New here and have been hit with a TRIPLE WHAMMY!

 Hi,

   I am SO glad that I have found this board! I was just diagnosed with Type II diabetes, high blood pressure and osteoarthritis last Thurs. On top of that, I also have an Ileostomy due to severe Ulcerative Colitis which I had 25 yrs ago so I am pretty used to that. It saved my life! So now I am on GlucotrolXL for the diabetes. My problem now is that the med goes right through me whole and intact. It is a time released med so I think that may be the problem. I called my doc and she wants me to stop taking the med. My numbers have been in the "normal" range everyday, I have changed my diet all around and am exercising daily. The problem though is that my doctor wants to put me on INSULIN....I think she is jumping the gun here, there must be some sort of med she can put me on to keep my numbers in check. I only met her last Thurs and she diagnosed me then. My test then had me at 377 but I had eaten a donut with sugar that morning too. She did an A1C on me and it was in the "9" range and she said it should be around 6. So now my numbers after changing are 140 and lower.

  What I would like here is some opinions on what this doctor wants to do with me. I really feel that changing my diet and exercising are doing me wonders and that there must be something she can prescribe to keep things in check.

Thanks for your wonderful board!

Annmarie

Hi Sandy,
Thanks for your reply. I know that this is going to be alot of work and I think I will be diligent in sticking to it if I want to stay away from the insulin. Since changing my diet though and its only been about a week, I feel so much better. I am exercising too, which I stated before so that's a plus.
I really don't think this is a shell I am seeing or feeling for that matter. As I said I have an ileostomy, so I can feel the pill in my pouch and its hard and whole, not a shell. Unless the medicine is on the outside of the pill, which I don't know if it is, this pill is this way. I think I will just ask for another med really. There are so many out there and I think one of them should work...at least I hope so.

Annmarie

 Because I don't want to be on a needle for the rest of my life!!!! If there is a way to control it med wise, obviously I am going to take that route. I have just been diagnosed here and feel that just using one med that doesn't stay in me doesn't mean that I have to be put on insulin. I think this way, if one doesn't work, try another until you see some results just don't immediately JUMP the gun and hook you up to needles for the rest of your life....geeezzzz. Anyone and I am sure there are many who feel the very same way I do....

Annmarie

I am not sure but I don't think you have to stay on insulin for the rest of your life if you are a type 2. Doctors will often put type 2 patients temporarily on insulin for some things. One example would be a pregnant type 2 being put on insulin. After the baby is born they usually don't require insulin. Insulin is a wonderful thing. Those of us who are type 1 wouldn't be here without it. Being on insulin doesn't necessarily mean your diabetes is "bad". (What diabetes is good?) It is one means by which diabetics can manage diabetes. Some type 2 diabetics choose insulin because it offers some really great control. Other type 2 diabetics choose pills, diet and excercise. Other type 2's choose diet and excercise. Some even opt for the herbal route. Whatever you use, the goal is control. If it isn't working do something else. If it is working, great! For those of us that are type, we have no choice. Our bodies don't make insulin so we have to get our insulin through either injection or infusion. It isn't a matter of trying other drugs. Pills don't work. Insulin is our miracle. (If you have ever seen a picture of a diabetic prior to 1921 or 22 you would know why I call it our miracle.) If you need an injection of insulin you should view it as a tool in the battle against our enemy, high blood sugar. Whatever means it takes to keep it in control we should embrace it. I'm not saying insulin is the way to go for you. I don't know that. What I am saying is do whatever it takes. You know what they say about diabetes. Either you control it or it controls you. There is not right or wrong way to control your diabetes, no good or bad. If it is working it's good. The ultimate deciding factors should be your level of insulin production and your ability to control diabetes with whatever method you are using. Complications suck and they happen. I spent too many years not paying attention. I took my insulin but not my blood tests. I was the ultimate guesser. I have been lucky that my complications are minor. They could be worse. Complications from diabetes can kill. So, insulin, pills, diet and excercise let control be your goal. Use whatever tools you need.

Hi Annmarie,  So glad to see you found the board.  I am on the ostomy board also.  You will find great people here and lots of good advice and help.  Also (hope I am doing this correct) check out this post https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=20&m=650358  it is one for newbies, with some very good information.  Welcome to this board.  Donna (Cooper) from Shaz's board.

Annmarie,
Insulin, especially long acting Lantus is easy to take, almost painless and has saved my sight and toes. I have been a diabetic for probably 30 years... That's how long I've had the symptoms and wasn't diagnosed until about 12 years ago when the cut off numbers were lowered. I have neuropathy in my hands and feet, mild but there, and some kidney damage. I have also had eye changes from my diabetes.

I felt as you do before I started on my Lantus, but I was maxed out on Metformin, already taking Avandia and there was no where else to go... My numbers still weren't good and especially not good for the long haul. My doctor's wife had joined the practice and she didn't beat around the bush... she just said, "It's time." I whined and cried and then she said, "It's made from cloned human insulin, low side effects and I'm starting you on 6 units at bedtime." (That's about 6 drops!) My first insulin post may still be in here if you look back far enough... And my morning numbers which had been anything from 124 to 148 EVERY SINGLE MORNING... went to 107 overnight. Just like that.... She and I worked on diet, exercise and dosages and I now take about 12 - 13 units at nite.

I keep it in the fridge. I pre-load my syringes for trips and keep them in my glucose testing pack. My sugars are great!!! No side effects. Feet quit hurting and went back to their normal semi-numb state. I'm still decorating wedding cakes and life is just fine!

It's not the needle you need to fear... It's those numbers. I had fasting sugars of about 125 for years and years before they got tough with the cutoff point and my health shows it. I don't care if you need to do the chicken dance or paint yourself green to get those numbers down but every second that your blood sugar is over 150 more than two hours after a meal you are doing irreparable damage to your eyes, ligaments, blood vessels, kidneys and the nerve endings in your fingers and toes, not to mention the nerve endings in the rest of your body.

Listen to your doctor and use the insulin until you can lose the weight and get the numbers in line. Time lost is health lost. Been there... done that...