Starting Insulin
You have learned that diabetes is a disease that changes over time. Because of this, your diabetes treatment may also need to change to keep your blood sugar level in good control. Early in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, pills may work just fine to control your blood sugar. But over time, the pills may not continue to work as well.
Here are some facts you need to consider:
- Most people with type 2 diabetes will eventually need to take insulin to control their blood sugar levels.
- Nearly three out of every ten people with diabetes use insulin today, with or without diabetes pills.1
Some common misconceptions
Even though insulin treatment may bring blood sugar levels under control, many people with diabetes have some mistaken ideas about this important form of treatment. For example:
- Some people believe that starting insulin means that they have "failed." Nothing could be further from the truth! Because diabetes changes over time, you simply have to adjust your therapy to keep up with the need for good blood sugar control.
- Other people fear taking insulin because they think the shots will be painful. However, many people who take insulin say their initial worries about injections were actually worse than the shots themselves. Modern technology has given us better tools for injecting insulin, such as shorter and thinner needles. Once you know how to use your supplies and develop a technique, injecting insulin can be quite simple.
Everyday answers for people living with insulin
If you're considering insulin, or your doctor has already determined that you should start insulin, the information in this section is for you. You may have questions about how insulin works, the different types of insulin, how to inject, or traveling with your insulin and supplies. This section provides many of those answers that you need every day:
Reference
1. ADA National Diabetes Fact Sheet, 2005. Available at . Accessed March 17, 2008.
