How to Cure Type 2 Diabetes - Part3 Using Insulin Therapy for Type 1 Diabetes

Part3 Using Insulin Therapy for Type 1 Diabetes

1Start taking insulin. There are two basic types of insulin: short-acting, intermediate-acting and long-acting. Though insulin is more prevalently used in cases of type 1 diabetes, it is used to fight both types. Your doctor will decide on what type of insulin is best for you. For the record, injection is the only route currently available for insulin administration.

• Short-acting insulin is where the blood glucose level drops at a very fast rate. Available insulin preparations are “Actrapid” or Humulin R, which has a rapid acting effect with a fast onset of 20 minutes, lasting for about 8 hours. This can be given subcutaneously, intramuscularly, or intravenously through an IV.
• Intermediate-acting insulin is where the blood glucose level drops gradually. It is called “Monotard” or Humulin N, which has an intermediate acting effect; the onset of action is two hours and lasts to almost one day. It’s also called Neutral Protainne Hagedron (NPH) and is given only by subcutaneous injection.
• Long-acting insulin is where the blood glucose level drops even more gradually. It is called “Insulin Ultra lente” or Insulin L; it has a very slow onset of action at about six hours and lasts up to 2 days. It is also given by subcutaneous route only.
• An example dosage of insulin is Humulin R at 20 international units, three times a day.^[3] This is given with food to ensure that the required level of blood glucose is achieved.

• In type 2 diabetes, adequate diet and proper exercising can be sufficient to control your condition. If not, oral hypoglycemics will be prescribed.

2 Know that you can take a combination of types of insulin, too. Other formulas of insulin are insulin mixtures such as “Humulin Mixtard” or Initard 50/50 which is a mixture of the fast-acting and intermediate-acting types of insulin. This, quite clearly by design, has immediate and longer-lasting effects.

• This, while seeming like the best of both worlds, is only advisable in certain situations. Your doctor will know which type of insulin (and how much) is best for you and your health.

3 Use an insulin "pen." A multiple dose insulin injection device such as a “Novolgin pen” or insulin pen can save you time and frustration. It can be adjusted to match your treatment therapy plan and it’s less painful than regular needles. It's easily carried, too, when you're on your way to work or going out.

• Regardless of whether you're using pens or needles, human insulin is much preferred than animal derived sources as it’s less antigenic and won’t be triggered by the body as a strange substances, insulin normally increase the glucose uptake by the cells to be able to use it, stimulate glycogen storage, and decrease gluconeogenesis (glucose production).

4 Store your insulin at the right temperature. All insulin preparations should be kept in the refrigerator and not in the freezer; however, though drug companies have produced insulin pens to be stable at room temperatures, studies have shown that insulin pens should be kept in the refrigerator before the first usage.^[4]

• After your first dose with it, you should keep it outside the refrigerator and in room temperature to avoid insulin crystallization.
• It has been also reported that refrigerated insulin that takes on the cool temperature of the fridge could be more painful when injected than the one kept at room temperature.

5 Monitor your sugar levels at home. All people with diabetes need to ensure that they monitor their blood sugar levels at home. This is important because it helps in the regulation of medicines given to control the amount of glucose in the blood. If you don't, you may get hypoglycemia, where there is reduced blood glucose in your blood, leading to many complications such as blurred vision and dehydration.

• Take note of your levels half an hour before and after eating because after food is ingested, blood sugar levels are altered. This will also help in lowering the risks of micro and/or macro-vascular and neuropathy complications.
• It is generally advised to take the samples from the side of your finger, not the tip, to reduce the pain as it’s less innervated than the finger tip. You should record your readings in a special personal notebook in order to be easily rechecked by your doctor as a medical calendar for you sugar levels.

6 Be aware of the problems associated with insulin therapy. There are unfortunately some problems during insulin therapy that patients must be aware of. The most common issues are the following:

• Hypoglycemia – especially if the patient didn’t have an adequate meal prior to his dose or due to an overdose of insulin.
• Insulin allergies may happen if the insulin is from animal sources. Your doctor should then substitute it with human insulin, adding some topical steroids or antihistamines to reduce the allergic reaction, itching, swelling or pain.
• Insulin resistance may occur, which is more likely to be accompanied by other diabetes complications. If this happens, you should seek medical help as you may need to increase your insulin dose or alter your therapy plan accordingly.
• Weight gain and feelings of hunger, especially in patients with type 2 diabetes that were taking oral hypoglycemics and then started to take insulin in addition.
• Insulin lipodystrophy, which is hypertrophy of the fatty tissues in the subcutaneous layer of the skin at insulin injection sites, is also a common issue.