4 Steps To Manage Your Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is also called juvenile or insulin-dependent diabetes. It’s a chronic condition in which the pancreas makes little or no insulin. Insulin is a hormone in the body that allows sugar to enter the cells and produce energy. There are different factors that can cause type 1 diabetes, including genetics and some viruses.
Diabetes type 1 is a common condition, and around 9600 deaths have been reported in recent years due to diabetes. South Africa has 11.3% diabetes prevalence, and at least half are undiagnosed. Most people are not aware of the signs and symptoms of diabetes, which include thirstiness, weight loss, fatigue and passing urine more frequently.
If you are diagnosed with insulin-dependent diabetes, then these are some of the treatments and medicines that you can take to keep yourself healthy.
Keep in mind that if a person is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, then they need insulin therapy throughout their life. They need these medications and therapy to maintain their blood glucose levels. Some types of insulin used to treat type 1 diabetes are:
Short-acting insulin: It’s regular insulin that starts acting 30 minutes after the injection and reaches its highest functioning level at 90 to 120 minutes.
Long-acting insulin: It provides a long-lasting coverage of almost 14 to 40 hours.
Rapid-acting insulin: This type of insulin usually starts its effect within 15 minutes and reaches its peak effect at 60 minutes, but it lasts for almost 4 hours. Doctors usually suggest to use it 15 to 20 minutes before meals.
Intermediate-acting insulin: It is also known as NPH insulin, which starts working in almost 1 to 3 hours. Usually, its peak effect starts at 6 to 8 hours and can last for more than 12 hours.
However, you can’t orally consume insulin to lower your blood pressure because the enzymes of the stomach will break down the insulin. In order to prevent this, insulin is taken in the form of injection shots or an insulin pump can be used.
Medications that are taken to control blood glucose levels can sometimes cause side effects that can be serious if not controlled. These side effects include:
Make sure to consult your doctor immediately, if you are experiencing any of these symptoms.
Type 1 diabetes is not curable but it can be controlled by constant insulin therapies. The main goal of medication therapy is to maintain blood glucose levels. Make sure to constantly check glucose levels before and after meals. Ideal levels of glucose before the meal are around 80 to 130 mg/dl, and after a meal, they should be no higher than 180 mg/dL.