Mealtime Insulin

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vshewy
vshewy Posts: 11 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
It's finally come to the point where I can't control my T2 diabetes. My doctor is starting me on mealtime insulin this afternoon. I feel like any kind of normal life is over. How do I socialize, exercise, cruise, etc. and test and take injections before every meal. I know people do it all the time but I'm scared and I don't know how I'm going to manage. I know you don't know me, but please tell me I can do this.

Replies

  • ronjsteele1
    ronjsteele1 Posts: 1,064 Member
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    I had to do this as a gestational diabetic. I found it a bit daunting, to be honest, but I think you can use this to your advantage as incentive to start losing weight. Realistically, testing and shots probably added about 5-6 minutes to a mealtime. So it's not that it's time consuming so much as it's a different routine to get use to.

    I'd start weighing and logging what you eat and lose weight so he'll take you off the insulin. ;)
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
    edited March 2017
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    I used to work with a guy who took insulin before meals. He'd turn around at his desk, usually in the middle of a sentence while holding the cap to his pen in his mouth, face the middle of the office (and everyone in it), pulled up his shirt a little, injected himself, and we wished him a pleasant meal as he walked out. It was literally nothing. The biggest burden is you have to carry a satchel or something. Maybe a lunch bag if it needs refrigeration. Like whoopty-do.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Ask your doctor about diabetes support groups in your area. Every hospital offers them and it would be a big help for you.
  • kq1981
    kq1981 Posts: 1,098 Member
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    Of corse u can do this! I can't say I know from experience what it's like to be on insulin but as a nurse, I've helped hundreds of patients and they lead full, normal lives. There is NO shame in having to take insulin and u can learn to do it discreetly so as not to draw attention to it publicly. Luckily, Type 2 diabetes is reversible in most cases! U can do this:-)
  • vshewy
    vshewy Posts: 11 Member
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    Is it really reversible? Maybe this is the kick in the butt that I need. My dad died from complications of diabetes so you'd think that would scare me enough. I'm on day three and right now I'm still nauseous most of the time. Last night and this morning were pretty bad. I'm definitely logging everything (honestly) now. I go back to the doc in a month to see how things are going. In three days my morning glucose has dropped from over 300 to 170--still high but a lot better.
  • blueeyetea
    blueeyetea Posts: 44 Member
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    I've heard of people needing to reduce their diabetes medication after losing a lot of weight, because the weight loss helps with insulin becoming more sensitive. The challenge when on insulin is that you need to eat carbs just to insure you sugars don't get too low, which may hinder the weight loss.

    Before you were prescribed the insulin, were you on metformin and a low-carb diet? That's usually the first interventions.

    As for your original question, my husband is type 1 diabetes, and he carries a fanny pack with his kit and injection pens. We eat out all the time, and he usually does his thing right at the table, and other people rarely notice. (We think a lot more about what other people think than they actually do, tbh.) Heck, most times I'll ask if he's going "to shoot up" only for him to tell me he's done it already without me noticing. If we're with a group, then he'll excuse himself and go to the washroom. It's no big deal.
  • CheyanaLee
    CheyanaLee Posts: 4 Member
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    My son is type 1 insulin dependent and we are put on a carb goal for him. Even though he has it. I'm the 1 doing the food planning. And I will tell you the positive it's made myself completely more aware of what I'm eating. And we eat at schedule times. I've already lost 21.2 lbs with just doing this alone. I know it can seem daunting but you will get through this. My grandma was type 2 with taking insulin with food and she has been off of that for over 2 years now. She's 86 next month. So just keep at it. She watched she ate pretty close and got moderate expertise. So it can be done. Fb has some great diabetic groups. And don't be embarrassed about it. Tons of others do it daily. ☺️☺️
  • vshewy
    vshewy Posts: 11 Member
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    Thanks all. After 5 days my morning BG is down 200 points. I've only lost 2 pounds, and still have a long way to go, but so far so good.
  • michael1976_ca
    michael1976_ca Posts: 3,488 Member
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    i take mine twice a day. 7am and 7pm every day. the hardest part for me is the injection but you have to do it. it's no big deal you get use to it. you can do it never give up
  • ronjsteele1
    ronjsteele1 Posts: 1,064 Member
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    And I highly highly recommend the book the diabetes solution by dr. Bernstein.
  • James730730
    James730730 Posts: 1 Member
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    Hey, my first post here, actually, but I thought I'd enter this discussion. I have Type 1, inject 2 times a day, test my blood 2-6 times a day, but I've been going at it 2 years now, it's become a very small part of my life, not the huge thing it was at the beginning. I still go out for meals, can head out places without worry. You will have to be careful when exercising after you've had your insulin, make sure you have something to combat any hypos, but other than that, you'll do fine, I'm sure.

    Try hard to lose weight and in no time I'm sure you won't even need to insulin anymore, maybe even the medication.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    I second the recommendation for Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution. It's a low carb plan for T1Ds and T2Ds to lower their insulin needs. I know of a number of low carbers who have been able to reverse their diabetes to varying degrees, and stop using, or reduce, their insulin. It really helped me.
    http://www.diabetes-book.com/

    T2D does not need to be a progressive disease. If you take steps now, by changing your diet and activity level, you may be able to arrest its progression or even reverse it.
    http://eatingacademy.com/nutrition/type-2-diabetes-reversible-scale

    Best wishes to you.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    The actual study:
    http://diabetes.jmir.org/2017/1/e5/

    Conclusions: These initial results indicate that an individualized program delivered and supported remotely that incorporates nutritional ketosis can be highly effective in improving glycemic control and weight loss in adults with T2D while significantly decreasing medication use.

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