CHIN Radio 電臺專門講座糖尿病防治和胰岛素的使用 (此帖内含该讲座的英文阅读材料）

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電臺專門講座糖尿病防治和胰岛素的使用
社區電臺FM97.9直播節目回答您的問題​

11月24日，週四中午12:10-1：00，社區電臺CHIN Radio FM97.9，特别講座关于糖尿病防治和胰岛素的使用.歡迎您的收聽。本次活動由渥太華華人社區服務中心（OCCSC）邀請Community Diabetes Education Program of Ottawa Centretown Community Health Centre专家普通話講解，並回答您的現場電話提問，直播間電話613-244-0244：您還可以上網即時收聽，網址 www.chinradioottawa.com ，或下載以前節目MP3


如有其他問題，歡迎聯繫渥太華華人社區服務中心，電話 613-2354875



Frequently Asked Questions about Starting Insulin Therapy
Can I ever stop insulin once I start?
If you make lifestyle changes – meaning you are both exercising and eating healthily – and your sugars are well controlled, we can lower the insulin dose. Some people can even stop taking insulin. A lot of diabetes cases are lifestyle-related, and starting insulin doesn’t mean you have to take it forever. But if your sugars are high right now and have been for a while, we need to lower them as soon as possible. If we wait, we risk more complications caused by the high sugars – and it's a lot easier to prevent complications than to try to reverse them later.
When you start taking insulin, doesn't your body stop making it?
No. When you need insulin, it's because your pancreas isn't making enough on its own and needs some help. However, studies show that starting insulin early makes for better health and keeps your pancreas producing insulin for longer than if you delay insulin treatment.
Do insulin-using diabetics die earlier than non-insulin-using diabetics do?
Using insulin doesn't shorten your life. In fact, in studies it looks as though using insulin earlier means that you do better for longer. A lot of people say they feel better – more energetic, more alert – after they start insulin, too.
Will using insulin prevent me from having another heart attack?
The study results are mixed, so it's hard to say right now. We know that diabetics have more heart disease risk than non-diabetics do, but it's not really clear whether controlling blood sugars will help prevent this heart disease. What we do know is that better sugar control will prevent problems with your kidneys, your eyes and your nerves that could otherwise develop due to your diabetes.
Can I avoid taking insulin by doing better with my diet and exercise?
The problem is that after years with diabetes, your pancreas isn't working as well as it once did, even if your diet and exercise regimens have been perfect. Since we don't have anything to fix your pancreas, we have to replace the insulin and that’s normal after many years with diabetes.
Can I take other drugs or higher doses of my current drugs instead of starting insulin?
I'm afraid drugs won't control your sugars any more. You’re already taking the most effective drug combination I can give you, but your blood sugar is still too high. Insulin is the only next step we have.
How can I avoid gaining weight?
If you start insulin just at bedtime, as is usually the case, the weight gain is minimal as long as you follow your diet and exercise plans and other instructions. If you ignore these instructions and your sugars are
high and you need more and more insulin, you will gain weight. So, when you start taking insulin is when you have to pay particular attention to your eating habits and try to stick to the diet and exercise regimen that you were taught. Some kinds of insulin are also associated with less weight gain than others.
What do I do if I know I’m going to have a really big meal?
If you're only taking insulin at bedtime, you'll learn how to check your sugars after meals and see how much carbohydrate you can eat at each meal. If your bedtime insulin shot keeps your morning blood sugar below 7, there's a good chance that your sugar levels will be okay for the rest of the day as long as you don't go over your carbohydrate limit with each meal.
What if my sugar is lower after I exercise? What do I do about the insulin?
If you’re taking insulin at bedtime, minor exercise shouldn’t make your sugars too low but you should adjust your insulin for longer-duration exercise. For example, after a long bike ride during the day, you may want to reduce your bedtime insulin dose by 20 to 30%. A lot of insulin dosing is trial and error: after some experience, you'll know how much to adjust your insulin by.
When should I go see a diabetes specialist?
If we can control your blood sugar and your kidneys and blood pressure are both good, there is no immediate need (although of course, you’re welcome to go see an endocrinologist any time). If we can’t keep you controlled here in the office or if you have a lot of complications or hypoglycemia, I’ll give you a referral to an endocrinologist.
Is my insulin covered or do I have to pay for it?
Most types of insulin are covered by most provincial health plans. You may have to test your sugars a little more than you’re testing now, and that is partly covered too. Some kinds of longer-acting insulin are only covered by provincial plans if you have problems with hypoglycemia. Your diabetes educator can tell you more about this.
Can the insulin pens transmit disease?
Definitely not, but you mustn't share them with anyone else.
Does insulin injection hurt?
Actually, the needle used in the insulin pen is much smaller than the one you use to test your blood sugars every day.
Isn't there anything else I can do?
There are always new treatments being studied, and people do come off insulin. It's not a one-way street. But right now, it's really important to get your sugars controlled and the best way we can do that is with insulin therapy.