Wednesday, August 10, 2011
A Beginners Guide to Insulin Use For Diabetes Patients
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 nada to be terrified of, even for people that are alarmed of needles. Leading edge technology has made the needles so small and thin that the insulin injection is never felt. Used correctly in conjunction with your meal plan and exercise, insulin can give you wonderful 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.
Dosage 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 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 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 a handy technique to administer insulin. An insulin pen looks like an oversized ink pen, and uses throwaway needles. There are two differing types of pens. One type is prefilled with 300 units of insulin. The prefilled pen is discarded after the insulin is utilized up or after 28 days, the same as for vials. The other type uses insulin cartridges, and the cartridges are modified using the same schedule that is used for prefilled pens. Insulin pens are not refrigerated after the 1st 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 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.
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 that you have the insulin basics, you ought to be confident that you can use insulin proficiently and painlessly as part of your treatment plan. Discuss with your doctor which insulin delivery strategy is best for you, and start on the path 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 nada to be terrified of, even for people that are alarmed of needles. Leading edge technology has made the needles so small and thin that the insulin injection is never felt. Used correctly in conjunction with your meal plan and exercise, insulin can give you wonderful 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.
Dosage 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 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 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 a handy technique to administer insulin. An insulin pen looks like an oversized ink pen, and uses throwaway needles. There are two differing types of pens. One type is prefilled with 300 units of insulin. The prefilled pen is discarded after the insulin is utilized up or after 28 days, the same as for vials. The other type uses insulin cartridges, and the cartridges are modified using the same schedule that is used for prefilled pens. Insulin pens are not refrigerated after the 1st 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 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.
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 that you have the insulin basics, you ought to be confident that you can use insulin proficiently and painlessly as part of your treatment plan. Discuss with your doctor which insulin delivery strategy is best for you, and start on the path 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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