After A Night Out And The Morning After
Always have some breakfast if you’ve been drinking the night before, even if you don’t feel like it. This will help your blood sugar levels and might make you feel better.
Make sure to check your blood sugar levels in the morning too because some hangover symptoms are similar to the symptoms you get with a hypo.
No matter how awful you feel, if it’s a hypo you need to treat it straight away. Don’t ignore it.
What Influences Your Intoxication
Several factors including diabetes medications, food, and exercise can all make things even more complicated, said Carrie S. Swift, a dietician and spokesperson with the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists. Overall, alcohol intake leads to less predictable blood glucose whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, she said. But the impact of alcohol on blood glucose isnt always the same.
This can be caused by:
Forgetting Blood Sugar Checks
Checking your blood sugar levels regularly helps you stay tuned in to how your body responds to your medications, food, and lifestyle habits, Dr. Port says. It can help you and your doctor determine the right amount of basal and bolus insulin to take. Fasting blood sugar levels reflect how basal insulin is working in the background, whereas pre-meal and evening blood sugar levels are a better barometer of how the bolus insulin dosing is matching up with your food and carbohydrate intake. “Many people stop checking their blood sugar because they dont feel badly,” Port says. Or, despite having symptoms of high or low blood sugar, they simply ignore the fact that their diabetes may be out of control, she adds.
Smart strategies to stay on top of your blood sugar testing routine include choosing a glucose meter that works for your lifestyle, keeping the meter where its easy to get to and use, and finding ways to remind yourself to do the checks. It can be a note on your refrigerator, an alarm on your phone, or some other device that prompts you to use it whatever works for you. You might also be eligible to use a continuous glucose monitor, a special device placed just under the skin that tracks blood sugar readings continuously and sends this information to a reader or to a phone app. Most devices require minimal or no calibration with finger stick blood glucose readings and can typically be worn for up to 7 to 14 days, depending on the brand.
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How Should This Medicine Be Used
Human insulin comes as a solution and a suspension . to be injected subcutaneously . Human insulin is usually injected subcutaneously several times a day, and more than one type of insulin may be needed. Your doctor will tell you which type of insulin to use, how much insulin to use, and how often to inject insulin. Follow these directions carefully. Do not use more or less insulin or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Human insulin solution may also be injected intravenously by a doctor or nurse in a healthcare setting. A doctor or nurse will carefully monitor you for side effects.
Human insulin controls high blood sugar but does not cure diabetes. Continue to use human insulin even if you feel well. Do not stop using insulin without talking to your doctor. Do not switch to another brand or type of insulin or change the dose of any type of insulin you use without talking to your doctor.
Human insulin comes in vials, prefilled disposable dosing devices, and cartridges. The cartridges are designed to be placed in dosing pens. Be sure you know what type of container your insulin comes in and what other supplies, such as needles, syringes, or pens, you will need to inject your medication. Make sure that the name and letter on your insulin are exactly what your doctor prescribed.
If your human insulin comes in a disposable dosing device, read the instructions that come with the device carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to show you how to use the device.
How To Treat Low Blood Sugar
If you experience the symptoms of hypoglycemia, it’s important to raise your blood sugar right away 5. Eat a small snack that contains about 15 grams of fast-acting carbohydrates simple carbs that are quickly absorbed and will therefore raise your blood sugar fast 4. According to the University of California, San Francisco, good options include:
- 4 ounces of fruit juice
- 8 ounces of nonfat milk
- 1/2 of a banana
- 1 small apple or orange
- 1 tablespoon of sugar, honey, jam or jelly
- A few hard candies, gummies or chews
It typically takes about 15 minutes for the body to process carbs into glucose. If your symptoms don’t improve after 15 minutes, have another snack. But if your symptoms get worse, seek immediate medical attention.
If someone you know has taken insulin and they exhibit severe signs of hypoglycemia including seizures or loss of consciousness call an ambulance right away.
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- If you experience the symptoms of hypoglycemia, it’s important to raise your blood sugar right away 5, good options include: * 4 ounces of fruit juice * 8 ounces of nonfat milk * 1/2 of a banana * 1 small apple or orange * 1 tablespoon of sugar, honey, jam or jelly * A few hard candies, gummies or chews It typically takes about 15 minutes for the body to process carbs into glucose.
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What Not To Do If You Forget To Dose Insulin
While its important to be action-oriented, here are some things you should never do if you forget to dose insulin:
- Blame yourself
- Go to sleep immediately
- Not take a correction dose of insulin at all
- Not tell anyone about the missed dose
- Bolus like normal for the number of carbohydrates you ate, even if you ate several hours before realizing you missed a dose
- Take double the amount of insulin for carbohydrates eaten and high blood sugar, without factoring in the time that has passed, carbohydrates already digested, or your blood sugar correction factor
What Should I Know About Storage And Disposal Of This Medication
Store unopened vials of human insulin, unopened disposable dosing devices and unopened human insulin pens in the refrigerator. Do not freeze human insulin and do not use human insulin that has been frozen. Opened vials of human insulin should be stored in the refrigerator but may also be stored at room temperature, in a cool place that is away from heat and direct sunlight. Store opened human insulin pens and opened dosing devices at room temperature. Check the manufacturer’s information to find out how long you may keep your pen or dosing device after the first use.
Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.
It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location â one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach.
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Risks Of Alcohol In Type 2 Diabetes
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps cells absorb the sugar they need for energy.
Type 2 diabetes involves having too much blood glucose. This happens when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or does not respond to insulin as it should. This is known as insulin resistance.
Because of the effects alcohol can have on blood sugar control and other aspects of the disease, you face certain risks by drinking alcohol if you have type 2 diabetes that otherwise healthy people may not.
As you mull these ideas, keep in mind that much remains to be learned about how alcohol affects people with diabetes.
How To Prevent Low Blood Sugar Or Hypoglycemia Symptoms & Guide On How To Treat Them
When experiencing low blood sugar or hypoglycemia, you may feel lightheaded, shaky, and nervous. This is a common symptom that can happen to anyone at any time.
If you experience these symptoms, it is essential to know what to do and prevent them from happening again. Here are some tips on how to avoid low blood sugar or hypoglycemia symptoms and what you should do if this happens:
- Drink a glass of water or fruit juice if your low blood sugar symptoms begin
- Have a snack that contains complex carbohydrates like nuts, cereal bars, granola bars, etc.
- Eat smaller meals more often throughout the day rather than one large meal
- Avoid overeating before bedtime as it can cause your body to release insulin too early
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Bodybuilding And Insulin Abuse
Insulin is an anabolic hormone, which means it promotes protein synthesis and muscle growth. According to a September 2016 review published in the Journal of Basic Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology, bodybuilders have been known to use insulin to try to “bulk up.” But the review’s authors stressed that this is not a good idea 3. “Athletes are risking long-term harm by using these drugs … potentially resulting in coma and death,” they wrote.
It should also be noted that exercise lowers blood sugar levels, according to the American Diabetes Association, which increases the risk of bodybuilding-related insulin overdose 14. According to the review, insulin abuse among athletes is a growing problem. The Olympic Committee Medical Commission has banned non-diabetes insulin use since 1998 1.
- Insulin is an anabolic hormone, which means it promotes protein synthesis and muscle growth.
- Athletes are risking long-term harm by using these drugs… potentially resulting in coma and death,” they wrote.
How Long Can Your Body Survive Without Insulin
Naturally, people whose lives depend on taking insulin get very nervous at the thought of not having access to it. We cant help but wonder: in the worst-case scenario, just how long would we be able to hang on without it?
Conventional wisdom says the answer is roughly 3-4 days. But is that really true?
We set out to do some fact-checking.
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Not Drinking Enough Water
It’s not just what you eat, but also what you drink or don’t drink that can change the effectiveness of insulin. “Staying hydrated by drinking lots of water helps your kidneys flush out extra sugar floating around in your bloodstream,” Port explains. “It also helps medications like insulin work better, by helping to maintain good blood flow so the medicine can reach the tissues and cells where theyre needed most.” To remind yourself to drink water throughout the day, carry a refillable water bottle around with you. Use it a lot. And skip the sports and performance drinks, says Port, since they usually just give you more sugar.
The Dangers Of Taking Insulin When You Don’t Need It
Insulin is a crucial hormone which, among other functions, helps the body control blood sugar levels. Many people with diabetes need insulin injections to regulate their blood sugar, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 14.
Unfortunately, there are some misconceptions about insulin and some people even take it for purposes other than managing diabetes 1. This can have serious health consequences.
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Avoiding Injection Bruises And Lumps
Bruising can happen when you catch a tiny blood vessel under the skin where you have injected. It is quite normal for this to happen occasionally when you are injecting regularly and youre not doing anything wrong.
If you are concerned, you could make an appointment with your diabetes specialist nurse who will be able to do a review of your injection technique. In some cases, bleeding and bruising can be reduced by something as simple as using a different sized needle or changing your needle after each injection.
Some people notice hard lumps that can form if you inject in the same place too often. This might be lipohypertrophy , or could be something called cutaneous amyloidosis. These lumps can stop the insulin from working properly, so make sure you rotate where you inject and choose a different spot each time. If you notice any lumps, especially if they’re not going away, speak to your healthcare professional for more advice.
Other side effects from injecting a lot can be itching, rashes and other skin irritations. Changing where you inject helps with this too. You can also get treatments from your local pharmacy that can will help with the irritation.
Dont Wait More Than 15 Minutes To Eat After Taking A Mealtime Insulin
Rapid-acting insulins were designed to be taken right before you eat to help you control your blood sugar more effectively.
As the name suggests, rapid-acting insulin starts to work rapidly in the bloodstream. If you wait too long to eat, your blood sugar can actually end up getting too low. This puts you at risk for hypoglycemia.
If, for some reason, you cant eat a meal after youve already taken your mealtime insulin, you should carry around glucose tablets, juice, non-diet soda, raisins, or hard candies to avoid hypoglycemia.
Calculating the right dose of mealtime insulin can be complicated at first, especially if you dont know how many carbohydrates youre going to be eating at your next meal.
Try not to panic if you realize you took too much or too little insulin.
If you think youve taken too much insulin, eat some rapidly-absorbed carbs, like juice or glucose tabs. Also, you may want to call your doctor.
If youve taken a lot more than you need , have a friend or family member get you to a hospital. You may need to be observed for severe low blood sugar.
If you think youve taken too little insulin, or you completely forgot to take it at all before your meal, measure your blood sugar. If it gets too high, you may need to take a short or rapid-acting insulin as a corrective measure to lower your blood glucose levels. If youre at all unsure about the dose, seek advice from your doctor or diabetes care team.
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Why Do I Need To Take Insulin
All people who have type 1 diabetes and some people who have type 2 diabetes need to take insulin to help control their blood sugar levels. The goal of taking insulin is to keep your blood sugar level in a normal range as much as possible. Keeping blood sugar in check helps you stay healthy. Insulin cant be taken by mouth. It is usually taken by injection . It can also be taken using an insulin pen or an insulin pump.
What Are The Types Of Insulin Glulisine
Insulin glulisine is available under the brand name Apidra®. The medicine comes in liquid form. To get insulin into your bloodstream you can:
Copyright ©2022 Elsevier Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use.
References
- American Diabetes Association. Insulin Basics. Accessed 10/19/2021.
- U.S. National Library of Medicine. Apridra Insulin Glulisine Injection, Solution. Apridra SoloSTAR Insulin Glulisine Injection, Solution. Accessed 10/19/2021.
- Donner T, Sarkar S. Insulin Pharmacology, Therapeutic Regimens, and Principles of Intensive Insulin Therapy. . In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Boyce A, et al., editors. Endotext . South Dartmouth : MDText.com, Inc. 2000. Accessed 10/19/2021.
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How Does The Body React When Its Not Being Met With Insulin After Food
In the body, insulin is a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels. When insulin is not present in require amount after food, your body will react differently.
Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels. In the body, insulin is a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels. When its not met with insulin after food, your body will react in different ways: Some people may experience hypoglycemia others may experience hyperglycemia, and some people may experience no change at all.
When you dont take your insulin or eat right, the first thing to do is to check for any signs of hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia, which can be symptoms.
Throwing Away Your Needles And Lancets
Sharps bins and needle clippers are the safest way of disposing of your insulin needles and your lancets. A needle clipper removes the needle from your insulin pen, and is useful when youre out and about. How you get rid of your sharps bin depends on where you live. Your healthcare team should have information to help you get rid of your bin.
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Alcohol And Blood Sugar
However, its not only the high sugar content of alcohol that can affect your body drinking to excess has also been shown to have a negative effective on blood sugar.
When a person drinks alcohol, the body reacts to it as a toxin, and channels all energy into expelling it.
This means that other processes are interrupted including the production of glucose and the hormones needed to regulate it. This is most noticeable is in heavy drinkers, as over time drinking too much alcohol decreases the effectiveness of insulin, which leads to high blood sugar levels.
Alcohol also affects blood sugar levels each time its consumed, which means occasional drinkers can also be negatively impacted. Alcohol consumption causes an increase in insulin secretion, which leads to low blood sugar . This causes light headedness and fatigue, and is also responsible for a host of longer-term alcohol-related health problems.