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teesdale16

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Type 2
Hi everyone, Let me introduce myself, I am Paul, 48 and have just recently been diagnosed as having Type 1 Diabetes. In fact it was so recent that it was 12/01/2011 that I started having insulin injections along with Metformin. Before that I was a Type 2 diabetic on Metformin, Glimpiride and Byetta. I am overweight, but since the end of January 2010, I have lost over 20 Kg - over 3 Stone - in weight due to the Byetta and changing my lifestyle and eating habits.

I also suffer from leaking blood vessels in both eyes and have had steroid injections in both eyes as well as laser treatment and a cataract removed. So I was hoping that any information anyone can provide me would be helpful.

Look forward to hearing from someone soon

Paul
 
Hi Paul and a warm welcome im a type 2 on metformin and byetta, i was not aware you could be a type 2 then change to a type 1 ...theres a few members on here who have had laser surgery and other precudures on there eyes so hopefully they will be along if not tonight then tomorrow...welcome onboard.

ps well done on the weight loss
 
Steffie said:
Hi Paul and a warm welcome im a type 2 on metformin and byetta, i was not aware you could be a type 2 then change to a type 1 ...theres a few members on here who have had laser surgery and other precudures on there eyes so hopefully they will be along if not tonight then tomorrow...welcome onboard.

ps well done on the weight loss
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I was put on Insulin because my HB1AC would not come down below 10.7. It was stable, but too high, so they decided to put me on Insulin, but I must admit the Byetta is something I would recommend to people who are Type 2
 
teesdale16 said:
I was put on Insulin because my HB1AC would not come down below 10.7. It was stable, but too high, so they decided to put me on Insulin, but I must admit the Byetta is something I would recommend to people who are Type 2
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Ah right but you are now a type 1 ? just you can be a type 2 on insulin as well sorry its late im easily confused..
p.s i thought the same but now im afraid things have stalled for me with byetta so im in the process of trying to get a new drug called victoza.
 
Steffie said:
Ah right but you are now a type 1 ? just you can be a type 2 on insulin as well sorry its late im easily confused..
p.s i thought the same but now im afraid things have stalled for me with byetta so im in the process of trying to get a new drug called victoza.
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Yes I am Type 1, have to go through the process of filling out the Rainforest in forms for the DVLA and notifying my insurance company. Oh the joys of filling out forms :D
 
teesdale16 said:
Yes I am Type 1, have to go through the process of filling out the Rainforest in forms for the DVLA and notifying my insurance company. Oh the joys of filling out forms :D
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If you ever need any help in that department theres a DVLA section as part of the forum... Happy form filling 🙄
 
Hi Paul, welcome to the forum 🙂 It sounds like you have had a rough time lately, particularly with your eyes - hopefully the insulin will help reduce your levels so that you can avoid further damage. Congratulations on the brilliant weight loss!

Steffie is correct in that you remain a Type 2, despite the fact that you are now on insulin, as the type of diabetes you have is not characterised purely by whether you are on insulin or not. A Type 2 suffers primarily from insulin resistance and will therefore tend to require much greater doses of insulin than a Type 1. A Type 1 will need insulin from the day of diagnosis, and the reason for this will be due to their immune system attacking the beta cells of their pancreas - this does not occur in a Type 2 person. What insulin are you on and how are you finding it (I know it's only been a day!).

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have and we'll try our best to help you out - nothing is considered 'silly'! 🙂
 
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Northerner said:
Hi Paul, welcome to the forum 🙂 It sounds like you have had a rough time lately, particularly with your eyes - hopefully the insulin will help reduce your levels so that you can avoid further damage. Congratulations on the brilliant weight loss!

Steffie is correct in that you remain a Type 2, despite the fact that you are now on insulin, as the type of diabetes you have is not characterised purely by whether you are on insulin or not. A Type 2 suffers primarily from insulin resistance and will therefore tend to require much greater doses of insulin than a Type 1. A Type 1 will need insulin from the day of diagnosis, and the reason for this will be due to their immune system attacking the beta cells of their pancreas - this does not occur in a Type 2 person. What insulin are you on and how are you finding it (I know it's only been a day!).

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have and we'll try our best to help you out - nothing is considered 'silly'! 🙂
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HI and thanks for the reply, I am on Novorapid insulin and still trying to get used to it so I guess it will be a few days until I truly get everything sorted out at the moment. Trial and error I guess. As regards to whether I am Type 1 or 2, I was told by my nurse that I am now classed as Type 1, but what you said has completely thrown me. What should I be doing in regards to contacting DVLA and my insurance company. Any input you have to offer would be much appreciated

Paul
 
hi Paul.... welcome to the forum. congratulations on the weight loss 🙂
hope you soon get to grips with the insulin and get those levels down
 
Hi Paul. Welcome 🙂

Regarding DVLA. It's your medication they're interested in, regardless of T1 or T2 so you still need to notify them.

But it does seem that you're T2 unless they misdiagnosed initially.🙂

Rob
 
teesdale16 said:
HI and thanks for the reply, I am on Novorapid insulin and still trying to get used to it so I guess it will be a few days until I truly get everything sorted out at the moment. Trial and error I guess. As regards to whether I am Type 1 or 2, I was told by my nurse that I am now classed as Type 1, but what you said has completely thrown me. What should I be doing in regards to contacting DVLA and my insurance company. Any input you have to offer would be much appreciated

Paul
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Hi Paul, regarding the DVLA and insurance, you still need to do what you have done as it is the insulin that is the important factor for them. This is because a person on insulin is more prone to hypos so there is closer monitoring of your ability to keep your levels steady.

As you may read elsewhere on the forum, there are some quite blurred lines about types of diabetes. Essentially, as you are now on both slow and fast-acting insulin (a regime known as MDI, or Multiple Daily Injections), you share most of the problems experienced by a Type 1 in managing your doses correctly and dealing with hypos and highs, although there may be other complicating factors due to your greater insulin resistance. We won't quibble about a label though, so don't let it worry you at all! 🙂
 
Hi Teesdale 16 and welcome to the forum. :confused::confused:

What is byretta?

Donna
 
teesdale16 said:
Hi everyone, Let me introduce myself, I am Paul, 48 and have just recently been diagnosed as having Type 1 Diabetes. In fact it was so recent that it was 12/01/2011 that I started having insulin injections along with Metformin. Before that I was a Type 2 diabetic on Metformin, Glimpiride and Byetta. I am overweight, but since the end of January 2010, I have lost over 20 Kg - over 3 Stone - in weight due to the Byetta and changing my lifestyle and eating habits.

I also suffer from leaking blood vessels in both eyes and have had steroid injections in both eyes as well as laser treatment and a cataract removed. So I was hoping that any information anyone can provide me would be helpful.

Look forward to hearing from someone soon

Paul
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Welcome Paul, well done for changing your lifestyle and eating habits, you should be proud of yourself. Take care and best wishes Sheena
 
hi and wellcome to the site
gail
 
teesdale16 said:
HI and thanks for the reply, I am on Novorapid insulin and still trying to get used to it so I guess it will be a few days until I truly get everything sorted out at the moment. Trial and error I guess. As regards to whether I am Type 1 or 2, I was told by my nurse that I am now classed as Type 1, but what you said has completely thrown me. What should I be doing in regards to contacting DVLA and my insurance company. Any input you have to offer would be much appreciated

Paul
Click to expand...

My understanding is that type 2 diabetes can eventually cause the pancreas to 'give up the ghost' because it's forced to pump out larger quantities of insulin to overcome insulin resistance. Eventually, it just says 'sod it' and packs up. It's at that point that a type 2, to all intents and purposes, is the same as a type 1 and requires insulin injections.

Anyway, welcome to the forum Paul.

Andy 🙂
 
A Big Thank You

Hi everyone, I would just like to say a very big thank you to all your replies and welcomes. I must admit all your replies have put my mind at ease and as of now I think of myself as someone who is starting to understand the next stage in this disorder, for want of a better word, and I am sure that over the coming years I will make many new friends on here and help each other out.

Once again a very big Thank You

Paul
 
Hi Paul and welcome to the forum🙂
 
Hi Paul and welcome from a fellow "newbie".
I was 18 when I was diagnosed with Type 1: imagine my horror and indignation when DVLA issued me with a 3 year licence! It was only when I realised that 3 years is the maximum term that I settled down...
I have had laser treatment in both eyes, several times now but, thankfully, it has never progressed to my central field of vision. My local hospital have been fantastic to me over the years on the whole, although some blunt comments about being very young for such advanced retinopathy left me reeling. I later challenged these comments (from a "foreign" intern) and was offered an apology by the head consultant - turns out that not all medical types have advanced bedside manner!!
BTW, try talking to the medical section at DVLA; in my experience, they are are really helpful and friendly bunch.
 
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