A Beginners Guide to Insulin Use For Diabetes Sufferers
>> Wednesday, August 10, 2011
You just received the revelation that your physician is adding insulin to your diabetes treatment plan. The utilisation of insulin to govern your diabetes can be confusing and threatening. It doesn't have to be. Using insulin is a positive experience as it helps you to control 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 nothing to be afraid of, even for folk that are afraid of needles. Advanced technology has made the needles so little and thin the insulin injection isn't felt. Used properly together with your meal plan and exercise, insulin can offer you fantastic control.
There are many different guides on the way to self administer an insulin injection, so this subject will not be covered in this guide. The basics of using insulin are straightforward, and need awareness of how insulin works which your health practitioner should explain to you. Insulin use also needs knowledge of insulin delivery methods, and insulin supplies that will aid in making your life with insulin a breeze.
Insulin delivery
Insulin delivery methods are a matter of need and choice. Insulin users that have insulin pumps as their delivery method have much different axioms that will not be covered here. The focus of insulin delivery techniques for this paper will be on syringes, insulin pens, jet injectors and breathed insulin.
Dosage amount and syringe size
Insulin syringes and needles come in various sizes. The amount of your insulin dose determines the scale of the syringe that you're going to need to use. If you are taking 30 units or less, a 3/10 cc (30 unit) syringe will work. If you're taking 31 to 50 units, 1/2 cc syringe (50 unit) will be needed. If your dose is 51 units or more, a 1 cc (100 unit) syringe will be required. The needle sizes change for each syringe size. Syringes could be purchased from a chemist.
Insulin syringes are throwaway, and should be discarded after one use. A bio hazardous container such as a sharps container will be wanted to hold dropped syringes. These containers can be had from some waste disposal services, and may acquired from any pharmacy. Disposal of sharps containers requires special handling. Your GP, diabetes educator, or drugstore should be able to tell you where sharps can be disposed of in your neighborhood.
Insulin Vials
Liquid insulin comes in vials and insulin pens. Vials are placed in the fridge till use, and are discarded after the insulin is utilized up, or after 28 days, whichever comes first. Vials hold assorted amounts of insulin depending on the brand. Insulin is drawn up into the syringe from the vial and can be injected into one or two areas of the body, customarily the thigh or stomach. Most sorts 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 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 tiny stream of insulin through the skin by using a mechanism that creates high-pressure air. The injector does not utilise 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 highly regarded among insulin users due to bruising and other considerations.
Breathed 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 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 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 an element of your treatment plan. Debate with your GP which insulin delivery method is the best for you, and start on the way to better diabetes control.
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 nothing to be afraid of, even for folk that are afraid of needles. Advanced technology has made the needles so little and thin the insulin injection isn't felt. Used properly together with your meal plan and exercise, insulin can offer you fantastic control.
There are many different guides on the way to self administer an insulin injection, so this subject will not be covered in this guide. The basics of using insulin are straightforward, and need awareness of how insulin works which your health practitioner should explain to you. Insulin use also needs knowledge of insulin delivery methods, and insulin supplies that will aid in making your life with insulin a breeze.
Insulin delivery
Insulin delivery methods are a matter of need and choice. Insulin users that have insulin pumps as their delivery method have much different axioms that will not be covered here. The focus of insulin delivery techniques for this paper will be on syringes, insulin pens, jet injectors and breathed insulin.
Dosage amount and syringe size
Insulin syringes and needles come in various sizes. The amount of your insulin dose determines the scale of the syringe that you're going to need to use. If you are taking 30 units or less, a 3/10 cc (30 unit) syringe will work. If you're taking 31 to 50 units, 1/2 cc syringe (50 unit) will be needed. If your dose is 51 units or more, a 1 cc (100 unit) syringe will be required. The needle sizes change for each syringe size. Syringes could be purchased from a chemist.
Insulin syringes are throwaway, and should be discarded after one use. A bio hazardous container such as a sharps container will be wanted to hold dropped syringes. These containers can be had from some waste disposal services, and may acquired from any pharmacy. Disposal of sharps containers requires special handling. Your GP, diabetes educator, or drugstore should be able to tell you where sharps can be disposed of in your neighborhood.
Insulin Vials
Liquid insulin comes in vials and insulin pens. Vials are placed in the fridge till use, and are discarded after the insulin is utilized up, or after 28 days, whichever comes first. Vials hold assorted amounts of insulin depending on the brand. Insulin is drawn up into the syringe from the vial and can be injected into one or two areas of the body, customarily the thigh or stomach. Most sorts 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 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 tiny stream of insulin through the skin by using a mechanism that creates high-pressure air. The injector does not utilise 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 highly regarded among insulin users due to bruising and other considerations.
Breathed 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 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 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 an element of your treatment plan. Debate with your GP which insulin delivery method is the best for you, and start on the way 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 pros and individuals. Post Medical offers answers to guarantee that patients with diabetes have a secure way of diabetic needle disposal to help answer the growing pandemic of needles as a community health jeopardy.
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