American Diabetes Association Guide to Insulin and Type 2 Diabetes. Marie McCarren
it up, many just say no. Why?
Researchers asked 708 people with type 2 diabetes this question: “Are you willing to use insulin if it’s prescribed?” More than a quarter said they were not willing to take insulin. Here are the choices people were given, and the percentage of respondents that picked that reason. (They could pick more than one reason, so these options will not add up to 100%.)
“Insulin can cause problems, such as blindness.” (17%)
“Taking insulin means my diabetes will become a more serious disease.” (47%)
“Insulin therapy would restrict my life; it would be harder to travel, eat out, etc.” (56%)
“I’ve done everything I was supposed to; if I had to do insulin therapy, it just wouldn’t be fair.” (42%)
“I couldn’t take the needle every day. It would be just too painful.” (51%)
“Insulin therapy might cause serious problems with low blood sugar.” (49%)
“I’m not confident I could handle the demands of insulin therapy.” (58%)
“Insulin therapy would mean I had failed, that I hadn’t done a good enough job taking care of my diabetes.” (55%)
“Once you start insulin, you can never quit.” (53%)
Here’s one statement that we hear often but was not included in the study: “Insulin will make me gain weight.”
Those are people’s beliefs. What’s the real story?
THE TRUTH ABOUT INSULIN
What You Might Be Thinking: “Insulin can cause problems, such as blindness.”
Truth: Let’s say a person develops pneumonia. He goes into the hospital and is treated with antibiotics. But the disease has progressed, and he dies. Did the antibiotics kill him? No. Antibiotics were just used too late. It’s the same with insulin. If you use it early enough, it actually prevents diabetes complications.
What You Might Be Thinking: “Taking insulin means my diabetes will become a more serious disease.”
Truth: Diabetes is a serious disease, because it can lead to serious health problems. The higher your blood glucose levels, the higher your risk of developing diabetes complications. Don’t judge your diabetes by how much medication you are taking. Judge it by your blood glucose levels. Keep them near the normal range and you will be healthier.
SUBJECT: WORRY ABOUT DIABETES, NOT INSULIN
FROM: D3
Folks should not get upset about the type of treatment they need, they should only get upset if their BS goes up and stays up.
What You Might Be Thinking:“Insulin therapy would restrict my life; it would be harder to travel, eat out, etc.”
Truth: You might start with just one injection a day, done at home either in the morning or before bed. If you need to take insulin during the day and don’t want to fuss with syringes, try an insulin pen (see Insulin Pens). People find them convenient and discreet.
SUBJECT: IS INSULIN OBVIOUS?
FROM: s3w
My wife was diagnosed with Type 2. Today we met the doctor and he prescribed insulin: Short-acting insulin 4 times a day based on the readings and then long-acting insulin twice a day. I am so frightened with this!!! Is there something to be worried that she will be taking insulin at the age of 25? Does this mean we cannot go out, as she cannot take the shots in the open? I am really getting depressed seeing her as she is losing weight and also looks so down. Please advise!
FROM: D3
I just took a vacation. Drove from Texas to NJ and spent two weeks on the Jersey shore. I gave some of my injections in the car. I have injected discreetly in a restaurant. I was a little bit shy too when I started injecting, but now I have the opinion that as long as I am discreet about it I can do my BS readings and inject my insulin. It is no different in my opinion when a mother chooses to breast-feed in public. Some do and some do not. It depends on the mother and what she is comfortable with.
FROM: jj
For dining out, I take my meter with me and test before my meal, in the restroom. Or if no one is around my table, I have tested right at my table! I also make sure I retain the test strip in a little plastic bag in my meter kit and empty it when I return home. You can fit these things into your routine—it just takes time and practice.
What You Might Be Thinking: “I’ve done everything I was supposed to; if I had to do insulin therapy, it just wouldn’t be fair.”
Truth: We agree with you on this one, but you still want to do the best you can to take care of your diabetes. Insulin can help you do that.
What You Might Be Thinking: “I couldn’t take the needle every day. It would be just too painful.”
Truth: You may be thinking of the types of needles used for vaccinations. Those are bigger because they need to reach muscle. Insulin syringes have much shorter and thinner needles because you inject insulin just under the skin. The needles also have a coating to help them slide into the skin. Most people find that insulin injections are nearly painless.
Try This: Ask your health care provider to show you an insulin syringe and give you a trial injection.
SUBJECT: INJECTIONS AND PAIN
FROM: D
It’s not as bad as the &@#^ finger pokes. The finger sticks make me wince almost every time, dreading the poke. I don’t do that with insulin.
FROM: R2
I was really scared to take insulin. I thought I would never be able to give myself a shot ’cause I was always afraid of needles. Well, two weeks in and I’m a pro. Everything the folks have posted here is true, including that the jab you get when you test hurts more than the shot. I was surprised.
FROM: th63
I went to the endo yesterday. We decided it was time for me to try insulin. Was the first shot scary? Yes, it was. But, did I do it? Yes! And did it hurt? No, not even a little! Now I can eat a little more reasonably, and I am so proud of myself for being able to do this!
What You Might Be Thinking: “Insulin therapy might cause serious problems with low blood sugar.”
Truth: You’ll be starting on a very low dose of insulin, so the risk of hypoglycemia is very low. In studies, people using long-acting, peakless insulins had fewer lows than people using NPH.
Try This: Ask your diabetes educator to go over the symptoms of hypoglycemia and what to do if it happens. (See The “Lows”: Prevention and Treatment.) Also ask how drinking alcohol raises your risk of hypoglycemia.
SUBJECT: BLOOD SUGAR LOWS
FROM: hb
I was diagnosed in 2003 and since the beginning my doctor put me on insulin shots: Humalog before meals and Humulin NPH before bedtime (four shots a day). I must say that I do have lows sometimes but never of the severe type. I have them mostly around 3:30 to 4:30 in the morning when the NPH is at its peak. I sense it coming and I take 10 grams of glucose and about 10–15 grams of brown bread. My doctor has advised me to go on glargine insulin.
FROM: