Insulin injections are crucial for type 1 diabetes and often needed for type 2 diabetes. To use effectively...
Change with the seasons. Most people need less insulin in summer than winter (or during warm spell in colder months). Capillaries dilate when warm, and more blood containing insulin is delivered to peripheral tissues. Adjust your dose accordingly.
Prevent blood sugar spikes by correctly gauging how much insulin you need to cover each meal and when to inject it. With Regular (a type of short-acting insulin), that's usually 30 to 45 minutes before the meal.
To determine your best timing: Inject an insulin dose, and check blood sugar after 25 minutes, then a five-minute intervals. When it has dropped by 5 mg/dL, it's time to eat. This may not work for people who have diabetic gastroparesis, which causes unpredictable stomach emptying.
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