6 ways to Give Yourself Insulin - Method6 Following Recommended Safety Precautions

1 Ask your doctor for a demonstration. Do not rely on articles or videos online to teach you how to administer insulin, whether it's via a syringe, inhaler, or another device. Your doctor can answer any questions and show you the correct way to use your device (for instance, with shots she will need to show you at which angle you should insert the needle). Your doctor will also give you your exact dosage and all the necessary prescriptions.

2 Avoid using any insulin product if you are allergic. Seek medical attention immediately if you experience an allergic reaction.

§  Some insulins are derived from animal sources, most commonly pork, and may cause allergic reactions in people that have severe allergies.

§  Common allergic reactions to insulin include local and systemic reactions. Local reactions occur as redness, minor swelling, and itching at the injection site. This type of skin reaction resolves in a few days to weeks.

§  Systemic allergic reactions can present as a rash or hives that covers large portions of the body, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, wheezing, decreased blood pressure, increased heart rate, and sweating. This is a medical emergency and you should call 911 or have someone take you to the emergency room if it is close by.

3 Do not administer insulin if you are having a hypoglycemic event. Hypoglycemia occurs when your blood sugar level is too low. Insulin will make hypoglycemia worse; instead, you will need to consumer quick-acting carbohydrates or simple sugars.

§  Low blood sugar interferes with your brain’s ability to function properly.

§  Symptoms of hypoglycemia can include dizziness, trembling, headache, blurred vision, having trouble concentrating, confusion, and sometimes trouble with speaking. Other symptoms can include tremor, heavy sweating, increased heart rate, feeling anxious, and hunger.

§  Using fast-acting insulin in the midst of a hypoglycemic event will quickly drop your blood sugar even further and result in severe confusion, inability to communicate, and loss of consciousness.

§  If you mistakenly administer insulin when you are having a hypoglycemic event, quickly alert friends or family to seek medical attention, or call emergency if you are alone. Severe hypoglycemia events are serious and life-threatening situations.

§  You can begin to reverse the reaction by drinking orange juice, taking prepared glucose tablets or gel, or quickly begin to consume some form of sugar.

4 Monitor your skin for lipodystrophy. Lipodystrophy is a reaction that sometimes occurs on the skin where frequent insulin injections are given.

§  Symptoms of lipodystrophy include changes in the fatty tissues just under the surface of the skin. Unwanted changes that indicate lipodystrophy include both thickening and thinning of the fatty tissue in the injection site areas.

§  Check your skin regularly for lipodystrophy as well as inflammation, swelling, or any signs of infection.

5 Discard used needles properly. Never put syringes or needles in the regular trash.

§  Sharps, including used needles, lancets, and syringes, are considered to be biohazardous waste since they came in direct contact with someone's skin or blood.

§  Always dispose of needles that are used or damaged in a sharps container. Sharps containers are designed to be a safe way to dispose of syringes and needles.

§  Sharps containers are available for purchase at your local pharmacy, or online.

§  Review your state’s biohazardous waste guidelines. Many states have specific recommendations and programs that can help you develop a regular system for disposing of biohazardous waste.

§  Work with a mail back kit. Some companies offer to supply you with the appropriate sizes of sharps containers, and agree to set up an arrangement for you to safely mail those containers back to them when they are full. The company will dispose of the biohazard materials appropriately, according to EPA, FDA, and state requirements.

6 Never re-use or share a needle. Once the injection has been given, discard the needle and syringe in a sharps container. When an insulin pen is empty, discard the device in the sharps container.

§  A needle that has pierced your skin, or the skin of someone else, is not only dulled, but contaminated with possibly serious and contagious diseases.

7 Do not change insulin brands. Some insulin products are very similar but not exact. Talk to your doctor before you make any changes in your insulin regimen, including switching brands.

§  Even though some brands are similar, your doctor has chosen the brand that best suits your needs, and your dose has been adjusted to the way that product reacts in your body.

§  Use the same brand of syringes and needles. It is easy to become confused and administer the wrong amount if the syringes and needles look different.

8 Never use insulin that has expired. Check the expiration date on your insulin product often. Avoid using insulin that has passed its expiration date.

§  While the potency may be close to the potency when purchased, there is a risk that you will not get enough from using products that have expired, contaminants may be present, or particles may have formed inside the vial.

9 Discard insulin that has been open for 28 days. Once the first dose has been used from an insulin product, it is considered open.

§  This includes insulin that has been properly stored in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Since the top of the insulin vial has been punctured, there is an increased risk of contaminants inside the vial, even if you have stored it properly.

10 Know your products and your dose. Be familiar with the brand of insulin you use, your dose, and the brand of additional supplies you use.

§  Be sure you consistently use the same size insulin syringes and needles that were prescribed for you.

§  Using a U-100 syringe in place of a U-500 syringe can be extremely dangerous, and vice versa.

§  Talk to your doctor or diabetic healthcare provider if you notice any changes in your products or have any questions. 

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6 ways to Give Yourself Insulin - Method5 Using Other Methods to Administer Insulin

1 Consider using an insulin pump. Insulin pumps consist of a small catheter inserted into your skin with a small needle, which is held in place with an adhesive dressing. The catheter is attached to a pump device unit that holds, and delivers your insulin through the catheter. Using pumps have both advantages and disadvantages. Some advantages to using an insulin pump include the following:

§  Pumps eliminate the need for insulin injections.

§  Insulin doses are more accurately delivered.

§  Pumps often improve the longer term management of diabetes as indicated by blood level measurements of your hemoglobin A1c.

§  Pumps provide constant insulin delivery in some cases which eliminates the swings in your blood glucose levels.

§  They make it easier to deliver an extra dose when needed.

§  People that use pumps have fewer hypoglycemic episodes.

§  Pumps allow more flexibility in when and what you eat, and allow you to exercise without the need to consume extra carbohydrates.

2 Recognize the disadvantages of insulin pumps. According to the American Diabetes Association, even though there are disadvantages to using an insulin pump, most people that use one agree that the positives outweigh the negatives. Some disadvantages to using an insulin pump include the following:

§  Pumps are reported to cause weight gain.

§  Serious reactions including diabetic ketoacidosis can occur if the catheter unknowingly becomes dislodged,

§  Insulin pumps can be expensive.

§  Some people find it troubling to be connected to the device, which is usually worn on a belt or top of a skirt or pants, practically all the time.

§  Insulin pumps often require hospitalization for a day or more for the catheter to be inserted, and for you to be properly trained on how to use it.

3 Adjust to your pump. Using an insulin pump alters your daily routines.

§  Develop a routine to limit the time you turn it off, or take it off.

§  Have back-up pens or insulin vials and syringes available if the pump is not working properly.

§  Learn to account for extra carbohydrates consumed in order to adjust the dose delivered through your pump.

§  Keep accurate records of your blood glucose levels. Daily records with additional notes of exercise times and extra foods consumed are best. Some people record information three days each week, spread out through the week, to provide a good balance of information.

§  Your doctor will use your logs to adjust your insulin dosing and improve the overall care of your condition. Usually about three months of of average blood sugar levels will give your doctor a good idea of how well your diabetes is controlled.

4 Ask your doctor about a jet injector. Insulin jet injectors do not use needles to get the insulin dose through the skin. Instead, insulin jet injectors use strong air pressure, or blasts of air, to spray the insulin through your skin.

§  Jet injectors are very expensive and somewhat complicated to use. This form of technology is new. Talk with your doctor if you are considering this method of delivering your insulin dose.

§  In addition to their high cost, some risks have been identified such as improper dose delivery and trauma to the skin.

§  Research is ongoing to determine the risks and benefits of administering insulin in this manner.

5 Use inhaled insulin devices. Some forms of rapid-acting insulin are now available in the form of inhalers, similar to the inhalers used to treat asthma.

§  Inhaled insulin is to be administered just before meals.

§  You will still need to administer your primary long-acting insulin by another method.

§  Several manufacturers have made insulin inhalers available in the United States, but the research in this area is ongoing. Much is still to be learned about the risks and benefits of using insulin by the inhaled method. 

6 ways to Give Yourself Insulin - Method4 Rotating Your Injection Sites

1 Keep a chart. Many people find it helpful to keep a chart of the sites as they are used so they can routinely rotate their injection sites.

§  The areas of your body that are most suitable for insulin injections include the abdomen, the thigh, and the buttocks. The upper arm area can also be used if enough fatty tissue is present.

2 Rotate your injections clockwise at each site. Develop a system that works for you to consistently rotate your injection sites. Continue to move around your body using new sites for each injection.

§  Using a clockwise strategy is helpful for many people to help rotate their injection sites.

§  Use a chart or drawing of your body areas to identify the sites you just used or are planning to use. Your diabetic healthcare provider or doctor can help you develop a system to rotate your injection sites.

§  Inject into your abdomen, two inches away from your navel and not too far towards your sides. Looking into a mirror, begin on the upper left of the injection area, move next to the upper right area, then lower right, then lower left.

§  Move to your thighs. Begin closest to your upper body, then move the next injection site further down.

§  In your buttocks, start with your left side and closer to your side, then move towards your midline, then to the right side and towards the midline, then to the areas closer to your right side.

§  If your arms are appropriate according to your doctor or healthcare provider, move systematically either up or down with injection sites in those areas.

§  Keep track of the sites as you use them in a systematic manner.

3 Minimize the pain. One way to help minimize the pain upon injection is to avoid injections at hair roots.

§  Use needles with shorter lengths and smaller diameters. Shorter needles help to minimize the pain and are appropriate for most people.

§  Acceptable shorter needle lengths include those that are either 4.5 mm, 5 mm, or 6 mm in length.

4 Pinch your skin properly. Some injection sites or needle lengths work best if you gently pinch the skin to create skin folds.

§  Use only the thumb and index finger to lift the skin. Using more of your hand causes muscle tissue to be lifted and increases the risk of injecting your insulin into muscle tissue.

§  Do not squeeze the skin fold. Gently hold the skin in place to give the injection. Squeezing tightly can cause more pain and possibly interfere with the dose delivery.

5 Choose the best needle length for you. Shorter needles are appropriate for most patients, can be easier to use, and are less painful. Consult with your doctor about which needle is appropriate for you.

§  The purpose of using shorter needles, pinching the skin, and injecting at a 45 degree angle is to avoid injecting the insulin into muscle tissue.

§  Consider the need to use skin folds as you rotate your injection sites. Injecting into areas with thinner skin layers and more muscle tissue often require pinching the skin and injecting at an angle.

§  Talk to your doctor or diabetic healthcare provider for instruction on the areas of your body that would need for the skin to be pinched to create skin folds even when using the shorter needle lengths.

§  In many cases, there is no need to lift or pinch the skin when using the shorter needles.

§  Injections with the shorter needles can often be given at a 90 degree angle when there is enough fatty tissue present at the injection site.