Insulin

This page is primarily for the purpose of discussing daily use issues for people who have not used insulin. Those who have used it for long will know more than what is contained in this page.

I think that having to use insulin may be one of the most feared medical consequences, right up there with chemotherapy. There is an attitude that it would be just horrid to have to give yourself shots every day, to control your diet strictly, and to have to operate your life around those factors.

Trust me, it is not that dreadful! Sure, it isn't something you want to have to do if you can avoid it, but if this ends up being the price for life, it does not at all mean that you have to compromise quality!

A lot has changed in the last twenty years. Newer types of insulin make using it much simpler and more flexible. Additionally, insulin needles are smaller, and you have more options for giving shots that make it more comfortable. Insulin needles are about 1/4" long, and so fine that you can barely feel them go in.

I think the biggest hassle, and the most painful thing about it is actually testing your blood sugar levels! Even that can be quite a bit easier if you know how to do it. I get ultrafine lancets, I don't reuse them more than once, and I stick my finger or thumb on the side of it, in the dip midway between the end and the knuckle. I don't enjoy it, but I am accustomed to it, and it is no longer a big deal. Even my kids can test their own blood sugar levels and not get upset about it.

Once you begin using insulin, certain things change. There are times you should not eat, and times when you must eat. Being prepared, and carrying emergency supplies with you just becomes part of life. I purchased a purse with extra compartments, and it holds emergency snacks, and has a pocket for insulin should I need that, plus a pocket that is just the right size for my monitor. I have two monitors, and one lives in my purse so I never forget to take it along.

Insulin pumps have emerged recently as the wonder solution to blood sugar control. While it is true that they can offer better control, especially for people who are very insulin dependent, they are not an option for everyone. In the first place, the technology is expensive, so insurance companies are selective about whom they will approve for use. Generally, the more brittle (reactive, both high and low) your diabetes is, the more likely you are to be able to be approved for one. If you are just starting out using insulin, and your diabetes is not yet very severe, it may not be an option for you.

Insulin pumps also did not precisely simplify the process. They just changed one set of fussy rules for another. You still have to know how to control your blood sugar, the pump does NOT do it all for you. And you have to know how to maintain, clean, and use the pump. You'll have to care for the catheter also, which goes from the pump into your body. The catheter can cause irritation, and the opening into your body has to be cleaned and dressed on a daily basis. To neglect that is to run the risk of severe infection.

When you first start using insulin, your doctor will generally make most of the choices about which type to prescribe. You'll have some input, but you may not have all the choices you think you do if you have done any research ahead of time. If you have been hospitalized, dosages will be worked out before you go home. If you have not, then your doctor will calculate an average, and then you'll need to report back in a few days or a week, and the dose may need to be adjusted up or down for better control. The first few days of managing it on your own can be a little unpredictable, and it is important that you try to maintain consistent activity levels, and consistent food and insulin amounts, until you have a better idea of how your body will react.

The doctor won't just hand you the prescription and say "good luck". Typically you'll be referred to a Diabetic Counselor before you go home, and you'll be taught how to use the supplies. If you have not previously had diabetic counseling for meal planning, that will happen too. You'll be given reference materials, and a starter kit for using the insulin. The counselor will have you practice giving yourself a shot, using saline. By the time you go home, you'll have practice, and you'll have full sets of instructions to refer to if you forget.

You'll need to be watchful during the first few days, and you'll probably have to monitor your blood sugar more frequently for unexpected highs or lows. Be on the lookout for allergy reactions also - itching is common with the first dose or two, but it often resolves within the first few days. If it does not, then be sure you report it to your doctor, along with skin rashes, or other allergic reactions. If you have shortness of breath after using insulin, get medical help immediately. Allergy reactions are not common, but they do happen often enough that they are a known risk.

Living with insulin injections is different than you'd expect. Yes, it requires major adjustments in your life, but after the first month, normality does reassert itself. It is just a different kind of normality than before, but completely manageable and completely enjoyable! A diagnosis of diabetes, or the need to use insulin, won't destroy your life. It will certainly change it.

I have had to adjust to using insulin. I have a son who has had to adjust to living with cancer treatment. I can say from experience that neither one is so horrid that you cannot cope with it. And living with insulin injections is certainly preferable to living with the long term damage from diabetes!

Written by Laura Wheeler, Owner of Firelight Business Enterprises, Inc.