Diabetes Control Matters

You Can Be An Insulin Expert

What Is Insulin?

Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas. Insulin can only be administered by injection and is created in the lab to be as close to human insulin as possible. In the near future, previously used pork insulins will no longer be available. Human insulin is the least likely to cause an insulin allergy.

How Does The Pancreas Work?

A normal pancreas releases a steady trickle of insulin into the bloodstream 24 hours a day. During meals, it produces a sudden burst of insulin that helps the body digest the glucose (sugar) in the blood. Your body uses glucose for energy, like a car uses gasoline. If you have diabetes, your pancreas may not make the amount of insulin you need or you may not be able to use the insulin your body makes, so you must take insulin injections to keep your blood sugar level from getting to high.

Who Needs Insulin?

If you have Type 1 diabetes:

• Your body does not make insulin at all.
• Your body must have insulin to survive, so you need insulin every day to replace what is missing.
• There are no pill forms of insulin. There are new medications being introduced, which may work with your insulin, but they will not work alone for people with Type 1 diabetes.

If you have Type 2 diabetes:

• Your body does not make enough insulin or use your insulin effectively to keep you glucose at the recommended levels.
• Diabetes pills can help increase the amount of insulin your body produces or can help you use your insulin better, but they are not always able to control your blood sugar using the safe maximum dosages. If this happens, adding insulin injections can help to control your blood glucose.

Insulin Do's & Don'ts

Details, details, details. In an insulin plan, they really matter! Spare yourself the trouble that comes from carelessness by following these quick tips.

Mixing

• Wash your hands before mixing insulin.
• Roll insulin bottles gently between your palms to mix. Don't shake bottles.
• Wipe the top of both insulin bottles with an alcohol swab before mixing.
• Check for air bubbles before injecting insulin. Get rid of bubbles by lightly tapping the syringe.
• Draw the rapid-acting insulin first (regular or lispro).
• Don't let intermediate-acting insulin get into your bottle or rapid-acting insulin.

Injecting

• Choose injection sites in the abdomen unless you have been directed otherwise.
• Rotate your injection site regularly within selected area.
• Try to inject your insulin at the same times each day.
• Give insulin injections about one inch apart.
• Don't inject insulin near your belly button or near scars.

Storing

• Store unopened bottles in the refrigerator.
• Have an extra bottle of insulin on hand for emergencies.
• Don't store insulin in extremely cold or hot temperatures, such as the freezer or on a sunny windowsill.
• Don't use insulin that is out of date.
• Don't use insulin if it contains small, white particles that do not break down.
• Don't use insulin that sticks to the bottle and appears frosty.