Insulin

[queenofmean]

been a diabetic since I was 2 (now 25) and I've been through the mill a bit and I have came to the conclusion I may need to change my insulin - I'm on Novorapid and Lantus.

I've been on Mixtards and Insulatard and Humalin S and Actrapid in the past (when I was a kid) but I was wondering if anyone knew if there are other insulins available that are good so that I can discuss them with my nurse?

TIA

[ethandron]

According to diabetes uk there are nine different types used in the uk. I'd have thought the best thing would be to speak to your endocrinologist about it all queenie, as well as the specialist nurse, they'll have all the up to date info about the various types. If you go onto diabetes uk website you'll find lots of stuff about uk insulins.
Good luck with it all, I know a change of insulin can sometimes be a bit daunting.

[anneasquith]

ooft queenie, so young to be IDD,i take my hat of to you and your mum, must have been very difficult in the early/teenage years.

[boxtops]

It also might depend on the cost to the local NHS of the different types of insulin, and what the indications are for their use in your particular case. Each part of the country has its own prescribing guidelines and ceilings (can't remember where you live, QOM, but the clinical commissioning groups now hold the purse strings in England).

[queenofmean]

I'll defo have a look and a good chat with her. I live in Scotland boxy Lothians region.

They think it could have came down to all the meds I was pumped full of at days/weeks old Anne. I was a terrible child with it and I screwed it all up as a diabetic teen - as I had what they call Diabulimia - I went about 6 years with very little insulin on board. I had a lot going on at the time and when the weight fell off I felt good but I wanted more off - horrible thing. It wasn't until I was about just under 8 stone I thought I can't do this anymore. But I'm doing alright but I need to do something as all these hypos and other factors are getting on my wick!

[anneasquith]

queenie, were you premature . am curious what drugs you were giving, teenage years are bad enough, but with diabetes a nightmare,

[queenofmean]

I was 3 weeks early but I also was diagnosed with Meningitis Anne.

They were horrible but for the wrong reasons I think

[anneasquith]

i hope you find a suitable insulin soon.

[queenofmean]

It all depends if my nurse agrees to change it really - it's rare we sing off the same hymn sheet but will see what happens but will let you know what all happens

[nungate]

She picked up the strep b virus from me via a sensor which had been attached to her head during labour. She was three days old when she was diagnosed, and taken to special care. By the time we got her home four weeks later, she had had massive doses of antibiotics, seven lumbar punctures, two head scans and a blood transfusion! Our pharmacist was of the opinion that all the antibiotics at such a young age could have been a contributory factor in her developing diabetes, it is in my family but it has always been type 2. It was easy for us to control her sugar levels when she was very young, things only became difficult when she became more independent

[anneasquith]

really interesting, i know of children who develop diabetes around 6/7 years old, but 2years oh my!

[queenofmean]

I have so many scars from all the tubes and things but only the one on my scalp annoys me.

I'm just lucky I guess things could be worse but I'll be glad I got off with just the diabetes.

[ethandron]

Queenie, my son was ten when he was diagnosed, and just like you, he went through the terrible teens with it. He always injected but that was all he did, no testing and ate and drank (alcohol) whatever he wanted. Best thing for him was a job in London and his diabetes care being done at Guys hospital...a complete change of regime and a wake up call for him.
As a coincidence, he too had a monitor attached to his head during his birth which they struggled to remove, although he didn't have your problems afterwards. What he did have as a newbord was a huge lump and a bald patch in his head where it had been, looked like a lopsided cone head poor baby :)
Good luck queenie, hopefully between you all it can be sorted out.

[queenofmean]

Ethandron - he did very well to just inject. I did one injection a day and did no testing, I would occasionally get back on the wagon but as soon as I gained weight I was back off my insulin. I've paid a small debt for what I did but I don't know what long term damage I have caused myself. What sort of regime is he on? I sometimes struggle now to stay on the straight and narrow. I don't have much communication with other diabetics so I went through it alone nobody really knew either.

I'm just glad that he is ok now too and there is no lasting damage. I had a wee bald patch too, makes me go all ahhh when I see it in my baby photos.

Will be in touch with my nurse in the next few days so will try and sort something out and see how it goes.

[ethandron]

You can't put an old head on young shoulders unfortunately can you queenie? Our consultant at the time told me to back off and let him get on with it really, all my nagging wasn't doing any good anyway. He's 32 this month and he was about 24/25 when he left home for London.
Instead of two pen injections of mixed insulin, guys put him on three short acting immediately after meals and one long lasting in the evening. It means he has better control over what and when he eats and makes it mimic more closely a 'normal' life, snacks don't play such an important part now and he can adjust more easily the amount of insulin to match the amount of carbs at each meal.
When he was 18, just before going to Uni, he had two night time hypos needing a glucagon injection while he was having a seizure, very scary for all of us..except him as he was completely out of it. They put it down to his growth hormone production having slowed down/stopped and as a consequence the insulin being better absorbed, I wish someone had warned us in advance!!
Are you a member of diabetes uk queenie? Their magazine usually has contact details of diabetics who want contact with others, many are young like yourself, would that be useful to you?
The fact that you're now doing your best to get control of it is very positive, what's happened in the past has happened, close the door on all that. You're doing all you can to find out the way to go now, just carry on day to day doing your best. I wish you all the very best queenie :)

[LazyGun]

You might find this table of interest, Queen;

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/insulin-in-the-uk.html

[Connemmara]

My nephew took it age 13 after losing his mother and brother within 2 years. He went loopy. But he took care of it.

Now when he is up with me doing a bit of plumbing work - he wont take money etc and I have to fire it into the car - I notice a load of sweetie papers and chocolate. So he is going down the wrong route. He is 35 now - his wife has told me - he is doing it all WRONG.

[Connemmara]

Also Queenie - should it not be either your doctor or consultant who should be administering the correct insulin - not your nurse?

My mother was one too but took it late in life - big big needles and pumped herself all the time with the wrong dose.

Give you a laugh -she went to the diabetic clinic one time - somebody shouted out I have been having reactions all the time and the man next to her (he was deaf) - I am having erections too LOL

[queenofmean]

I'm not a member no ethanron but I will certainly look into it. I'm on that same regime too but I sometimes still have to snack. I'm not as bad as I used to be if I want something or need it I'll have something if i don't I won't - but well done to your son. I've never had to use a glucagon pen had them but thankfully never needed to use one. I can only imagine what you went through. I'm over due a bad hypo but I really don't want one the hallucinations with my first one were bad enough.

Conne at my hospital we all have a nurse who deals with us when we are out there by ourselves sort of a point of contact but she handles all the new prescriptions and things like that. Never really see a consultant or the same dr twice. She is brilliant and she knows me as a person and she knows how I roll and why I do the things I do and why I do them. It's much easier than having to go through it all with a dr every time I go to clinic. Our clinic is busy too so it good that you can go and see you nurse if you have to.

That did make me laugh though :)

Thank you Lazy Gun I will have a look when I go on my laptop :)