Medication dosages and General newbie...

[PoopOnDB]

I am a newbie, so please bare with me as I ask my questions. After intensive steriod treatments I was hospitalized with BG of 643 1 month ago. My father and his family are all type 1 and my mother's family all type 2, we don't know about me yet as the endo wants me off steriods completely before we run the tests. In the meantime I am taking Lantus (at 52 unit now) increasing by 2 units until BG is in 90-130 range and taking metformin 1000mg 2x daily and glibruide 5mg 2x daily and testing my BG 5-8 times a day.

If you followed all that, you rock!! So my questions are does that sound like an aweful lot of meds? The nurse & doctor are talking about using byetta also. Is there a point where I will back off of all these meds? Once they figure out if I have type 1 or 2 will the treatment plan change?

At first the Doctors though my BG would come down once off the steriods, but it seams like I keep increasing the insulin.

I know everyone probably thinks with such a family history why I just don't go to the family... I find calls with the family just upset me, and I am tired of my life being all about Diabeties. Hoping to ask questions here and limit conversations with the family.

Anyway, and thoughts, comments, and suggestions are greatly welcomed.

[UpNorth]

That sounds like taking a whole pharmacy:eek:
I'm type 1, and the only medication i have is Levemir as basal insulin and Novorapid for meals and corrections, and that's it.

I really hope they'll figure out which type you have soon! Most likely that could get you off some of those medicines!

[pdxdennisj]

The only thing that strikes me as a bit unusual is the insulin with the glyburide - risk of going hypoglycemic. Watch for lightheadedness, dizziness and have glucose tablets at hand.

[Keezheekoni]

Seems to me like they are treating you as a type 2 because of the steroid use. If your numbers get back into a good range with all of the meds, they will likely do a c-peptide and GAD antibody test to confirm, but most likely you'll be a type 2 if the numbers do come down. If you're a type 1, taking the metformin and glyburide won't do anything for you (unless you are an insulin resistant type 1, which is pretty uncommon from what I know...).

I agree to keep glucose tablets handy, since the insulin you're taking and the glyburide will cause you to have lows.

Welcome to the board, by the way! :D

[Tony]

Welcome to the forums,

You may want to talk to your Dr. about changing up your regimen a little. The most affective regimen is one that works just like a normal pancreas would for a non diabetic. That is a basal insulin(lantus) like you are taking now and a fast acting insulin to cover for food.