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Does loss of lymph nodes affect insulin uptake?
20 years ago I (F81) had colon cancer surgery, removing a third of my ascending colon, stripping out connecting veins and removing 42 lymph nodes. A year later I developed Type II diabetes. I am an Alpha1 antitrypsin carrier MZ affecting the liver, borderline trypsin levels, so pills I tried built up to toxic levels. Insulin effectiveness is erratic with no discerable pattern. Does the loss of lymph nodes affect insulin uptake? Should I be injecting elsewhere than my abdomen? I keep my A1C below 7.6 but I have to take more insulin now to do it. Is it better to have a higher A1C and use less insulin?
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@semicolon I am sorry about your colon cancer and your liver condition in the past. Now you have diabetes to deal with. That must be difficult. I don’t know the direct role lymph nodes have regarding insulin (if any) but this I do know after 50ish of having diabetes. Having diabetes makes it more complicated to manage other conditions and having other conditions makes controlling your diabetes more difficult. It is a challenging two way street. These things factor in to figuring out insulin dose to achieve a healthy A1C. How long have you been on insulin? It usually takes awhile of fine tuning to get the dose “just right”.
“…. 50ish years of having diabetes” Sorry I forgot to proof read before I clicked post.
Dosage is the problem. Lately I need more. What used to work doesn't, and what works one day does not work the next even if the diet is quite similar.I now take less at night to avoid lows, .I just wondered if the different effectiveness had anything to do with where I inject.
I’m also diabetic 50 yrs plus and taking insulin. Yes the area you inject yourself makes a difference in how insulin is absorbed. Do not repeat same area to often as that sight becomes denser over time and insulin isn’t absorbed properly. Best to move to a different area. For me I’m now injecting areas on sides of abdomen toward my back. Move around and use upper arms as well. Hope this helps.
I have been Diabetic since 1991 and am now 83. Several years ago, I made a serious diet change. I went Vegan and the removal of animal fat and protein reduced my Blood Sugar and A1C significantly. In November of 2023, I started on Trulicity and them to Ozempic. I lost 30 KG (66 lbs) and further reduced my need for insulin. I also have the Abbott Lab Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) Free style Libre 3 plus. I can see the data on my Apple phone. Before I went to the CGM, I was doing finger sticks on one hand. I created method to keeping track of which finger to stick and where to inject. I never use the same spot twice in one day. I move around from left to right and back to always have a new area to inject. It is usually 8 days before I return to the same area on my belly.
Since I still have my lymph nodes, I can't help you concerning your question of does loss of lymph nodes affect your Insulin uptake.