this path, as once on that path it can be difficult to turn back. Type 1 diabetics of course have no choice, and the issue for them is usually the exact opposite of type 2.
However things turn out, you are in the right place for help and support.
satindoll
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- Type of diabetes
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- Insulin
Hi @Sharon30 ,
There's nothing to be afraid of, I've been Insulin dependant since 2005 and never known anything else.........contrary to some opinions its not a failure on your part to have to take insulin, there are those who will say it is and that we already have too much insulin sloshing about in our system and that we are insulin resistant because of it.......ok I agree there may be many in that position but for some of us that's so not true........
I was lucky in that the professor I was under was enlightened enough to realise I was a non producer, in that I have no insulin production of my own and am insulin sensitive so my needs for insulin are small but necessary, you may be like me and find small doses are all you need.........I had many tests done and showed no signs of the antibodies t1's have so was diagnosed as t2.....
Anyway my advice to you is grab a copy of the Carbs and Calls book as it will help you recognise portion control and how many carbs are in what food.......an absolute must for carb counting and dosage control.........or you may find yourself eating to cover your insulin jab rather than taking insulin to cover what you've eaten......... which will lead to weight gain and higher doses.
I hope this is of help.......and Welcome to the Forum.........
There's nothing to be afraid of, I've been Insulin dependant since 2005 and never known anything else.........contrary to some opinions its not a failure on your part to have to take insulin, there are those who will say it is and that we already have too much insulin sloshing about in our system and that we are insulin resistant because of it.......ok I agree there may be many in that position but for some of us that's so not true........
I was lucky in that the professor I was under was enlightened enough to realise I was a non producer, in that I have no insulin production of my own and am insulin sensitive so my needs for insulin are small but necessary, you may be like me and find small doses are all you need.........I had many tests done and showed no signs of the antibodies t1's have so was diagnosed as t2.....
Anyway my advice to you is grab a copy of the Carbs and Calls book as it will help you recognise portion control and how many carbs are in what food.......an absolute must for carb counting and dosage control.........or you may find yourself eating to cover your insulin jab rather than taking insulin to cover what you've eaten......... which will lead to weight gain and higher doses.
I hope this is of help.......and Welcome to the Forum.........
HSSS
Expert
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- Type of diabetes
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Whether insulin is the only option or not can largely depend on whether or not you still produce insulin of your own in reasonable amounts or if like many or possibly even most type 2 you’re actually still producing a huge amount of it. Has this been checked with tests?
What sort of numbers are you at? What have you tried so far to control things? And possibly the most important question what do you eat? Can you give us a typical days food?
What sort of numbers are you at? What have you tried so far to control things? And possibly the most important question what do you eat? Can you give us a typical days food?
Hi. Don't worry about insulin. As others have said the needles are small now typically 4mm long and very thin. Taking insulin is a nuisance not a problem. You will need to test before and during driving (every 2 hours). Have you been low-carbing? If you have any excess weight then taking insulin may not help much due to insulin resistance so do ensure your weight is in a good range thru a good low-carb diet before you start.
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I'm not scared of injecting but I'm scared of where it may lead. I was all geared to lose weight but it never happened. Me and food have history. I see it and I eat it, simple! I have mental health problems and use food as a comfort. Big mistake! This has led me to where I am now. However, over the past three weeks I've shed a stone by cutting out carbs so I'm hoping to stick to it and reverse this diabetes x
daisy1
Legend
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@Sharon30
Hello Sharon and welcome to the Forum Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it both interesting and helpful.
BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 300,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
Hello Sharon and welcome to the Forum
Here is the Basic Information we give to new members and I hope you will find it both interesting and helpful.BASIC INFORMATION FOR NEW MEMBERS
Diabetes is the general term to describe people who have blood that is sweeter than normal. A number of different types of diabetes exist.
A diagnosis of diabetes tends to be a big shock for most of us. It’s far from the end of the world though and on this forum you'll find well over 300,000 people who are demonstrating this.
On the forum we have found that with the number of new people being diagnosed with diabetes each day, sometimes the NHS is not being able to give all the advice it would perhaps like to deliver - particularly with regards to people with type 2 diabetes.
The role of carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are a factor in diabetes because they ultimately break down into sugar (glucose) within our blood. We then need enough insulin to either convert the blood sugar into energy for our body, or to store the blood sugar as body fat.
If the amount of carbohydrate we take in is more than our body’s own (or injected) insulin can cope with, then our blood sugar will rise.
The bad news
Research indicates that raised blood sugar levels over a period of years can lead to organ damage, commonly referred to as diabetic complications.
The good news
People on the forum here have shown that there is plenty of opportunity to keep blood sugar levels from going too high. It’s a daily task but it’s within our reach and it’s well worth the effort.
Controlling your carbs
The info below is primarily aimed at people with type 2 diabetes, however, it may also be of benefit for other types of diabetes as well.
There are two approaches to controlling your carbs:
- Reduce your carbohydrate intake
- Choose ‘better’ carbohydrates
A large number of people on this forum have chosen to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they eat as they have found this to be an effective way of improving (lowering) their blood sugar levels.
The carbohydrates which tend to have the most pronounced effect on blood sugar levels tend to be starchy carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and similar root vegetables, flour based products (pastry, cakes, biscuits, battered food etc) and certain fruits.
Choosing better carbohydrates
The low glycaemic index diet is often favoured by healthcare professionals but some people with diabetes find that low GI does not help their blood sugar enough and may wish to cut out these foods altogether.
Read more on carbohydrates and diabetes.
Over 145,000 people have taken part in the Low Carb Program - a 10 week structured education course that is helping people lose weight and reduce medication dependency by explaining the science behind carbs, insulin and GI.
Eating what works for you
Different people respond differently to different types of food. What works for one person may not work so well for another. The best way to see which foods are working for you is to test your blood sugar with a glucose meter.
To be able to see what effect a particular type of food or meal has on your blood sugar is to do a test before the meal and then test after the meal. A test 2 hours after the meal gives a good idea of how your body has reacted to the meal.
The blood sugar ranges recommended by NICE are as follows:
Blood glucose ranges for type 2 diabetes
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 8.5 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 9 mmol/l
- Before meals: 4 to 8 mmol/l
- 2 hours after meals: under 10 mmol/l
Access to blood glucose test strips
The NICE guidelines suggest that people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes should be offered:
- structured education to every person and/or their carer at and around the time of diagnosis, with annual reinforcement and review
- self-monitoring of plasma glucose to a person newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes only as an integral part of his or her self-management education
Therefore both structured education and self-monitoring of blood glucose should be offered to people with type 2 diabetes. Read more on getting access to blood glucose testing supplies.
You may also be interested to read questions to ask at a diabetic clinic.
Note: This post has been edited from Sue/Ken's post to include up to date information.
endocrinegremlin
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Hi Sharon! You can absolutely still lose weight while using insulin. There are sections on the forum that look at both weight loss and low carb diets. Taking insulin does not have to mean a return to carbs. Your doctors may ask you to eat some for a while just to gain an understanding of what your body is doing but after that, you will have the freedom to cut carbs back out or lower them to certain levels if that is what you wish. Please don't fear the 'insulin = weightgain' idea. It does not happen to everyone. It does not happen in the same ways. Your team will always help you. If one insulin seems to impact you more there are loads to choose from! Just keep talking to your team. At this point, I think you are on insulin and that is that, no point in looking back. If you change your needle each time you shouldn't feel much when injecting. I know it sounds weird but it will become second nature. Before you know it you might be stabbing with one hand while scrolling fb with the other. Best of luck. We're always here!
Kittycat_7_
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- Messages
- 492
- Type of diabetes
- Type 2
- Treatment type
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Hi,
Please don't be scared, I have started on Xultophy it is a long acting insulin and a drug which curbs your appetite.
I feel so much better.
I am losing weight.
Your doing really well.
Be proud of yourself.
Take care
Please don't be scared, I have started on Xultophy it is a long acting insulin and a drug which curbs your appetite.
I feel so much better.
I am losing weight.
Your doing really well.
Be proud of yourself.
Take care
