Q: what is the down side of going on insulin versus medications for diabetes
insulin can be a great addition to diabetes control. I am on insulin and I can say that if you eat more than the recomened amount of carbs per serving and adjust your insulin to the amount of carbs you are eating it can and will cause weight gain. On the other hand if you see a diabetes educator and a diatician they will explain how to use your insulin with meals and the proper carbs to eat and you do not have to gain any weight. Eat right and you will see many benefits of insulin. The combonation of insulin with Metformin can also help keep any weight gain form taking place too. Good luck.
Medication is good but it is boring try medication it will definitely works
Insulin makes you gain weight. It's inconvienent and I'm running out of places to give shots, it hurts anymore wherever I try. I hate it. I would love to just be on medications again!
It's like night & day. Metformin will also cause weight gain but it is somewhat forgiving when you eat what you shouldn't. Also, metformin causes stomach problems. If yuo're like me, having a non-working GI tract, the metforming is worse for you than going on insulin. I use Lantus and the opticlik pen for my shots. The needles are small and you dial in the amount of the shot put it in your tummy somewhere, press the button and you're done. Just keep moving the shots around your tummy and by the time you've run out of new places the old ones are ready to go again.
with insulin you tend to over eat rationalising it by taking larger doses.
with pills or byetta you stick closer to your diet
If you still have some beta cells left using insulin will take the pressure off these cells to burn out. Thus your body can still produce some insulin and help your system. Using pills only will force your body to use those cells, which produce insulin, and thus cause you to need insulin quicker with no back up cell to help.
If you have some insulin producing cells you are probably taking less insulin and thus helping your weight problem or not having a weight at all.
Inconvenience, especially with air travel is a major problem. On two occasions, I almost had my ice packs and or insulin confiscated, even though I carry a letter from my physician and the insulin was in the original container with the prescription label placed on container. It is extremely stressful to be in a foreign country and face the very real possiblity of confiscated medication and subsequently finding the location and getting an appointment with an English speaking physician and pharmacist to get new prescriptions filled locally. The American Diabetes Association and other groups need to approach the airlines world-wide and get this problem worked out for the health and safety of flying patients!
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