Should I Go to Insulin or deal with the Meds---please help!

Type 2
#1

I am taking Byetta (20mcg), metformin (2000 mgs), actos (30 mg). I work nights for right now. I am still having problems reaching the magic number of below 120 for my doctor to be happy. I did lose 20 pounds!!

I hate taking the meds. Metformin gives me GI track problems. Byetta makes gives me unpredictable nausea. Actos has caused some side effects too.

I am really wondering if I should ask to go on insulin. My job is stressful and the night shift does cause my levels to flucuate. A guy that was diagnonsed a month before me was put on insulin from the start and loves it. I have guy at my job who has been T2 for over 10 years. He told me told me to stay on the meds for as long as possible.

Can anybody give me any feed back on this???

#2

This is such a personal decision!
I am a proponent of insulin because of the side effects are completely known.
However, taking insulin will not necessarily stop the meds. If you have a resistance issue the pills will help that. If you are also losing insulin production the insulin will help that.
There is no magic answer. Just what fits best into your lifestyle.

I currently am on 2 pills for my resistance and a basal insulin. They both suck equally :slight_smile:

#3

Let me ask you, how has the diet and exercise been going? Medications can only do so much, your first line of defense is diet and exercise. I don’t know how long you have been diabetic or on this round of medications, so it is hard to know if it will be effective. In the scope of things, a blood sugar average of 120 mg/dl is starting to be of concern. If you have been at this for some time, paid attention to your diet and exercise and finally gotten to the point where three medications are unable to maintain control of your blood sugar, then yes, you should start to think about insulin. As you well know, medications can have side effects and when it all adds up, it may not be pretty.

But before you go and just start insulin, remember, insulin is not a crutch, it won’t let you just eat whatever you want and stop exercising. Even if you have no problem with needles, insulin is going to have it’s own issues and hassles.

Just make sure that you have really done your best with your diet and exercise and giving the medication every opportunity to work. I think you are healthier and fitter if you give it all a chance before just moving on to insulin.

#4

Thanks for replying. I have been Typ[e] 2 for 2 years now. I have been with my current Endo for about 8-9 months. i use to exercise and I had decent results. I know the main problem is my eating, the night shift job, poor sleeping habits. The meds make me sick alot and then I don’t want to take them because I am sick. I try not to take them on an empty stomach because that is asking for trouble. I wish I had more support in my neck of the woods! :slight_smile:

I never took medicine till this came about 2 years ago. It was a major hurdle for me to even prick my finger for blood. My boyfriend had to do it for me. (NO JOKE) Evidentually, I worked at it and was able to prick my finger after several 10 mins of trying. Now I do my palm. I am still in minor denial. I hate taking medicine because it is medicine. I think medicine in general is a crutch. The thought of taking this for the rest of my life is horrorifying to me. I know if I lost 30-50 lbs I would probably med free. I know my body responds well to exercise. I am thinking the insulin would make life a little easier as far as my night shift job and the side effects. I will see my doctor this friday. She won’t be too happy with my numbers. :slight_smile:

#5

I was miserable on oral meds. I pushed for the insulin. My blood glucose levels are better and I fell better too. The difference in how I feel is like night and day.

#6

Goodness I am miserable on oral meds. I think my endo knows the meds work but like you I am miserable. The make me sick all the time…Do you use a pump or a syringe?

#7

I was only on orals for about 6 months before the doctor gave up on fighting with me. I did shots for about 2 1/2 years. I started fighting for a pump about 6 months into the shots. It took me almost 2 years years before I was approved for a pump. I have been on a pump for a year now.

I was on 8 to 12 shots a day before I started using the pump. Even with all of those injections it was much better than doing oral medications. If your doctor puts you on insulin have him/her prescribe the pens for you. They are less scary than using the syringes.

For me it was easier to handle a hectic schedule on injections than on oral medications. My husband also works night shift so I know real well about late night eating and poor sleeping habits.

#8

I am on 3000 mg Met and 10 mg amaryl. I haven’t had the trouble that some have with the Met…and amaryl has been a staple since the beginning 10 years ago. I’ve tried avandia (glad it’s not a choice anymore) Actos, and several others. I have never been approached about insulin by my doc…she would rather we try all the meds and combos we can before we get there. I’m with her on this one — I have no reasons to doubt that there might be a time when things change and insulin is the only choice, but not for me right now.

As Samantha stated, it’s a personal thing, like the “D” is to begin with. You might try insulin and find that it’s worse that all the oral meds, or maybe better. No one can say for sure, except you and your system.

I would strongly recommend exercise and drinking LOTS of water…I know it sounds like a cop out, but those two things brought my sugars to a great point, and I swear by that now, even with my meds. If you can find something else besides the Met to keep from getting the GI things going on, and maybe even change the Actos…it’s worth the changes if it helps.

Sometimes I think we feel that insulin is going to be a cure all, and it’s not…it’s another tool