Will have to 'Bite-The-Bullet'...

Are you going straight from metformin only to insulin? That would be very unusual surely?

What have you been eating? If its the NHS recommendations I would rethink that.

It does seam unusual to go straight from metformin to insulin with a type 2, I recently asked my DN about this as I was wondering if I would be better on insulin, She said that insulin was the last resort at my practice and will go through all the other meds first to see if they work.

no mate I think they are saying there are other meds you can try before insulin, like gliclazide for example

Some do take meds and insulin. I was told that I would have to go on taking my meds if i went onto insulin and maybe drop hem gradually. I think at least one other poster here takes meds and insuluin.

I took glimepiride which is similar to glic. Worked almost too well for me at first then stopped so they kept incereasing tthe dose and my HBA1C kept rising......

Eventually reducing my starchy carbs and gioing onto januvia {sitagliptin} to cope with spikes solved the problem.

Docors were amazed at how quickly my Bgs were brought under control. They said I could be off the glimepiride in six months.
I actually had to stop taking it within four weeks as I was hypoing.
I am a slim T2 but the glimepiride had caused me to gain two stone All this came off within weeks which of course contributed to better control

Haven't looked back . Whenever I mention insulin now I am told that I am a long way off that.

Doc, insulin is OK, if your medical team suggest it, try it !


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

I am 67 and have had diabetes since 1995. When I was first diagnosed the hospital wanted me to go on to insulin straight away but I wasn't keen so they tried me on various tablets like Gliclazide and Metformin. I settled on Metformin although when I first started on the three tablets a day I had to cut the middle one out for a while as I was rushing to the loo a lot but eventually introduced the lunchtime one again and seem to have settled down now. I stayed on Metformin for about eight years but eventually I was put on insulin starting on the once a day long acting Lantus, then a different once a day insulin then eventually a very quick acting insulin to be taken three times a day with meals. I was also put back onto Lantus as well as the Novorapid so this means I am on four injections a day as well as Metformin three times a day. My sugar levels are a lot better since going onto the Novorapid. It's nothing to worry about if you go onto insulin in fact it should make your sugar levels much better but it will mean a lot of tweaking until you get the dose right. When you go onto insulin you have to inform the DVLA and will be issued with a short, three year, licence, you also need to tell your insurance company.

Insulin pens are great and make injecting so easy so I should "bite the bullet" and start the insulin as I'm sure you won't regret it (eventually!).

I was on insulin and now use Byetta. I dread the fact that I may have to go back on insulin I have lost almost 2 1/2 st since May and the constant hunger has gone! I know if I go back on insulin the weight will go back on and the 24 hour hunger will be back. So I would steer clear of insulin for as long as you can!

I was told about 10 years ago that I'd need to go onto insulin in about 10 years. However. Here Iam on minimal Metformin only and a low carb diet. If you haven't cut your carbs, it's worth a try.
Hana
However there are loads of suggestions on the NICE flow charts befor insulin.