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increasing insulin with no reduction in blood sugars

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likeman
likeman

67 year old male diabetic type 2 for 15 years. on insulin & 6 x 500 metformin. 6 months ago sugar levels started to rise hba1c 10.1 . finger prick 5 times per day. readings between 16 & 27. stradily increasing insulin. was 26 units morning and 24 units evening. Now 38 morning and 36 evening. no change in sugar levels. Help !!

1 like, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • pamela27602
    pamela27602 likeman

    Posted

    Hi!

    I'm 64 and a type one.  I have a couple of questions. How many times a day do you eat?  Are you eating a lot of carbohydrates?

    This info may help me understand what is going on.  My sugar is pretty stable now but I know if I eat a lot of carbs I need to use more insulin. 

    Cheers

    Pam

  • likeman
    likeman

    Posted

    I eat 3 meals a day and no alteration ib type or content of meals for 3 or 4 years
    • marilyn_92910
      marilyn_92910 likeman

      Posted

      Sounds as if you need to have a small snack in between meals I was advised this
  • glyn186
    glyn186 likeman

    Posted

    HI

    I am interested to see that quite a few people on this forum take quite large amounts of metformin I am on 4 x 500mg per day and my nurse has told me that that is the max that any doctor would prescribe but that doesn't seem right if others are obviously taking more.  I do have trouble with control and have a very unhelpful clinic so I talked to my pharmacist and he has advised I change doctors. I also have insulin and take the tabs 2 in the morning and 2 at night so I am going to try 1 x 4 times a day and see if that helps. .  

    • Guest
      Guest glyn186

      Posted

      Max dosage for Metformin is 2,200 mg a day if I remember correctly.

      I am on 2000 a day taken twice a day.

      You mention control. If you testing in the morning you should fast for 12 hours. Testing in the day is directly related to what you have eaten. You will need to change your diet and loose the triggers for blood sugar spikes.

      For me I can have potatoes, or french fries. Can not eat white bread or white rice both of those are a guaranteed 200 point spike. I can tolerate Rye Bread.

      I do not understand your comment on the insulin.

  • Guest
    Guest likeman

    Posted

    I have been on Insulin for more than 4 years now. I graduated from Lantus to taking Novolog as well.  I am taking almost 200 units a day counting both of them. I am in America so you may have to convert the units. I had to convert your number to something I understand.

    3000 mg of Metformin exceeds the manufacture dosing guidelines.

    http://www.drugs.com/dosage/metformin.html#Usual_Adult_Dose_for_Diabetes_Type_2.

    I have had periods of increasing A1C numbers. I have always managed to get the companion undercontrol again by changing my diet and adding more excersise.  80 units a day is not a lot to me.  I take 120 per day of just Lantus.

    Consider increasing the number of injections and see if that helps. ie morning noon and nite. For me I take 55 units in the morning and 65 units at night. Helps get the morning number in the 100's  (~5.6 for you) I also take 25 units three times a day of Novolog.

    Check your diet and identify any triggers for your increase.

    We are about the same age as I am a 64 year old male. 

     

  • glyn186
    glyn186 likeman

    Posted

    I am 62 yr old female I take 4 x 500mg glucophage per day and 22 ml insulin. Clinic advised me to eat more carbs ! and explained they are slow release glucose. However I have just read that should be eating protein for breakfast as this will stop sweet cravings through the day as will cinammon spinkled on cerear/porridge etc. but then I also read that eating carbs such as bread/toast etc will be slow release but will also help with cravings. What everyones thoughts on this. My bloods are constantly high at the moment. I do eat a lot of bread so maybe I will cut down on that, using the cinammon has cut down on cravings tho. .
    • Guest
      Guest glyn186

      Posted

      I would suggest that you abstain from all white bread products (white flour).  Anything with white flour and to a major extent wheat flour is a guarnteeded  60-80 point bump for me(4.4 for Brits). With high numbers I would not think you should eat a lot less carbs.  I have two poached eggs, some crackers, shredded cheese and some Jalapenos  for breakfast every day.  A lot lower spike than if I eat oatmeal. Hot peppers are really good for you.

      What I do is not neccessarliy what you should do. 

      Everyone must find their own triggers and tolerances. I can eat potatoes as much as I want. But no white rice or flour. Giving up bread and sugar was a tussle for a long time. Then Splenda came about and I have learned how to make Rhubarb pies with splenda that the neighbors think is wonderful.  Just wish it was in season here longer and a lot less expensive. Last I bought was $6.00 a pound.

      My view from Arizona

  • tony09890
    tony09890 likeman

    Posted

    I'm 64 and have been a T2 for 15 years, you don't say if you are on insulin or oral meds.   If you are on oral meds I would suggest you talk to your GP about graduation to insulin, I graduated to insulin after three years after trying a raft of oral medications all of which didn't work for me.   When on oral meds I could eat no carbs at all, since graduating to insulin I have far better control and can eat what I like.  I would suggest if you are on insulin that you do the obvious - count your carbohydrate intake and work out how much insulin you should take from that.   Have you started on any medications lately?   I started on prednisone for an unrelated condition and found my insulin intake rose by three times my normal intake.  

    I have a small book that lists the number of carbs in every food, I count the total number of carbs in each meal and divide that by six this gives me the number of units to inject.   With this method I found I can control my diabetes extremely well.   You also need to work out your bolus intake, for me if my level is say 6.5 before a meal I will take one extra unit on top.   So lets say my level is 6.5 before a meal and I have one piece of bread (14carbs), and one banana (10 carbs) for a total of 24 carbs, I divide 24 by six and add 1 unit for my bolus, that gives me 5 units of insulin, two hours later my level is 5.5, subject to activity levels of course.   The dividing number ( mine is six) will vary from person to person as will your bolus number and your activity level.   This system works brilliantly for me my hba1c is always between 6.4 and 6.8   It is also a good idea to set a carb limit for each meal.

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