When you first start using insulin, you may be concerned about the impact on your daily life. However, by keeping the following points in mind, insulin therapy becomes very easy.
Using insulin doesn’t mean that diabetes is out of control
Nora Saul, a nutrition manager and registered dietitian at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, often hears patients say, “I’m eating better and healthier. Why do I need insulin?”
Use of insulin does not mean that diabetes is out of control.
People with type 2 diabetes have less and less insulin produced by their bodies. Therefore, it is eventually treated with insulin injections.
“It’s not that you’re doing anything wrong.” Saul said. “For most people with diabetes, insulin needs to be started after about 10 to 15 years of having the disease. This approach can help keep blood sugar in the normal range and reduce the incidence of complications.”
Self-injected insulin is not always painful
Some people with diabetes say they were more worried early on that the insulin shots would hurt, but quickly put their minds at ease.
“Patients typically get the shot in their abdomen or thigh, which are not sensitive areas.” said Tammy Williams, a North Carolina children’s librarian who is also a type 2 diabetic. “I think it hurts a little more to stick your finger when you test your blood sugar because your finger is more sensitive.”
If the initial tingling causes annoyance, a tip Williams learned from her dentist may help.
“Shake the skin a little bit when you stick the needle.” She said. “The dentist would do this when he would give me the numbing injection, and the pain did go down a lot.”
If a pen syringe is used, relax when you inject.
“Sometimes the syringe gets stuck and requires a little bit of force, but you don’t usually notice that you’re pushing hard.” She said. “I used to wonder, hey, where did I get that bruise on my leg? Now I’ll hold the lower end of the syringe when I go down so I don’t have to push too hard.”
Insulin is easy to carry
For a long time, Williams thought that all insulin had to be refrigerated, and that the ones she was using had to be refrigerated. Then she realized that only the spare insulins that were temporarily unused needed to be refrigerated.
“Open insulin can be left at room temperature. Just remember not to let it get too hot.” Williams said. “It’s so helpful to find that. Now I just put the vials and syringes in my bag when I go shopping, or put them on the side of my desk when I’m working on my computer, instead of rushing to put them in the fridge.”
Saul says it’s also easier to take insulin out to dinner.
“The insulin pen makes it extremely easy to inject, just be careful and do it at the table.”
Flying is not a problem either.
The correct use of insulin
Patients need to be familiar with:
- When insulin is needed;
- Time of insulin onset;
- time of peak insulin onset;
- time of peak insulin onset;
- Duration of the effectiveness of a dose of insulin.
“Patients need to know the duration of insulin’s action.” Saul explains. “For example, rapid-acting insulin takes effect 10 to 15 minutes after injection, peaks about 2 hours later, and lasts in the body for about 4 hours.”
“So it’s important that you don’t need additional injections to control your blood sugar during that time.”
Insulin lasts longer when stored refrigerated. Once you take it out of the refrigerator and open it, the shelf life is only 30 days. Be sure to put the date of first use on the bottle.
Record blood glucose carefully
“Keep track of your blood sugar regularly while you are using insulin.” Saul suggests. “This can help manage both blood glucose and insulin use. The patient is able to observe patterns and trends.”
For example, if you need one daily dose of long-acting insulin and you want to keep your morning blood glucose level below 130 mg/dl. “Then do the testing in the morning.” Saul says.
If that goal has not been achieved and you don’t have hypertension, you may need to increase the dose of insulin.
Consult your doctor or diabetes educator. By tracking and monitoring your blood sugar in this way, you can take ownership of your own care.