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For the first time since insulin started being developed to treat diabetes 80 years ago, a new medical breakthrough in insulin administration will allow adult diabetics to deliver their insulin a very different way.

Exubera is rapid acting meal time insulin that was recently approved by the FDA. It comes is powdered form and can be inhaled through the mouth. Exubera will not completely replace insulin shots (some diabetics may still need shots of long acting insulin), but it will definitely take many of the hassles of taking several insulin shots on a daily basis away and help those with fear of needles keep their blood glucose levels under control with more convenience and ease of mind.

In deciding whether you should Exubera or not, you should consider the following factors: If you smoke or have recently quit smoking within the last six months, have lung disease, bronchitis, asthma or emphysema, you should not take Exubera. If you are under the age of 18, Exubera is not available for you, as more testing is being done on the effects of inhaled insulin in children.

Using Exubera

Exubera comes in powdered form. You insert a blister pack into an inhaler that releases the insulin and is inhaled through the mouth by taking a normal breath. The dose should be taken approximately 10 minutes before eating.

If Exubera is right for you and you decide to try it out, your healthcare provider will be able to fully train you on using the inhaler and delivering the insulin.

Side Effects

There are some side effects of this medicine that you should be aware of, and the most common is low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia. Other side effects include a decrease in lung capacity, a sore throat, cough, dry mouth, chest discomfort and ear pain. If you get these or other unusual side effects, contact your health care professional immediately.

Conclusion

Exubera is without a doubt a huge medical breakthrough in the development of insulin delivery and the overall success of diabetes management. Although this product is not for everyone and it does not completely replace insulin shots, it is definitely a step in the right direction that will help many diabetics control the blood glucose levels and live healthier, happier lives.

Diet is the cornerstone of your diabetic treatment; let it not become the headstone! I might sound rude to you for passing on this sort of crude observation, but in the interest of your health and well-being, I feel it as my utmost duty to forewarn you!

It sets the diabetes man thinking-each spoon of liquid that he sips, each ounce of food that he offers to the taste buds-what will be the result when it goes to the stomach? He lives in a state of fear psychosis. Food is the necessary evil for him, for his existence, not a source of enjoyment!

The diabetes man needs to budget his day according to his food requirements. You are advised to take small quantities of food at periodic intervals, than take two heavy meals. Be flexible in this and do it as per yours lifestyle. Don’t take food as a punishment. Enjoy it, every particle of it. It is your food for both-your mind and body!

The population of diabetes patients is awesome. They are a pressure group, a lobby and influence the decision of the policy makers. There are statutory rules governing food and consumer items for the diabetes patients that help them in selecting foods for a healthy meal plan.

Food guides, food labels for identifying the food choice, information about dietary supplements, what foods to be used by the weight loss seeking people, are available in plenty in the health market concerning diabetes.

Diabetes is a serious type of disease, often warranting utmost care, for many of its ‘tribesmen’. Its valiant supporters are waiting in the wings to attack and overpower you! To name a few of them: Heart diseases, certain types of cancer and osteoporosis. These diseases believe in giving two types of punishments to the diabetes patient-serious types of disability and death.

So, the diabetes patients need to be fully armed with complete information about diabetes, their present state of health and lay down for themselves, unassailable rules for living. Your paramount aim should be to maintain an optimum, healthy weight. Secondly, don’t be lazy, lying down on the couch, relaxing on the bed. This extra rest that you are forcing on yourself may ruin your health. As for the food, take plenty of fruits and vegetables. Let sprouted pulses be the part of your diet. You must have the up-to-date nutrition information based on the latest research reports. I presume you must be getting a news letter from a diabetic association of which you are a member.

So you would have heard of hypoglycemia.

But what exactly is it? What can cause it? And more importantly, how do you treat it?

If you’re diabetic or live with a loved one who has been diagnosed with diabetes, then you should have a basic understanding about what causes low blood sugar levels, or hypoglycaemia, and what to do about it.

If someone has been diagnosed with diabetes type 2 and is on no medications, then the likelihood of hypoglycaemia is low.

But if you’re a diabetic on treatment, then read this article to find out the important facts about hypoglycaemia.

What is the effect of hypoglycaemia?

The symptoms of low blood sugar are divided into two groups.

1. Symptoms caused by the release of epinephrine (adrenaline) by the body, in response to the low sugar level.

The symptoms as a result of this are sweating, trembling, palpitations, nervousness, hunger and craving for food.

2. Symptoms related to the brain not getting enough of its fuel: glucose. The symptoms caused by this are difficulty thinking, headache, change in behaviour, drowsiness, loss of consciousness, seizures and even coma.

What causes low blood sugar levels?

The most common situation in which low glucose levels occur is in diabetics, especially type 1 diabetics. It is due to situations where there’s too much insulin given in relation to the situation at hand.

For example, if insulin is given but the meal is skipped or delayed too long, or if the dose of insulin is too large. It can also occur during excessive exercise

For type 2 diabetics, hypoglycaemia can occur when too much oral diabetic medications are taken.

What is the treatment for hypoglycaemia?

If someone has suspected hypoglycaemia and is awake and alert, that person should raise their blood sugar by drinking a sweet drink that contains sugar, not artificial sweetener as this will not work.

As well, he or she should eat a longer lasting carbohydrate such as bread or pasta as well, to maintain the blood sugar level for a longer period of time.

If there’s any doubt that the person is improving rapidly, or if you’re not sure of why the episode occurred, you should seek medical help immediately.

If someone is becoming drowsy and losing consciousness, then basic first aid applies and you should call the ambulance.

Always seek the advice of your doctor to figure out why the episode happened, and to see if it can be prevented in future, and medic alert bracelets should be considered also.

It is also a good idea to avoid repeated episodes of hypoglycaemia as this can desensitise the person to the symptoms and not cause any of the symptoms produced by the adrenaline release and therefore there may be no warning before an episode of low glucose levels.

In conclusion, know the causes and treatments for hypoglycaemia and ensure that your diabetes and glucose levels are well controlled, including monitoring with your blood glucose meter or monitor, to avoid these episodes from occurring.

So now that you know, make sure that others who live with someone with diabetes also knows.

Keep great control of your blood glucose levels, and at the same time, be aware of how to avoid excessively low levels as well.