Insulin Injections For Type 2 Diabetes: Don't Fear The Needle
Being diagnosed with diabetes is challenging in many ways. Managing diabetes calls for making significant lifestyle changes, or facing serious complications. If your type 2 diabetes requires insulin injections for tighter blood glucose control and you're afraid of needles — or even if you're not — it can be a struggle to inject yourself faithfully a few times a day. Unfortunately, putting off needed insulin injections won't make it any easier — and your health can suffer in the meantime. It's important to start taking your insulin as prescribed, as soon as it's prescribed, says Lorena Drago, RD, CDE, a certified diabetes instructor and consumer advisor for the American Association of Diabetes Educators. What can help? Working with a health professional to put your mind at ease and correctly instruct you from the beginning, Drago suggests, explaining that if you’re sent home without having tried an insulin injection in the medical office, you’ll be less willing to attempt it on your own. Work with a professional the first time out to make sure you’re using the correct technique and the correct supplies, including the blood glucose meter needed to check your blood sugar levels. Easing Needle Anxiety Many people are very anxious about giving themselves an insulin injection, says Drago, and may be afraid of the sting of the shot itself. When teaching new patients how to administer their insulin injections, Drago tries to reassure them that it's not as terrifying as it seems. For starters, if you're nervous that the shot is going to hurt, Drago suggests numbing the area with a piece of ice. "Once they do it, they realize that it's not as bad as they originally thought it was going to be," Drago says reassuringly. And for those diabetes patients who are afraid of Continue reading >>
- Relative effectiveness of insulin pump treatment over multiple daily injections and structured education during flexible intensive insulin treatment for type 1 diabetes: cluster randomised trial (REPOSE)
- NIHR Signal Insulin pumps not much better than multiple injections for intensive control of type 1 diabetes
- Betalin Aims To End Insulin Injections By Treating Type 1 Diabetes With Cell Transplants
Diabetic Woman With Severe Needle Phobia Undergoes Pancreas Transplant In 'world First'
A British woman has become the first person in the world to have a pancreas transplant because of her severe needle phobia. Sue York had suffered from type-1 diabetes since she was seven but would shake uncontrollably and vomit when injecting herself with insulin. The 55-year-old’s phobia had reached a critical point in 2012, when the DVLA had changed its regulations on diabetic drivers, insisting they checked blood glucose levels - requiring her to prick her skin - before driving and once every two hours behind the wheel. She had tried hypnotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy in an attempt to cure her phobia, but without success. Read more : The changing face of full body transplants from penis to head And injecting herself with insulin would frequently take 20 minutes. It took more than two years for Sue from Lincoln to be placed on a waiting list for the transplant, during which time she said she appeared in front of a panel three times to discuss her eligibility. Now after the three hour operation at Manchester Royal Infirmary her life expectancy has been doubled. She said: “No longer am I struggling to walk up a flight of stairs, getting breathless walking into the wind. No longer is my skin yellow or grey. No longer do I look constantly exhausted. “I’ve had to get new glasses because my eyesight has improved and feeling has returned to areas on my feet where I’d begun to lose sensation.” She said questions had been raised over her need for the transplant, as she did not have any kidney complications, and over whether her phobia was a strong enough reason to undergo major surgery. Surgeon Dr Raman Dhanda said guidelines were currently in place nationally and internationally to ensure those with the greatest need received transplants. “I don’t Continue reading >>
Fear Of Needles Creates Obstacle For Patient With Diabetes
AN is a hardworking mother of five grown children, 20 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. In the past, she has had custody of some of her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She works 10 hours five nights a week, and recently added a weekend job because she has not been able to pay her bills. She is currently in danger of having her electric service terminated. When you look at AN, you can see the joy, gratefulness and strength in her eyes. She has respect for work and for her family and community. And like 11 percent of other African-Americans in Camden, she has diabetes. For three months, AN came every week to diabetes self-management education classes offered on Friday mornings through the Camden Citywide Diabetes Collaborative in the Fairview section of the city. She comes with records of her blood glucose and food, sets behavior change goals, and works with her provider to make healthful decisions. But all this good work with lifestyle change is not enough. Eight years after diagnosis, AN needs four injections of insulin daily—and she is afraid of needles. She knows not taking her insulin would mean complications: amputation, dialysis, blindness and heart disease. Yet, unfortunately, she misses doses because of her fear of injecting. Most people think of a syringe and insulin vial when they think of injecting a medicine into the body. Though insulin was once injected with a hollow-pointed needle, syringe needles are now produced thinner, shorter and sharper, and are often specially coated for ease in entry and exit. People injecting rarely feel pain. Patients tell me fingertip checking of their blood glucose hurts more than taking insulin. In the past, AN’s fear was lessened by using an insulin delivery device called a pen. A cartridge in the pen is Continue reading >>
Overcoming The Fear Of Injections For Diabetes
Do you have an objection to injections? If you have type 2 diabetes, you may be afraid you’ll eventually need to give yourself insulin injections, or maybe your doctor has mentioned non-insulin injections might be in your future. Treating diabetes with injections does not mean you have failed or did not follow your doctor’s instructions. Many diabetics will need insulin shots over time, and non-insulin injections are just a newer form of diabetes medication. However, you do need to overcome your fear and resistance if you want to get your diabetes under control. In order to do this, it’s important to determine the root of your anxiety, and identifying the problem can help you find solutions. Advances in diabetes treatment have recently brought us non-insulin injectable medications, which can be a great option to help you control your diabetes and stay healthy. 2017 Healthgrades Operating Company, Inc. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced or reprinted without permission from Healthgrades Operating Company, Inc. Use of this information is governed by the Healthgrades User Agreement. Get the Facts While there have been attempts at developing an inhaled insulin, injections are currently the most common form of delivery with the technology available today. And non-insulin injectables can be an effective and lower-maintenance treatment option. A small fear of needles is normal, especially if you are newly diagnosed or have managed your diabetes with oral medication, diet, exercise, and lifestyle modifications for many years. This means you need to overcome the fear of needles if you want to successfully manage your diabetes. Educate yourself and keep the following in mind to help alleviate your hesitations: Needles are smaller than in the past. Most needles for in Continue reading >>
Diabetes Insulin Injections: Overcoming The Fear
Our experts demystify insulin injection therapy for diabetes and show you how to avoid weight gain, hypoglycemia and needle pain. When your doctor tells you she wants to start you on insulin therapy, it's normal to have some questions: Will it be painful? Will I be at risk for low blood sugar? Will I gain weight? These are valid questions. Unfortunately, insulin has been so shrouded in mystery and misinformation, it's easy sometimes to forget all the good it can do—allowing you to keep tight control of your blood glucose. In fact, insulin was regarded as a miracle drug less than a century ago, when Canadian researchers first isolated the hormone, in 1921. Now, injectable insulin allows anyone whose pancreas no longer manufactures insulin to live a full, healthy life. Though once considered a last resort for treating type 2 diabetes, insulin injection is now increasingly recommended earlier. Some doctors will prescribe it if your hemoglobin A1c is above 10 percent, and recent research suggests starting insulin injections earlier can keep complications such as heart and kidney disease at bay. If you're approaching insulin with confusion and fears about injecting yourself or handling the potential side effects of insulin, here's some expert advice and a few strategies that will help you make this powerful therapy as effective as possible. Make insulin injections practically painless. Many people assume insulin injections will hurt. Often this is just a fear of needles dating back to childhood. But sometimes the fear goes much deeper: Some are concerned that injecting insulin means their disease is getting worse. But that notion is outdated. The important thing is not to avoid needles but to do everything that's in your power to control your diabetes and prevent damage to Continue reading >>
- Overcoming Diabetes Burnout
- Mental Health Care in Pediatric Diabetes: Overcoming Challenges and Barriers
- Relative effectiveness of insulin pump treatment over multiple daily injections and structured education during flexible intensive insulin treatment for type 1 diabetes: cluster randomised trial (REPOSE)
Trypanophobia- A Fear Of Needles
Studies show that a remarkable 20 percent of the population has some degree of fear of needles or injections and 10 percent within that number suffer from what is known as Trypanophobia. This is an excessive or irrational fear of injections or needles which can be learned or inherited. Many with Trypanophobia avoid getting medical treatment that involves the use of needles, which can prove dangerous for those with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes. The fear of needles can manifest in one of three ways: 1: A vasovagal reflex reaction-where a person may faint or go into convulsions during or after a needle procedure. 2: Classic phobia- which results from traumatic events with symptoms involving feeling anxious, experiencing nausea or difficulty breathing when needles are present. 3: Hypersensitivity to the pain caused by a needle- the skin’s surface becomes extremely sensitive making procedures that involve needles uncomfortable. There are a few things that can be done to minimize the symptoms of Trypanophobia. They are, using topical anesthetics to numb the skin or avoiding the sight of needles by using covered caps. Diabetics can ask their doctor for products such as inhalable insulin or jet injectors. All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Continue reading >>
Recognition Of And Steps To Mitigate Anxiety And Fear Of Pain In Injectable Diabetes Treatment
Go to: Introduction Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a chronic disease characterized by insulin resistance and elevated blood glucose, compensatory hyperinsulinemia, and progressive pancreatic β-cell destruction.1 The pathophysiology of T2D involves multiple organs and tissues, including pancreatic α and β cells, muscle, liver, adipose tissue, the small intestine, the kidney, and the brain. Effective treatment requires the use of agents that target the multiple pathogenic abnormalities of T2D, and treatment should be initiated early in the natural history of the disease to prevent progressive β-cell failure.1 Uncontrolled blood glucose over time significantly increases the risk of mortality and diabetes-related morbidity, necessitating early management.2 Current treatment guidelines recommend metformin as first-line therapy for the early management of T2D, except in patients with a contraindication.3–5 Patients who have high baseline glycated hemoglobin (A1C) (eg, ≥9.0%) may have a low probability of achieving target A1C with monotherapy and may benefit from first-line combination therapy.3–5 However, in patients who receive initial treatment with monotherapy, maintenance of individualized glycemic targets over the long term is unlikely due to the progressive nature of the disease. Approximately 55%–70% of patients who achieve glycemic targets with initial monotherapy will fail to maintain these targets 2–3 years later.6 Thus, when monotherapy alone fails to achieve or maintain target A1C, the addition of a second oral agent or injectable treatment such as a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) or basal insulin is recommended. Guidelines also stress the importance of a patient-centered approach with regard to treatment choice and sequence of therapy. Continue reading >>
Diabetes Nurse Helped My Daughter Overcome Her Fear Of Needles
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Needle Fear And Insulin Self-injection
Q: What can I do to support patients who are anxious about starting to give themselves insulin injections? A: Injection-related fears are common in both adults and children and, as research has shown, are a key reason that individuals with diabetes avoid taking insulin. Addressing these fears is an important part of helping patients reduce their risk of diabetes-related complications. Research and our clinical experience suggest several strategies that can be helpful in supporting patients in learning to self-inject insulin. An important first step in this process is directly asking patients about their feelings and concerns. Many patients may have fears about self-injecting but feel uncomfortable voicing them. They may have misconceptions about the size of the needle they will use, how painful the injections will be or the difficulty of learning to self-inject. Better understanding these concerns can help nurses tailor patient education. When patients have fears, it is important to help them approach self-injecting in a gradual way. Learning the entire process at once can feel overwhelming; even looking at or holding the needle may be difficult for some patients. Instead, support patients in breaking the process down into small steps (e.g., gathering supplies, assembling the insulin pen) and practising each step until they are comfortable with it. Reinforce their progress as they master each step. Helping patients manage their injection pain may help prevent the development of needle fears in the future. There are numerous strategies that can help reduce pain. Research shows using shorter needles (4-6 mm) and insulin pens instead of syringes reduce injection pain. Teaching patients correct technique, following established recommendations (e.g., regarding angle of inser Continue reading >>
Children With Diabetes: The Impact Of Fear Of Needles1
A 4-year-old girl presented to a clinic with polydipsia, polyuria, and polyphagia. After obtaining the results from a quick urine dipstick test, a diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes was confirmed. An extensive laboratory evaluation confirmed that her blood glucose level was stable enough to allow her to go home with her parents and be managed as an outpatient. The patient came in daily for a week with her parents for proper education of management of the disease. After receiving the diagnosis, the parents left the office with distress and a daughter who would daily face the struggles of a disease without a cure for the rest of her life. To access this article, please choose from the options below 1No previous presentations of data have been given. The manuscript is not being currently reviewed by another journal. Continue reading >>
Fear Of Needles And Diabetes
If you are afraid of needles, you are not alone. More people have what is called needle phobia than have diabetes. At least 10 percent of us have needle phobia, according to Dr. James Hamilton’s ground-breaking article, “Needle Phobia: A Neglected Diagnosis, in the Journal of Family Practice”. About 7 percent of Americans have diabetes, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s most recent count. If you have type 1 diabetes, you take your insulin injections or else. Almost all type 1s overcome their fear of needles. But, as Dr. Hamilton says, occasionally needle phobia can be fatal. If you have type 2 diabetes, you won’t die if you forego injections. But you may well get sicker. While 39 percent of all type 2s older than 18 use insulin, more would benefit from it if they weren’t afraid of the shots. Between needle phobia and the belief that insulin therapy is a last resort when orals fail, many type 2s aren’t getting the control we can and should have. Now, in addition to insulin we have two great new drugs that have to be taken by injection. For people with type 2 diabetes Byetta is, I believe, the most important diabetes drug ever. I catalogued my initial experiences with it. The other drug, Symlin, can help people with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Both drugs come from Amylin Pharmaceuticals. Full disclosure: I own stock in this company. More than one person starting out on these drugs has felt like a person who wrote on the Diabetes and Byetta support group. She wrote that she had “weeks of abject fear staring at that pen before I worked up the courage to stick myself with it.” I know what she means, even though I am more of a daredevil. Yesterday, as I prepared to take my morning shot of Byetta in my stomach, I reflect Continue reading >>
Diabetes In Children Frustrated By Fear Of Needles
The parents of newly diagnosed diabetic children who are afraid of needles should be taught by nurses how to cope with this anxiety, according to recent research. Continue reading >>
10 Tips For A Fear Of Needles With Diabetes (+1 Bonus!)
back to Overview Tips & Tricks Type 1 It is what it is, right? When living with type 1 diabetes there's no getting around the jab of a needle. Whether it's from an insulin pen, a syringe or a pump infusion set, you have to do it. Ilka asked our team for tips on dealing with a fear of shots and needles, and here's what she found... For some, needles are no big deal. For others, each injection is a challenge to overcome – even after many years. The reasons are usually different, and no matter how necessary it is (we all know it, logically) who can criticize? Is there anything normal about stabbing yourself with a sharp metal object? I think not! We have a lot of diabetes experience here at mySugr, collectively more than 150 years under our belts. And who better to ask for tips and tricks for overcoming a fear of needles/needle phobia than a bunch of people living well with diabetes? 1. Injectors Clara: I didn’t do my own injections right away. The day where everything changed was when I watched another girl my age in the hospital do her own injection. I thought, “if she can do it, so can I!” But some time later I developed an “injection-crisis” again and used an injection device, which hides the needle completely, to help me get through it. 2. Build Confidence Marlis: I’ve been helping children with diabetes for a long time, and fear of needles is very common. It can really help if mom or dad offers to let the child inject them, or even put in a pump infusion set. When those little ones see that you trust them to poke you and that it doesn’t hurt when they put the needle in it builds a lot of confidence and trust. Another step is to watch mom or dad do an injection and see that it’s fine. I have often let the kids inject me and they were so incredibly pr Continue reading >>
Fear Of Needles In Children With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus On Multiple Daily Injections And Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion.
Abstract OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of fear of needles and its effect on glycemic control in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) on multiple daily injections (MDI) or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII). METHODS: Patients aged 6 to 17 years with T1DM on MDI or CSII (n = 150) were enrolled. All caregivers and patients aged ≥11 years completed a "Diabetes Fear of Injecting and Self-testing Questionnaire" (D-FISQ). Needle phobia was defined as a score ≥6 for fear of self-testing (FST), fear of injections (FI), and fear of infusion-site changes (FISC). RESULTS: Positive FST scores were noted in 10.0% and positive FI or FISC scores in 32.7% (caregivers' responses). Patients aged 6 to 10 years on CSII had greater fear (FISC) than those on MDI (FI) (P = .010). FST was inversely related to the number of daily blood sugar checks (P = .003). Patients with positive scores for FI/FISC or FST had significantly higher glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels than those without. An inverse association was noted between positive FI/FISC scores and age of the patient (P = .029). Based on patient responses, FST severity was directly related to the age of the patient (P = .013). CONCLUSION: Needle phobia is common in children with T1DM. Although FI/FISC are more common in younger children, especially in those on CSII, FST is more often encountered in older patients. Patients with a more intense fear of needles have higher HbA1c levels and less frequent blood sugar monitoring. Identifying these patients may help improve glycemic control. Continue reading >>
- Relative effectiveness of insulin pump treatment over multiple daily injections and structured education during flexible intensive insulin treatment for type 1 diabetes: cluster randomised trial (REPOSE)
- NIHR Signal Insulin pumps not much better than multiple injections for intensive control of type 1 diabetes
- End of daily injections for diabetes as scientists restore insulin production
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