Diabetes: What Are Risks And Possible Side Effects Of Insulin Therapy?

If you have received a diagnosis of diabetes, chances are that you either have been or will be prescribed insulin as a treatment method. Insulin is a hormone produced by the cells of the pancreas that helps control your blood sugar levels. When the cells of the pancreas are destroyed — as happens in type 1 diabetes — insulin production grinds to a halt.

While receiving insulin is an excellent way of controlling your blood sugar levels, certain side effects are also associated with its use. Fortunately, these side effects are quite rare and most often mild. However, some side effects can be quite severe. It is important to keep in mind what side effects you may experience so that you can recognize them and takes steps to treat them.

Several different types and brands of insulin are available. Often, side effects are dependent on the type of insulin that a patient is taking. Let's take a look at the most common side effects.

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia can be dangerous, as symptoms often include:

• Feeling dizzy
• Having trouble speaking
• Being fatigued or tired
• Feeling confused
• Pale skin
• Profuse sweating
• Seizures
• Losing consciousness

Milder side effects of insulin

Other mild side effects of insulin use include:

• Weight gain. Patients may start to gain weight when their cells finally start to take in glucose and use it or store it. Patients may also experience water retention when taking insulin, leading to weight gain.
• Skin problems. Patients may experience rashes, bumps or swelling at the site where insulin is injected. Additionally, some people develop a painful lump underneath the skin where they inject insulin due to the accumulation of dead fat tissue.
• Mental health problems. Some patients may experience either anxiety or depression when taking insulin.
• Cough. Some people may develop a cough when they are using inhaled insulin.
• Feeling irritable. Since insulin helps glucose get into the cells immediately, it can cause patients to feel irritable. Fortunately, this issue will quickly resolve.
• Blurry vision. People who take insulin often find that their vision becomes blurry because their blood sugar levels are affected so quickly. This will usually go away once their body adjusts to the new blood sugar level.
• Rapid heartbeat. Some people who take insulin may experience a rapid heartbeat.

Severe side effects of insulin treatment

Some, more severe, side effects of insulin therapy include:

• Eye complications. Patients who use insulin have a higher risk of developing eye complications.
• Heart attack and stroke. Compared to another diabetes drug, metformin, studies have shown that insulin increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
• Kidney disease. Patients on insulin are more likely to develop kidney disease.
• Certain cancers. One study found that patients on insulin had a higher risk of pancreatic cancer.
• Infection. Since you are injecting yourself every day, that leaves you open to a higher risk of infection if the injection is not done in a sterile way.

So, what do I do if I experience an insulin-related side effect?

What you do when you experience a side effect is dependent on how severe the side effect is. If you find yourself experiencing a mild side effect, such as swelling of the injection site, you should consult your doctor on what to do. They can prescribe you non-injectable insulin, such as an insulin pump or an inhaler.

What are some ways to prevent side effects when you're taking insulin?

There are some ways to prevent these side effects, though often there is nothing you can do. Ways to prevent insulin-related side effects include:

• If you are injecting insulin, you can avoid infections by using disposable needles and syringes and sterilizing anything that you re-use.
• Some drugs interact negatively with insulin. You should know which drugs you should not be taking if you are on insulin. Some of these are commonly used medications such as aspirin, oral contraceptives, steroid medication, thyroid medication and many more.
• If injections are causing you to develop rashes, you can switch over to a pump or an inhaler.