Contents:
- Medical Video: Why Your Fear of Needles Could Kill You | Incident Report 213
- Insulin is more effective in reducing blood sugar levels
- Some ‘he said’ make you afraid of injecting insulin? This is the truth
- 1. Fear of injecting insulin
- 2. Fear of hypoglycemia
- 3. The notion that using insulin is the end of everything
- 4. Cannot inject insulin yourself
- 5. Expensive
Medical Video: Why Your Fear of Needles Could Kill You | Incident Report 213
When getting a diabetes verdict, someone sometimes feels reluctant to start treatment using insulin. The reasons are varied, ranging from the fear of injecting insulin or the fear of needles to feeling that he is still healthy enough to only take oral medicine. In fact, there are times when drugs are no longer able to help reduce blood sugar levels if the beta cells in the pancreas are no longer able to produce insulin.
Diabetic patients actually don't always need insulin injections or take medication. If detected early, diabetes can be controlled only through healthier lifestyle changes and routinely carrying out physical activities. Well, unfortunately, diabetes is a disease that does not cause symptoms. As a result, a person can only be diagnosed if the condition has worsened.
Met at a media gathering to welcome World Diabetes Day in the Kebayoran Baru area, South Jakarta, Dr. Mochammad Pasha, Sp.PD from Pertamina Central Hospital (13/11) said that generally two years before being diagnosed, diabetic patients usually have decreased beta cell function (insulin producing cells) by 50 percent. If the condition is left without treatment or lifestyle changes, over time the beta cells will eventually die so they no longer produce insulin. If this is the case, diabetic patients will need intensive insulin therapy.
Insulin is more effective in reducing blood sugar levels
Not everyone with a big heart wants to do insulin injections even if they need it. Some continue to force the use of drinking drugs because they are easier and simpler. In fact, the use of insulin is considered more capable of reducing the number of HbA1C, which is an indicator of blood sugar control for three months.
"According to a study comparing oral diabetes drugs and insulin use to reduce HbA1C levels, insulin is known to have the best level of effectiveness in reducing HbA1C compared to oral drugs," said Dr. Pasha. This is not too surprising considering that insulin is actually a natural hormone produced by the body.
The statement is in line with what was revealed by Prof. DR. Dr. Sidartawan Soegondo, Sp.PD-KEMD., FACE, a doctor of internal medicine who has long handled cases of diabetes mellitus. "Taking diabetes medicine is not like eating cayenne pepper (the spicy taste immediately). The effect is not so drinkable, (blood sugar) immediately drops. Eat now, it can go down in two weeks. Different from insulin. For insulin, the effect can be immediate right away. Two hours, three hours after injection, it can go down, "he explained when met on the same occasion.
Some ‘he said’ make you afraid of injecting insulin? This is the truth
Although it is known that insulin is more effective than taking medication, some people are still afraid of insulin injections for various reasons or perhaps because they hear a developing perception. Here are some reasons Indonesian people are still afraid of injecting insulin according to Dr. Mochammad Pasha, Sp.PD.
1. Fear of injecting insulin
In the past the shadow of syringes was indeed quite frightening. However, now diabetics do not really need to be too afraid of injecting insulin because the shape is no longer like traditional syringes. The shape is like a pen and a thinner needle makes the pain caused almost nothing.
The use of an insulin pen is also easier, as is the measurement of the dosage so that the error of giving more doses can be minimized.
2. Fear of hypoglycemia
Some patients have a feeling of being afraid of insulin injections, one of the reasons is the episode of hypoglycemia they have experienced. "Hypoglycemia is indeed one of the side effects of using insulin," I dr. Pasha. However, in fact this can be prevented if patients get good education.
The condition of insulin-induced hypoglycemia usually occurs when the patient skips meal times or may measure the wrong dose. In addition, exercise that is too heavy can also cause hypoglycemia conditions. By giving special attention to the causes of hypoglycemia, this condition can be prevented.
3. The notion that using insulin is the end of everything
Some people feel that they are failing to treat the disease so there is resistance when the doctor recommends that they use insulin. Indeed, down when you hear the news that you have an incurable disease it's natural. However, don't be sad for too long so you forget to do something.
Remember that insulin is actually a natural hormone produced by our body, not a drug. So, insulin is not new to your body. The difference is now, you need a little effort to get your body back "familiar" with insulin.
4. Cannot inject insulin yourself
Some people may have difficulty injecting insulin independently. The cause may be due to visual impairment due to the appearance of signs of eye complications in diabetics. As a result, these concerns make them afraid of injecting insulin.
This is where the family plays an important role in the smooth treatment recommended. People with diabetes who are already classified as severe need treatment for the rest of their lives. Support from the family certainly means a lot to them. Remember that getting together with family members in full is certainly a very valuable thing. That is why working together to make medicine successful is very important.
5. Expensive
The pain is said to be expensive especially if you have to take medication for life. Imagine how much expenditure is needed for all kinds of treatment? Fortunately, according to Dr. Mochammad Pasha, the current government program in Indonesia, namely JKN, has covered treatment for diabetes, including insulin. That is, as long as you adhere to what your doctor recommends and according to the procedure, this is certainly not necessary to make you afraid of injecting insulin.
