A Guide to Insulin Use For Diabetics

August 10, 2011 | Author: Matthew Walker | Posted in Diabetes

You simply received the announcement that your doctor is adding insulin to your diabetes treatment plan. The utilising of insulin to manage your diabetes can cause confusion and intimidating. It does not have to be. Using insulin is a positive experience because it helps you to manage your diabetes.

The first thing to remember is that insulin isn't a punishment in any form. If you are using insulin, it's because insulin is absent from your body, or your body still makes insulin but it isn't enough. Sometimes oral meds are not working, so insulin is added to your treatment plan. Your health practitioner will discuss your dosing necessities 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 systems are a matter of need and choice. Insulin users that have insulin pumps as their delivery technique have very dissimilar guiding principles that will not be covered here. The focus of insulin delivery methods for this text will be on syringes, insulin pens, jet injectors and breathed insulin.

Dose amount and syringe size

Insulin syringes and needles come in different sizes. The quantity of your insulin dose establishes the size of the syringe that you are going to 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 obligatory. The needle sizes vary for each syringe size. Syringes may be bought from a drugstore.

Insulin syringes are disposable, and will be dropped after one use. A bio dangerous container like a sharps container will be needed to hold discarded syringes. These boxes can be acquired from some waste disposal services, and may bought from any dispensary. Disposal of sharps containers needs special handling. Your doctor, diabetes teacher, or pharmacy should be well placed to tell you where sharps can be discarded in your area.

Insulin Vials

Liquid insulin comes in vials and insulin pens. Vials are stockpiled in the refrigerator until use, and are dropped after the insulin is used up, or after 28 days, whichever comes first. Vials hold various amounts of insulin dependent on the brand. Insulin is drawn up into the syringe from the vial and can be injected into several areas of the body, typically the thigh or abdomen. Most varieties of insulin need 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 numerous sizes. Insulin doses are dialed on the pen in one half and one unit increments depending on the type of pen used. The results of dosing by pen is less dosing errors. Insulin pens are handy, and permit straightforward dosing for folks on a tight schedule. Pens are also circumspect. It is not advised that pen needles be used frequently 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 which falls into the insulin pen category is named the InnoLet. This device looks like a kitchen timer with a big dial. The InnoLet holds 300 units of insulin and is very handy for folk with visual problems.

Jet Injectors

Jet injectors release a miniscule stream of insulin through the skin by utilizing a mechanism that creates hi-pressure air. The injector does not employ a needle. After the insulin dose is loaded into the injector, the injector is placed against the skin and a button is pressed to release the insulin into the skin. Jet injectors aren't very hot among insulin users due to bruising and other factors.

Inhaled Insulin

Exubera, the only insulin that's inhaled, was given approval to be used by the FDA in Jan of 2006. Your GP will counsel you if breathed insulin is an alternative for you to use to treat your diabetes. Exubera comes packed as a dry powder in blister packs, and the packs are loaded into an inhaler. The insulin is inhaled into the lungs. This strategy of insulin delivery has some restrictions that should be discussed with your doctor.

Diabetes supplies

After you choose which insulin delivery method you will be using, a carry case will be needed to carry your insulin, meter and other mandatory items, for example sharps containers. A mess of diabetes products are on the market to accommodate your requirements. Choosing the best products will make the time that you spend on diabetes management more profitable. The simplest way to find diabetes products is to search for them online, or look in diabetes magazines.

It's vital for insulin users to carry a meter and glucose pills at every point. Insulin can cause “lows” which can lead to unconsciousness if not treated promptly. Insulin users also have to test more often 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.

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.

Author: Matthew Walker

This author has published 8 articles so far. More info about the author is coming soon.

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