Are You Resisting Insulin Therapy?
Starting an insulin regimen takes some effort—but better glucose control is worth itBy Richard R. Rubin, Ph.D., C.D.E.A lot of people with type 2 diabetes dread the day they have to start taking insulin. They resist it even after they have run out of other options to keep their diabetes under control.Perhaps you worry that having to take insulin means that your diabetes is getting worse, that you have failed to take care of yourself or that it might complicate your daily life.If you have any of these concerns, talk to your doctor or a diabetes educator. Get the facts—they could change your mind about insulin. Here are some common questions and answers about starting an insulin regimen.Does taking insulin mean my diabetes is getting worse?Having to take insulin does mean the diabetes is getting worse. But because insulin does such a good job of lowering blood glucose, it will actually make you feel better. Your blood glucose levels tell you whether your diabetes is getting better or worse. Keeping these levels under control dramatically increases your chances for a life free of diabetes complications such as kidney and eye damage. In a major, long-term study published in the “New England Journal of Medicine,” participants who had intensive insulin treatment lowered their risk of developing cardiovascular disease by 50 percent. Even though the people in this study had type 1 diabetes, there's every reason to think people with type 2 diabetes can reap the same benefits.Do I have to take insulin because I didn’t take care of myself?Taking insulin will make your diabetes better, not worse, because insulin does such a good job of lowering blood glucose.Not taking good care of yourself can hasten the day you need to take insulin. But even people who’ve practiced good self-care may still need insulin. This is because when you have type 2 diabetes, your body makes less and less of its own insulin over time. Eventually, many people make so little insulin that their blood glucose rises no matter how carefully they eat, how much they exercise or how many glucose-lowering medications they take.Will insulin really help me manage my diabetes?Better blood glucose control means better long-term health. Many of my patients who start taking insulin notice immediate benefits. They report that once their blood glucose levels are closer to normal, they have more energy, get more things done, sleep better at night and are in a much better mood.