Insulin
Insulin injection is not addictive and addictive like
smoking and alcohol, contrary to what is known among the people. Remembering
that insulin is a life-saving drug and that we actually do what we need to lead
a healthier life by injecting ourselves can make it easier for us to get used
to this idea.
What is Insulin?
In order to understand the task of insulin, we first need to
know briefly how our body provides the energy required to perform its
functions.
After the foods we eat are digested, they have broken down
into sugar thanks to the enzymes in our body. Sugar (glucose) is carried to all
parts of the body with blood flow. Sugar, the main food source of our body,
must enter the body cells (muscle cells, fat cells, and liver cells) from the
blood in order to provide energy. Insulin is a hormone secreted from beta cells
of the organ called the pancreas in our body under and behind the stomach. It
allows the sugar in the blood to leave the blood and enter the cell. Thus, the
level of sugar in the blood does not increase.
In every person without diabetes, after each food intake,
the pancreas produces insulin to make the nutrients converted into energy. This
means that all people are addicted to insulin. In diabetics, the pancreas does
not produce enough insulin, or the produced insulin is not used by target cells
(muscle, fat, and liver cells). In this case, we have to supply insulin, which
is vital for our body, to our body from outside.
Insulin is currently not available as a pill or tablet.
Insulin is available in liquid form to be injected under the skin with an
injector. Insulin injection is not addictive and habit-like, smoking and
alcohol, as is known among the people. Remembering that insulin is a
life-saving drug and that we actually do what we need to lead a healthier life
by injecting ourselves, can make it easier for us to get used to this idea.
Insulin is one of the most important tools in the treatment of diabetes.
However, insulin alone cannot control blood sugar levels. If you do not follow
the nutritional treatment principles provided and do not exercise regularly, no
insulin treatment scheme in the world can control your diabetes. Find out the
most you can learn about insulin. This should include the type of insulin you
use, duration of action, and maximum duration of action. You should also learn
to coordinate your food intake and exercise program with the injection time and
dose of insulin.
Who Needs Insulin Injection?
• Type 1 diabetics (insulin-dependent diabetics),
• Type 2 diabetics who cannot control their blood sugar with
oral sugar-lowering pills, Patients with acute metabolic complications (coma),
regardless of the type of diabetes,
• All diabetics with acute stress, trauma (accident, burn),
surgical intervention (surgery),
• All diabetics and those who have diabetes during pregnancy
from the beginning of pregnancy to the end,
• All those with complicated diabetes (such as retinopathy,
neuropathy, diabetic foot, nephropathy),
• Those whose pancreas was surgically removed for any
reason,
• Those who encounter conditions such as illness, stress,
trauma, surgery, or pregnancy need an insulin injection.
Your doctor may switch from insulin therapy to medication
when certain conditions such as pregnancy, surgery are over.
What are the Aims of Insulin Therapy?
The purpose of insulin therapy;
• Normalizing blood sugar
• To prevent complications
• To stop the progression if there are unavoidable
complications,
• To ensure that growth and development for children go
within normal limits,
• To prevent pregnancy and pregnancy-related complications.
What Are The Features That Separate Insulin?
Today, commercial insulin used for therapeutic purposes has
different features in many respects.
• Insulins are named as pigs, cattle, human insulins
(obtained by semi-synthesis and biosynthesis) according to their obtained form.
The structures of pig and beef insulin are not exactly similar to the body's
(human insulin) insulin. Therefore, it can cause more reactions than human
insulin. There are two types of human insulin. Semi-synthetic insulins obtained
by modifying pig insulin to resemble human insulin, and recombinant
(biosynthetic) insulins produced by genetic engineering techniques to match the
structure of the human body's insulin. Since biosynthetic (recombinant) human
insulin is exactly the same as the insulin produced by our body, the body is
less likely to react to this insulin than animal insulin.
Concentrations: Regular (short-acting), medium-acting (NPH),
fast-acting, long-acting, ready mix (Mix insulins 10%, 20, 30, 50, 70%).
• Forms of action (time of action): Insulins in use today in
terms of their effects: Short-acting and fast-acting (clear looking).
Those whose effect begins slowly, with a moderate or long
duration (blurred appearance).
Those showing the different duration of action with mixtures of
short-acting and medium-acting insulin at a certain rate
They are grouped as a mixture (mixed insulin).
• The form and duration of their effects: Short, medium,
long.
• Forms of application: Subcutaneous, intramuscular,
intravenous.
What are the reasons that change the insulin efficacy given
in insulin applications?
Factors such as the properties of insulin applied during
insulin injection, differences in the insulin injection site, heat, massage instead
of injection, exercise, etc. change the effectiveness of insulin.
Research has shown that the best place of absorption of
insulin is the abdominal region. With a gradually decreasing absorption rate,
this is followed by the arm, leg, and hip region.
As well as the selection of the injection site, the
thickness of the fatty tissue (subcutaneous) between the consistency of the
insulin and the skin is also important. The insulin that is made into the
muscle acts faster and its effect lasts shorter.
Conditions that increase blood flow (such as massage, heat
application, temporary temperature increase, exercise applied to the injection
site) accelerate absorption.
Application Methods According to Insulin Treatment Scheme
Insulin injection once a day: Blood glucose control is the simplest method of insulin application recommended typing 2 diabetics who
cannot be achieved at the desired level with oral sugar-lowering pills, who
live with social problems, live alone, and have limited mobility.
Insulin injection twice a day: Generally, insulin treatment
is recommended for Type 2 diabetics when a single dose is not sufficient, 2
doses of insulin daily are administered in the morning and evening, with an interval of about 12 hours.
Insulin injection 3 or 4 times a day: Today it is
recommended as the best method of replacing insulin. It is the most suitable
method for pregnant diabetics, type 1 diabetics, and those who are busy and
irregular in terms of eating and activity. With this method, a very good blood
sugar control can be achieved.
Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (insulin pump
therapy): Basal and bolus insulin are administered through the insulin pump.
Bolus insulin prevents the increase in satiety blood sugar by providing the use
of carbohydrates taken with meals. Basal insulin, on the other hand, is
responsible for ensuring blood sugar control during the 24-hour period between
meals and overnight. Carrying out insulin administration 4 or more times a day
(Intensive insulin therapy) carb count
What is the Best Insulin Treatment Method?
The only and best method is a simple and special method
that you can easily adapt, does not disrupt your life, does not cause you to
react and provides effective blood sugar control.
Are There Any Side Effects of Insulin Therapy?
The most important side effect of insulin therapy is low
blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Hypoglycemia occurs when blood sugar drops below
50 ml / dl.
If you change the insulin dose without consulting your
doctor,
• if you skip meals
• If you consume foods that contain fewer carbohydrates than
the amounts you should take at the meal
• You may experience hypoglycemia if you are more active or
exercise than other days.
Symptoms of hypoglycemia;
• sweating,
• chills,
• distraction,
• dizziness,
• blurry of consciousness,
• blurred vision,
• Cannot wake up from sleep.
Hypoglycemia can be away from home, on the road or anywhere
and anytime. Therefore, be sure to carry your diabetes ID card with you.
When you feel symptoms of hypoglycemia, always keep a
simple carbohydrate with you, such as sugar, granulated sugar, juice, lemonade,
in your workplace, in your car.
It is vital for you that your family members, friends and
helpers learn what the symptoms of hypoglycemia are and how they are treated.
What is insulin lipoatrophy and hypertrophy?
Insulin lipoatrophy is the side effects associated with
insulin treatment caused by the loss of adipose tissue in insulin injection sites.
It is more common in youth and women. It develops as a result of injection in
the same place for a long time. It is common in children and young diabetics.
In both cases, insulin injection sites need to be replaced.
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