What are the problems that some people experience with ‘human’ insulin?
The most common complaint from people who have problems with ‘human’ insulin is loss or partial loss of warning symptoms of an impending hypo and an increase in the numbers of hypos. This is also confirmed by the information in the leaflet inside packs of ‘human‘ insulin. IDDT has received reports from people with diabetes and their families in many countries and the greatest concern for them about ‘human’ insulin is hypo unawareness. Hypoglycaemic unawareness is an unsafe condition that can lead to severe hypoglycaemia resulting in unusual, irrational or violent behaviour, coma and seizures. A survey carried out by IDDT in the UK showed that the difficulties for this group of people experienced were as follows: • 41% – loss of warnings of hypos or ‘I seem to function on automatic pilot’. • 34% – extreme tiredness or lethargy • 9% – sleeping all the time • 32% – weight increase of 1.5 stones and above • 28% – feeling unwell all the time • 24% – memory loss or confusion • 9% – blood glu
