diabetic help/info please

[fionajohnston]

hi Dr. has now suggested it's time for me to go on insulin as my blood test is 9.9 been slowly going up over last year

is any-one using "lanus" which is an once a day injection

if so how do you find it?

do you still get highs and lows?

i'm seeing nurse on fri what questions to ask her as i'll have a complete blank when i'm there and only think of some once i leave her

[captainbovine]

sorry can't help you there, but 9.9 doesn't seem that high to be going on insulin. Most of the people I know who have gone onto insulin have been in the 20's with their bloods!

I am type 2 and have the Victosa injection, it's not insulin, it's lizard spit honestly!!

perhaps it may be worth asking the doctors if you could try that and a mixture of other diabetic meds first?

[merc1_clocks]

Lizard Spit...that's why you knit these snakes CB:O

Watch for the scaly skin starting...  eh, how long is your tongue?:|

[captainbovine]

welllll....I am a coo and my tongue is long enough for me ta give ya a good rasping:^O

[fionajohnston]

hi i've been on various meds for about 16 yrs or so and according to Dr can't get any larger doseson metaformin glimepiride and pioglitazone(actos)

what's "lizard spit?any other name for it

[merc1_clocks]

Yeah...coo slobber ]:)

[purplepennyb]

Hi

I was on Gliclazide and Metformin and was then put initially on Bayetta (Xenotide) which is not an insulin based injection.Have you tried saxagliptin/ citagliptin?

I have tried Lanctus but had to stop due to an allergy when I was injecting it. It was easy though, turn twist and inject once a day. Dad used it for years. Keep in the fridge before use.

I did not get any lows on it as 1. I was not on a high enough dose and 2. My blood HB1c was 14.1 and therefore had a long way to fall.

🙂

[captainbovine]

I was on Byetta first, which is a synthetic version of Victosa. It made me feel very sick indeed, so I was put on victosa. You just dial and inject, no problem.

I did have a hypo when I first injected but it didn't happen more than a couple of times.

I hardly ever test my bloods as the doctors don't seem that bothered about you doing it and they're not that keen on pescribing the testing strips and needles.

I certainly would question taking insulin if your bloods are only in the 9's. I had a doctor who was hell bent on me taking insulin as my bloods were in the 8's. He referred me to the hospital and the doctor told me I didn't need insulin!!!!! so it's a question of not taking the first doctors advice but asking more questions.

good luck!!

[guardpig]

Lantus gives a background level for the day so you shouldn't get highs and lows as with the fast acting stuff but .............................................................................................................

have a son who manages it!.

He's type 1 so not a lot of use to you.

[wizilizi]

I can not possibly advise, but I really would ask questions, as it is evident that many 'front-line' medical staff do not understand diabetes

I say this through my MIL's experiences.  She was absolutely insulin dependent & encountered such a lack of knowledge that without her own will, & help from family, her life would have been twice endangered when she was hospitalised in emergencies

Things are improving, but slowly.  I would ask for a second opinion; you are perfectly entitled, & I think owe it to yourself, to do so

[guardpig]

Son has always hit problems with the GP reviews commonly undertaken by the practise nurses who, whilst they may have seen hundreds of type 2s, certainly don't see a lot of type 1s but still often think they are experts.

If in doubt ask to be referred to the local hospital diabetic clinic.  They are usually more up together(but not always) than the GP

Best one was the nurse who told son his cholesterol was too high(very, very marginally if at all) and that he had to get it down or she'd put him on pills(and he is on enough of those and they all interact badly!).  Cue panic stricken Asperger lad, 300 miles from home, wondering what to do next!!!!!!! No info, no diet advice, no thought.  Sometimes you wonder how they passed or why they wanted to be nurses in the first place.

Wizi - have found our local A&E very pro-active with sons meds and they seem to conjure up sandwiches from thin air.   Wards are a little hit and miss.

[mandymoosie]

I think the first question I'd be asking would be why do I need the injections ?:|

As CB has said, I also wouldn't think that a result of 9.9 would warrant going down that route ?:|

Maybe different areas and different doctors treat it in in different ways, I'm not sure.

I'm diabetes 2 and I take 2000 mgs of Metformin every day and I'm doing okay with that.

You could always ring Diabetes UK, they're very good and helpful, they should be able to guide you, their helpline is open from 9 - 5 every week day.

Ask lots of questions, that's what I would advise:-)

[fionajohnston]

unfortunately this was the Dr at the diabetic clinic in the hospital:-(

think i'll contact diabetes uk 

also i think different areas have different targets as my friend down in the lake district asked her diabetic nurse and was told they don't consider insulin until you are around 12/14

[10phizz]

OH is type 2.

His count was 28 when they found it.

Could you change your diet at all or exercise more.to control it ?

Friends daughter was type 1 from 10 years and went to Diabetes clinic

..........when she went to another one they were furious about the type of needles and insulin she had been given.

I under stand that once you get on to insulin there is no going back so any alternative may be worth trying............lets face it, most folks "cheat" a bit on the dietary recommendations.

Good luck. XXXX

[****daisy****]

I think people are thinking your blood glucose test is 9.9 but I'm presuming you mean your HbA1C is 9.9 which is high

Found this:

"One of the major questions in deciding the treatment plan for patients with Type 2 Diabetes is when the patient should start taking insulin, an intervention that is often delayed by physicians and often reinforced by patient reluctance. While type 2 DM patients initially don’t need to take insulin, their ß-cells slowly lose function to the point where exogenous insulin needs to be administered. According to the American Diabetes Association guidelines, target HbA1C level for patients with diabetes is 7%, a goal a patient is unlikely to achieve with oral mediciations if HbA1C levels exceed 9%. Single drug regimens (such as glyburide) can lower HbA1C levels by 1-2%; combination drug regimens (such as glyburide and metformin) can lower HbA1C levels by 2%. Therefore, if HbA1C levels become higher than 9%, it is reasonable to add insulin to the treatment plan to control blood glucose."

[fionajohnston]

  Could you change your diet at all or exercise more.to control it ?

my diet is not too bad fortunately i don't have a sweet tooth crisps are my downfall on saying that i#ve only had 6 packets since november

as for exercise i have 13 steps up to bedroom and i have to stop 2 or 3 times going up walking is painful as soon as i start:-(

i've tried raising my legs while sitting but only manage a couple of times 

it isn't the day to day blood test it's the one that says what your average is over 3 month