Diabetes Pills and Insulin
- Diabetes pills are used by people with type 2 diabetes.
- The main treatment for type 2 diabetes is meal planning and exercise.
- Diabetes pills may be added to the treatment plan when meal planning and exercise don't control the blood glucose.
- Your physician may stop your medication if you lose weight and no longer need the medication.
- Diabetes pills are not insulin. Insulin cannot be given by mouth.
- Sometimes different pills are combined with each other or combined with insulin to better control the blood glucose.
- Pregnant women should not take diabetes pills.
About Insulin
- All people with type 1 diabetes must take insulin since their pancreas does not make insulin.
- Some people with type 2 diabetes need insulin.
- Women with gestational diabetes may need insulin.
- Insulin lowers the blood glucose by moving glucose from the blood stream into the body cells.
- Insulin cannot be taken by mouth - it must be taken by an injection.
- Insulin is usually injected into fat tissue.
Insulin is injected in the layer of fat (subcutaneous) just below the skin. There are 4 main sites that can be used for injecting insulin: they are the abdomen (the preferred site), the back of the upper arm, the front and upper outside of the thigh, and the upper and outside part of the buttocks.
