Do I Need To Monitor My Blood Sugar Level
Yes. Monitoring and controlling your blood sugar is key to preventing the complications of diabetes. If you dont already monitor your blood sugar level, you will need to learn how. Checking your blood sugar involves pricking your finger to get a small drop of blood that you put on a test strip. You can read the results yourself or insert the strip into a machine called an electronic glucose meter. The results will tell you whether your blood sugar is in a healthy range. Your doctor will give you additional information about monitoring your blood sugar.
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.
How Do I Take It
Many people get insulin into their blood using a needle and syringe, a cartridge system, or pre-filled pen systems.
The place on the body where you give yourself the shot may matter. You’ll absorb insulin the most evenly when you inject it into your belly. The next best places to inject it are your arms, thighs, and buttocks. Make it a habit to inject insulin at the same general area of your body, but change up the exact injection spot. This helps lessen scarring under the skin.
Inhaled insulin, insulin pumps, and a quick-acting insulin device are also available.
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When Administering Insulin What Would Be Most Appropriate
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the water from the water body or another source of water gets evaporated as water vapor as an effect of heat on water. these water vapor rises in the upper layers of the earth atmosphere under high atmospheric pressure. the atmospheric pressure of these water molecules starts to decrease due to the effect of cold air. the invisible water vapor condenses into visible water droplets and ice crystals.these ice crystals and water droplets being less denser than the surrounding air floats on air as clouds.
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General Tips For Administering An Insulin Shot
- Allow the insulin to come to room temperature before injecting, to avoid pain.
- Always use a new syringe and needle or pen needle.
- Always remove the needle before storing your insulin pen.
- Keep your insulin away from extreme hot or cold temperatures and store according to the manufacturers recommendations.
- Check your insulin vial for particles or anything that doesnt look right.
- Dispose of used needles safely.
- Create a plan for rotating injection sites.
Dont:
- Inject close to your belly button, near bony areas, or where you have a mole, scar, or wound.
- Use the same exact spot repeatedly to inject insulin.
- Let yourself run out of supplies. Always bring extra when traveling.
- Try to use expired insulin, as it may not work effectively.
- Forget to wear a medic alert ID in case you have a hypoglycemic event and cant speak for yourself.
- Forget to carry a rapid source of glucose.
Since insulin is a glucose-lowering medication, you should always be prepared in the event you need to treat a low blood sugar by carrying a rapid acting source of glucose with you, like a juice box, glucose tabs, or hard candy.
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How Do I Inject The Insulin
Generally, you will want to inject insulin as the dog is eating her meal because it is critical that insulin be given with a meal. Some dogs need a second person to hold them steady initially.
Choosing The Injection Site
How fast insulin starts working depends on the type of insulin and where you inject it. Insulin is injected into the fat just below the skin. It works quickest when injected into the belly . Other injection sites include the back part of the upper arms, the buttocks, and the top and outer sides of the thighs. Other things to keep in mind when choosing the injection site include:
- Change the injection site each time to prevent problems.
- Allow;about 1 inch between injection sites.
- Dont inject in the area 2 inches around the belly button.
Ask your child’s healthcare provider to teach you how to correctly rotate the injection site and how to stay away from areas of lipohypertrophy. This is a bump under the skin caused by injecting insulin in the same spot multiple times. Also ask about the correct insulin injection technique and how to prevent injecting insulin into the muscle. Accidentally injecting into the muscle or into an area of lipohypertrophy can affect how insulin is absorbed.
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What Is Insulin And Why Do I Need It
Insulin is a hormone that controls the level of blood sugar in your body. People with diabetes may not have enough insulin or may not be able to use it properly. The sugar builds up in the blood and overflows into the urine, passing out of your body unused. Over time, high blood sugar levels can cause serious health problems.
All people with type 1 diabetes, and some people with type 2 diabetes, need to take insulin to help control their blood sugar levels. The goal in treating diabetes is to keep the blood sugar level within a normal range.
What Are The Different Ways To Take Insulin
The way you take insulin may depend on your lifestyle, insurance plan, and preferences. You may decide that needles are not for you and prefer a different method. Talk with your doctor about the options and which is best for you. Most people with diabetes use a needle and syringe, pen, or insulin pump. Inhalers, injection ports, and jet injectors are less common.
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How Do You Choose The Right Syringe For Injecting Insulin
Just as there are different sizes of syringes for administering insulin, there are also varying sizes of insulin needles. Shorter needles usually mean less sting when injecting. The downside is that the shallower the injection is, the longer it takes for the insulin to work. Your doctor will help you find the balance thats best for you.
What Is Diabetes Mellitus
In dogs, diabetes mellitus is caused by the failure of the pancreas to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugar. This is insulin dependent diabetes mellitus . This type of diabetes usually results from destruction of most or all of the beta-cells that produce insulin in the pancreas. As the name implies, dogs with this type of diabetes require insulin injections to stabilize blood sugar levels.
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How Insulin Should Be Administered Subcutaneously
How To Take An Insulin Injection
When your healthcare provider or diabetes educator teaches you how to give yourself an insulin injection, they may have you give yourself an injection in order to observe your technique and provide support. Once you get home and its time to give yourself an injection, you can follow these steps as a reminder. If your healthcare provider has given you individualized instructions, always follow them.
In general, the following steps cover how to take an insulin injection:
Before you begin, wash your hands and gather supplies, including your insulin vial or pen, a new pen needle or syringe, an alcohol swab, sharps container, and a magnifier if needed.
How to inject insulin using an insulin pen:;
How to inject insulin with a syringe:;
A note about mixing insulin: Some people mix two types of insulin in one syringe. Mixing insulin in a syringe requires specific steps, and you will want to meet with your healthcare provider or diabetes educator to ensure that that you are accurate in dosing your insulin.
Storage and disposal tips:
Dispose of used pen or syringe needles safely so that no one gets an unwanted stick. Pick up a sharps container at the pharmacy, or make your own with a sturdy detergent container or similar plastic jug. Once the container is ¾ full, tape the top back on securely and contact your town to see if they have a sharps program for proper disposal. For more information on sharps disposal follow these guidelines from the FDA.
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What Is Different About Insulin Lispro
Insulin lispro is a new type of insulin. It starts working sooner than other insulin types. It also reaches peak activity faster and goes away sooner. Insulin lispro helps keep your blood sugar level from going too high after you eat. To keep your blood sugar level steady, your doctor will probably prescribe either a longer-acting insulin or another drug for you to take each day in addition to the insulin lispro.
If you need to mix insulin lispro with a longer-acting insulin, it’s best that you mix insulin lispro only with Humulin U or Humulin N, which are brand names for certain longer-acting insulins. Insulin lispro should always be drawn into the syringe first. This will keep the longer-acting insulin from getting into the insulin lispro bottle.
Types of insulin
Each type of insulin works at a different speed and lasts for a different length of time.
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Quick-acting, such as insulin lispro , begins to work very quickly and lasts for 3 to 4 hours.
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Short-acting, such as Regular insulin, starts working within 30 minutes and lasts about 5 to 8 hours.
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Intermediate-acting, such as NPH or Lente insulin, starts working in 1 to 3 hours and lasts 16 to 24 hours.
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Long-acting, such as Ultralente insulin, doesn’t start to work for 4 to 6 hours, but lasts 24 to 28 hours.
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NPH and Regular insulin mixture, two types of insulin mixed together in 1 bottle, starts working in 30 minutes and lasts 16 to 24 hours.
Perioperative Blood Glucose Management
Surgical proceduresincluding the preoperative emotional stress and the effects of general anesthesia as well as the trauma of the procedure itselfcan markedly increase plasma glucose levels and induce DKA in patients with type 1 DM. In patients going to surgery who have not received a dose of intermediate-acting insulin that day, injection of one third to one half of the total daily dose as NPH insulin or 80% of the dose as glargine or detemir insulin before surgery is often effective.
At the same time, an IV infusion containing 5% glucose in either 0.9% saline solution or water should be started at a rate of 1 L over 6-8 hours . Blood glucose levels should be checked every 2 hours during the surgical procedure, and small doses of regular or rapid-acting insulin should be given if values exceed 140 mg/dL.
After the operation, check plasma glucose levels and assess for a reaction to ketones. Unless a change in dosage is indicated, repeat the preoperative dose of insulin when the patient recovers from the anesthesia, and continue the glucose infusion.
Monitor plasma glucose and ketones at 2- to 4-hour intervals, and administer regular insulin every 4-6 hours as needed to maintain the plasma glucose level in the range of 100-250 mg/dL . Continue until the patient can be switched to oral feedings and a 2- or 3-dose insulin schedule.
Postoperative IV insulin infusion after major surgical procedures is currently considered the standard of care in most hospitals.
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Does Hypoglycemia Occur In Dogs
Hypoglycemia means low blood sugar. If the blood sugar falls below 40 mg/dl, it can be life threatening. Hypoglycemia generally occurs under two conditions:
“It is possible for the dog’s insulin requirements to suddenly change.”
Your veterinarian may have you offer an extra meal and recheck the glucose level within a short time after the dog eats.
Where Do I Inject The Insulin
Insulin is injected just under the skin. Your doctor or his or her office staff will show you how and where to give an insulin injection. The usual places to inject insulin are the upper arm, the front and side parts of the thighs, and the abdomen. Dont inject insulin closer than 2 inches from your belly button.
To keep your skin from thickening, try not to inject the insulin in the same place over and over. Instead, rotate injection places.
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What Other Injectable Medicines Treat Type 2 Diabetes
Besides insulin, other types of injected medicines are available. These medicines help keep your blood glucose level from going too high after you eat. They may make you feel less hungry and help you lose some weight. Other injectable medicines are not substitutes for insulin. Learn more about noninsulin injectable medicines.
When Do I Take Rapid
You should inject rapid-acting insulin no more than 15 minutes before you eat. Your doctor will tell you how much insulin to inject. Remember, you should not wait more than 15 minutes to eat after you take this insulin shot.
Rapid-acting insulin can be more convenient to take than regular insulin. With regular insulin, you inject the insulin and then wait 30 to 60 minutes before eating. Many people find it hard to time their meals around regular insulin injections. Sometimes they end up eating too soon or too late. Then they dont achieve the best blood sugar control. Since rapid-acting insulin is taken so close to mealtime, it may help you control your blood sugar more effectively.
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