Lantus® may be injected in the abdomen, upper arm, or thigh. Remember to rotate injection sites. The abdomen is the preferred injection site for the AutoShield Duo.
Which location is best for insulin injection?
- Abdomen. The preferred site for insulin injection is your abdomen. …
- Thigh. You can inject into the top and outer areas of your thigh, about 4 inches down from the top of your leg and 4 inches up from your knee.
- Arm. Use the fatty area on the back of your arm, between your shoulder and elbow.
What is the best time to take Lantus insulin?
The package insert for Lantus states that it should be administered once daily at bedtime. However, this product does exhibit a relatively constant glucose-lowering profile over 24 hours, and therefore in theory, time of dosing should not matter if administered at the same time daily.
Can you inject insulin anywhere?
DON’T: Inject insulin just anywhere. Insulin should be injected into the fat just underneath the skin rather than into muscle, which can lead to quicker insulin action and greater risk of low blood sugar. The stomach, thighs, buttocks, and upper arms are common injection sites because of their higher fat content.
Can I inject insulin in my inner thigh?
Thigh: Inject at least 4 inches or about one hand’s width above the knee and at least 4 inches down from the top of the leg. The best area on the leg is the top and outer area of the thigh. Do not inject insulin into your inner thigh because of the number of blood vessels and nerves in this area.
What angle do you inject insulin?
Inject the insulin with the needle at an angle of about 90 degrees. If you’re thin, you may need to pinch the skin and inject the insulin at a 45-degree angle (see picture 4).
Can you inject insulin above the belly button?
When injecting into the abdomen, you should avoid the belly button because the belly button is tougher and makes insulin absorption less consistent. Instead, inject insulin at least two finger lengths (or two inches) away from the belly button.
Can you inject insulin into a vein?
Whether this is direct injection into a vein is less certain. Other reasons remain just as plausible. These include injection into an area with larger capillary density, inaccurate drawing up of insulin, recent increased physical activity, and eating a lot less food than you thought.
Do you have to pinch the skin when giving insulin?
The insulin needs to go into the fat layer under the skin. Pinch the skin and put the needle in at a 45º angle. If your skin tissues are thicker, you may be able to inject straight up and down (90º angle).
Why does my insulin shot burn?
This is common in long-acting insulins like Lantus and Basalgar because they have a high acidity level. Other insulin could sting or burn if you injected into muscle tissue rather than body fat, or if you simply hit a sensitive area or an area used too frequently for injections that needs to heal.
Article first time published on
Why is Lantus insulin given at night?
Lantus is designed to give a steady level of insulin over 24 hours, even when you are not eating such as between meals and overnight. This helps keep blood glucose levels consistent during the day and at night.
Can you take Lantus after you eat?
Lantus use with other drugs People with type 1 diabetes will need to take Lantus along with a mealtime insulin. This is because Lantus is a basal insulin, a “background” insulin that helps control blood sugar levels in between meals. A mealtime insulin is needed to control spikes in blood sugar that occur after eating.
Does lantus need to be refrigerated?
After its first use, don’t refrigerate the Lantus SoloStar pen. Keep it at room temperature only (below 86°F). After 28 days, throw your opened Lantus pen away—even if it still has insulin in it.
Where can I poke myself with insulin?
PICK AN INJECTION SPOT You want to inject an area of fat, not muscle, and there are several common areas for injections (the abdomen, upper legs or thighs, or the back of the arms). It’s important to rotate your injection spots — always at least 1 inch from your last, 1 inch from any scars, and 2 inches your navel.
How do you inject insulin into your butt?
Lower back, hips, or buttocks The final site for administering an insulin injection is the lower back or hip. To administer an injection here, draw an imaginary line across the top of the buttocks between the hips. Place the needle above this line but below the waist, about halfway between the spine and the side.
How do you make insulin shots less painful?
- If you can, make sure your medicine is at room temperature.
- Wait until the alcohol you used to clean where you’re going to inject is dry.
- Always use a new needle.
- Get the air bubbles out of the syringe.
- Make sure the needle is lined up right going in and coming out.
- Stick the needle in quickly.
What is the sliding scale for insulin?
The term “sliding scale” refers to the progressive increase in pre-meal or nighttime insulin doses. The term “sliding scale” refers to the progressive increase in the pre-meal or nighttime insulin dose, based on pre-defined blood glucose ranges. Sliding scale insulin regimens approximate daily insulin requirements.
What blood sugar level requires insulin?
Insulin is usually recommended as the initial therapy for diabetes if a person’s HbA1c level at diagnosis is greater than 10% or if someone’s fasting blood glucose level is consistently above 250 mg/dl.
Is insulin given before or after meal?
Research shows that the best time to take a mealtime insulin is 15 to 20 minutes before you eat a meal. You can also take it after your meal, but this may put you at a higher risk of a hypoglycemic episode. Don’t panic if you forget to take your insulin before your meal.
Do you massage insulin injections?
After you’ve injected your insulin with either type of device, don’t massage the injection site. Doing so can interfere with the absorption of the insulin, creating an unpredictable glucose response.
Can I eat what I want if I take insulin?
I’ll never forget the diabetes food advice I received from my doctor at diagnosis: “You can eat whatever you want, as long as you take insulin for it.”
Is it better to take insulin in the morning or at night?
Ideally, basal insulin should produce at most a 30 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) change when blood sugar levels are stable and in your target range during sleep times. That’s why your healthcare provider will most likely advise you to inject basal insulin at night, preferably before bedtime.
When should a Type 2 diabetic take insulin?
Insulin should be initiated when A1C is ≥7.0% after 2–3 months of dual oral therapy. The preferred regimen for insulin initiation in type 2 diabetes is once-daily basal insulin. In addition to timely initiation, rapid titration of the dose is indispensable for successful insulin therapy.
Is Bleeding After insulin injection normal?
You may notice a little blood leaks out after injecting. This is not to worry about, it just means the needle has gone through a small blood vessel.
What happens if you give IM injection wrong?
“A vaccine is an immunologically sensitive substance, and if you were to receive an injection too high – in the wrong place – you could get pain, swelling and reduced range of motion in that area,” says Tom Shimabukuro, deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s immunization safety office.
Can you inject cold insulin?
Although manufacturers recommend storing your insulin in the refrigerator, injecting cold insulin can sometimes make the injection more painful. To avoid this, many providers suggest storing the bottle of insulin you are using at room temperature.
How do you give yourself an insulin shot in the arm?
- Wash your hands with soap and water. …
- Clean the skin where you will inject the insulin. …
- Grab a fold of your skin. …
- Insert the needle straight into your skin. …
- Push down on the plunger to inject the insulin. …
- Pull out the needle. …
- Throw away your used insulin syringe as directed.
What are the side effects of taking Lantus insulin?
- headache,
- hunger,
- weakness,
- sweating,
- tremors,
- irritability,
- trouble concentrating,
- rapid breathing,
Does insulin make you gain weight?
Weight gain is a common side effect for people who take insulin — a hormone that regulates the absorption of sugar (glucose) by cells. This can be frustrating because maintaining a healthy weight is an important part of your overall diabetes management plan.
Should insulin be refrigerated after opening?
In general, patients are instructed that once opened, an insulin vial need not be refrigerated and can be kept at room temperature for ∼1 month. Extremes of temperature should be avoided because these can lead to significant changes in insulin action.
Should I eat before or after taking Lantus insulin?
Lantus works continuously in the background and does not need you to eat food when you inject it at your usual time.
