Hi

[Stephen Topp]

Hi my names Steve Topp and I’ve had type 2 for about 21 years and I’ve been fine. After my last check up my nurse and doc have told me I have to go from tablets to self injection and I’m a bit nervous so I’m after some encouraging

 

[Davein]

Hi Steve
I went onto insulin therapy a few weeks ago when my BG levels were constantly high after testing. I presume you are not testing at the moment.You will be given all the gear by your surgery and will be shown where to inject. It is now quite normal to inject around the abdomen preferable in a clockwise 'circle' It sounds daunting at first but I assure you the needles are very short and very fine and do not cause pain although sometimes the insulin can sting for a few seconds. testing BG levels is best done just before a meal and about two hours after. The difference in levels can be bought within the usual range by diet. Many members on here use a low carb diet which seems to work effectively. Testing by finger pricking is also not painful. You will eventually get into a daily routine and it becomes second nature. So don't worry it's not as bad as it first seems.

 

[pav]

Hi Steve, welcome to the forum. assuming you mean they are switching you to insulin and not one of the other injectables, I see switching to insulin as a positive in that you can have far better control of your levels, Been trying to switch over for several years for the benefit it has over tablets.

 

[Northerner]

Hi my names Steve Topp and I’ve had type 2 for about 21 years and I’ve been fine. After my last check up my nurse and doc have told me I have to go from tablets to self injection and I’m a bit nervous so I’m after some encouraging

Hi Stephen, welcome to the forum 🙂 Did the doctor say what you will be injecting? Whatever it is the one thing you should know is that it is not like the kind of injections you have when getting a vaccination or blood test - injectables for diabetes generally use pens (either pre-filled or with replaceable cartridges) and the disposable needles you put on them are TINY 🙂 They are usually between 4-6mm and very fine, and you inject into fatty tissue, not muscle. As such they do not go very deep and most of the time you will hardly feel a thing, they are really nothing to worry about 🙂 The main thing is not to tense up, just go for it - finger pricking is much more likely to hurt.

Let us know what is decided and if there are any questions we might be able to help you with 🙂

 

[zuludog]

Don't worry about injecting. It's not like you see in the horror films, with the bad guy brandishing a syringe and the scopolomine squirting all over the place!

The modern system will be a cartridge pen where you dial in the dose, and the silicon coated microfine needles are very small and painless
It's the sort of thing that once you've done it once you wonder what all the fuss was about.
Don't hesitate, just pinch up a bit of belly fat and get stuck in

I started on tablets then changed to injection and felt better for it
Obviously this is because tablets are no longer controlling the blood sugar levels, ie they will be unacceptably high. Injection gives you better control of blood sugar, and within limits gives you more flexibility in your diet

Have you got a BS meter? If not, get one, and learn to use it & interpret the results

Search YouTube for 'injecting insulin'; there are several videos

 

[Stephen Topp]

Thanks for the replies. In the early 60’s I saw my grandpa inject himself with what looked like a huge needle and that fear has stayed with me ever since. I know I will be fine and thanks to this site I have somewhere to make my practical enquiries

 

[Davein]

Thanks for the replies. In the early 60’s I saw my grandpa inject himself with what looked like a huge needle and that fear has stayed with me ever since. I know I will be fine and thanks to this site I have somewhere to make my practical enquiries

Yes the needles looked quite gruesome in those days. I think that's why most of the population developed a needle phobia especially in our schooldays, fortunately now needles are so fine that even when they say 'just a sharp scratch coming up' is bit of an exaggeration.

 

[HOBIE]

Welcome Steve. Good luck its better in the long run. 🙂

 

[Stephen Topp]

Hi, been injecting for a week now with no problems, just me being a big girls blowes. Once again thanks for the posts