When Is The Best Time To Take Insulin

Why Am I Using Ozempic

Ozempic is medication used alongside diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes. Ozempic is not used to treat type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. You doctor may prescribe Ozempic to be used in addition to other diabetes medications, such as metformin or insulin.

Ozempic is also approved to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, or death in adults with type 2 diabetes and known heart disease.

How Do I Take Insulin

Insulin is normally injected under the skin with a very small needle. It can also be taken with an insulin pen. Your doctor will teach you exactly how to inject insulin, but here are the basics:

Wash your hands.

How Can I Deal With An Insulin Reaction

People who have diabetes should carry at least 15 grams of a fast-acting carbohydrate with them at all times in case of hypoglycemia or an insulin reaction. The following are examples of quick sources of energy that can relieve the symptoms of an insulin reaction:

• Non-diet soda: ½ to ¾ cup.
• Fruit juice: ½ cup.
• Fruit: 2 tablespoons of raisins.
• Candy: 5 Lifesavers.
• Glucose tablets: 3 tablets .

If you dont feel better 15 minutes after having a fast-acting carbohydrate, or if monitoring shows that your blood sugar level is still too low, have another 15 grams of a fast-acting carbohydrate.

Teach your friends, work colleagues, and family members how to treat hypoglycemia, because sometimes you may need their help. Also, keep a supply of glucagon on hand. Glucagon comes in a kit with a powder and a liquid that you must mix together and then inject. It will raise your blood sugar level. If you are unconscious, or you cant eat or drink, another person can give you a shot of glucagon. Talk to your doctor to learn when and how to use glucagon.

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When Should I Take Insulin

You and your doctor should discuss when and how you will take your insulin. Each persons treatment is different. Some people who use regular insulin take it 30 to 60 minutes before a meal. Some people who use rapid-acting insulin take it just before they eat.

Types of insulin:

• Rapid-acting insulin starts working in about 15 minutes. It lasts for 3 to 5 hours.
• Short-acting insulin starts working in 30 to 60 minutes and lasts 5 to 8 hours.
• Intermediate-acting insulin starts working in 1 to 3 hours and lasts 12 to 16 hours.
• Long-acting insulin starts working in about 1 hour and lasts 20 to 26 hours.
• Premixed insulin is a combination of 2 types of insulin .

General Insulin Needs To Help Decide When To Take Tresiba

Each persons basal insulin requirement is unique.

But in general, basal insulin needs are at their peak during the early morning hours and lower in the middle of the day.

However, ones basal insulin needs will depend upon which stage of life they are in. This is because of all the different hormones that are present at different life stages.

Therefore, a persons growth over the years has a huge impact on the best time to take Tresiba, or when you should take any long-acting insulin.

Below is a short breakdown of basal insulin needs based on age:

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Dont Inject The Insulin Too Deep

Insulin is supposed to be injected into the fat layer under the skin using a short needle. This is referred to as a subcutaneous injection.

If you inject the insulin too deep and it enters your muscle, your body may absorb it too quickly. The insulin might not last very long, and the injection could be very painful.

Prediabetes Weight Loss: Can It Help

If you have prediabetes, you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes because prediabetes means that your blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes. Fortunately, prediabetes can often be treated with weight loss. In this article, we will explore the relationship between prediabetes and weight loss and find out if losing weight is an effective treatment for prediabetes. We will also cover all other treatment options available to you if you have prediabetes and what causes it.

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When Is The Right Time To Take Your Insulin

Posted on December 4, 2014 by DiabetesDigest.com Staff in Blogs, Diabetes Digest

If you take insulin and struggle to manage high and low blood glucose numbers, one reason may be the timing of your injections. Coordinating when you take your insulin with the timing of your meals, your physical activity, and other parts of your diabetes care plan can help. Here are some tips to help you time your insulin just right.

Take insulin at regularly scheduled times. The more often you are able to take your insulin at the same time each day, the easier it becomes to keep your blood glucose in control. This isnt always easy. If you want a more flexible insulin plan, talk with your health care provider about taking more injections, using a long-acting and rapid-acting insulin plan, using an insulin pen or switching to an insulin pump.

Eat at about the same times each day. Doing so also makes it easier to manage your blood glucose.

When you eat, you need insulin readily available. This will help to keep your blood glucose level from going too high. Carbohydrates in food make blood glucose rise. Its easier to keep blood glucose from going too high by having insulin in your body when you eat rather than trying to lower blood glucose that has already gotten too high.

Paying attention to timing wont solve all of the ups and downs of blood glucose levels, but it can help to make managing your diabetes a bit easier.

Diabetes and Arthritis

TYPES OF ARTHRITIS

MEDICATIONS

Insulin For Type 2 Diabetes

If you have type 2 diabetes and your doctor thinks insulin can help you, it doesnt mean you now have type 1 diabetes. You still have type 2 diabetes, but youve changed treatment.

If you have type 2 diabetes, you may not need to use insulin straight away. But some people have very high blood sugar levels when they are first diagnosed. Insulin can be used as a short-term treatment to help quickly bring down your blood sugar levels.

Some people may need to take insulin for a particular reason, like during pregnancy or a severe illness, or after surgery. But you may also need to start it as a treatment if other medications havent helped managed your blood sugar levels or are not appropriate for you.

If you need insulin it isnt your fault and it doesnt mean you havent managed your diabetes well. Its simply another medication that can help to keep you as healthy as possible. Managing blood sugars effectively is really important in reducing your risk of future diabetes complications and insulin may be the most appropriate treatment choice for you. Many people with type 2 diabetes need to use it as treatment at some point.

Its still important to keep going to your appointments and manage your condition with healthy lifestyle choices. Staying active and eating a healthy diet will reduce the risk of complications from your diabetes.

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Disposal Of Used Insulin Syringes

Used syringes, pen needles, cannulas and lancets must be disposed of in an Australian Standards-approved sharps container, which is puncture-proof and has a secure lid. These containers are usually yellow and are available through pharmacies, local municipal councils and state or territory diabetes organisations such as Diabetes Victoria.

Procedures to dispose of sharps containers vary from state to state.

For sharps disposal information and help, you can contact:

• state or territory diabetes organisations, such as Diabetes Victoria
• state Department of Health

Insulin needs to be stored correctly. This includes:

• Store unopened insulin on its side in a fridge.
• Keep the fridge temperature between 2 and 8 °C.
• Make sure that insulin does not freeze.
• Once opened, keep it at room temperature for not more than one month and then dispose of it safely.
• Avoid keeping insulin in direct sunlight.

Extreme temperatures can damage insulin so it doesn’t work properly. It must not be left where temperatures are over 30 °C. In summer your car can get this hot so don’t leave your insulin there.

There are various insulated insulin carry bags available for transporting insulin.

Letting Stress Get To You

Your mental health plays a big role in your blood sugar level. How? Emotional stress can cause swings in your blood sugar. This is in part because stress triggers the release of a hormone called cortisol, which can impair insulin sensitivity, according to a March 2017 article in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. Port says this means the same dose of basal or bolus insulin can actually be less effective if youre stressed out.

Try to identify the stressors and sources of chronic anxiety in your life. Then look for a relaxation technique that works for you. Talk to your doctor for ideas. Get consistent sleep. Listen to music. Turn off all devices at night, Port recommends. If possible, make time each day to de-stress take a yoga class, do deep breathing exercises, set aside time to read a book or relax with friends, or establish a soothing bedtime routine to help you wind down.

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Whens The Best Time To Take Standard Metformin

Metformin comes in two varieties: standard and extended release. Standard metformin is typically taken two or three times per day, either as a pill or a liquid, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Metformin should always be taken with food to help reduce gastrointestinal side effects such as stomach pain or discomfort. Typically, its best to take standard metformin both in the morning and in the evening, such as with the first and last meal of the day.

If you are taking a third dose, be sure to consult with your doctor about the best time to take it.

Always Choosing The Same Spot To Inject Insulin

Insulin is absorbed at different rates depending on where you inject it. It enters your blood fastest when you inject it into your abdomen, a little more slowly when you inject it into the upper arms, and even more slowly when you inject it into the thighs and buttocks, according to the ADA. Youll get the best results by injecting your basal or bolus insulin into the same general body area, but rotating the side of the body where you inject if from day to day. Injecting insulin in the same spot over and over can cause hard, fatty lumps to form. These lumps dont absorb insulin well. You could be injecting your usual dose of insulin into one of these areas but potentially 50 percent or less of the insulin is absorbed, Port says. She recommends checking for these hard lumps from time to time.

For more on how to use insulin properly, check out Diabetes Dailys article Habits of a Great A1C: Insulin Use Strategies!

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Limiting Yourself To Aerobic Forms Of Exercise

Any and all exercise is good for your health, stresses Port. Aerobic exercise is great for your heart and your waistline, for example. Weight-lifting and other muscle-strengthening exercises have a role to play, too, she says. “Performing resistance exercise regularly helps to build and maintain lean muscle mass, which in turn improves sensitivity to all types of insulin,” Port explains. Luckily, you don’t even have to join a gym or lift heavy weights to get great benefits. Strengthen muscles at home with push-ups, hand weights, or simply walking up and down a flight of stairs repeatedly.

When Dietary Changes Exercise And Medications Don’t Work

People with type 2 diabetes do not always have to take insulin right away that is more common in people with . The longer someone has type 2 diabetes, the more likely they will require insulin.

Just as in type 1 diabetes, insulin is a way to control your blood glucose level. With type 2 diabetes, though, dietary changes, increasing physical activity, and some oral medications are usually enough to bring your blood glucose to a normal level. To learn about how the hormone insulin works, we have an article that explains the .

There are several reasons people with type 2 diabetes may want to use insulin:

If you do decide to use insulin to help control your type 2 diabetes, you should learn all you can about it. Talk to your doctor and diabetes treatment team. They can walk you through the basics of insulin dosing, answer any questions you have, and help you figure out how to balance food, exercise, and insulin as you take care of your body.

Read on to learn more about the basics of insulin treatment. You can also visit our for more details.

Types of Insulin

There are several types of insulin you can take. Each type serves a different purpose, and you might need to take a combination of the following:

How Much Insulin Should You Take?

As imprecise as it sounds, figuring out the best insulin dose is a matter of trial and error. You should work closely with your diabetes treatment team to monitor how well your insulin is working, and to adjust it as necessary.

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Is Monitoring Blood Glucose Level Needed

Since low blood sugar level is an important complication of taking insulin, periodically monitoring the blood glucose level is essential. With the help of a glucometer, the blood glucose level is checked, recorded, and is shown to the treating doctor in the next visit so that the healthcare provider can decide on the dose of insulin. A glucometer is a device that helps measure blood glucose levels at home. When a drop of blood is placed on the strip inserted into the glucometer, the display rapidly shows the blood sugar value. This value is noted down.

How To Take Tresiba

Tresiba is administered by subcutaneous injection on a daily basis. Tresiba is available as multiple-dose vials or as single use FlexTouch pens.

These are disposable, pre-filled pens that are available in two strengths. One contains 100 units/mL of insulin and the other formulation contains 200 units/mL of insulin. The prefilled pens should not be shared with anyone else and are for use by a single patient only.

The injection pen has a counter that displays the dose units. Tresiba should not be used in an insulin pump.

The usual initial dosage for Type 2 diabetes is 10 subcutaneous units per day.

For patients that are already on another form of long-acting or intermediate-acting insulin, Tresiba should be started at the same dosage level.

After the initial use, the dosage may be adjusted according to how your body responds.

For type 1 diabetes, the usual initial dose is one third to one half of the total daily requirement of insulin per day. For patients with type 1 diabetes, Tresiba is combined with rapid-acting insulin.

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What Happens If You Forget To Take Your Long

If you forget to take your long-term insulin and notice it quickly, it is typically safe to inject your regular dose if it is given within 2 hours of when it should have been done. If you delay more than 2 hours, then you should contact your doctor before injecting any insulin.

Long-acting insulin is designed to be taken once a day at the same time. Therefore, if you forget to take it, there is no reason to worry about reaching a high concentration of insulin in your body because there will be no peak levels to overcome. Instead, you should only concern yourself with whether or not there is enough insulin to handle your food intake and any other medications you might be taking. If this is the case, then you should be able to eat whatever you want without worrying about causing an insulin shock. However, if you find that you are still experiencing negative effects even after eating something small, then it might be best to try and remember next time.

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Do Tell Friends And Family That Youre Taking Insulin

Its a good idea to teach your friends, colleagues, and family members about insulin and its potential side effects. If you do end up taking too much insulin and having a hypoglycemic episode, they should know how to help.

If you become unconscious, a friend or family member can give you a shot of glucagon. Talk with your doctor about keeping a supply of glucagon on hand and learning when and how to use it.

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How Does Tresiba Work

Tresiba is a synthetic insulin analog that has a slight modification made to the B-chain of its natural structure.

It has an addition of hexadecanedioic acid to the amino acid lysine that is normally present at the 29th position in the B-chain of natural human insulin.

This keeps Tresiba in a multihexamer form that after injection is released very slowly and evenly into active insulin monomers within the body.

Tresiba is also active at physiological pH, which is another advantageous feature.