Conventional Therapy
Conventional insulin injection therapy requires a strict daily schedule to keep glucose levels at the right level. This means not only taking the same doses of insulin at the same times every day, but also eating and exercising at the same levels at the same times each day.
It typically requires a mixture of short-acting insulin (to cover breakfast and dinner) and intermediate-acting insulin (to regulate glucose between meals and at night). The types of insulin you take, the number of injections and doses are all dependent on what, when and how much you eat, as well as how active you are.
Advantages:
- Two injections a day
- Doses are fixed (no calculations)
Disadvantages:
- Can't vary from treatment
- Reduced control of glucose levels
- No flexibility in diet
- Greater risk of extreme high or low glucose levels
- 4-5 fingersticks a day
