I was recently started on insulin after years of taking a couple of oral drugs. I do not like insulin that much, since I am naturally scared by needles and I do not find it pleasant at all. Also, I feel more tired after using it. Is it possible to go back on the pill-only after a while on insulin? Will insulin ‘’cure’’ me?
I am sorry to hear that you had to go on insulin. Unfortunately, that is the way it will be for the rest of your life. Oral medications are used to stimulate your pancreas in putting out more insulin into your bloodstream. Insulin is brought into your treatment program when oral medications are not effective anymore. Insulin injections are used to replace the insulin your pancreas used to make but no longer due to excessive wear and other reasons. Insulin will not cure diabetes; unfortunately, once someone gets diabetes, they have it for life. Only through management of blood sugars that it is controlled.
Dear Guest: The short answer to your question is yes, the long answer is unlikely. If you are a type II diabetic (as it appears from our story) , it is theoretically possible, if you war reasonably healthy, to go back to tablets if for example you are obese and you would lose a significant amount of weight, maintain a proper diet, exercise etc. On the other hand, if your pancreas is damaged to the level that produces little amounts of insulin (can happen late in type II diabetes), that the answer no. Practically, the vast majority of patients who go on insulin, will remain on insulin. Best, Tom