How Does Insulin Injections Work

How Insulin Works In The Body

Insulin is produced naturally in the body by the pancreas. Your pancreas contains millions of beta cells these cells are responsible for making insulin.

Whenever you eat food with carbohydrates, the beta cells typically release insulin so that other cells in your body can use the blood glucose it gets from food for energy. In a sense, insulin acts as a key, letting glucose into the cells.

Reasons To Avoid A Particular Site

If you develop lumps and bumps at injection sites, avoid the area of the bump for several months because that area will absorb insulin differently and this can affect your blood sugar levels.

In addition, avoid using sites where you plan on exercising, as this can increase the risk of hypoglycemia due to increased absorption.

Lastly, avoid injecting into moles or scar tissue, as these can also affect insulin absorption.

Important Safety Information For Toujeo U

Do not use Toujeo if you have low blood sugar or if you are allergic to insulin or any of the ingredients in Toujeo.

Do not share your pen with other people, even if the needle has been changed. You may give other people a serious infection or get a serious infection from them.

Before starting Toujeo, tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including if you have liver or kidney problems, if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, or if you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed.

Change your injection sites within the area you chose with each dose to reduce your risk of getting pitted or thickened skin and skin with lumps at the injection sites. Do not use the same spot for each injection or inject where the skin is pitted, thickened, lumpy, tender, bruised, scaly, hard, scarred, or damaged.

Heart failure can occur if you are taking insulin together with pills called TZDs , even if you have never had heart failure or other heart problems. If you have heart failure, it may get worse while you take TZDs with Toujeo. Your treatment with TZDs and Toujeo may need to be changed or stopped by your doctor if you have new or worsening heart failure. Tell your doctor if you have any new or worsening symptoms including:

• Shortness of breath

for Full Prescribing Information for Toujeo.

for information on Sharps Medical Waste Disposal.

to learn more about Sanofi’s commitment to fighting counterfeit drugs.

*Eligibility Restrictions & Offer Terms:

You May Like: How Long Does Insulin Take To Work

How Do You Inject Insulin With A Syringe Step

You may take insulin using a syringe that you fill from a vial. Ask your doctor or nurse to show you how to do it correctly. Follow their directions carefully. Here is a step-by-step summary of how you inject insulin from a vial using a syringe and needle.

How Do You Take Insulin

Your healthcare provider may prescribe insulin to lower your blood glucose and keep you healthy. We refer to the insulin available now as human insulin because it’s made to act just like the insulin thats naturally produced.

You can take insulin in a variety of ways based on your needs and lifestyle. Your healthcare team will work with you to determine which is best for you. You may:

• Give yourself a shot using an insulin pen or a vial and syringe.
• Receive doses through an insulin pump. The pump attaches to your body with a small catheter under your skin and delivers the insulin.
• Inhale it as a powder.

Also Check: Can Diabetes Cause Blurred Vision

Signs Of A Low Blood Sugar Are:

What Does Insulin Do

Insulin moves glucose from your blood into cells all over your body. Glucose comes from both food and your bodys own natural release of stored glucose. Think of insulin as the key that opens the doors of the cells in your body. Once insulin opens your cell doors, glucose can leave your bloodstream and move into your cells where you use it for energy. Without enough insulin, glucose cant get into your cells and instead builds up in your blood .

Many conditions can affect your bodys ability to produce and release insulin. They include:

• Gestational diabetes, which is diabetes that begins during pregnancy.
• Prediabetes, when your body is resistant to insulin , but blood sugar levels arent high enough for a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis.
• Type 1 diabetes, when your pancreas doesnt make insulin or doesnt make enough to control blood sugar.
• Type 2 diabetes, when your pancreas doesnt produce enough insulin, or your body cant use the insulin as it should.
• Metabolic syndrome , a group of risk factors that increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease. Insulin resistance means that the cells in your body cant use glucose from your blood as energy.

Recommended Reading: What Is The Best Treatment For Type 2 Diabetes

How Do I Draw Up One Kind Of Insulin

Myths About Insulin Therapy

According to the American Diabetes Association , several common myths surround the use of insulin therapy for people with type 2 diabetes.

People who take insulin may sometimes hear others make the following statements, but they have no basis in research or fact:

• Insulin can cure diabetes. There is, at present, no cure for diabetes. However, insulin can help a person control its effects.
• It will cause disruption in your life. While a course of insulin takes some getting used to, a person can enjoy a full and active life, as long as they stick to their insulin schedule.
• Insulin injections cause pain. Many people have a phobia of needles. However, modern insulin pens cause almost no pain. People using pumps can avoid injections altogether.
• Insulin will increase the frequency of severe hypoglycemia. While insulin can increase the risk of hypoglycemia, certain insulins can limit a sudden drop in blood sugar.
• Insulin causes weight gain for as long as a person uses it. Insulin might increase weight at first, but this is not an ongoing effect. The body first needs to adapt to insulin supplementation.
• The injection site is not important. Where on the body a person inserts a needle or pen determines the speed at which insulin has an effect. This can be vital after meals when quick drops in blood glucose levels reduce the impact of the food.
• Insulin is addictive. Insulin is not an addictive drug and is vital for any person whose pancreas does not produce insulin.

Recommended Reading: Vitamin D And Type 2 Diabetes

How Can I Keep My Blood Sugar Level From Getting Too High Or Too Low

You need to check your blood sugar level regularly using a blood glucose monitor. Your doctor or his or her office staff can teach you how to use the monitor. Youll need to write down each measurement and show this record to your doctor. He or she will use this information to decide how much insulin is right for you.

Blood sugar measurements can vary depending on your lifestyle. Stress levels, how often you exercise, and how fast your body absorbs food can affect measurements. Hormonal changes related to puberty, menstrual cycles, and pregnancy can, too. Illness, traveling, or a change in your routine may mean that you have to monitor your blood sugar level more often.

Where Do I Inject Insulin

Insulin is injected just under the skin. The easiest way to do this is to pinch up a fold of skin using your thumb and forefinger if you are injecting into your stomach or thigh area, or use your knee to create a pinched up area if you are injecting into your upper, outer arm. More detailed instructions are below. Your healthcare professional can also show you how to do it.

Insulin is injected into the less sensitive layer of fatty tissue just under the skin, so it should not hurt too much, but may sting or burn a little. You are not injecting insulin into a muscle or vein.

To keep your skin from thickening or getting lumpy, try not to inject in the exact same spot. Instead, rotate injection places.

Do not share needles, pens, or syringes with others. Do NOT reuse needles.

You May Like: How Much Is Levemir Insulin Without Insurance

About The Blood Test Results

If your test results indicate that you have prediabetes, your doctor will likely recommend lifestyle changes, such as:

• eating a balanced, nutritious diet
• increasing your physical activity
• losing weight, if you have overweight
• quitting smoking, if you smoke

These types of changes may help your body use insulin more effectively and prevent prediabetes from progressing to diabetes.

How To Choose The Right Method For Injecting Insulin

Both syringes and insulin pens use a small needle to inject insulin into your body. There are pros and cons to each, and which one you ultimately end up with will depend on your lifestyle and your doctors advice.

Things to know about insulin syringes:

• They come in a few different sizes.
• Your doctor will tell you how much insulin you need per dose.
• You will usually draw the insulin into the syringe when you need it.
• Theyre not as discreet as an insulin pen.

Things to know about insulin pens:

• Some pens use cartridges that are manually inserted into the pen.
• Other pens are prefilled and thrown away after all the insulin is used.
• Needles in pens are often smaller than those in syringes.
• Not all types of insulin can be used with a pen.
• Pens can be more expensive than syringes and are sometimes not covered by insurance.

Also Check: What Is The Best Medical Insurance For Diabetics

How Long Do Insulin Injections Last

The effect of insulin injections lasts for about 2 hours, meaning youll need to repeat your injections every 2 hours if you wish to sustain proper blood sugar levels. If you have Type 1 diabetes, do not take longer than 8-10 hours without taking another dose.

If you are on oral medications, consult with your physician before adjusting your schedule accordingly. For example, if your next dose is in 4 hours but you havent eaten yet take an extra dose now to cover until food intake.

Why Is Insulin Injected In Your Body

Diabetes is the major cause of using insulin. Insulin is a hormone in our body that is created by the pancreas. Its main function is to make proper use of the glucose or sugar that is received through the food and transfer it to the cells so that our body can get the desired energy. However, people with diabetes do not have the normal level of insulin in their bodies. Their pancreas either does not create insulin at all or if created, the cells restrict its use, due to which the level of sugar in the blood keeps on increasing.

When our body stops creating insulin, taking insulin therapy is the vital option. It helps in transferring the glucose received by food to other body parts including the heart, muscles, and brain, instead of increasing its level in the blood. Moreover, it helps in providing the desired energy to the body so we can function properly throughout the day.

Don’t Miss: Could You Have Diabetes And Not Know It

Making The Switch To Insulin

Making the transition is much easier than it used to be because most patients are started on a long-acting insulin that does not need to be matched with food intake.

Insulin pens that are preloaded are replacing insulin that needs to be drawn up into a syringe. Patients may still be worried about giving themselves injections, but because the needle is so tiny the adjustment is often quick.

Toujeo and Lantus are long-acting forms of insulin that are available in a prefilled injectable pen.

There’s also a type of rapid-acting insulin, Afrezza, that can be inhaled through the mouth via an inhaler.

And a new class of medication called sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors is also available now, according to Mazhari. “It works via a different pathway that’s not pancreas-dependent, offering another medical therapy option for patients with type 2 diabetes.”

The key to an easy transition to insulin is education.

“Patients need to know how to take their insulin properly since there are many formulations on the market, including short- and long-acting insulin and premixed,” Mazhari said. “Most can be started on a long-acting insulin once a day, though for some patients short-acting or mealtime insulin may be necessary as well. Insulin doses need to be further adjusted depending on blood sugar readings.”

What Else Is Important To Know About Lispro

To lower the risk of complications, you should:

• Look at the injection pen to confirm it belongs to you and has the correct dose.
• Make sure the insulin is clear, like water, before taking it.
• Choose an injection site thats at least a half-inch away from your last injection.
• Put used needles in a sharps container, not a trash can.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Lispro insulin is a short-acting insulin that you take before meals. Your healthcare provider will prescribe the appropriate dose. Theyll also explain when and how to use it. Its important to take the correct dose at the appropriate time. Missing a dose or taking too much at once can cause complications. If you have questions about your prescription, call your healthcare provider.

Also Check: Fasting Glucose Test In Pregnancy

When To Give An Insulin Injection

• If youre using rapid-acting insulin, inject it within 15 minutes before your meal. Its best to inject it just before you start eating. This helps prevent low blood sugar.
• Most mealtime insulins work for 4 hours. Dont inject mealtime insulin more often than every 4 hours unless your healthcare provider tells you to. For example, if you eat breakfast at 8:00 a.m., dont inject your next dose of mealtime insulin until 12:00 p.m. or later. Injecting doses too close together can cause low blood sugar, which can be dangerous.

Why Do People Choose To Take Insulin Injections Rather Than Oral Medications

Insulin injections are often a last resort for diabetics who have trouble keeping their blood sugar levels under control, because they tend to be more effective than oral medications.

However, there are some disadvantages to injecting insulin as well. Some people find that taking insulin injections less convenient than taking pills, particularly if they are already having problems swallowing pills.

Recommended Reading: Where Can I Buy Lantus Insulin Cheap

Get The Insulin Pen Ready