mixing your insulin
(IN suh lin AH spart)
NovoLog
What is the most important information I should know about insulin aspart?
• Know the signs and symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), whichinclude headache, drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, fast heartbeat, sweating,tremor, and nausea mixing your insulin. Carry a piece of candy or glucose tablets with you to treatepisodes of low blood sugar mixing your insulin.
• Follow any diet and exercise plan that you have developed with your doctoror nurse mixing your insulin. Changes in what you eat or how much you exercise can change the amountof insulin that you need to control blood sugar levels mixing your insulin.
• Ask your doctor or nurse what to do if you are sick with a cold, flu,or fever mixing your insulin. These illnesses may change your insulin requirements mixing your insulin.
• Insulin aspart differs from regular human insulin by how quickly it beginsto work and the amount of time it continues to be effective mixing your insulin. Because insulinaspart begins to work soon after it is injected, the injection of insulin aspartshould immediately be followed by a meal mixing your insulin. Because of the short amount of timethat insulin aspart continues to be effective, a longer-acting insulin may alsobe required mixing your insulin.
• Do not change the brand of insulin aspart or syringe that you are usingwithout first talking to your doctor or pharmacist mixing your insulin. Some brands of insulin aspartand syringes are interchangeable, while others are not mixing your insulin. Your doctor and/or pharmacistknow which brands can be substituted for one another mixing your insulin.
What is insulin aspart?
• Insulin is a hormone naturally produced by the pancreas mixing your insulin. Insulin enablesthe body to use the sugar in food as a source of energy mixing your insulin. When the body doesnot produce enough insulin, or when the insulin produced by the body is noteffective enough, the condition is called diabetes mellitus mixing your insulin. This conditionallows sugar levels in the blood to become very high mixing your insulin. Diabetics must use man-madeinsulin or insulin that comes from pigs (which is very similar to human insulin)to lower these high blood sugar levels mixing your insulin.
• There are three types of insulin, which differ in how soon they beginto work and how long their effects last mixing your insulin. Insulin aspart is one type of insulinthat begins to work very quickly and its effects that last for approximately3 to 5 hours mixing your insulin. Insulin aspart is usually used in combination with another longer-actinginsulin mixing your insulin.
• Insulin aspart may also be used for purposes other than those listedin this medication guide mixing your insulin.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using insulin aspart?
• Do not use insulin aspart if you are allergic to insulin or if you havean intolerance of a certain insulin aspart product mixing your insulin.
• Before using insulin aspart, tell your doctor if you have kidney or liverdisease mixing your insulin. You may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment mixing your insulin.
• Insulin aspart is in the FDA pregnancy category C mixing your insulin. This means that itis not known whether it will be harmful to an unborn baby mixing your insulin. Do not use this medicationwithout first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnantduring treatment mixing your insulin.
• It is not known whether insulin aspart passes into breast milk mixing your insulin. Do notuse this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feedinga baby mixing your insulin.
How should I use insulin aspart?
• Use insulin aspart exactly as directed by your doctor mixing your insulin. If you do notunderstand these instructions, ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist to explainthem to you mixing your insulin.
• Insulin aspart differs from regular human insulin by how quickly it beginsto work and the amount of time it continues to be effective mixing your insulin. Because insulinaspart begins to work soon after it is injected, the injection of insulin aspartshould immediately be followed by a meal mixing your insulin. Because of the short amount of timethat insulin aspart continues to be effective, a longer-acting insulin may alsobe required mixing your insulin.
• Insulin aspart is usually used immediately before a meal (a meal shouldbe started within 5 to 10 minutes after injecting the medication) mixing your insulin. Follow yourdoctor's instructions mixing your insulin.
• Rotate injection sites as directed by your doctor mixing your insulin. Usually, you shouldnot inject within 1 inch of the same site within 1 month mixing your insulin.
• Never reuse a needle or syringe mixing your insulin. The syringes used must not contain anyother medicinal product or residue mixing your insulin. Dispose of all needles and syringes in anappropriate, puncture-resistant disposal container mixing your insulin.
• Do not change the insulin strength (e.g., U-100) or insulin type (e.g.,aspart) unless your doctor recommends a change for you mixing your insulin.
• Do not change the brand of insulin aspart or syringe that you are usingwithout first talking to your doctor or pharmacist mixing your insulin. Some brands of insulin andsyringes are interchangeable, while others are not mixing your insulin. Your doctor and/or pharmacistknow which brands can be substituted for one another mixing your insulin.
• Follow any diet and exercise plan that you have developed with your doctoror nurse mixing your insulin. Changes in what you eat or how much you exercise can change the amountof insulin that you need to control blood sugar levels mixing your insulin.
• Ask your doctor or nurse what to do if you are sick with a cold, flu,or fever mixing your insulin. These illnesses may change your insulin requirements mixing your insulin.
• Wear some type of medical identification bracelet, necklace, or otheralert tag to inform others that you have diabetes and that you require insulinin the case of an emergency mixing your insulin.
• To adequately control diabetes, proper foot care, eye care, dental care,and overall proper health care are necessary mixing your insulin. Visit your doctor, dentist, eyedoctor, and other heath care practitioners as recommended by your doctor mixing your insulin.
• Do not use any insulin that is discolored, looks thick, has particlesin it, or looks different from your previous bottles or cartridges of insulinaspart mixing your insulin.
• Store unopened bottles and cartridges of insulin aspart in the refrigeratorbetween 36 and 46 degrees Fahrenheit (2 and 8 degrees Celsius) mixing your insulin. Do not storeinsulin aspart in the freezer and do not allow it to freeze mixing your insulin. Do not use insulinaspart if it has been frozen mixing your insulin. Throw away any expired insulin aspart mixing your insulin.
• Vials or cartridges of insulin aspart in use can be kept unrefrigeratedat room temperature, below 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius), for upto 28 days but should not be exposed to excessive heat or sunlight mixing your insulin.
What happens if I miss a dose?
• Follow your doctor's directions if you miss a dose of insulin mixing your insulin. To preventmissed doses, be sure to always have enough insulin on hand, especially if youare going on vacation mixing your insulin.
What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention mixing your insulin.
• Symptoms of an insulin overdose reflect very low blood sugar levels andinclude headache, irregular heartbeat, increased heart rate or pulse, sweating,tremor, nausea, increased hunger, and anxiety mixing your insulin.
What should I avoid while using insulin aspart?
• Do not use alcohol without first talking to your doctor mixing your insulin. It lowers bloodsugar, and you may experience dangerously low blood sugar levels mixing your insulin.
• Follow any diet and exercise plan that you have developed with your doctoror nurse mixing your insulin. Changes in what you eat or how much you exercise can change the amountof insulin that you need to control blood sugar levels mixing your insulin.
What are the possible side effects of insulin aspart?
• Rarely, people have allergic reactions to insulin mixing your insulin. Seek emergency medicalattention if you experience an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closingof your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives) mixing your insulin.
• The side effects of insulin therapy result mostly from blood sugar levelsthat are either too high or too low mixing your insulin. You should be familiar with the symptomsof both high and low blood sugar levels and know how to treat both conditions mixing your insulin. Also, be sure your family and close friends know how to help you in an emergency mixing your insulin.
• Low blood sugar may occur when too much insulin is used; when meals aremissed or delayed; if you exercise more than usual; during illness, especiallywith vomiting or diarrhea; if you take other medications; after drinking alcohol;and in other situations mixing your insulin.
• Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, has the following symptoms: shaking,headache, cold sweats, pale, cool skin, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating mixing your insulin.
• Keep sugary candy; fruit juice; or glucose tablets on hand to treat episodesof low blood sugar mixing your insulin.
• Increased blood sugar may occur if not enough insulin is used, if youeat significantly more food then usual, if you exercise less than usual, ifyou take other medications, if you have a fever or other illness, and in othersituations mixing your insulin.
• Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, has the following symptoms: increasedthirst, increased hunger, and increased urination mixing your insulin.
• Monitor your blood sugar levels and ask your doctor how to adjust yourinsulin doses if your blood sugar levels are too high mixing your insulin.
• Side effects may also occur at the site of injection mixing your insulin. If the area becomesthickened, hard, or pitted, talk to your doctor before injecting at that siteagain mixing your insulin.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur mixing your insulin. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome mixing your insulin.
What other drugs will affect insulin aspart?
• Many drugs can interact with insulin or affect blood sugar levels mixing your insulin. Donot take any other medicines, including prescription products or over-the-countermedicines or supplements, without first talking to your doctor or pharmacistduring treatment with insulin mixing your insulin.
Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about insulin aspart writtenfor health professionals that you may read mixing your insulin.
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