If you suffer from Type II diabetes mellitus or Type I diabetes, it means that your body cannot balance the glucose sugar intake with the correct level of insulin, a substance normally produced by the pancreas. Type I diabetes is called "insulin-dependent" because the body produces little or no insulin, meaning you need to get the needed amount into your body. Type II diabetes, which most often occurs in older people, may mean there is an imbalance in your insulin to sugar ratio. Both of these forms of the disease are treatable, but not curable.
Insulin
All Type I diabetes sufferers and some people with Type II must use insulin to keep their balance of sugar and insulin level. Insulin typically is injected, either through regular shots with a needle, or through metered-dose releases of it through an insulin pump. There are essentially four groups of insulin types used for diabetes treatment, the Mayo Clinic reports. Rapid-acting insulin, such as insulin aspart, insulin glulisine and insulin lispro, produce their needed effects quickly---usually in 15 minutes---but they also wear off quickly, usually in two to five hours. Short-acting insulin, such as insulin regular, takes between 30 minutes to an hour to become effective, but lasts three to eight hours. Intermediate-acting insulin, such as insulin NPH human, begins to take effect in one to four hours and lasts 12 to 18 hours. Long-acting insulin, such as insulin glargine and insulin detemir, may not reach full effect for 10 hours, but then may last a full 24 hours. Most of the side effects associated with insulin that are common and temporary take place on your skin at the site of injection, such as swelling, thickening and reddening of the skin. However, the wrong dose can send glucose levels too low, which can be a serious problem. For that reason, monitoring can give you needed information about your sugar levels.
Metformin
The medication known generically as metformin, the Mayo Clinic states, is the most common first line of attack for newly diagnosed Type II diabetes sufferers. The National Institutes of Health states metformin works to balance sugar-to-insulin levels by both decreasing how much glucose is formed by the liver, as well as preventing the body from keeping too much sugar from the food you eat. The Mayo Clinic also reports that, over time, metformin may lose its full effectiveness in your body. For this reason, your doctor may either change your medication or may prescribe a new drug that is a combination of metformin and some other diabetes medicine. Side effects may include temporary appetite loss, flatulence, vomiting and weight loss. These are classified as non-serious and, for most people, go away in a few days or a week after they start taking metformin.
Glyburide
Glyburide, which is a sulfonylurea medicine, works by making the pancreas produce more insulin and releasing it into the body. This counteracts high glucose levels in the blood stream. For this reason, glyburide may be taken in combination with metformin, which affects sugar levels, as the brand-name drug Glucovance. It also may be taken alone. The most common, non-serious side effects of glyburide alone include heartburn, bloating and nausea when you first take it, Drugs.com reports.
