Living with diabetes means there is no running away from the regular jab of a needle. Insulin injections are a necessity, yet the thought of piercing yourself with a sharp object daily is enough to send diabetic patients into anxiety. Being a little apprehensive is perfectly normal as that is your body’s way of protecting from self-harm, however, it is essential to overcome this fear to effectively manage your diabetes. Below are some of the most common queries that people on insulin therapy have.
Why is my doctor insisting me to take insulin? Is it compulsory to take insulin?
No, it’s not compulsory to take insulin. But your doctor may have recommended insulin depending on your diabetes type and also on the basis of your blood glucose levels.
For people living with Type 1 diabetes mellitus, insulin therapy is the only line of treatment. For people with Type 2 diabetes, insulin is recommended by their doctor when the blood glucose levels cannot be controlled by any oral anti-diabetes medication despite complete medicinal compliance (medicines on time) and lifestyle modifications (includes diet modification and exercise).
Will the continuous use of Insulin cause further complications like blindness, kidney damage and nerve damage (diabetes foot)?
This is one of the common myths, let’s bust it once and for all. Insulin therapy does not cause or aggravate any of the above-mentioned complications. In Fact, it helps to prevent the complications arising due to diabetes as it is the best medicine to control your blood sugar levels.
On the contrary living with uncontrolled diabetes would lead to life-changing comorbid conditions like glaucoma, blindness, diabetic neuropathy, skin pigmentation, urinary incontinence, diabetes foot, renal damage and several other complications.
If I start insulin, my life will not be the same again.
It has been observed that people with diabetes often take the switch to insulin therapy as his/her own personal failure in managing their diabetes. Insulin may be perceived as a “penalty” or a “life-changing therapy” not only for people but also families of people living with diabetes.
But the fact is, living with insulin is not that troublesome. In fact, people living with insulin can lead a normal and happy life as much as people living without it. Diet management, incorporation of physical activity and timely medicine intake can actually help you and save you from the co-morbid conditions arising due to insulin deficiency and can improve your quality of life.
Do Insulin injections hurt and will I have scars?
Gone are the days when there used to be painful injections, most people are taken by surprise by how little an insulin injection actually hurts. With the recent medical advances have come effective, small, fine needles of 6mm and 4mm which are readily available and make the experience virtually painless. Insulin is injected subcutaneously, into the fat layer below the skin and it does not hurt as much as the muscular regions of the body. Thighs, underbelly region, and buttocks are the commonly recommended injection sites.
How to avoid scarring?
Repeated injections of insulin at the same site may cause tissue scarring, so, it is advisable to keep rotating injection site. Check with your doctor for more sites of insulin injection for effective absorption and minimal tissue scarring.