Since its inception in 1921, insulin can effectively reduce blood sugar, significantly reduce and delay the occurrence and development of diabetic complications, and has become an essential drug for many sugar lovers.
Although insulin has many benefits, there are also some adverse reactions. These adverse reactions are the short board of insulin, which may cause harm to the life of sugar lovers and even their lives. Facing the short board, will you [supplement] it?
I. Hypoglycemic Reaction
If the blood sugar of diabetic patients is lower than 3.9 mmol/L, it is considered hypoglycemia. This is one of the common short boards of insulin. In most cases, the insulin dose is large, or the insulin in the body is not used up (clearance rate decreases), resulting in hypoglycemia.
Sudden and severe hypoglycemia will lead to loss of consciousness and endanger life. Long-term unstable blood sugar fluctuation, high and low, is the main obstacle to blood sugar reaching the standard.
Short board:
(1) Carefully check the drug name and dosage before injection, and users of insulin pump should correctly grasp the operation method;
(2) Keep regular diet and moderate exercise as much as possible. For example, if you eat less or even cannot eat or have diarrhea, you must reduce or even stop using insulin under the guidance of a doctor. Remember not to exercise on an empty stomach.
(3) Regularly monitor blood sugar, especially at 3: 00 a.m., because hypoglycemia is easy to occur at this time, and it is recommended to monitor 2-3 times a week;
(4) Correctly grasp the injection site of insulin. The injection site of insulin mainly includes abdomen (5 cm away from navel), lower lateral deltoid muscle of upper arm, anterolateral thigh and hip. In terms of insulin absorption speed, abdomen is the fastest, upper arm is the second, and thigh and hip are the slowest.
Short-acting insulin and premixed insulin should be injected into abdomen, while medium-acting insulin should be injected into buttocks or thighs.
Second, weight gain
Insulin-induced weight gain mostly occurs in sugar lovers with type 2 diabetes, strict blood sugar control or overweight before treatment.
This is because insulin can not only promote the synthesis and storage of fat and protein in the body, but also cause hypoglycemia due to strict control of blood sugar and increase the appetite of sugar lovers.
Short board:
(1) increase exercise;
(2) Control the intake of lipid in food, accounting for 20% ~ 25% of the total calories throughout the day;
(3) Under the guidance of doctors, combined use of acarbose or metformin and other drugs, these drugs have the effect of weight loss;
(4) Weight loss surgery can be performed when necessary.
Three, allergic reaction
Impurities contained in insulin preparations, some added ingredients (such as zinc and protamine) and insulin itself can cause allergy. If allergy occurs, red macula, pruritus, induration and other reactions will occur at the injection site, and serious rashes, sweating, gastrointestinal discomfort, dyspnea and even anaphylactic shock may occur throughout the body.
Any allergic reaction should be treated immediately.
Short board:
In order to prevent insulin allergy, it is recommended to do:
(1) Frequently changing the injection site;
(2) The injection needle should be used once and replaced after playing.
(3) Do not put the insulin that has been opened and is in use in the refrigerator. Shake the premixed insulin and medium-effect insulin well before use, so as not to cause skin irritation due to low temperature of the liquid medicine or uneven drug concentration.
If sugar lovers who have developed insulin allergy should try the following methods under the guidance of doctors:
(1) If allergic reaction occurs only at the injection position, it usually subsides after a period of time without taking special treatment measures. If the reaction continues, antiallergic drugs can also be used externally or orally.
(2) replace insulin of different types or manufacturers, or replace oral hypoglycemic drugs;
(3) Insulin desensitization therapy.
IV. Insulin edema
Some patients control their blood sugar very well as soon as they use insulin, but edema may occur at this time. This is related to the increase of water content in the body after insulin controls blood sugar.
Short board:
Insulin edema is generally mild and can disappear after several weeks. Therefore, mild edema does not require special treatment or insulin withdrawal.
The key is to eat a low-salt diet to avoid aggravation of edema caused by eating too salty. For some patients with severe edema, small doses of diuretics can be added to prevent heart failure.
5. Lipodystrophy
Lipodystrophy has two diametrically opposite manifestations. One is subcutaneous fat atrophy, i.e. Local depression of the skin at the injection site, which is related to impure insulin preparation. The second is subcutaneous fat hyperplasia, that is, subcutaneous tissue hyperplasia or hard lumps, because insulin has the effect of stimulating local fat hyperplasia.
Short board:
In order to prevent the occurrence of lipodystrophy, the site should be changed for each injection, and the same site should not be injected twice within one week. At the same time, physical therapy such as hot compress and massage can be used to slowly recover.
Six, see things blurred
During insulin therapy, some sugar lovers may have blurred vision. Why is this? Because we have a structure called lens in our eyes, which focuses external light on the retina, we have normal vision.
When blood sugar is high, the water content of the lens is high, and once the blood sugar drops rapidly, the pressure in the lens is changed, the water in the lens will run out, and the light focusing will also be affected, thus blurring the vision.
Short board:
There is no need to worry about this kind of situation. After the human body gradually adapts to the lowered blood sugar, the eyesight will recover within a few weeks. However, if it is gradually unable to see clearly, the blood sugar control will not recover, or it is recommended to go to the ophthalmology department to check if there is any fundus problem.
Summary
Although insulin has these adverse reactions mentioned above, it is generally a very good drug. We have written these, and we also hope that everyone can solve the problems in time. Never stop eating because of choking, fear of side effects and use insulin, resulting in unstable blood sugar control, which will cause more problems after complications.