Category: Insulin

Insulatard insulin is designed with a long-acting agent. Usually an individual will take this medication with a fast-acting agent. Before mixing medication, ask a medical professional on the correct directions and follow them closely. The Insulatard insulin is designed in pen, cartridge as well as vial forms. This method will allow an individual to choose the most convenient style for their needs.

A medicine of this nature is perfect for individuals that have type 1 diabetes as well as those people that require insulin intake with the type 2 diabetes. This medication will begin working around 1 and 1/2 hours after the initial injection, which will keep working in the system for up to 24 hours. An individual will need to mix this insulin with a faster-acting agent around meal time to control the jump in glucose levels.

There is certain information that a person will need to understand before beginning this treatment. A doctor will explain everything that an individual will need to know in detail. If any questions of concerns about the current insulin that a person is taking, contact the physician immediately. It is always a good idea to follow all directions and instruction on lifestyle changes and medication doses. The following is information that a person needs to be aware of:

1. Other medications can destroy a person’s insulin intake. When an individual is taking over-the-counter pills, vitamins or herbs, they need to communication this with their medical care provider. The dose of the Insulatard insulin may need to be higher or lower than originally prescribed.
2. Insulin is designed to lower blood sugar levels. If an individual is having warning signs of low glucose, do not take this or any other insulin. Instead, eat a piece of hard candy and check the levels with a tester. If after 30 minutes the levels are still rather low, medical assistance may be required.
3. Allergic reactions are rare, however they may happen. At the injection site, carefully inspect the area. If redness, swelling or discomfort is present try a new place to inject the insulin. When the symptoms persist for more than a few days or the redness moves around the area, contact the physician right away. An infection may be starting. When the body’s system has an allergic reaction, this is more severe. Difficulty breathing, dizziness spells or a rapid heart rate are present, seek medical assistance immediately.
4. Diet and exercise regiments can play a large part in the dose of the Insulatard medication. If a person begins a steady routine, this needs to be discussed with their doctor. A certain lifestyle of careful eating and working out is important to maintain a healthy body. However, the insulin dose needs to be designed around this activity.
5. Never under any circumstances inject a form on insulin into the vein. It is always injected under the skin, usually in the fleshiest part of the body.
6. If a person uses the same part of their body each time to inject themselves, thickness of the skin as well as calluses may form. It is suggested to use different parts throughout the day or even week.
7. When a person is sick with stomach issues or a fever, the dose of insulin may need to be reduced or enhanced. If an individual is feeling ill, they need to talk with their doctor right away to get the information they need to proceed with the medication. There are certain aspects of being ill that may change the insulin dose, these can be sleeping too much, not completing the exercise regiment as well as not eating as much.

Apidra is designed for a rapid action release. When a medical care provider prescribes this medication, more than likely they will also give the patient a longer acting insulin as well. A person could also use this medication with insulin pump therapy. This method will be discussed with an individual’s doctor for the best course of action for an individual. This type of medication is created for an individual with type 1 as well as type 2 diabetes. An individual should take this medication about 15 minutes before a meal to ensure that the glucose levels are controlled.

There have been extensive studies on the Apidra insulin. Adults with both forms of diabetes were watched to a great extent for a 26-week period. They were also watched for a period of 12-weeks in addition with the use of an insulin pump. The findings were incredible. The blood sugar levels decreased as time moved forward. The insulin pump assisted in individuals that did not desire to mix two medications together. However, the affects of the Apidra insulin was similar to the regular human insulin.

It is important to use this medication as directed. If an insulin pump is required, follow all the procedures that are presented. When mixing two types of insulin, be aware of all the steps to complete this process safely. An individual should never mix two different types of insulin without the consent of a doctor. A person could harm themselves if the correct medicine is not taken. The Apidra insulin can be administered through an injection under the skin, in a vein or through an insulin pump. An individual’s medical care provider will explain how to accomplish each goal effectively. When a person opens the box, an inspection should be done. The Apidra insulin should appear colorless and clear. If it is not or particles are apparent, discard and open another container. Do no freeze the insulin and store in a cool refrigerator away from a light source.

When an individual injects themselves with this insulin, the location should be different each time. A person can develop thickness of the skin or bumps. When using an insulin pump, it is suggested that the location is changed every 2 days. An individual may be able to use their needles more than once when they have the proper equipment. A person can find out more of this information through their doctor’s office.

A person is prescribed certain doses for their lifestyle needs. Do not change this dose without first discussing this matter with an individual’s physician. There are several reasons why a person may need to change their medication. An alteration in diet and exercise can be a cause for this matter. An individual that is taking specific medication may need to discuss different doses. Several styles of over-the-counter pills could interact with the prescription; even vitamins can give an adverse affect. When an individual has different medical needs to take care of like dental or a hospital visit, the personnel needs to be aware of a person’s diabetic condition.

Side effects can happen to anybody. Even though these are rare, a person needs to be aware of them.

1. Allergic reactions can be at the injection site or display inside an individual’s body. System reaction may require medical attention immediately. When an individual is experiencing a large rash that seems to be getting bigger, difficulty in breathing or a rapid heart rate, theses could all be signs of system trouble. If this is occurring, seek medical assistance right away. Redness, swelling or itching at the injection location may be mild. Switch injection locations and continue to watch the symptoms. If they persist, contact the doctor.
2. Low potassium is another side effect that may turn serious. It is important to ask the physician about this matter if it continues to be a problem.

Mixtard is designed for individual’s that would like a choice in their medication. This comes in pen, cartridge as well as vial formats. The insulin is a mixture of soluble and isophane insulin. Soluble insulin is a brief acting insulin created for quick results. This part of the Mixtard insulin begins working in less than an hour. The total period of time this solution lasts is around 8 hours. Isophane insulin portion is slower to react, however it lasts twice as long as the soluble portion. These two works together to form a quick action boost for a longer period of time than other styles of insulin. Usually, an individual will inject themselves around 30 minutes before they eat. This is to control the boost of glucose than an individual receives after a meal.

This form of insulin has been studied extensively. Patients with type 1 as well as type 2 diabetes have been under close supervision. After about 12 weeks, the findings were incredible. The Mixtard insulin decreased the amount of glucose in the system dramatically. Which proves that this mix of soluble and isophane insulin is a better alternative than regular insulin alone. The Committee for Medicinal products has agreed that the benefits of Mixtard insulin outweigh any negative risks that they medication may cause.

Information about the Mixtard insulin or general medication is important to understand before using this product. Any questions or concerns must be addressed to the medical care provider before a person begins. There are strict guidelines that an individual must follow for a healthy lifestyle when they have been diagnosed with diabetes.

1. Diet and exercise is an important lifestyle change that will assist in caring for the disease. Everyone must follow a plan designed for their health and lifestyle. The insulin dose that is prescribed is created around this plan of action. If any changes are made to this part of the lifestyle, it is vital to discuss them with the physician.
2. Other medications and alcohol can interact with the Mixtard insulin that is being prescribed. If over-the-counter medications are being consumed, even vitamins and minerals; discuss this with the doctor immediately. They can have a dire effect on the insulin dose. Alcohol is best left in the bottle. However, a drink now and then will be okay as long as a person drinks in moderation as well as with a meal. Liquor can drop an individual’s blood sugar level considerably.
3. Always inject Mixtard insulin directly under the skin. Insulin should never be injected into a vein.
4. It is vital to remember that all types of insulin is designed to lower blood sugar levels. If an individual is experiencing warning signs of low blood sugar, check this with a tester. Do not inject insulin if the range is lower than recommended. Instead, eat a piece of hard candy and test the sugar levels again after 30 minutes. If the glucose is still low, contact a health care provider right away.
5. Pregnancy and nursing is a problem that faces many women. There are no known issues with insulin and a pregnant mother. An individual in this condition needs to keep their blood sugar levels as stable as possible. This is important for the person as well as their baby. While nursing is different entirely. The insulin may be present in the mother’s milk. It is vital to ask the person’s doctor all the options that are available to keep mother as well as baby happy and healthy.

The Lantus insulin is a long acting agent, designed for up to 24 hours at a time, as well as an agent to control the blood sugar levels in the patient. This medication is produced from a form of human insulin. An individual that is prescribed this medication should not mix with any other insulin solutions. This type of insulin is usually prescribed for adults as well as children with type 1 diabetes and for adults with type 2 that need insulin along with their pills. The doctor will explain how the medicine should be administered. Nevertheless, the Lantus insulin is known for its one-a-day dose. To achieve the proper affects, the medicine should be taken approximately the same time each day. This insulin comes in vials as well as cartridges. Children as young as 6 years old can take this medication without diverse effects. However, children under the age of 6 have not been studied and should not be used. Discuss this medication with an individual’s doctor or the child’s physician.

It is vital that this medication is administered with an injection under the skin only. The Lantus insulin is too powerful to be pumped directly into the vein. Adverse affects could be devastating. The liquid needs to be clear and colorless. If this is not the case, discard and open a new package. All unopened packages should be placed in the refrigerator. After the package has been opened, refrigeration is an option. Nevertheless, keep the medication away from heat and light sources as well as in temperatures of less than 80 degrees. All needles and insulin should be kept out of reach from children and animals.

There is information that an individual must know before using the Lantus insulin. A person needs to discuss with their doctor questions or concerns before this medication is taken. The physician in charge of the patient will explain in detail everything they need to know before they begin.

1. It is important that the injection site is different every time. This is because the skin may begin to develop thickness or bumps. Changing the location will allow the skin to heal properly.
2. Diet and exercise is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle. An individual can discuss with their doctor or diabetes’s specialist with the proper regiment they should take. Every body is different and reacts to various routines. An individual needs to communicate their desires with the professional.
3. Side effects are rare but should not be taken lightly. Several long term effects can be present if the proper medical treatment is ignored. Allergic reactions are rare but the most common. A system reaction can be shortness of breath, rash, rapid heartbeat or dizziness. Seek a doctor right away if these are apparent. Redness, itchy skin or swelling at the injection site may be only temporary. If this problem lasts for a couple of days, make a doctors appointment right away. Any issues that seem to be unknown happen after an injection; a call to the doctor may be in order.
4. Do not reuse needles. These need to be disposed of properly. The medical care provider can explain exactly what needs to be done.
5. Do not take the Lantus insulin when low blood sugar is apparent. Test the levels frequently. If the glucose levels are under the recommended range, eat a piece of hard candy. Then wait 30 minutes and test again. If this has not helped, seek medical advice immediately.
6. Alcohol lowers an individual’s blood sugar immensely. It is important to get a doctors advice before consuming a liquor beverage.

Humulin L is also known in generic terms as insulin zinc. This form of insulin is used to treat diabetes mellitus (another way of saying diabetes). It works the same way as other forms of insulin. Insulin is considered a hormone that is originally made from your pancreas. When your pancreases fail to produce enough insulin to give you energy, your blood glucose level can get low. When this happens, you should get something sweet in your body immediately. Otherwise, your body could go into diabetic shock and ultimately, a coma.

The origin of Humulin comes from Ecoli bacteria that has been changed to make it presentable for human consumption in the body. This insulin contains a crystalline ingredient along with zinc. When administered, the combining ingredients act to provide insulin flow within a day’s time. This means it would take longer than usual for the insulin to take effect in your body. Of course, this depends on how much of the Humulin L insulin you intake. This insulin is considered sterile and should not be administered within the muscle areas.

Humulin L was originally derived from animal sources that included beef, pork and beef-pork. If a change was to be made in the dosage, you were to see your physician.

As with any insulin, you should check your bottle prior to using. Humulin L was being used; it was to be shaken up well so that the mixture would blend in with each other. You would know when the insulin was fully mixed because the insulin would have a cloudy or a milky look to it. It was not to be used if there was a white substance at the bottom after you mixed it. Checking the bottle was very crucial to whether or not you would take the insulin.

As with any other insulin, Humulin L was to be used the same way. You would administer it either once or twice a day with a needle and syringe. You would also make sure that you ate three meals a day with snacks in between. This would help to keep you blood sugar level stable. Also, as with any other insulin, exercise played a role in helping you to regain energy in your body.

If you were allergic to insulin zinc, you were advised not to administer Humulin L for yourself. Your physician would make the recommended changes.

Eventually, due to continuous upgrades in diabetic research and insulin, Humulin L was discontinued by their manufacturer, Elli Lilly. The company issued a statement via the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) that stated this particular brand of insulin would be no more. It seemed as though the demand for this insulin brand had decreased. Therefore, the company was losing money. Up until the time they were to set up the discontinuation, they would still have Humulin L insulin available to use.

They notified health care facilities, health care workers and related persons as they saw fit. The Humulin L insulin that once was faded into the sunset, never to return.

Humulin U was another form of insulin used in the earlier years. This insulin was manufactured the Elli Lilly Company. Humulin U was different than other insulin that was derived from animals. In fact, this insulin brand was created just like the insulin that your pancreas produced. This was due to the way Humulin U was manufactured.

Humulin U was derived from a specimen of Ecoli bacteria. This bacteria was changed so that the insulin could be produced for human injection in the body. There are crystalline ingredients along with zinc that are contained in the insulin. This brand of insulin worked slower than your normal insulin. Of course, with Humulin U, depending on the dosage, injection area and other factors, the time frame could increase or decrease. This insulin is sterile and should not be injected within the muscle area. Humulin U should not be used with an IV.

As with any brand of insulin, Humulin U had to be shaken up in order to be effective. You would know whether or not the insulin was good. You would get a cloudy or milky looking effect after shaking. If you saw white substance at the bottom, you were advised not to partake of the insulin. You weren’t supposed to use it if the bottle contained lumps in it. Prior to using on yourself, it was imperative to check the entire bottle.

In addition to using insulin, you were to make sure that you had three balanced meals a day. That included breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also, it was strongly recommended that you snack in between. Regular exercised played a part when using this insulin brand. Doing it on a regular basis provided more energy for your body.

As with any other insulin, Humulin U was to be stored in the refrigerator to keep it cold. The recommended temperature was 86 degrees or below. It was very important to have it kept away from light and heat. You were not allowed to use frozen insulin. Most importantly, it was not advantageous to use the Humulin U after it has expired.

Speaking of animals, would you believe that even dogs and cats could get diabetes? Well, they did and they were administered Humulin U as well.

After administering the insulin, it was advised that the syringe be discarded. It wasn’t a good thing to share someone’s syringe to inject insulin into your body. You were just setting yourself up for infection.

Eventually, as with other older brands of insulin, Humulin U was discontinued and taken off the market. Its manufacturer, Elli Lilly made the decision to stop making it. Since there were more advances in diabetes and insulin, they felt the Humulin U brand was starting to falter. Also, people didn’t seem to use it as much anymore. There were more treatments for diabetes made available.

The company advised everyone that needed to know and eventually Humulin U was history. Pet owners would have to find an alternative to administer to their cats and dogs. It was time for another insulin brand to emerge and take the place of Humulin U.

When Mixtard 70/30 came out, it was used to treat Type 1 and 2 Diabetes. Back then, it was called Type 1 and 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Mixtard 70/30 also was used for treating high blood sugar. The generic name for this medicine was Insulin NPH Regular, Pork-Pure. This meant that Mixtard 70’/30 was partially derived from a pork substance.

Even though this medicine may have been effective in the beginning, it wasn’t with out its side effects. The ones that most people were affected by were: severe weight gain, constant bouts with low levels of blood sugar and other side effects from the injections. There were other side effects that were just as serious that included retention of water and distributing fat that was out of the ordinary. The water retention itself was noticeable.

When using Mixtard 70/30, it was not advisable to take it along with other medications. If you took it with insulin, you could experience excess fluid in your body. This would affect your heart and could have caused additional problems like a heart attack or heart failure. It was advised to consult your physician prior to doing anything of the sort.

If you continued to experience side effects and other problems such as swelling, breathing problems or gaining weight quickly, you were advised to consult your physician immediately.

Because of the many health issues and other problems Mixtard 70/30 was causing, the drug was eventually discontinued by the (FDA) Federal Drug Administration. In its place came Novolin 70/30.

This new insulin drug would be the new savior for diabetes. Now it’s being used to provide additional insulin to your body because your pancreas have failed to produce normal amounts. Insulin is needed to produce energy in your body. If you don’t have enough, that’s where Novolin 70/30 comes in.

If Novolin 70/30 is new to you, your physician will advise you on how it should be administered. If you are taking other medications, you must advise him or her of same. That way, they can advise you of how you should administer your insulin. Since Novolin 70/30 is insulin, it should be administered as an injection.

Novolin 70/30 works to keep your body going with the additional insulin that you inject in your body. The insulin has to work extra hard to ensure that you have enough energy to get through the day. Because of this, you have to take extra steps so that you won’t get low blood sugar. That is a dangerous thing to have.

When taking Novolin 70/30, set aside times when you can snack on food. Don’t forget that you must still eat three balanced meals a day in between. You should also have a blood glucose meter available to check your blood glucose level. If it’s too low, you will want to eat something that has sugar in it.

Or you can drink a can of a carbonated drink that has sugar. Even though both will elevate your sugar level, the latter will elevate it quicker. That’s because it doesn’t have to take time and digest like sugary foods would.

Another thing you need to do when you’re taking Novolin 70/30 is to exercise. Exercise is the key to keep in shape. This is especially true for diabetics.

Novolin 70/30 is a godsend to those who need insulin to stay afloat. The Mixtard 70/30 has become a thing of the past.

Humalog 50/50 is an insulin drug that was made by man. When administered, it works quickly to distribute more insulin to your body. If you have bouts of high blood glucose levels, you would be getting this type of insulin. The Humalog Mix 50/50 is administered in one of two ways: syringe with a needle or insulin pens that ready contain insulin.

If you’re using the Humalog Mix 50/50, it should be used as directed by your physician. Going against that can throw your diabetes out of whack. This insulin is unique because once it’s administered in your body; it performs quicker than other insulin drugs with human insulin.

If you plan to eat, it is recommended that the Humalog Mix 50/50 is administered at least 15 minutes prior to eating. If you’re not going to eat, you can hold off on it until you do decide to eat. Then you can administer it using the 15 minutes prior to that.

Prior to injections, shake the Humalog Mix 50/50 if it’s in a vial. You should shake it until the mixture gets cloudy or milky. If you are using the insulin pen to administer it, you should follow the directions for that instrument. If your insulin solution has white substance at the bottom or you see clumps, refrain from using it and return to the place of purchase. Another important note is you should never mix the Humalog Mix 50/50 in a syringe with other insulin and it should never be stored in an insulin pump.

This insulin should be administered in the following areas of your body: your upper arm, leg, behind or stomach area (under the skin). The Humalog Mix 50/50 should never be administered in a muscle or a vein. You should not use the same area every time you administer this insulin drug.

There are some side effects to taking this insulin drug. They include having the shakes or quakes, being incoherent, headaches, sweating and clammy skin, irritable and being hungry just to name a few. In the event you experience low blood glucose levels, make sure you have a sugary food that can bring your levels back up quickly. Juice, candy (preferably hard) or glucose pills will do the trick. Carbonated drinks (like soda) will boost it up in an instant.

You may also experience side effects on your body after the injection. Your skin can experience swelling, redness or itching. If you experience any of these on an ongoing basis, you should contact your physician immediately. You may be allergic to the Humalog Mix 50/50. Also, you should cease from using the insulin drug during that time.

There are some things you need to know in regards to storing the Humalog Mix 50/50. It can be stored in the refrigerator, but not the freezer. When stored, the insulin drug should remain in the original packaging. It should be stored between 36 degrees Fahrenheit and 46 degrees Fahrenheit. You should only use it up to the expiration date that is on the packaging. Any leftover insulin after that should be discarded. The Humalog Mix 50/50 should never be stored in light or adverse heat or cold conditions.

The Humalog Mix 50/50 is only prescribed to you. No one else should be using it. If you have further questions or concerns, you should consult your physician or diabetes educator.