My Diabetes (day 18)
It’s now two-and-a-half weeks since I was diagnosed as having the Big D. My BGs now stay mostly in the low-to-mid 100′s and frequently down into the 80′s; still (amazingly) only one insulin reaction (see Day 7). Rarely bounce into the low 200′s. I continue to check about 8 or more BGs/day and giving myself shots about 5-7 times/day.
One of the more common questions I get from my friends who are doctors and nurses is, “why didn’t you start with diabetes pills, instead of jumping right in with insulin?”.
Well, there are several reasons:
- First, the side effect profile of insulin is very simple: hypoglycemia if you overdose, and weight gain if you overeat.
- Second, why futz around with pills, where changing doses takes days (or weeks) to clarify what change in effect may (or may not) have occurred, compared to insulin, where I can adjust doses hourly if I want to (e.g., popping 2 more units if I misjudged the mealtime bolus).
- Third, no matter whether the pills work or don’t when initially tried, sooner or later, the big D will progress and as the pancreas gradually poops out, insulin will be needed sooner-or-later.
So my decision was to start insulin sooner.
Bill the diabetesdoc
wwq@diabetesmonitor.com
Diabetes.Blog.Com is a blogcompanion to our main website, the Diabetes Monitor, which you can find at www.DiabetesMonitor.com
Just posted a trackback (not sure you have them enabled), agreeing with you.
And I didn’t even go to medical school.
I can completely understand your decision to move to insulin! When I was diagnosed I was extremely high (HI is all my meter would say to me for the first 2 weeks after diagnoses). My Educator begged my doctor to put me on insulin but he bet her 20 bucks I could get my sugars under control within a month, he won the bet! However that being said I really had to struggle and quite literally count every bite I ate every day…that is no way to live! My a1c’s were excellent but I felt like my diabetes was controlling me rather than me managing it. So a week before Christmas last year I made the decision to go on insulin and it was the best decision I could have ever made. My life became so much easier and my a1c’s are still great (last two 5.4 and 5.1). Yesterday I started on a brand new silver Animas pump. I am a firm believer that by educating yourself about your medical condition and using the best tools possible you gain control back into your hands.