The Dreaded Insulin Pen

This post may be long since it’s the first one in this series. I plan on doing an update every Friday.

Diabetes is a very serious disease. It can lead to blindness, kidney disease/failure, neuropathy, and other complications. The key to preventing these complications is to keep blood sugar at the proper levels.

Every night, I give myself an insulin shot. This is an extended release insulin that lasts all day. At this point, I don’t have to take the shots at every meal like many diabetics do. I DON’T want to go there. I also take a medicine called metformin twice a day. In addition to these medicines for diabetes, I take a blood pressure pill and a cholesterol pill every day. This is my life right now. I’m keeping my blood sugar under control, but I hate that shot every night.

So, here’s the deal. My goal is to be completely off insulin by the end of 2015. I plan to do this by losing the weight I need to lose. In doing this, I might also be able to get off the blood pressure meds. Maybe even the cholesterol meds. This is going to take a lot of work. Exercise, self-control when eating, etc. Losing weight is the best way to get your pancreas to start working properly again. And that’s what I’m going to do, if at all possible.

There’s always the possibility that this won’t work. I might be on insulin for the rest of my life. But I’ve seen many people lose the weight and get off insulin. I’m going to try with all my heart.

This hasn’t been a full week because I just started this on Monday. But I want to weigh in on Fridays, so I’m going to have a five day week the first time. That’s okay, because I’ve already lost 6 lbs. 🙂 I know a lot of that is water weight because it’s impossible for someone to lose 6 lbs. of fat in 5 days. But I’ll take it.

If anyone wants to join me, please feel free to comment with your goals and accomplishments. Even if you don’t have diabetes, that’s fine. Many people still want to be healthier. Exercise, eating better, and losing weight can prevent or reverse all kinds of health problems. If you just want to lurk and say nothing, that’s okay, too. But, please, at least click the “like” button, because I want to know you’ve been here. And, if you don’t have any health or weight problems, I would love to have some cheerleaders, especially when I’m feeling down about this whole thing. Because I know that’s going to happen. It’s normal.

So I’m taking the plunge to be a better me both inside and out. Wish me luck! And those of you who pray, I need that, too!