If you or someone you know has been recently diagnosed with Type I or Type II diabetes you may have a million questions running through your head; Many of which have to do with the medication that you have to take in order to treat your disease.
There are many misconceptions about diabetes medications, mainly because the treatments vary from Type I and Type II diabetes and on each individual. One of the most prevalent myths concerning diabetes, both types is that it can be treated by simply following a strict diet and exercise routine. This is definitely a method of treatment for people with Type II diabetes it is not an option for people with Type I diabetes.
Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disease that occurs in the body’s disease fighting system. This mainly happens because the immune system destroys all insulin producing cells. Insulin is needed by the body in order to break down food and turn it into energy. If your body is not producing enough insulin you must replace that action by either an insulin injection or a pump that will put the insulin straight into the blood. Insulin cannot be taken by mouth, because the digestive juices in your stomach and intestines will break it down before it reaches the bloodstream and does its job.
If you have type 2 diabetes there is a chance that you may not have to get insulin injections, depending on many factors. Many people believe that you have to take insulin injections because they have not taken care of their diabetes correctly, not true. Taking insulin is a reflection of insulin production by the pancreas. People, who are diagnosed with type II diabetes, are still producing some amount of insulin, but it may not be enough for the body to transform it into energy. Their cells become resistant to the effect that the insulin has, which causes them to require more insulin than there body can produce. In most cases when Type II diabetes is diagnosed a change in exercise and diet can typically bring the blood levels back to a normal range.
Sometimes oral diabetes medications are needed to help your body use the insulin that it is already producing and help the body produce more. In the past few years a variety of new oral medications that help the body work in different ways. If a steady glucose level is maintained along with oral medications, a well balanced diet and regular exercise a person with Type II diabetes may be able to avoid insulin injections. Your glucose must be tested frequently to assure that they are at the right levels.
In some cases with people who have been diagnosed with Type II diabetes for several years and that are taking oral medication, maintaining a healthy diet and doing regular exercise may not be enough to keep their sugar levels down. The cells become depleted from having to produce extra insulin to overcome insulin resistance for an extended period of time. At this point the disease requires more care and insulin injections are required, in order to maintain a healthy blood sugar level. If not treated correctly, diabetes may become life threatening.