Hello everyone! I’m new here, so bear with me if this seems like familiar ground to you. I am T2, have been managing with Metformin, vildagliptin and lots of exercise and diet control for a few years now, and all seemed OK. A couple of months ago a random reading showed my BS was 480, and I tightened the diet and exercise regime, and my doc upped my medication. My last HBA1C last week was 10, and I dont know how to deal with it anymore. I am due to visit the doc again tomorrow, and dont even know what to say/ask. Is Byetta a good idea? is insulin a good idea for T2s who want to have a baby soon? Please help!
Many thanks,
Tahira
Sounds like your T2 is progressing. I never tried Byetta, some T2 have good results with other injected meds. Hopefully you get some good ideas. I am on metformin, Lantus, and Novolog. Injecting insulin can be a pain sometimes and some of us experience weight gain so you might have to be extra careful with the carbs if you inject insulin. Personally I think insulin is the best way to control blood glucose. I take my Lantus (24 hour insulin) in 2 doses, one at 5am and the other at 10pm, then I take rapid insulin (Novolog) to cover for meals, I take metformin 500mg in the am and 500 in the pm. I don’t think the met does much for me, but makes me feel better cause I have to believe it is helping with something.
OK have you gone to an diabetes education class or dietician? if not ask your doc if they can get you in to one maybe that can help control your sugars better
obviously A1c of 10 is not great. talk w/ your doc about what options are available to you - upping your med dosage or maybe different meds
You can handle this take it one step at a time. write down what concerns - about diet, exercise, meds and pregnancy you have and go thru them w/ your doc
sorry for a dumb question back at you but insulin is made by your body so how would injecting insulin affect your ability to have a healthy pregnancy? (good luck BTW)
Hello my friend… Welcome to Tudiabetes!!!
I am learning that a lot of female diabetics, often have a harder time controlling their blood sugars. This can be due to a myriad of reasons, however, have you considered getting a C-peptide test done? Because if you truly are a type 2, then it maybe that your pancreas is not producing enough insulin. Byetta, is not insulin, and you may need insulin, if your C-peptide levels are extremely low.
Yogi
SHOW D WHOSE BOSS!!! I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT!!!
Have you been tested for PCOS? Are you resistant or non-resistant to insulin? These are some questions you may want to ask your doctor to see if insulin is right for you. If you are insulin resistant like me, taking insulin will only make things worse because your body doesn’t respond to it anyways. PCOS is short for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and can cause insulin resistance. Many women who are diabetic are diabetic because of PCOS.
Thank you all, thank you so much! I really appreciate the support and advice. My doc said that my BS is coming down at the expected rate with diet and exercise in addition to metformin, and that I should keep that going, rather than switch to insulin/Byetta/Victoza. Sigh. Its encouraging to know it isnt progressing, but boy, am I FED UP of feeling like its me and my fragile self-control versus the world! So glad to have found this site, and thanks again.
Tahira
Insulin is the best way to go when oral meds, diet & exercise fail to bring BG down. Insulin will help save your beta cells. More T2s are using insulin.
Are you testing regularly to know how certain foods effect you?
Insist on having a C-peptide & GAD anitbody tests done for a correct diagnosis. Too many doctors assume T2 based on age & people are misdiagnosed. Ask for a referral to endo. You may be LADA.
Byetta helps some people by slowing digestion, gives a feeling of fullness, so people eat less. Byetta increases insulin production & decreases glucose produced by the liver.
Thanks Gerri. I went to my doc expecting him to put me on Byetta or Victoza, as he had suggested this some months ago ( and then allowed me to give diet and exercise along with Metformin a try, as I had just started a new job and didnt want to deal with nausea) When I went to him again two days ago, he said my BS was coming down at a decent rate,and that he would not change my meds. He’s gievn me two months to try and get my A1C down from 10 to around 7. I hope this is possible, because I’m losing motivation.
You may not have the right treatment to reach the goal he’s set. Two months isn’t much time to drop that much. Don’t know how much you’ve already lowered it or what you’re eating. But, if you aren’t a T2, or you’re a T2 with increased insulin resistance, you need additional tools. Lowering carbs helps many of us. Jenny’s site & book are wonderful www.bloodsugar101.com & Dr. RIchard Bernstein’s book Diabetes Solution changed my life.
Please keep us posted.
I’m begginning to wonder if these targets are unrealistic with the tools I have. my sugars have come down from 250-350 to 130-200 ( fasting and 2 hours PP) over the last two months. I haven’t entirely eliminated carbs, mainly because the thought of re-configuring my diet yet again just defeats me, but I have stepped up exercise, and have lost almost 4 kilos in two months. I guess its better to be told that this is working, and that I dont require stronger medication/insulin, but truly, my motivation is fizzling out. thanks so much for the link, the website looks great, and I will try and follow the ‘how to lower your blood sugar’ section.
thanks so much,
Tahira
Thanks Doris! Not so sure at the moment…
I have been tested for PCOS, it isnt that. My doc said ( on the bais of my having had a couple of hyppos this last month) that I am not insulin resistant. Does that sound like a reasonable assumption to make, without tests?
Thahk you!
Tahira
I wasn’t so sure about lowering my carbs completely until my doctor told me something like, “You better figure out how to lower your BG and weight or else you’re going to go back on the medicine you’re hypersensitive to.” So, I switched to the Atkins diet and my BG is normal now without drugs. If you’d like to try Atkins for free, just search for “free Atkins Diet” and you should see enough websites to get you an idea of how to start it.