is a hormone produced by the pancreas to allow for the use of glucose (blood sugar) by the body’s cells. People whose bodies cannot release or use properly need to take supplements to keep their blood sugar levels in check.
Various types of available are prescribed to control diabetes and typically differ with regards to how they work:
Fast-acting takes effect within minutes and stays in the patient’s blood for approximately two hours.
Short-acting takes effect in 30 minutes and covers the patient for up to several hours.
Intermediate-acting takes full effect in a few hours and remains in the patient’s system for about 18 hours.
Long-acting remains active for a full day.
Depending on your particular situation and your doctor’s assessment, you may need more than one type. Also, you may require more than one dose a day and take supplementary medicines.
Using
Most individuals administer their via injections, which can be either delivered with a pen or cartridge device. The injection site bears quite a bit of importance; the places that are known to offer the most consistent uptake are the stomach, thighs, buttocks, and arms.
A general rule is to get used to administering the injections to the same area of the body while changing up the specific site of injection to lower the risk of scarring. If you are afraid of needles and injections, some alternatives such as pumps and inhaled devices are also available.
Planning Your Shots
The time of your injection must be worked out depending on the type of you use. However, it is ideal to plan out your doses based on your mealtimes so that the kicks in as your body is absorbing the glucose from your food, which allows for the body to use the sugar present in the blood while preventing your glucose level from dropping down. If you cannot quite figure out how to schedule your injections, don’t shy away from discussing your concerns with your physician.
Side Effects of
The most prominent side effects of are lower blood sugar levels, gaining weight when you begin using , scar tissue caused by shots to the same site, and rashes at either sites of injection or sometimes on the whole body.
Injectable Storage
Always store two bottles of every type you need in your home. vials that you have already opened and have started using do not need to be stored in the refrigerator and can be kept at room temperature for 30 days. One important rule to remember is that you can safely administer your if the temperature is not a cause of any discomfort.
Inhaled Storage
Heed the instructions on the box. Store an unopened box of inhaled in the refrigerator until you need to use it. Unless you store it in the fridge, you should use inhaled in ten days.
Featured Image: Depositphotos/© bandd