Moved onto Insulin and terrified!

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lanibanani79

lanibanani79

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi everyone

I was diagnosed in 2018, had gestational diabetes in 2005, 2007 & 2010 but was never tested again until I was very unwell in 2018.

Hba1c has been rising over this last few years after pretty good control and I've tried every tablet known to man and the only one I can tolerate is Metformin. Daily glucose readings have been starting at 16+ going up to around 28 for 2 months now so yesterday I was given Insulin and I am too scared to even open the boxes!

I've been prescribed Abascular and Humalas.

So hi all and any advice is much appreciated
 
lanibanani79 said:
Hba1c has been rising over this last few years after pretty good control and I've tried every tablet known to man and the only one I can tolerate is Metformin. Daily glucose readings have been starting at 16+ going up to around 28 for 2 months now
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It's worth making a bit of a fuss and querying the diagnosis: maybe you're not Type 2 at all and are Type 1. (It can develop more slowly sometimes, particularly in adults.)
lanibanani79 said:
I was given Insulin and I am too scared to even open the boxes!
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You were surely offered a bit more support than that?! Suggested doses, for example?
 
Hiya - sounds to me like you were wrongly diagnosed as Type 2 and really actually have something termed LADA and/or Type 1.5 - which is a 'slow onset' version of Type 1 diabetes in adults - and sometimes initially starts off responding well to standard Type 2 drug treatment like eg Metformin but eventually that doesn't work at all so those people like you, all need insulin, since nowt else will help them.

Anyone newly diagnosed with a chronic condition feels devastated - so you are in fact, a very newly diagnosed Type 1 - so welcome to this merry band! I've had Type 1 for over 50 years so been using insulin all that time, now 73 and a great grandma, so I have no idea whatever why you find the ONLY thing that can possibly help you so scary.

I can assure you that sitting here with enough insulin in the house to murder quite a number of people is no more onerous than owning a carving knife or several shotguns - all perfectly safe when only used for their correct purpose and kept in the home appropriately. I can also assure you that you're more likely to kill yourself leaving your blood glucose at this elevated level so for Heaven's sake - start using the insulin today!
 
Well, insulin does need to be used with a degree of care, but it is, in the end, your best friend.
Whar scares you? Needles? Going low? How to inject? Or is it something else?
Howcare you monitoring your sugar levels?
Let us know and we will do what we can to help
 
I was told I would be moved onto insulin as I had 3 very high A1c's in a row. I told them I could virtually guarantee my A1c would be dramatically better the next time as I had done the research they failed to supply me with. Cut a long story short my A1c went from 80 to 55. And the move to insulin they suggested was unavoidable never happened. I realise your story may be a bit different. Just sayiin'.
 
lanibanani79 said:
Hi everyone

I was diagnosed in 2018, had gestational diabetes in 2005, 2007 & 2010 but was never tested again until I was very unwell in 2018.

Hba1c has been rising over this last few years after pretty good control and I've tried every tablet known to man and the only one I can tolerate is Metformin. Daily glucose readings have been starting at 16+ going up to around 28 for 2 months now so yesterday I was given Insulin and I am too scared to even open the boxes!

I've been prescribed Abascular and Humalas.

So hi all and any advice is much appreciated
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Welcome @lanibanani79 I’m another one who wonders whether you actually have Type 1/LADA. I know at least three women who were told they had Gestational Diabetes but later found out it was Type 1. It comes on more slowly in adults.

Presumable you have Abasaglar and….what’s the other insulin? Is it Humalog? What doses have you been put on? What’s your blood sugar at the moment?

My advice is to confirm the names and doses of your insulins; get hypo treatments in (Dextro glucose tablets, jelly babies, regular sugar Coke, etc); and get started. The insulin should make you feel a lot better. If it’s the injections you’re worried about, the needles are very tiny and very thin. You also need to inform the DVLA if you drive.
 
Tdm said:
Well, insulin does need to be used with a degree of care, but it is, in the end, your best friend.
Whar scares you? Needles? Going low? How to inject? Or is it something else?
Howcare you monitoring your sugar levels?
Let us know and we will do what we can to help
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A bit of everything but definitely the needles is the worst. I struggle to use the one with my glucose monitor.
 
Inka said:
Welcome @lanibanani79 I’m another one who wonders whether you actually have Type 1/LADA. I know at least three women who were told they had Gestational Diabetes but later found out it was Type 1. It comes on more slowly in adults.

Presumable you have Abasaglar and….what’s the other insulin? Is it Humalog? What doses have you been put on? What’s your blood sugar at the moment?

My advice is to confirm the names and doses of your insulins; get hypo treatments in (Dextro glucose tablets, jelly babies, regular sugar Coke, etc); and get started. The insulin should make you feel a lot better. If it’s the injections you’re worried about, the needles are very tiny and very thin. You also need to inform the DVLA if you drive.
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6 units of Abasaglar and 2 units, 3x daily of Humalog and still to take Metformin.

Thanks for the advice. I'll get all that together just incase.
 
Bruce Stephens said:
It's worth making a bit of a fuss and querying the diagnosis: maybe you're not Type 2 at all and are Type 1. (It can develop more slowly sometimes, particularly in adults.)

You were surely offered a bit more support than that?! Suggested doses, for example?
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I was given so much information, a quick demonstration of a similar pen and sent on my way with a, so just feeling a bit overwhelmed.
 
lanibanani79 said:
I was given so much information, a quick demonstration of a similar pen and sent on my way with a, so just feeling a bit overwhelmed.
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With any luck once you've started the insulin and your levels are closer to normal you'll feel more in control. I guess it's different from when I was diagnosed (way back in 1981) in that the pens are so much easier to use, and the needles are so much thinner and shorter. But I'm sure it's always a shock.

Do try and follow up and see if you can get them to verify your diagnosis. It shouldn't matter much (in terms of what support you get) which type you are, but it does; if you aren't Type 2 then it's worth knowing that.
 
lanibanani79 said:
6 units of Abasaglar and 2 units, 3x daily of Humalog and still to take Metformin.

Thanks for the advice. I'll get all that together just incase.
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Ok 🙂 Those are very moderate doses, if that’s any comfort to you. People are usually started on a little less insulin than they’re anticipated to need. The doses are then adjusted if/when necessary.

I have a needle phobia and that doesn’t make things easy, but preparation is everything. Relax, breathe slowly and take your time. You should do an airshot before your dose (dial up 2 units and squirt them into the air). This is just to make sure the insulin is flowing properly. After that, dial up your dose - then double or triple check you’ve got the right insulin and the right amount. Then inject it. After you’ve pressed the insulin pen button, leave the needle in your leg/wherever for a count of 10, then remove it. The first few times it will be weird, but you’ll get used to it and soon be a pro. Insulin injections only have to go into the fatty layer under the skin (not the muscle) so they’re quite shallow and much better than injections at the doctor’s because you’re in control.
 
Ooh - you're in Scotland! Your NHS have a site - My diabetes My way - which I understand is helpful (though never used it since I'm defo English, smack in the middle, nr Coventry. Also - once you know what 'type' you have, you could register for the appropriate one on the DUK Learning Zone, and/or just look on the DUK website for whatever info you need.

Lancets for finger pricking do, generally, tend to hurt shedloads more than the actual single use insulin pen needles - and don't be fooled into thinking they're as big as the outer plastic packaging on each one of the needles might make you think - the outside cover gets chucked in the normal bin once the needle is screwed on the pen and then you'll see it's smaller and there's also an inner cover on the needle itself which you don't remove until you're ready to actually jab yourself. The first one we all have to do ourselves IS ruddy scarey! BUT honestly - it truly isn't all that bad at all and we all do actually do soon get used to it. No other injection you've ever had, or your children have had - is delivered with such a little needle!

For fingerprick BG testing - always prick the sides of the fingertips, ie from the side, on the bit of finger down each side of the nail - NEVER on the pad of the fingertip. And try and get yourself an Accu-Chek Fastclix 'bodger' because you can easily get your repeat prescription changed to the specific lancets for these ones - where one cannot even see the actual sharp bits and they're also extremely fine anyway and you can adjust the depth it makes the hole! As I said - 50+ years, and mine's set at the lowest ie 0.5. It adjusts up to 5, in increments of 0.5.
 
trophywench said:
Ooh - you're in Scotland! Your NHS have a site - My diabetes My way - which I understand is helpful (though never used it since I'm defo English, smack in the middle, nr Coventry.
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As an aside, I also have this, and I'm in Somerset! It's a decent site re presentation of data, but there's not much learning content yet - I've been in touch with the developers and they have plans to add more and seem interested in listening to feedback to ensure the site works well, which is good news.
 
lanibanani79 said:
A bit of everything but definitely the needles is the worst. I struggle to use the one with my glucose monitor.
Click to expand...
I’ve also recently been diagnosed as type1, less than a week ago, however, I had training in hospital before leaving also having a needle phobia so I feel sorry for you with the lack of training you’ve received. After my wife jabbed me (quite eager actually) for a day I started the next day myself (reflecting on young kids doing it themselves) what helped was that the needle is really tiny and painless.
Good luck
 
Zoombie said:
I believe you can do an online course www.bertieonline.org.uk
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That classes as 'advanced learning' as far as @lanibanani79 is concerned right now because it's about adjusting doses yourself - and she hasn't got to that stage yet - neither has @michsi yet, probably.

Let's get them both through the early stages safely first, please!

Once they're both more comfortable with just DIY and fixed doses to begin with, THEN we can move on to whatever they need to move onto without overwhelming either of em with too much info.
 
Just to add to the really good advice you've already been given by @Inka and @trophywench - if you've done everything they've said and you really can't cope with the needles, you could ask to be prescribed covered needles, which mean you don't see the needle going in - it's just like pressing a pen against your leg. I have these because I am needle-phobic and wouldn't be able to inject myself without them - the ones I have are Novofine Autocover. Try with the uncovered ones first though, because the covered ones are a bit bigger and it's really better to use the really tiny ones most people on insulin use if you can.

Here's a diagram which shows where (on your body) you can inject, just in case you haven't been told. Though I wouldn't go as far round the front of the thighs as it suggests - keep to the side (my diabetes nurse said an inch either side of the seam of your jeans).
 
You will still need to confirm libre with fingerprick before taking action, but it will reduce the number and help you feel more in control
 
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