What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a serious disease in which your body has trouble processing energy from the foods you eat. Diabetes results from a problem with insulin, a hormone that's normally produced by your body. If your body doesn't make enough insulin or can't use it properly, glucose - a form of sugar - builds up in your blood. There are three common types of diabetes:

Type 1 Diabetes: In people who have this type, the body does not produce any insulin.
Type 2 Diabetes: In people who have this type, the body is resistant to the action of insulin. It takes extra insulin to overcome this problem, and the body cannot produce enough.
Gestational Diabetes: The pregnant women who have this type also produce insulin, but their bodies do not use it well.

What is Insulin?

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. It helps glucose (a form of sugar) move from the blood into the cells of your body. Your body cells need glucose for energy. Insufficient production of insulin results in diabetes. Insulin comes in several types. Insulin differs in length of time before it reaches the bloodstream and starts lowering blood glucose (Onset), when it is working the most to control blood glucose levels (Peaktime) and how it continues to lower blood glucose (Duration).

Insulin is delivered in several ways including: syringe, insulin pen, and insulin pump.

Syringe: Today's syringes are smaller, have finer points, and special coatings to help make injections easier and relatively pain free.

Insulin pen: Insulin pens look a lot like regular pens, but instead of a ballpoint beneath the cap, there is a tiny needle.

Insulin pump: The insulin pump is a computerized device that you can carry in your pocket. It delivers insulin as a steady, measured, and continuous dose through a catheter placed under the skin.

INSULIN MYTHS & FACTS

Myth: Insulin will cause a lot of weight gain.

Fact: With uncontrolled diabetes, the body can't use glucose properly. As a result, you can consume more calories than you need. When insulin is started, blood glucose levels are better controlled, which may result in weight gain because you are no longer losing that energy, yet may still be consuming the same number of calories. With proper exercise and nutrition, any weight gain can be temporary.

Myth: Insulin injections are painful.

Fact: Fear of needles is a common complaint, but most people describe it as a relatively painless finger stick.

Myth: Using insulin will interfere with work, family and fun.

Fact: Insulin injections will become part of your daily routine and can be planned to fit around your lifestyle and activities.

Myth: Insulin will make you sick.

Fact: Insulin helps to bring blood sugar levels under control, may lower diabetes complications, and should make you feel better.

Myth: Insulin cures diabetes.

Fact: Currently there is no cure for diabetes. Instead, insulin is needed to help promote glucose entry into the cells of your body.

Myth: Starting insulin means you've failed.

Fact: Needing insulin does not mean a person with diabetes failed to control it. When diet, exercise and other medications aren't working to bring your blood sugar levels under control, insulin is often the next step in treatment.