17th April 2008
That depends on what type of insulin regimen you end up on. At first you might be on just one shot a day of a basal insulin, like Lantus, and you can take that independent of meals.
If the need for insulin progresses, it's possible you'd eventually be on MDI (multiple daily injections), which would include the basal insulin as well as shots before meals. The routine is somewhat more complex, but there's just a bit of a learning curve, then it becomes routine. And yes, usually once the pancreas stops producing enough insulin for your body's needs, you do end up on insulin forever (or at least until they find a cure, but I'm not holding my breath waiting!)
One of the things you mentioned being afraid of was complications. There have been a couple of studies which have proved that the better you manage your blood glucose levels, the lesser the risk of complications. So the trick, as I said in my previous post, is to manage by WHATEVER means it takes. If that means insulin, so be it. It is far, FAR better to start insulin sooner than letting your numbers run high for months while trying to avoid going on insulin. The sooner you get this under control, the better your chances of avoiding complications.
Ruth
If the need for insulin progresses, it's possible you'd eventually be on MDI (multiple daily injections), which would include the basal insulin as well as shots before meals. The routine is somewhat more complex, but there's just a bit of a learning curve, then it becomes routine. And yes, usually once the pancreas stops producing enough insulin for your body's needs, you do end up on insulin forever (or at least until they find a cure, but I'm not holding my breath waiting!)
One of the things you mentioned being afraid of was complications. There have been a couple of studies which have proved that the better you manage your blood glucose levels, the lesser the risk of complications. So the trick, as I said in my previous post, is to manage by WHATEVER means it takes. If that means insulin, so be it. It is far, FAR better to start insulin sooner than letting your numbers run high for months while trying to avoid going on insulin. The sooner you get this under control, the better your chances of avoiding complications.
Ruth