I am finding it very difficult to control my diabetes using insulin i am type one, are there any alternatives?

Question

i rely totally on insulin.

Answer 1

1) Make sure your carb count is appropriate for the amount of insulin you're taking!!!

2) As mentioned, ask about Symlin. It's done me a world of good, but there are certain people who shouldn't take it.

3) Insulin pumps are amazing!!!! HOWEVER...they are NOT implanted as someone mentioned above.

Of these three things, the pump and the carb counting have been THE BEST for ME.

YMMV.

Answer 2

Type 1 diabetes is VERY hard to control. People don't realize that you are trying to replace an organ in your body while attempting to perform the functions of daily living alongside that.

There are many other factors that affect BG levels aside from diet and exercise, and some we can't control.

With today's primitive crude insulin injections (even the "new" insulins are inadequate) to replace a pancreas, one cannot be surprised that Type 1 is a rollercoster ride for most people who live with the disease.

A JDRF study found that Type 1 people who test at least 9x a day and are on multiple injections are only in normal BG range less than 35% of the time! That sums up what I said! Knowing your BG for a total of 9 minutes a day does not replace a pancreas adjusting every second!

An external insulin pump is the best option we have, although it is not a miracle nor a cure. It takes just as much work as injections (if not more!), but provides better control in most cases. Not perfect, just BETTER.

The MD gave you overall good advice, as far as a know, there is not much difference in any of new the fast acting analogues or basals, so in theory you can use any of them. I am not aware of one being "better". I will assume you already use a basal/bolus routine?

Also, implantable pumps are only available in France under "experimental" treatment. They also do not have the ability to measure BG levels on their own, so they are really not that sophisticated.

Have you seen a Diabetes Educator? Dietitian? Do you have someone like a counsellor to talk to?

If you are having serious issues, you could apply for an islet transplant. It is experimental, may not work, and the drugs have severe side effects including cancer. This is why it is only used in special cases. However, if you are having severe issues, your doctor could look into this for you. It's called the "Edmonton Protocol".

Do the best you can, and realize you are doing a very good job with the tools you have.

Good luck!

P.S. There are other issues that can affect control, such as Addison's Disease, Thyroiditis, and Celiac Disease. All of these are more common in Type 1 diabetics. Ask your doctor if you should be screened.

EDIT: Modeller...Often Type 2 diabetics need to use insulin to treat their Type 2 diabetes. This usually happens if they have severe insulin resistance, or some lack of insulin as well, which can happen especially if they do not control it early on. The terms Type 1 and Type 2 refer to the TYPES of diabetes, not if they take insulin or not. Although everyone with autoimmune diabetes (Type 1) needs insulin, A type 2 can be insulin dependent also, but they still have Type 2 diabetes. The cause and mechanism of their disease (insulin resistance) remains the same.

Answer 3

1

Answer 4

Different kinds of insulin work for different people, you need to speak to a dr to find out which would be the best for your lifestyle (I do appriciate that not all drs are v good but if yours is rubbish you're well within your rights to ask to see someone different).

I've been through most insulin regimes and my blood sugars are currently still really bad, though I'm hopefull they'll improve cos I've started on an insulin pump. Some insulin genuinely doesn't work for some people, and this doesn't seem to be recognised by some drs, who see a v simple - if your blood sugar's high take more insulin, if it's low take less kinda approach - I've been in tears in drs rooms - I've been told I'm not good enough, not trying hard enough, even that I must be anorexic cos I had keetones!!! Sometimes you just feel like giving up - once I had food poisoning and called out 2 docs during the night cos blood sugar was 4.2 but had really high keetones and I was scared that I'd be hypo and not be able to keep anything down to treat it - both told me to not take any insulin untill I could eat again and just to sleep it off - I knew they were wrong but 2 diff drs had told me that so I gave up and did as they said - by the next morning I was almost blind with dehydration and was in an ambulance by 3.30 that afternoon - lucky not to have serious perminant dammage. Don't give up!

I'm not meaning to be too negative - I know lots of people who've had bad probs with their diabetes and trying diff. things has really worked well for them - lantus/detimir; dafne courses; other carb counting courses; changing actual brand of insulin - there is heaps that you can try, and hopefully one will work.

It'd be great to speak to someone else with bad type 1 diabetes problems - message me if you wanna chat about it? As far as your question goes, no - sadly there's no alternatives to insulin for people with type 1 diabetes. Hope you get your blood sugars sorted soon xx

Answer 5

my husbands sugar was out of control he was taking large amounts, 100 units total of n and r 2 times a day and it was still all over the place a new doctor put him on 70/30 and it was like a night and day difference, so it is very possible that you may need a different insulin, and to the guy above me my hubby and son are type II and both of them are insulin dependant so just because you haven't met them doesn't mean they aren't out there

Answer 6

You must take insulin but the question is what kind of insulin. At this time the only appropriate basal (long acting) insulins are glargine (Lantus) and detemir (Levemir). The only appropriate rapid acting (premeal) insulins are lispro (Humalog) and aspart (Novalog). There are combinations of basal and rapid acting insulins but I would not recommend these for a type 1 and I avoid them if possible even for a type 2. I prefer the FlexPen system of aspart and detemir and use these almost exclusively. If you are on the correct insulins and you are not able to achieve control there must be a reason and there are many reasons that control may not easily be achieved. Depending upon your age and circumstance an implanted insulin pump may be an option.

Answer 7

Talk to your endrocholigist about the insulins you use, there may be better ones for you. Also how about a pump? I am type 1 and I take lantus 2 x a day and novolog with meals. Sometimes I'm high sometimes I'm low its just the nature of the illness. For the most part i'm in control (my a1c is 5.9 to 6.2)

Answer 8

It worries me when someone includes MD in their name and then start talking about insulin injections for Type II diabetes. I have yet to meet a Type II who injects. My brother (Type I), has become insulin resistive and injects up to six times a day. Has tried various different types of insulin, but they are not working well for him. Trouble is, there is no alternative. Change of diet can limit the amount and type needed but you still need it.

Answer 9

Ask your doctor about adding Symlin (pramlintide injection) to your mealtime insulin therapy. It helps control postprandial glucose fluctuations, promotes weight loss and reduces the amount of insulin required.

Answer 10

didnt you ask these questions when you were diagnosed?? There is no cure for diabeties, there is no alternative to Insulin. Insulin is your life, check your blood, you'll know how you feel, whether your blood sugar is high or low, its something that you get used to after time. Your going to have to learn to live with it, or die