A Guide to Insulin Use For Diabetics
You just received the news that your health practitioner is adding insulin to your diabetes treatment plan. The use of insulin to control your diabetes can often be a little puzzling and menacing. It doesn't have to be. Using insulin is a positive experience as it helps you to control your diabetes.
The very first thing to recollect is that insulin is not a punishment in any form. If you're using insulin, it is because insulin is absent from your body, or your body still makes insulin but it's not enough. Occasionally oral meds are now not working, so insulin is added to your treatment plan. Your GP will debate your dosing requirements with you.
Insulin injections are zip to be scared of, even for folks that are fearful of needles. Modern technology has made the needles so tiny and thin the insulin injection is rarely felt. Used properly together with your meal plan and exercise, insulin can provide you with excellent control.
There are several different guides on how to self administer an insulin injection, so this topic won't be covered in this guide. The fundamentals of using insulin are easy, and require understanding of how insulin works which your GP should explain to you. Insulin use also requires understanding of insulin delivery systems, and insulin supplies which will help in making your life with insulin a breeze.
Insulin delivery
Insulin delivery techniques are a matter of need and choice. Insulin users that have insulin pumps as their delivery system have very different guidelines that won't be covered here. The focus of insulin delivery systems for this article will be on syringes, insulin pens, jet injectors and inhaled insulin.
Dose amount and syringe size
Insulin syringes and needles come in numerous sizes. The quantity of your insulin dose decides the dimensions of the syringe that you will need to use. If you're taking 30 units or less, a 3/10 cc (30 unit) syringe will work. If you are taking 31 to 50 units, 1/2 cc syringe (50 unit) will be required. If your dose is 51 units or even more, a 1 cc (100 unit) syringe will be necessary. The needle sizes alter for each syringe size. Syringes might be acquired from a pharmacy.
Insulin syringes are dispensable, and may be discarded after one use. A bio unsafe container such as a sharps container will be wanted to hold dropped syringes. These containers can be obtained from some waste disposal services, and may purchased from any chemist. Disposal of sharps containers requires special handling. Your health practitioner, diabetes educator, or dispensary should be in a position to tell you where sharps can be dumped in your neighborhood.
Insulin Vials
Liquid insulin comes in vials and insulin pens. Vials are stored in the chiller till use, and are discarded after the insulin is employed up, or after 28 days, whichever comes first. Vials hold varied amounts of insulin depending on the brand. Insulin is drawn up into the syringe from the vial and can be injected into 1 or 2 areas of the body, usually the thigh or stomach. Most types of insulin require a prescription.
Insulin pens
Insulin pens are an effective way to administer insulin. An insulin pen looks rather like an outsized ink pen, and uses dispensable needles. There are 2 different types of pens. One type is prefilled with 300 units of insulin. The prefilled pen is dropped after the insulin is employed up or after 28 days, the same as for vials. The other type uses insulin cartridges, and the cartridges are changed employing the same schedule that is utilised for prefilled pens. Insulin pens aren't cooled after the first use.
Needles for the insulin pens come in several sizes. Insulin doses are dialed on the pen in one-half and one unit increments depending on the sort of pen used. The results of dosing by pen is less dosing mess ups. Insulin pens are handy, and permit easy dosing for people on a busy schedule. Pens are also discreet. It isn't recommended that pen needles be used more than once for the same reasons that syringes should not be reused; bacteria and possible infection. Pen needles should be dropped in a sharps container.
Another insulin delivery device that falls into the insulin pen class is called the InnoLet. This device is like a kitchen timer with a gigantic dial. The InnoLet holds 300 units of insulin and is really convenient for folks with visible difficulties.
Jet Injectors
Jet injectors release a small stream of insulin thru the skin by employing a mechanism that creates high pressure air. The injector doesn't use a needle. After the insulin dose is loaded into the injector, the injector is placed against the skin and a button is pushed to release the insulin into the skin. Jet injectors are not very popular among insulin users due to bruising and other things.
Inhaled Insulin
Exubera, the sole insulin that is breathed, received approval for use by the FDA in January of 2006. Your doctor will advise you if inhaled insulin is an alternative for you to use to treat your diabetes. Exubera comes packaged as a dry powder in blister packs, and the packs are loaded into an inhaler. The insulin is breathed into the lungs. This method of insulin delivery has some limitations that should be debated with your GP.
Diabetes supplies
After you pick which insulin delivery technique you will be using, a carry case will be needed to carry your insulin, meter and other obligatory items,eg sharps containers. A multitude of diabetes products are on the market to accommodate your needs. Selecting the best products will make the time that you spend on diabetes management more profitable. The most effective way to find diabetes products is to go looking for them online, or look in diabetes magazines.
It is important for insulin users to carry a meter and glucose capsules at all points. Insulin could cause "lows" which can cause unconsciousness if not treated swiftly. Insulin users also need to test more frequently than non-insulin users.
Now you have the insulin basics, you should be assured you can use insulin proficiently and painlessly as a part of your treatment plan. Debate with your physician which insulin delivery methodology is the best for you, and start on the road to better diabetes control.
The very first thing to recollect is that insulin is not a punishment in any form. If you're using insulin, it is because insulin is absent from your body, or your body still makes insulin but it's not enough. Occasionally oral meds are now not working, so insulin is added to your treatment plan. Your GP will debate your dosing requirements with you.
Insulin injections are zip to be scared of, even for folks that are fearful of needles. Modern technology has made the needles so tiny and thin the insulin injection is rarely felt. Used properly together with your meal plan and exercise, insulin can provide you with excellent control.
There are several different guides on how to self administer an insulin injection, so this topic won't be covered in this guide. The fundamentals of using insulin are easy, and require understanding of how insulin works which your GP should explain to you. Insulin use also requires understanding of insulin delivery systems, and insulin supplies which will help in making your life with insulin a breeze.
Insulin delivery
Insulin delivery techniques are a matter of need and choice. Insulin users that have insulin pumps as their delivery system have very different guidelines that won't be covered here. The focus of insulin delivery systems for this article will be on syringes, insulin pens, jet injectors and inhaled insulin.
Dose amount and syringe size
Insulin syringes and needles come in numerous sizes. The quantity of your insulin dose decides the dimensions of the syringe that you will need to use. If you're taking 30 units or less, a 3/10 cc (30 unit) syringe will work. If you are taking 31 to 50 units, 1/2 cc syringe (50 unit) will be required. If your dose is 51 units or even more, a 1 cc (100 unit) syringe will be necessary. The needle sizes alter for each syringe size. Syringes might be acquired from a pharmacy.
Insulin syringes are dispensable, and may be discarded after one use. A bio unsafe container such as a sharps container will be wanted to hold dropped syringes. These containers can be obtained from some waste disposal services, and may purchased from any chemist. Disposal of sharps containers requires special handling. Your health practitioner, diabetes educator, or dispensary should be in a position to tell you where sharps can be dumped in your neighborhood.
Insulin Vials
Liquid insulin comes in vials and insulin pens. Vials are stored in the chiller till use, and are discarded after the insulin is employed up, or after 28 days, whichever comes first. Vials hold varied amounts of insulin depending on the brand. Insulin is drawn up into the syringe from the vial and can be injected into 1 or 2 areas of the body, usually the thigh or stomach. Most types of insulin require a prescription.
Insulin pens
Insulin pens are an effective way to administer insulin. An insulin pen looks rather like an outsized ink pen, and uses dispensable needles. There are 2 different types of pens. One type is prefilled with 300 units of insulin. The prefilled pen is dropped after the insulin is employed up or after 28 days, the same as for vials. The other type uses insulin cartridges, and the cartridges are changed employing the same schedule that is utilised for prefilled pens. Insulin pens aren't cooled after the first use.
Needles for the insulin pens come in several sizes. Insulin doses are dialed on the pen in one-half and one unit increments depending on the sort of pen used. The results of dosing by pen is less dosing mess ups. Insulin pens are handy, and permit easy dosing for people on a busy schedule. Pens are also discreet. It isn't recommended that pen needles be used more than once for the same reasons that syringes should not be reused; bacteria and possible infection. Pen needles should be dropped in a sharps container.
Another insulin delivery device that falls into the insulin pen class is called the InnoLet. This device is like a kitchen timer with a gigantic dial. The InnoLet holds 300 units of insulin and is really convenient for folks with visible difficulties.
Jet Injectors
Jet injectors release a small stream of insulin thru the skin by employing a mechanism that creates high pressure air. The injector doesn't use a needle. After the insulin dose is loaded into the injector, the injector is placed against the skin and a button is pushed to release the insulin into the skin. Jet injectors are not very popular among insulin users due to bruising and other things.
Inhaled Insulin
Exubera, the sole insulin that is breathed, received approval for use by the FDA in January of 2006. Your doctor will advise you if inhaled insulin is an alternative for you to use to treat your diabetes. Exubera comes packaged as a dry powder in blister packs, and the packs are loaded into an inhaler. The insulin is breathed into the lungs. This method of insulin delivery has some limitations that should be debated with your GP.
Diabetes supplies
After you pick which insulin delivery technique you will be using, a carry case will be needed to carry your insulin, meter and other obligatory items,eg sharps containers. A multitude of diabetes products are on the market to accommodate your needs. Selecting the best products will make the time that you spend on diabetes management more profitable. The most effective way to find diabetes products is to go looking for them online, or look in diabetes magazines.
It is important for insulin users to carry a meter and glucose capsules at all points. Insulin could cause "lows" which can cause unconsciousness if not treated swiftly. Insulin users also need to test more frequently than non-insulin users.
Now you have the insulin basics, you should be assured you can use insulin proficiently and painlessly as a part of your treatment plan. Debate with your physician which insulin delivery methodology is the best for you, and start on the road to better diabetes control.
About the Author:
Post Medical has been serving patients and the medical 1 since 1982. The firm provides safe and cutting edge sharps containers and solutions for the disposal of sharps for execs and people. Post Medical offers solutions to ensure that patients with diabetes have a secure way of diabetic needle disposal to help answer the growing epidemic of needles as a community health danger.
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