My first experience with diabetes was when I was twelve. One of my aunts was diagnosed with uncontrolled diabetes.
I knew diabetes was serious. But it was also a disease people experimented with. It was those times when people liked alternative concoctions to “cure” diabetes and hypertension. I particularly remember an Arabian magic herb heard of curing “madhumeha,” which my aunt’s friend was raving about. This conversation happened when I was a second-year medical student. My aunt was still looking for the magic cure and only taking insulin when things got bad. Do you get the timeline of experimentation?
Long story short, my aunt didn’t take insulin regularly until she was diagnosed with multiple complications of diabetes, and the doctor laid it out for her. But old habits die hard. My aunt continued her see-sawing with diabetes treatment. My lovely aunt is no more, and her smiling, happy face is now a memory.
Scenario two, one of my uncles-in-law, was diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus when he fractured his leg. It was a wild blood sugar situation. Until then, he had never even checked his blood sugar. Luckily he listened, diligently got his insulin shots, and his fracture healed without much drama.
Diabetes is now a chronic non-infectious pandemic disease. By now, everyone and their pets know what a pandemic is, but it doesn’t get real until you understand numbers. It’s a long-term condition that affects you, your family, and society as a whole.
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So the stats for Diabetes are like this:
Almost half a billion people ( 463 million ) as in 2019 are living with Diabetes.
One in two people doesn’t know they have Diabetes, which makes it a big problem.
I shared these stories because many of my patients, too, show similar confusion about insulin therapy. I have diligently tried to explain to all my patients with diabetes to keep their blood sugar always in order.
My aunt’s problem and need for a natural solution helped me see the situation differently. Insulin is not medicine. It’s something your body already produces. But in people with diabetes , this is either not in the right amount (type 1) or not working (type 2) in the right way. Insulin is a normal hormone secreted by your pancreas. In Diabetes mellitus, insulin for some reason is not enough or doesn’t work, not doing what it should be doing in the body.
While there are genetic causes behind Diabetes Type 1(an autoimmune disease), Type 2 Diabetes is a lifestyle disease. Obesity in adults and children is a massive factor behind this problem of Diabetes.
The good news is that with a customized diet, exercise, medicine, or insulin, you can stop the steamrolling of Diabetes symptoms.
If you want quality of life, always keep blood sugar under reasonable control.
It’s not about one time, but every time the sugar crosses a threshold, it gets trapped inside the tissues and causes trouble. That’s why being aware of the type of insulin you need is essential. It’s also crucial to choose the right way to get this insulin inside your body. It will be multiple times a day and needs to be easy, convenient, and pocket-friendly without risks.
So what are the different types of insulin?
According to when the insulin starts to act and duration of action, insulin is usually divided as
| Type of Insulin | Peak Activity | Duration of action |
| Rapid-acting | 15 min | 3-5hrs |
| Short-acting | 30-60 min | 5 -8 hrs |
| Intermediate-acting | 1-3 hrs | 10-16 hrs |
| Long-acting | 1 hour | 24 hrs or more |
| Premixed | 15min | 10-16 hours or more |
Most insulin-dependent Diabetes needs a balance of short-acting and long-acting insulin for control.
How can you take insulin, and how do you choose the best method?
One of the oldest methods is an insulin syringe. A popular alternative choice is an insulin pen. Other options are an Insulin jet injector and insulin pumps.
Insulin syringe
It is a common method. It is a special syringe with a tiny needle. Cheap to use.The person must adjust the dose of intake manually.
Insulin pen
An insulin pen is less painful than an insulin syringe and much less complicated than a jet injector. It may be disposable, pre-loaded or reusable where cartridge must be loaded. Former is excellent for those with poor eyesight as it stops the problem if manual adjustment is needed. The insulin pen is popular, cost-effective, and user-friendly.
Insulin jet injectors
This helps insulin entry without needles. The cons are high cost, a complicated method with risk of wrong dosing.
Insulin pumps
This is body-worn and has a small catheter attached to a region on the belly. Timely graded doses of insulin are delivered. It helps to drip-feed insulin in a controlled manner and adjusted according to meals and overall lifestyle.
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Why is the choice of type and dosage of insulin necessary?
The type of insulin and dosage is crucial for managing Diabetes mellitus and preventing organ damage. Diet, exercise, stress, infections, other diseases, and medicines can alter the body’s insulin level. You should consult only your doctor for a good plan regarding insulin intake and not have random experiments. The problem of excess insulin and hypoglycaemic coma is life-threatening. Our brain depends on glucose to work, so a wrong high dose of insulin will starve the brain. A low insulin dose and high blood sugar will cause organ damage.
During excessive stress, post meals, or exercise, insulin need may change. Poor infection control causes spikes in blood sugar, and high blood sugar makes infections prolonged. This is the reason behind the vicious cycle of swinging insulin need and uncontrolled blood sugar.
Takeaway:
When you have regular blood sugar and on a good Diabetes mellitus care plan, there is a lower risk of aggressive infections taking hold and less chance of Diabetes-related complications. Diabetes mellitus has the power to affect each cell and system of your body. So never let it grow powerful. If you are someone with diabetes, watch your blood sugar like a hawk. Every step is essential. Talking to your doctor about what type of insulin and which delivery system will work best for you.
Diet, exercise, regular monitoring, and adherence to medication are important factors in diabetes management. Empower yourself to live better with diabetes and take the pledge today to be #MoreThanMyDiabetes.
Disclaimer:
The views expressed in the blog content are independent and unbiased views of solely the blogger. This is a part of the public awareness initiative supported by Sanofi India. Sanofi India bears no responsibility for the content of the blog. One should consult their healthcare provider for any health-related information.
References
- International Diabetes Federation. IDF Diabetes Atlas, 8th ed. Brussels, Belgium: International Diabetes Federation; 2017.
- https://www.diabetesresearchclinicalpractice.com/article/S0168-8227(19)31230-6/fulltext#back-b0005
More on Diabetes:
Diabetes Care: The little Secret No One Tells You Genes and Genetic Disorders: The Human Body for Kids