How long before Type 2's go on medication/insulin?

[Carina1962]

How long can Type 2's get away with control on just diet and excercise? the reason i ask is because i was diagnosed in October 2009 but reading stories on sites, some Type 2's go on medication and insulin quite quicky, how do the medics decide when who should go on what? I had my first HbA1c result this week and have been told by my DN to see her in 6 months time (i am on diet and excercise atm). Do they just see how well you do in your lifestyle change and then if that doesn't work, then they decide to put a Type 2 on medication? initially she told me that it could be years before i would need to go on insulin, if this true then why do some go on it so soon?

 

[vince13]

Sorry if it's a cop-out but, as with most things in Diabetes, each one of us is different. I'm LADA (Type 1.5) and on medication at the moment, insulin is threatened when things deteriorate a bit more, but started out being diagnosed Type 2 and on diet only.

You will have seen other posts on here from true Type 2s who progressed slowly/rapidly/never onto insulin. If YOU are happy with your diabetic team and they are happy with you keeping within agreed limits then I suppose don't worry too much about it.

Good luck with your own journey through the Big D !🙂

 

[DiabeticDave]

IMO...all Doctors try to medicate you straight away, mine did. I stood my ground and said I wanted to control this my way....who knows in the future, he wants me on Statins (see debate on statins), I have said no. It is up to the individual, if he/she lets the doctor control his/her Diabetes.

This is my opinion, and not shared by all on here.

 

[Jean]

Agreed, diabetic Dave...

It's up to us to be in control and responsible for, not only our condition, but whether or not we go on medication.

Unforunately, it's very easy for us to be bullied into adopting a course of action which fits in with the medical textbooks, but does not fit the individual.

 

[Steff]

I was given 7 weeks diet only but it is a contencious subject with me because i was left for so long to fend for myself I did not feel I was givin a fair shot before being shoved on metformin

 

[LisaLQ]

I asked my nurse the same question at my last appointment. She said she has patients that have been diet controlled for 9-10 years. But she also has patients where they couldn't control it with diet (or didn't try to as hard as they should have). She said everyone is different and what may work for some wont work for others.

I'm hoping to be one of the 9-10 years people - I'm not breaking this diet for anyone, I've had metformin for PCOS in the past, and I dont intend to repeat it

 

[am64]

when diagnoised put on 2x500mg of metaformin and statins within 4 months after my dsn saw me in the surgery with my son about his asthma, she thought i looked so rough that id better see the gp..I did...and i was taken off statin and reduced my metaforim to 1x500mg it seems to suit me ...i have excellant care

 

[C*5_Dodger]

How long can Type 2's get away with control on just diet and excercise? the reason i ask is because i was diagnosed in October 2009 but reading stories on sites, some Type 2's go on medication and insulin quite quicky, how do the medics decide when who should go on what? I had my first HbA1c result this week and have been told by my DN to see her in 6 months time (i am on diet and excercise atm). Do they just see how well you do in your lifestyle change and then if that doesn't work, then they decide to put a Type 2 on medication? initially she told me that it could be years before i would need to go on insulin, if this true then why do some go on it so soon?

Dear carina,

As others have said, it is a personal thing. When I was diagnosed I was put on Metformin. However, I was not happy with the standard advice that they give us because they said "eat plenty of starchy carbohydrates" and yet type 2 can be characterised as an inability to process glucose efficiently. This started me on the controlled carb path, after 3 years on Met I stopped it and have have been diet controlled for the last thirteen years!

Warmest Regards Dodger

 

[cazscot]

Hi Carina, I was diagnosed in September and put on metformin 2 x 500mg per day from the start, but I had been following a healthy diet since May so that is probably why the nurse put me on tablets straight away. My husband who is also T2 was diet controlled for approx 2 years before going onto tablets. But as previous people have said everybody is different. x

 

[muddlethru]

I have been Type 2 Diet controlled since 2002. I was given a diet sheet and also one for cholesterol as it was a wee bit high. So far so good but I have noticed that my blood has gone up a bit probably due to the fact I was a bit naughtie over Christmas. I stick pretty much to the diets and know what I can eat and can't . As said already everyone is different and it takes time to find your level . My Doc always says to listen to your body.

 

[Caroline Wilson]

I was put straight onto metformin, with no support. I have very much had to fend for myself.

Treatment and care varies from person to person and from place to place. My GP considered I could cope, so my care (what care?) is with him, where as my neighbour who he did not consider could cope at all is under the hospital.

It is ahighly individual thing how well you control the diabetes how quickly you go onto insulin. Some folks never go onto insulin, and many are diet controled for a long time.