Why should I take Insulin?

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Insulin-Facts and Fictions

Insulin is Hormone secreted by beta cells of pancreas called as Islets of Langerhans. It helps in maintaining blood glucose levels to a normal level of 65milli grams to 105milli grams per Deciliter. Any rise in blood glucose levels will cause clinical manifestations. Presently more than 40% of middle aged men of the entire world are Diabetic

There are several methods of treatment for Diabetes Mellitus. Not all the diabetic patients require hormonal insulin therapy. Many of them feel uncomfortable if they are advised for Insulin therapy. So let us know what are the misconceptions and facts regarding Insulin therapy.

Misconception: Because of insulin I couldn’t control the blood sugar levels
Fact: In order to maintain perfect glucose levels in blood, doctors advice to take insulin but its not an indication that the condition will deteriorate if you don’t undergo insulin therapy.
Type 2 diabetes will have a tendency to increase in severity. Even though you try to restore normal blood glucose levels but pancreas fail to produce sufficient insulin. Though you use many drugs for long time when the glucose levels are imbalanced you have to go for insulin therapy

Misconception: Insulin injections are painful
Fact: With the latest release of insulin syringes, first injection will be far less painful than expected. People will appreciate it by experience. They are not like other syringes. The needles of these syringes are very short, thin and fragile. Hence there will be no pain, literally.


Misconception: Insulin injection will cause reaction
Fact: Yes there might be reaction with blood. There can be hypoglycemia. Long term acting insulin drugs can cause hypoglycemia. If you are aware of insulin, its actions the risk of hypoglycemia can be decreased.

Misconception: Once I start insulin therapy, I should take it life long.
Fact: This is true in case of Type-1 type of diabetes. But in type-2 diabetes mellitus it depends on the insulin levels and it requires either when you are prone to diabetes or when you are in depression.

Misconception: Insulin will change my life entirely
Fact: Once you start taking insulin you think that, I have no independence of doing things on my own. Can’t live alone, can’t travel alone, and can’t eat proper food at home or away. None of these are true. If you have a proper plan you can live your life as you lived in past

Misconception: I will gain weight because of insulin
Fact: Many of them who used insulin for the first time have gained weight and is obvious. But people who use drugs for instead of insulin in higher amounts are more subjected to gain weight. And the reason for this is very simple; when the blood sugar levels are high the calories supplied through intake of food are expelled out of the body. This is a normal case. But when you take insulin the extra calories are converted into energy and stored in tissues. That means you are gaining the calories you’ve lost in past.
To regulate the weight gain and identifying the amount of calories required, you can decide what type of food to take along with proper exercise. Hence due to workouts the weight you gained will be purged.

Characteristics of Hypoglycemia:
Dizziness, upset mind, sweating, hunger, defects in vision, increase in heart beat (Tachycardia), sudden and reasonless change of mood. In these phases the blood sugar levels might be decreased. Hence immediately take one spoon of sugar. Take some cookies, chocolates along with you during journeys.

For more efficiency of insulin there should be some changes in life. For example

• Take proper food
• Do exercise regularly
• Often check glucose levels
• Undergo the treatment prescribed by doctor and use the medications without fail 

If you follow these, you can go on with your life better than past. If you follow the healthy changes you will become more energetic and active than past.