Why Prescribe an Injectable?

Insulin is a hormone that's produced from the pancreas that helps the body use glucose, or sugar, for energy, and helps store glucose for future use. Patients with type 2 diabetes have a component of insulin resistance where insulin does not work as well at cells like muscle or fat. They do continue to make insulin, but they may not be able to make enough insulin to overcome this insulin resistance.

Often early in the course after diagnosis of diabetes, patients are counseled on changes they can make in their diet and their exercise to help control glucose. Unfortunately type 2 diabetes does tend to be a progressive condition over time. As people have diabetes for longer, the insulin resistance portion tends to continue. And as they age, the function of the insulin producing cells in the pancreas tends to decline. Many patients with type 2 diabetes may reach a point in their disease progression where they require insulin to keep their sugars under good control.

There are many different types of insulins that vary in terms of how quickly they act and how long they stay in the body. Understandably, no one likes the idea of taking an injection. However, newer forms of syringes and pens have made injectable therapy much less uncomfortable and much more convenient. I advise patients not to use fear of needles to interfere with them doing the best job of controlling their diabetes and avoiding long term complications.