Who needs insulin in type II diabetes?

People with type II diabetes or non insulin dependent diabetes can control their blood sugar through proper diet, exercise, and oral medication. In spite of all these measures, if the blood glucose is till high, insulin injections may be needed to lower down the elevated levels of blood sugar.

back to index

The amount of insulin required in type II diabetes depends on the level of blood sugar. Higher the blood sugar more is the insulin dose.

back to index

For how long is insulin required in type II diabetes?

In type II diabetes, insulin is required for as long as the blood sugar does not get in control with lifestyle changes, diet and exercise.

back to index

What types of insulin are available?

There are many types of insulin depending upon the type of action and the source of insulin.

• Regular insulin is fast acting and lasts a short time in the body. It is extracted from pork, beef or human. Because of its fast action, it is used before meals to control the post-meal rise in blood sugar, and to lower blood sugar quickly when an immediate correction is needed.
• Semi-Lente insulin also has a short duration of action, but twice as long as Regular insulin. it is prepared from beef or pork insulin. It is sometimes used to control post-meal rises in blood sugar and may be combined with Lente insulin.
• NPH insulin is intermediate-acting insulin. It is added with protamine for delayed effect. NPH insulin is extracted from beef, pork, beef pork or human. It provides a basal amount of insulin requiring two injections a day.
• Lente insulin prepared from beef, pork, or human insulin is similar to NPH. However it contains added zinc, which gives it an intermediate-acting effect. Lente insulin also provides a basal amount of insulin and two injections a day are usually prescribed.
• Ultralente insulin provides the steadiest basal amount of insulin. Extracted from beef or human, it contains a lot of added zinc to give it the longest-acting effect. Ultralente insulin is used in combination with Regular insulin before meals.
• Insulin Lispro, also called as Humalog, is a man-made insulin but similar in action to naturally occurring human insulin. It has a more rapid onset and a shorter duration of action than human regular insulin. They should be injected under the skin within 15 minutes before you eat. You have to remember to eat within 15 minutes after you take a shot. These insulins start working in five to 15 minutes and lower your blood sugar most in 45 to 90 minutes. It finishes working in three to four hours.
• Human insulin called as70/30 Insulin is a combination of 70% NPH and 30% Regular insulin. Two injections a day are usually recommended.

Very shortly inhaled insulin will be available that could be taken through inhalation.

back to index

Does insulin work the same for all times?

Insulin does not work the same for all times. The time period for insulin action varies with the type of insulin used. With due course of time, the insulin user gets to know when the insulin starts to work, when it peaks in action to lower blood glucose, and when the action is finished. Depending on that, people with diabetes can learn to match the mealtimes and exercise times to the time when each insulin dose works in the body.

The effectiveness of insulin depends on:

• the place on body where insulin is injected
• the type and amount of exercise you do and the length of time between your shot and exercise

back to index

Where to Inject the Insulin?

Insulin injections are given subcutaneously or just under the skin. You can inject insulin into several places on your body. Injection sites for insulin include the abdomen, outer upper arms, the thighs, buttocks, or hip areas. Take precautions, not to inject insulin near bony places or joints. Do not give injections closer than 1 inch apart. Insulin absorption and duration of action may vary depending on the site. The best absorption site is the abdomen. Few years back, it was necessary to change the insulin site daily to prevent building up lumpy areas. With newer insulins, this is less of a problem.

back to index

How and when to inject insulin?

Insulin is a protein and has to be taken through injections. To make injections less messy and painful, it is available in different deliverable devices.

• Insulin pens – Insulin pens are handy and convenient to carry. An insulin pen looks like a cartridge pen with replaceable cartridges of insulin. However some are disposables also. The tip of the pen has a fine, short needle. Users turn a dial to select the desired dose of insulin and press a plunger on the end to deliver the insulin.
• Insulin jet injectors - These send a fine spray of insulin through the skin by a high-pressure air mechanism instead of needles. These are great for people, who fear needles. The device is expensive and you have to boil and sterilize the units frequently.
• External insulin pumps - These connect to narrow, flexible plastic tubing that ends with a needle inserted just under the skin near the abdomen. The insulin pump is about the size of a deck of cards, weighs about 3 ounces, and can be worn on a belt or in a pocket. Users set the pump to give a steady trickle or basal amount of insulin continuously throughout the day. Most pumps have the option for setting several rates. If you use an insulin pump, it's really important to monitor your blood sugar frequently so you can determine the right dose and also to be sure that the insulin is being delivered.

You should take insulin 30 minutes before a meal if you take regular insulin alone or with longer-acting insulin. If you take rapid-acting insulin, you should take your shot just before you eat.

back to index