What Is Insulin?
If you tried everything to treat your diabetes and your blood sugar still isn’t
right, insulin may help.
Insulin is a hormone that is released from the pancreas to help the body use or
store the sugar it gets from food. In people with type 2 diabetes, the pancreas
does not produce enough insulin to keep their blood sugar controlled. Adding insulin
to an overall diabetes treatment plan helps to control the level of sugar in the
blood. When your levels are closer to normal, you have good blood sugar control.
Glucose and Insulin: Mechanism of Action
Watch a video on the relationship between glucose and insulin.
This is a Flash movie. You need a Flash Player in order to view this video. Please download the latest version of Flash Plug-in from the Macromedia Flash Player Download Center.
View Transcript
You must test your blood sugar levels while using insulin, such as LANTUS®.
The most common side effect of insulin, including LANTUS®, is low blood sugar
(hypoglycemia), which may be serious.
So is your A1C at goal?
If not, insulin is an effective option to help lower blood sugar levels for people with diabetes.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends an A1C of <7% for most people with diabetes. A1C is a measure of your blood sugar control for the last 2-3 months. Talk to your doctor about the goal that is right for you.
Important Safety Information for Lantus®
Do not take Lantus® if you are allergic to insulin or any of the inactive ingredients
in Lantus®.
You must test your blood sugar levels while using insulin, such as Lantus®.
Do not make any changes to your dose or type of insulin without talking to your
healthcare provider. Any change of insulin should be made cautiously and only under
medical supervision.
Do NOT dilute or mix Lantus® with any other insulin or solution.
It will not work as intended and you may lose blood sugar control, which could be
serious. Lantus® must only be used if the solution is clear and colorless with
no particles visible. Do not share needles, insulin pens or syringes with others.
The most common side effect of insulin, including Lantus®, is low blood
sugar (hypoglycemia), which may be serious. Some people may experience
symptoms such as shaking, sweating, fast heartbeat, and blurred vision. Severe hypoglycemia
may be serious and life threatening. It may cause harm to your heart or brain. Other
possible side effects may include injection site reactions, including changes in
fat tissue at the injection site, and allergic reactions, including itching and
rash. In rare cases, some allergic reactions may be life threatening.
Tell your doctor about other medicines and supplements you are taking because they
can change the way insulin works. Before starting Lantus®, tell your doctor
about all your medical conditions including if you have liver or kidney problems,
are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding or planning to
breast-feed.
Lantus® SoloSTAR® is a disposable prefilled insulin pen. Please talk to your healthcare
provider about proper injection technique and follow instructions in the Instruction
Leaflet that accompanies the pen.
Click here for full prescribing information for Lantus®.
Click
here for information on Sharps Medical Waste Disposal.