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nadinbrzezinski

(154,021 posts)
Thu May 28, 2015, 10:13 PM May 2015

Yup, not surprised

after almost 20 years of this crap and a year of we could not get this under any kind of target or control with just pills... in the morning starting insulin.

I initiated that conversation... not the doctor. You do not want to know where the 1AC is... but kidneys, nerves, heart and brain matter to me. So the vial is in the fridge, the syringes are ready... and so is the sharps. Got the tablets too. It's easier to control things with 4 gram sugar tablets than with the old standby... OJ or Coke.

One thing a lot of patients do is be in denial. My dad took three long years to finally accept the jab. I knew it was not responding. Enough years in EMS to know better. It is what it is... with diabetes. We all will end on it anyhow.

14 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Yup, not surprised (Original Post) nadinbrzezinski May 2015 OP
I went on insulin Spirochete May 2015 #1
We are starting with the standard syringe and vial nadinbrzezinski May 2015 #4
I've only been using Spirochete May 2015 #5
I know, I know dad had pens nadinbrzezinski May 2015 #6
I had really good control for years TexasProgresive May 2015 #2
xactly nadinbrzezinski May 2015 #3
I've been on insulin since 2002. TexasTowelie May 2015 #7
Yeah, it is also a quality of life issue nadinbrzezinski May 2015 #8
Well doing this before and after each food nadinbrzezinski May 2015 #9
I know levels are better now. nadinbrzezinski Jun 2015 #10
I'm entering my 51st year on insulin IDemo Jun 2015 #11
I don't mind them nadinbrzezinski Jun 2015 #12
Peeing in a glass instead of a finger stick for BG checks IDemo Jun 2015 #13
True, true nadinbrzezinski Jun 2015 #14

Spirochete

(5,264 posts)
1. I went on insulin
Thu May 28, 2015, 10:41 PM
May 2015

when I had my heart attack, 10 years after being diagnosed. Now I'm on two different kinds of insulin. Only good thing is - now I have the cool pen injector, so I don't have to eyeball the stuff into a syringe. This is good, because my eyesight is bad, and I have to do 4 shots a day.

 

nadinbrzezinski

(154,021 posts)
4. We are starting with the standard syringe and vial
Thu May 28, 2015, 10:58 PM
May 2015

I think the doc wants to make sure one works before the pen

 

nadinbrzezinski

(154,021 posts)
6. I know, I know dad had pens
Thu May 28, 2015, 11:27 PM
May 2015

I still remember all that technique from ten years in EMS. So... tomorrow morning get breakfast ready and then stab

TexasProgresive

(12,148 posts)
2. I had really good control for years
Thu May 28, 2015, 10:53 PM
May 2015

But like you said if you live long enough with type 2 you will start jabbing yourself. I think I am using Lantus 5 years now. Save your eyes, kidneys and toes.

TexasTowelie

(111,314 posts)
7. I've been on insulin since 2002.
Fri May 29, 2015, 12:08 AM
May 2015

My weight before I started using insulin was about 165 pounds (I'm 6' 1&quot . Then I dropped to 117 pounds before I could be spared from work to go visit the doctor. My blood sugar was above 600 and I was admitted to the ER because I was so ill that they thought I was going to die. I've been on both short term and long term insulins and never was able to get things under control. At times I went hypoglycemic and finally they put me on an insulin pump.

Unfortunately I lost health insurance when I became unemployed in 2010 and could afford the pump system that I was using so I'm back to syringes again. I'm up to 183 pounds, but I'm having both low and high blood sugar readings, my HA1C at the last check was over 13 and besides the neuropathy problems I suspect that I'm also coming down with MS. I'm back to the doctor on Monday, but since I'm on indigent care the quality of care is lacking.

I hope that you can get your blood sugar under control soon since it does diminish the quality of life and the ability to hold a job if you don't. I believe that my medical problems eventually cost me my last job due to the effects on my attitude and my inability to work the 70 and 80 hour work weeks on a constant basis.

 

nadinbrzezinski

(154,021 posts)
8. Yeah, it is also a quality of life issue
Fri May 29, 2015, 12:12 AM
May 2015

I am hoping it responds. Though part of it is a slight weight issue that is not responding either.

 

nadinbrzezinski

(154,021 posts)
9. Well doing this before and after each food
Sun May 31, 2015, 02:09 AM
May 2015

I mean the blood testing.

I can see the trends starting to turn... still, it will take time.

(And I do remember the technique and it was not as much pain to take the circus to breakfast today)

IDemo

(16,926 posts)
11. I'm entering my 51st year on insulin
Tue Jun 9, 2015, 05:22 PM
Jun 2015

When I was young, I had to boil a glass syringe each morning to sterilize it, and the needle was quite a bit bigger than today's microfine size.

I tried a 90 day supply of the pens a couple years ago and couldn't wait to get back to the syringes.

 

nadinbrzezinski

(154,021 posts)
12. I don't mind them
Tue Jun 9, 2015, 05:26 PM
Jun 2015

Just for travel it's easier to take the pens

As a former medic, in a developing world country, I am way too familiar with boiling them too.



Ah AIDS. It was not just getting people to wear gloves. It included sterile one use everything.

The glass syringes with needles that were older than Moses were quite the museum pieces

IDemo

(16,926 posts)
13. Peeing in a glass instead of a finger stick for BG checks
Tue Jun 9, 2015, 05:30 PM
Jun 2015

Not as painful, but not real useful in comparison.

 

nadinbrzezinski

(154,021 posts)
14. True, true
Tue Jun 9, 2015, 05:38 PM
Jun 2015

they still sell the strips. I remember that was state of the art as well, at one point

I remember when I first brought a glucometer, one of those free ones that my sis got at a convention in the States for dietitians, to the ER. I got them a lot of strips, we got them donated. It was like a different universe for the doctors. Getting replacement strips became an all consuming adventure, but one worth engaging in.

It is amazing, how far technology and medicine has advanced.



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