Medications for Diabetes:
 Insulin |
Types of Insulin |
Oral Medications |
Alternative Therapies |
Unproven Therapies
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Medications for Diabetes - Insulin
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If you have Type 1 diabetes, your body
doesn't make insulin which helps sugar from food be turned into energy. If you have
Type 2 diabetes, your pancreas does not make enough insulin and your body can't use
it properly. Sometimes, eating a healthy diet and getting enough exercise will control
Type 2 Diabetes. Sometimes, your doctor will give you medication. However, diabetes
medications that lower blood sugar never, never take the place of healthy eating and
exercise. Some people, after a few years of taking oral medication, will need to begin
taking insulin.
How it works
Insulin lowers blood sugar by moving
sugar from the blood into the cells of your body. Once inside the cells, sugar provides
energy. If you take insulin, you'll need to eat on time and match your insulin
injections to your meals. Your insulin should peak at the same time blood sugar
levels from meals are also peaking.
Work with your health care team to
establish a meal plan and to work out how to take your insulin in relation to your
meals. It's important to plan for those 'what if' situations that come up and to know
what to do. A few basic tips include:
-
Remember, you need some insulin in your
body all of the time.
- You need some insulin before you eat a
meal. Match the dose to the estimated amount of carbohydrates in the meal.
Your diabetes educator can show you how.
- You may need additional insulin to lower
your blood sugar if it is high sometimes.
- By testing your blood sugar
at least four times a day, you'll have the knowledge you need to moderate your
insulin, activity and eating so that your blood sugar is under good control.
A rough guideline to
remember is that one unit of insulin lowers blood sugar by 50 mg/dL and
covers about 10 to 15 grams of carbohydrate.
How often?
Most people with diabetes need at least two insulin shots a day for good
blood sugar control. Some people take three or four shots a day to have a more
flexible plan.
When to take?
You should take insulin 30 minutes before a meal if you take regular insulin alone or
with a longer-acting insulin. If you take lispro (Humalog), or insulin aspart (Novolog),
two insulins that works really fast, you should take your shot just before you
eat.
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