How long did you go before insulin

[Gabby123]

Just wonder for those with type 2 how long did you go on oral meds before taking insulin.I have been diagnosed 5 years and I am happy I am still on oral meds. My numbers are getting better I think because I am finally getting it on how to control it.You wouldn't think it would take me 5 years to figure it out though.

[Lloyd]

Just wonder for those with type 2 how long did you go on oral meds before taking insulin..

About 11 years.

-Lloyd

[blacklightmike]

8 years, 1 month.

[ladytaz]

1-1/2 years. That's since being Dx'd tho. I know I was T2 a good 3 (or more) years previous.

[liz32]

about 3-4 months....
Liz:)

[labob]

About a minute. Of course I presented with a random glucose level of over 1,000 mg/dl and an A1c of 13.4 (kind of an overachiever in that regard).

I took both Lantus and Humalog for just a bit over three weeks until things calmed down and I could get by on just oral meds (first glyburide, then after about four months, I switched to 15 mg of Actos per day).

Things have been pretty decent since my diagnosis in December 2005 -- my A1c tests (which I take religiously every three months) starting with April 2006 have ranged from 4.9 to 5.2 -- but I, too, wonder when the day will come when I go back on insulin. My CDE says I'm in a honeymoon period and should not be surprised if and when my readings creep up.

One good thing about the early exposure to insulin, though, is that I'm not scared of it. I felt so much better immediately after diagnosis that I will do anything not to go back to the condition that I was in that led me to go to my doctor's office in the first place. If insulin shots are the key to that kingdom, all I can say is thank heaven for insulin!

[Funnygrl]

They sure you're type 2?

[labob]

If the last question was directed at me, the answer is not really. The CDE says I'm probably type 1.5, but we haven't done any tests to confirm that. I'm a bit confused about it all myself: the symptoms I had when I presented were perhaps more typical of type 1.5 (for someone who was age 47 at diagnosis), including recent rapid weight loss, very high A1c, not seriously overweight (163 lbs. at 5'9"), etc. But and but and but: since my glucose levels stabilized well over a year ago, I seem to be doing fine on minimal oral meds, and if I weren't insulin resistant, would Actos be helping at all? So I don't know: I'm a diabetic something for sure, but exactly which kind, well, who knows. I just say I'm Type 2 because of my age.

[shamsul]

10 years, but I'm on insulin by choice.

[slipperyelm]

I was diagnosed 14 years ago and am not on insulin. I hope to manage without it for the rest of my life but am not afraid of it and will be so grateful for it if I come to need it.

[sparrow1]

10 years. Just changed from NPH to Levemir (sort of like Lantus) and added rapid acting insulin. Still trial and error. Insulin injections are a breeze - you don't feel a thing. Far better than the testing lancets!

[larryg]

About 25 years.
The natural course is that type 2 will eventually (not all) need insulin as their beta cell mass decreases. This is an individual thing.

Larry G.

[EasyType2]

About 11 years after being Dxed.