15 Popular Diabetes Myths That Might Affect Your Health Too (Part. II)
Myth #10: Everyone with diabetes needs to take insulin
Fact: While insulin therapy is one of the most common treatments to manage diabetes, not every patient diagnosed with this condition needs it.
What is insulin, after all? Normally, this hormone is produced by your pancreas as it allows you to use glucose for energy. In people with type 1 diabetes, their pancreas produces little to no insulin at all, so they need to inject it from external sources. Those with type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, may become resistant to the normal effect of insulin, in which case they need to increase their insulin intake to regulate blood sugar levels.
Now, Dr. Rodriguez points out that not every patient with type 2 diabetes ends up needing insulin; some may be able to live a normal life just by taking certain medication along with adopting a healthier lifestyle.
RELATED: 12 Diabetes Complications You May Have Without Knowing
Myth #11: You will need dialysis
Fact: Only people whose diabetes damages major kidney functions will need dialysis.
Dialysis is a medical treatment which fulfills certain functions usually done by healthy kidneys. This procedure is requested when a person’s kidneys fail to function properly, which can affect the functionality of other organs as well.
People with diabetes have a higher risk of developing end stage kidney failure. Why? Because blood sugar fluctuations can damage sensitive blood vessels in the kidneys, which mean they’ll no longer be able to filter blood properly.
However, if you manage your condition and respect your doctor’s recommendation, it’s very unlikely to get to that stage.
Myth #12: You will lose vision
Fact: This is not a certainty you should fear all the time; however, it’s important that you have your vision checked annually.
When blood sugar levels are dangerously high, they can cause irreparable damage to the retina (the back wall of your eyes). This can lead to complete vision loss in time.
Unfortunately, diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause of blindness in people with diabetes. Since the condition has no symptoms either, it’s crucial that you get an annual vision checkup.
However, if you keep your blood sugar levels within the normal range, there’s usually no reason to worry about this aspect.
