Quick question on tapering with insulin.

[Cact]

Hi all,

On 3mg of pred & due to taper to 2.5 tomorrow. I’m type2 diabetic on liquid Metformin & Gliclazide & hyperglycaemic now for 3 months.. After 2 visits to A&E over the August bank holiday with bg of 29.7 & 22.7, my GP and diabetes nurse have decided I should be put on Insulin. I’ve started injecting today, however I’ve realised I’m due to taper to 2.5mg tomorrow & asking you very helpful people if I should go ahead with the taper or wait a while longer?

When I was in the hospital I was on 3.5mg, I asked the doctor if I should delay my taper to 3mg due the next day & she practically roared in my face NO NO NO 😂. I was worried about a flare after 2 stressful visits to A&E, but there were no problems. I’ve not had a flare since April last year, been reducing 0.5mg since June last year, & beginning to wonder if my PMR has been in remission all this time?

Thanking you in advance for any advice or suggestions you may have. 😊

[piglette]

I suppose I might give it a week or so to see how I felt taking the insulin. I am sure it will be fine, but just taking the belt and braces approach.

[Cact in reply to piglette]

thank you piglette.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Personally - I would have roared back at her. Not very professional at all.

And I would also wait a week or two to see how I settled on insulin. If you taper at the same time you start a new drug then if anything happens you don't know which it is due to

[Cact in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you, I just remembered I was put on Ramipril 1.25mg on September 9th for protein in my kidneys & had no side effects. I only found out I had Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 2 when I looked in my Patient Access🥺. No mention of it from the GP though.

I’ll probably delay my reduction until next weekend then just to be on the safe side.

[mickam]

Hi. I really sympathise with your problems. I was diagnosed with Diabetes around 20 years ago . I was put on all the tablets, none of which worked. eventually I was put on Insulin, The reason for that is simple, the tablets were not working. I was taken off all the tablets and put on Insulin injections. I really don't understand why any Diabetes nurse or GP would continue other drugs after putting you on Insulin, How can they tell how well it is working? I would definitely ask to see a consultant. I think the treatment you are receiving is sub standard.

[Cact in reply to mickam]

Hi mickam, thank you for replying. I was doing fine on 10mls of liquid Metformin twice a day ( that’s equivalent to 4 tablets), but things apparently went a bit haywire after major surgery in July last year. I was started on Gliclazide 40mg a day but no matter how many times they doubled it, my readings were still in double figures. I ended up on 160mgs twice a day. Nothing seemed to be working any more so insulin was decided on.

I started insulin on Sunday, gliclazide reduced to 80mg twice a day, however my readings are still in double figures morning & night, I know it’s only been 2 days so maybe my body needs time to adjust to new medication, also I was started on a small dose of 6 units which is probably not enough. I can’t even get a phone appointment with my GP until October 4th.