In addition to diabetes pills, there are diabetes medicines that are taken by injection. Some of these are non-insulin injectable medicines, and some are insulin.
Some people worry that injections might be painful. But the needles used today are very small. Prefilled disposable pens can be used to inject those medicines. Prefilled pens provide a discreet way to take diabetes medicines.
Keep in mind that taking diabetes medicines is just one of the things you need to do to meet your blood sugar goals. Healthy eating and physical activity are also important parts of your diabetes care plan.
Non-insulin injectable medicines
Non-insulin injectable medicines for people with type 2 diabetes:
Non-insulin injectable medicines work in one or more of the following ways:
Talk with your diabetes care team about your treatment needs to ensure that you are taking the medicine that’s right for you.
“Don’t go off your meds and don’t give up. Many pharmacies and prescription companies have programs to help you out.
Do whatever it takes.”
“The only thing that got me through the anger was my belief in medicine. Every day they are making great steps to helping us with diabetes.”
Insulin
Injected insulin is like the insulin that the body makes. It works to lower blood sugar by helping sugar move from the blood into your cells.
Everyone with type 1 diabetes needs to take insulin. In people with type 1 diabetes, the beta cells in the pancreas stop making insulin.
People with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin to control blood sugar. The amount of insulin taken must be balanced with how much food they eat and how active they are. Healthy eating, physical activity, managing stress, and insulin are the main parts of a diabetes care plan for type 1 diabetes and often for type 2 diabetes.
In type 2 diabetes, many people find that as their beta cells stop working over time, they need to take insulin. If you have been told that you could benefit from insulin but have delayed starting it, you are not alone. Many people worry about injecting themselves. They wonder if insulin has side effects. They wonder if taking insulin will interfere with their lives.
However, people with type 2 diabetes often find that starting insulin changes their lives. They may find that they have more flexible eating and activity schedules.
Today, there are many insulin products and insulin devices available to treat all stages of type 2 diabetes. You and your diabetes care team can work together to find the diabetes products that are right for you.
You can learn more about insulin at Cornerstones4Care.com. Or ask your diabetes care team for a copy of the Novo Nordisk booklet Diabetes Medicines.
“Yes, I too was frightened to death by giving myself an injection. I am now giving myself injections. We can do what becomes necessary.”