What is the most common side effect of insulin?

Hypoglycemia is the most common and serious side effect of insulin, occurring in approximately 16% of type 1 and 10% of type II diabetic patients (the incidence varies greatly depending on the populations studied, types of insulin therapy, etc).

What happens if you take too much short-acting insulin?

Excess insulin in the bloodstream causes cells in your body to absorb too much glucose (sugar) from your blood. It also causes the liver to release less glucose. These two effects together create dangerously low glucose levels in your blood. This condition is called hypoglycemia.

What is short-acting insulin used for?

Short-acting insulin can cover insulin needs for meals eaten within 30 minutes after injection. Short-acting insulin is also considered a mealtime insulin. Intermediate-acting insulin can cover your insulin needs between meals and during the night.

What happens if you don’t take long acting insulin?

If there is no glargine and you have not given rapid acting insulin (NovoRapid™ / Humalog™) within the past 3-4 hours, it is likely that your body will make ketones and is at risk of developing life threatening diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).

Can insulin mess up your kidneys?

Insulin is a hormone. It controls how much sugar is in your blood. A high level of sugar in your blood can cause problems in many parts of your body, including your heart, kidneys, eyes, and brain. Over time, this can lead to kidney disease and kidney failure.

When should a Type 2 diabetic take insulin?

Insulin for Short-Term Blood Sugar Control “The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists recommends starting a person with type 2 diabetes on insulin if their A1C is above 9 percent and they have symptoms,” said Mazhari. Symptoms of type 2 diabetes include thirst, hunger, frequent urination, and weight loss.

What is the max amount of insulin per day?

When daily insulin doses exceed 200 units/day, the volume of U-100 insulin needed makes insulin delivery challenging. Available insulin syringes can deliver a maximum of 100 units, and insulin pen devices can deliver only 60–80 units per injection.

When should I take short-acting insulin?

A short-acting insulin is often used 30–60 minutes before a meal so that it has time to work. These liquid insulins are clear and do not settle out when the bottle (vial) sits for a while.

How long can a Type 2 diabetic go without insulin?

For someone like yourself, who indicated that you have had diabetes for more than 10 years, you MIGHT be able to live for 7 to 10 or so days without insulin.

What are the long term effects of insulin?

Patients on intensive insulin therapy may be more likely to experience weight gain. Intensive insulin therapy causes an increase in body fat as a result of the elimination of glycosuria and reduction in 24-hour energy expenditure.

Does insulin have side effects?

Insulin is known to cause a few different side effects, such as: Low blood sugar levels if too much is taken. High blood sugar levels if too little is taken. Weight gain (see Insulin and Weight Gain) A skin reaction at the site of the injection. Skin thickening or pitting at the site of the injection.

What is long term insulin used for?

Long-acting insulin. Long-acting insulins don’t peak like short-acting insulins — they can control blood sugar for an entire day. This is similar to the action of insulin normally produced by your pancreas to help control blood sugar levels between meals.