[Deilla]

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about 2 years ago. It took a while to get my blood sugar under control. Once it was doing well, I went into the coverage gap. Now I won't take my meds anymore. At first, it was because I kept telling myself I can't afford it. I don't qualify for assistance. Now I just don't want to take the meds. I quit testing myself. So I don't know how I'm really doing. Every so often I'll take my insulin so that I'm at least trying. But I will quit taking the Trulicity. Last time I got free samples, so that was good. But I'm done with this.

I even created a GoFund Me page to try to raise money for my medicine. No one cares. I haven't raised a dime. I will just take my page down. I don't care anymore. And I don't care what my doctor says either. You can't get blood from a turnip.

[quietlylost]

It sounds like maybe you've moved from Type II to Type I if you're using insulin now? A lot of the insulin manufacturers have prescription assistance programs, as do many of the commercial pharmacies. There's also NeedyMeds or GoodRx if you haven't used those before.

It can be so frustrating to try to get the medications you need when you don't have coverage or much income. That being said, there are usually some ways to find workarounds. It may be helpful to ask a pharmacist or look into one of the assistance programs out there. I wish you luck!

[Deilla]

I checked into programs to get meds and I don't qualify. There's no help out there. I asked my doctor and she didn't have anything I really wanted to try. Her option was to get vials instead of a pen. I don't want a vial. And I don't want to have to go to Walmart to get it. I don't like leaving my house. That's one of the reasons I'm not getting free samples of Trulicity anymore, cause I would have to drive to my doctor's office and pick it up. My agoraphobia is out of control at the moment. I have insulin in my fridge. But I won't take it every day. That way it lasts longer.

But I know I'm part of the problem and I have to do better. It's just that when I have to leave my house, I panic. I get sick to my stomach. I have one pen of Trulicity left. If I could afford it, I would prefer to drive around the corner to my pharmacy. Maybe I can ask my doctor if my step mom can pick up my medicine. That might be an option.

[*Beth*]

Not treating diabetes is a slow suicide with a likelihood of horrible health problems along the way. It's important to be honest with yourself and make your choices from there.

[Deilla]

Yea, I guess I've been in denial all summer. I figure as long as I feel fine, I'm Okay. But I won't really know until November when my doctor checks my A1C. I'm working on trying to get my Trulicity. I don't need it for another week so I have some time. It's at the pharmacy at the moment. The pharmacy is right around the corner. I just have to get the courage to drive over there. I'm afraid to ask for help because I'm a grown woman. I should be able to drive to go somewhere.

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by Deilla

Yea, I guess I've been in denial all summer. I figure as long as I feel fine, I'm Okay. But I won't really know until November when my doctor checks my A1C. I'm working on trying to get my Trulicity. I don't need it for another week so I have some time. It's at the pharmacy at the moment. The pharmacy is right around the corner. I just have to get the courage to drive over there. I'm afraid to ask for help because I'm a grown woman. I should be able to drive to go somewhere.

Many pharmacies deliver. Maybe yours does?

[Deilla]

My diabetes stuff is refrigerated. So they won't deliver. But I did build up the courage to ask my mom if she would run by there for me. She said she would. So I am grateful for that. Once I get this, I should be good for another month. I checked my sugar and it was 124. So that's a good number.

[*Beth*]

2 great things! Good for you

[possum220]

I just dont know why I missed this. I suppose I havent been near this area since the other thread went quiet.

I am so glad that your Mom can pick up your Trulicity for you. I take it too with other diabetes medication. My doctor threatened me with Insulin because my BAC1 levels were steadily increasing. Too bad that Covid means i cant see the diabetes educator.

It is good that your levels are better. Given that you cant take other medication checking you bsl regularly will help you to maintain a level that is good for you.

Like you right now I am not experiencing any physical side effects of diabetes. Somehow is is too easy to be in denial. What do you think Deilla?

[Deilla]

Originally Posted by possum220

Like you right now I am not experiencing any physical side effects of diabetes. Somehow is is too easy to be in denial. What do you think Deilla?

Yes, when you feel fine, it's easy to be in denial. I found it hard to take my insulin yesterday. I know I should do better. I have everything I need at the moment. The part I hate is having to put a needle in my belly. I would much rather pop a pill. I'll set an intention to take all my meds today. I hope you do well today too.

[possum220]

Outta sight outta mind.
Yes, today is trulicity day. Mondays are when I use the injector pen to give it to myself. Is the insulin given by and injector pen or via another method. Injector pens are easy. I cant imagine doing it any other way.

[Deilla]

I use a pen for both Trulicy and my insulin. Yes, the pen is convenient. I also take Metformin.

[Bob1960]

My girlfriend took Metformin for years till she got stage 3 kidney damage from it her doctor said. She then took another kind of pill for a few months and now uses a pin shot. Her BG right now 411.

[sarahsweets]

Originally Posted by Deilla

Yes, when you feel fine, it's easy to be in denial. I found it hard to take my insulin yesterday. I know I should do better. I have everything I need at the moment. The part I hate is having to put a needle in my belly. I would much rather pop a pill. I'll set an intention to take all my meds today. I hope you do well today too.

What is Lilly Cares | Lilly Cares
Have you looked into patient assistance programs?

[Deilla]

Originally Posted by sarahsweets

What is Lilly Cares | Lilly Cares
Have you looked into patient assistance programs?

I didn't qualify this year. But next year will be a lot easier.

[SprinkL3]

Deilla,

I'm so sorry you struggle with Type II Diabetes.

And so many people these days - esp. during the politics of this pandemic - tend to blame people for their diabetes and obesity/metabolic disorder. There are so many things that cause obesity, including mental illnesses and sleep-wake disorders, genetic predispositions coupled with environmental factors (such as trauma, stress), and hormones that fail to work properly in terms of telling us when we're full or hungry.

There are some books on how to reverse diabetes, which you could try. The problem is that if the underlying problem isn't just food (most of the time, it's not), then it could be mental illness, endocrine system issues, genetic factors, and incurable sleep-wake disorders. Sadly, PTSD (especially childhood traumas and non-traumatic adverse childhood experiences/ACEs) is one of many risk factors for obesity and Type II Diabetes. It's not always something that we can control, or if it is, by the time we discover the problem, it's too late. There was no forewarning from any of our treatment teams, which makes it harder for us to prevent. Also, the only prevention measures out there (Medicare has one now) are for people who meet a certain threshold, such as being prediabetic, obese with high blood sugar, etc. They should be preventing diabetes long before someone becomes obese or even overweight, such as with those who have PTSD, sleep-wake disorders, and genetic predispositions.

Sadly, many free programs that are offered through Medicare are no longer available because even the medical field victim-shames and victim-blames those with prediabetes and diabetes. In Idaho, for instance, the numbers that Medicare lists for the free prediabetes program to reverse diabetes are answered by rather judgmental YMCA persons who stated that "Medicare doesn't pay them enough" and that "obese persons can join their gym." That was the most ignorant statement from any non-medical professional I've ever heard. I plan on reporting them to Medicare in the future, but I'll wait a few months before I do so.

Once you have diabetes, many people are reluctant on helping because they figure that half our country has diabetes, and that the government or individuals should fix it. Many people think it's the individual's fault, or the fault of fast-food restaurants, etc. The truth of the matter is that it's a combination of many factors, including being predisposed through childhood traumas, PTSD, sleep-wake disorders, constant stress, constant traumas, etc. So when you try to ask for funds on gofundme, you might have a really challenging time now that people see the elderly and obese for the blame of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. I've heard some pretty mean statements online and locally, which only makes the stigma on aging and obesity that much more.

You could be more vague about your medical condition and just request funding for medications that you cannot afford out of pocket. That might help a little more, if that's possible.

I'm so sorry you are struggling in this area. I hope you can address your thoughts and feelings about these meds with your doctor. Your doctor might know of alternative treatments that are less expensive.

I wish that there were ways they could find a cure for diabetes, or at least a pill to reverse its effects, depending on the etiology of diabetes. I don't think it's weight alone that creates diabetes, since there are many obese persons who don't have diabetes. There are also normal-weight persons who have diabetes, too.

((((safe hugs))))))

[Deilla]

I'm struggling once more. I need insulin. I will ask my doctor if she has any samples. Otherwise, I'll have to cut the dose in half until I can afford to buy more.

[SprinkL3]

Originally Posted by Deilla

I'm struggling once more. I need insulin. I will ask my doctor if she has any samples. Otherwise, I'll have to cut the dose in half until I can afford to buy more.

I'm so sorry you have to revert to cutting the dose in half. You shouldn't have to deal with that; you should be able to receive all the medicine you need to maintain your diabetes. How much is your insulin? Do you have a gofundme or some link set up to receive donations? You can private message me.

(((safe hugs)))

[possum220]

Originally Posted by Deilla

I'm struggling once more. I need insulin. I will ask my doctor if she has any samples. Otherwise, I'll have to cut the dose in half until I can afford to buy more.

I am sorry Deilla. I mistook this thread for a general sharing of diabetes. I didnt mean to hijack yours.

I hope you can work something out to get this insulin.

[Deilla]

Originally Posted by possum220

I am sorry Deilla. I mistook this thread for a general sharing of diabetes. I didnt mean to hijack yours.

I hope you can work something out to get this insulin.

Thanks! I did get things worked out.

[sarahsweets]

Do y0u have a weight issue? Or are you overweight?
Do y0u have health insurance?

Originally Posted by Deilla

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about 2 years ago. It took a while to get my blood sugar under control. Once it was doing well, I went into the coverage gap. Now I won't take my meds anymore. At first, it was because I kept telling myself I can't afford it. I don't qualify for assistance. Now I just don't want to take the meds. I quit testing myself. So I don't know how I'm really doing. Every so often I'll take my insulin so that I'm at least trying. But I will quit taking the Trulicity. Last time I got free samples, so that was good. But I'm done with this.

I even created a GoFund Me page to try to raise money for my medicine. No one cares. I haven't raised a dime. I will just take my page down. I don't care anymore. And I don't care what my doctor says either. You can't get blood from a turnip.

[sarahsweets]

Were any of these what you were taking?

Medications for type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes, your body makes insulin but no longer uses it well.

Your body can’t make enough insulin to keep your blood sugar levels normal. The goal of treatment for you is to help your body use your insulin better or to get rid of extra sugar in your blood.

Most medications for type 2 diabetes are oral drugs. However, a few come as injections. Some people with type 2 diabetes may also need to take insulin.

Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors
These medications help your body break down starchy foods and table sugar. This effect lowers your blood sugar levels.

For the best results, you should take these drugs before meals. These drugs include:

acarbose (Precose)
miglitol (Glyset)
Biguanides
Biguanides decrease how much sugar your liver makes. They decrease how much sugar your intestines absorb, make your body more sensitive to insulin, and help your muscles absorb glucose.

The most common biguanide is metformin (Glucophage, Metformin Hydrochloride ER, Glumetza, Riomet, Fortamet).

Metformin can also be combined with other drugs for type 2 diabetes. It’s an ingredient in the following medications:

metformin-alogliptin (Kazano)
metformin-canagliflozin (Invokamet)
metformin-dapagliflozin (Xigduo XR)
metformin-empagliflozin (Synjardy)
metformin-glipizide
metformin-glyburide (Glucovance)
metformin-linagliptin (Jentadueto)
metformin-pioglitazone (Actoplus)
metformin-repaglinide (PrandiMet)
metformin-rosiglitazone (Avandamet)
metformin-saxagliptin (Kombiglyze XR)
metformin-sitagliptin (Janumet)
Dopamine agonist
Bromocriptine (Cycloset) is a dopamine agonist.

It’s not known exactly how this drug works to treat type 2 diabetes. It may affect rhythms in your body and prevent insulin resistance.

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors
DPP-4 inhibitors help the body continue to make insulin. They work by reducing blood sugar without causing hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

These drugs can also help the pancreas make more insulin. These drugs include:

alogliptin (Nesina)
alogliptin-metformin (Kazano)
alogliptin-pioglitazone (Oseni)
linagliptin (Tradjenta)
linagliptin-empagliflozin (Glyxambi)
linagliptin-metformin (Jentadueto)
saxagliptin (Onglyza)
saxagliptin-metformin (Kombiglyze XR)
sitagliptin (Januvia)
sitagliptin-metformin (Janumet and Janumet XR)
sitagliptin and simvastatin (Juvisync)
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 receptor agonists)
These drugs are similar to the natural hormone called incretin.

They increase B-cell growth and how much insulin your body uses. They decrease your appetite and how much glucagon your body uses. They also slow stomach emptying.

These are all important actions for people with diabetes.

For some people, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, heart failure, or chronic kidney disease may predominate over their diabetes. In these cases, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends certain GLP-1 receptor agonists as part of an antihyperglycemic treatment regimen.

These drugs include:

albiglutide (Tanzeum)
dulaglutide (Trulicity)
exenatide (Byetta)
exenatide extended-release (Bydureon)
liraglutide (Victoza)
semaglutide (Ozempic)
Meglitinides
These medications help your body release insulin. However, in some cases, they may lower your blood sugar too much.

These drugs aren’t for everyone. They include:

nateglinide (Starlix)
repaglinide (Prandin)
repaglinide-metformin (Prandimet)
Sodium-glucose transporter (SGLT) 2 inhibitors
Sodium-glucose transporter (SGLT) 2 inhibitors work by preventing the kidneys from holding on to glucose. Instead, your body gets rid of the glucose through your urine.

In cases where atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, heart failure, or chronic kidney disease predominate, the ADA recommends SGLT2 inhibitors as a possible treatment option.

dapagliflozin (Farxiga)
dapagliflozin-metformin (Xigduo XR)
canagliflozin (Invokana)
canagliflozin-metformin (Invokamet)
empagliflozin (Jardiance)
empagliflozin-linagliptin (Glyxambi)
empagliflozin-metformin (Synjardy)
ertugliflozin (Steglatro)
Sulfonylureas
These are among the oldest diabetes drugs still used today. They work by stimulating the pancreas with the help of beta cells. This causes your body to make more insulin.

These drugs include:

glimepiride (Amaryl)
glimepiride-pioglitazone (Duetact)
glimepiride-rosiglitazone (Avandaryl)
gliclazide
glipizide (Glucotrol)
glipizide-metformin (Metaglip)
glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase, Micronase)
glyburide-metformin (Glucovance)
chlorpropamide (Diabinese)
tolazamide (Tolinase)
tolbutamide (Orinase, Tol-Tab)
Thiazolidinediones
Thiazolidinediones work by decreasing glucose in your liver. They also help your fat cells use insulin better.

These drugs come with an increased risk of heart disease. If your doctor gives you one of these drugs, they’ll watch your heart function during treatment.

Options include:

rosiglitazone (Avandia)
rosiglitazone-glimepiride (Avandaryl)
rosiglitazone-metformin (Amaryl M)
pioglitazone (Actos)
pioglitazone-alogliptin (Oseni)
pioglitazone-glimepiride (Duetact)
pioglitazone-metformin (Actoplus Met, Actoplus Met XR)