#rapid-acting insulin

[dingo-saurus]

not only did i randomly get type 1 diabetes in my mid-twenties, something that is truly bizarre, but i also seem to have gotten *double diabetes*. which is the real actual name of when u got type 1 and also the symptoms of type 2 at the same goddamn time

[scientia-rex]

Because my most popular post is about weight loss and how it's a crock, I get a lot of questions about various things, including bariatric surgery--just posted the link to the post I did about that--but also Ozempic/Wegovy, the once-weekly injectable semaglutide medication that was developed for diabetes but was found to have independent benefits on weight loss.

I always said that weight loss was like Viagra: when a medication came along that actually worked, it would explode. We'd all hear about it. Fen-phen in the 90s worked, but it was bad for your heart. Stimulants, like meth, may cause weight loss, but they do it at the cost of heart health, and raise your likelihood of dying young. Over the counter weight loss supplements often contain illegal and unlisted thyroid hormone, which is also dangerous for the heart if taken in the absence of a real deficiency. Orlistat, or "Alli," works the same way as the Olestra chips Lays made in the 1990s--it shuts off your ability to digest fats, and the problem with that is that fats irritate the gut, so then you end up with fatty diarrhea and probably sharts. Plus Alli only leads to 8-10lbs of weight loss in the best case scenario, and most people are not willing to endure sharts for the sake of 8lbs.

And then came the GLP-1 agonists. GLP stands for glucagon-like peptide. Your body uses insulin to make cells uptake sugar. You can't just have free-floating sugar and use it, it has to go into the cells to be used. So if your body sucks at moving sugar into the cells, you end up with a bunch of glucose hanging out in places where it shouldn't be, depositing on small vessels, damaging nerves and your retinas and kidneys and everywhere else that has a whole lot of sensitive small blood vessels, like your brain.

Glucagon makes your liver break down stored sugars and release them. You can think of it as part of insulin's supporting cast. If your body needs sugar and you aren't eating it, you aren't going to die of hypoglycemia, unless you've got some rare genetic conditions--your liver is going to go, whoops, here you go! and cough it up.

But glucagon-like peptide doesn't act quite the same way. What glucagon-like peptide does is actually stimulating your body to release insulin. It inhibits glucagon secretion. It says, we're okay, we're full, we just ate, we don't need more glucagon right now.

This has been enough for many people to both improve blood sugar and cause weight loss. Some patients find they think about food less, which can be a blessing if you have an abnormally active hunger drive, or if you have or had an eating disorder.

However, every patient I've started on semaglutide in any form (Ozempic, Wegovy, or Rybelsus) has had nausea to start with, probably because it slows the rate of stomach emptying. And that nausea sometimes improves, and sometimes it doesn't. There's some reports out now of possible gastroparesis associated with it, which is where the stomach just stops contracting in a way that lets it empty normally into the small intestine. That may not sound like a big deal, but it's a lifelong ticket to abdominal pain and nausea and vomiting, and we are not good at treating it. We're talking Reglan, a sedating anti-nausea but pro-motility agent, which makes many of my patients too sleepy to function, or a gastric pacemaker, which is a relatively new surgery. You can also try a macrolide antibiotic, like erythromycin, but I have had almost no success in getting insurance to cover those and also they have their own significant side effects.

Rapid weight loss from any cause, whether illness, medication, or surgery, comes with problems. Your skin is not able to contract quickly. It probably will, over long periods of time, but "Ozempic face" and "Ozempic butt" are not what people who want to lose weight are looking for. Your vision of your ideal body does not include loose, excess skin.

The data are also pretty clear that you can't "kick start" weight loss with Ozempic and then maintain it with behavioral mechanisms. If you want to maintain the weight loss, you need to stay on the medication. A dose that is high enough to cause weight loss is significantly higher than the minimum dose where we see improvements in blood sugar, and with a higher dose comes higher risk of side effects.

I would wait on semaglutide. I would wait because it's been out for a couple of years now but with the current explosion in popularity we're going to see more nuanced data on side effects emerging. When you go from Phase III human trials to actual use in the world, you get thousands or millions more data points, and rare side effects that weren't seen in the small human trials become apparent. It's why I always say my favorite things for a drug to be are old, safe, and cheap.

I also suspect the oral form, Rybelsus, is going to get more popular and be refined in some way. It's currently prohibitively expensive--all of these are; we're talking 1200 or so bucks a month before insurance, and insurance coverage varies widely. I have patients who pay anything from zero to thirty to three hundred bucks a month for injectable semaglutide. I don't think I currently have anyone whose insurance covers Rybelsus who could also tolerate the nausea. My panel right now is about a thousand patients.

There are also other GLP-1 agonists. Victoza, a twice-daily injection, and Trulicity, and anything else that ends in "-aglutide". But those aren't as popular, despite being cheaper, and they aren't specifically approved for weight loss.

Mounjaro is a newer one, tirzepatide, that acts on two receptors rather than one. In addition to stimulating GLP-1 receptors, it also stimulates glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptors. It may work better; I'm not sure whether that's going to come with a concomitantly increased risk of side effects. It's still only approved for diabetes treatment, but I suspect that will change soon and I suspect we'll see a lot of cross-over in terms of using it to treat obesity.

I don't think these medications are going away. I also don't think they're right for everyone. They can reactivate medullary thyroid carcinoma; they can fuck up digestion; they may lead to decreased quality of life. So while there may be people who do well with them, it is okay if those people are not you. You do not owe being thin to anyone. You most certainly do not owe being thin to the extent that you should risk your health for it. Being thin makes navigating a deeply fat-hating world easier, in many ways, so I never blame anyone for wanting to be thin; I just want to emphasize that it is okay if you stay fat forever.

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Week - March 6, 2023

🐎 - News That'll Make You Say "Neigh" to Negativity: My Weekly Positive Roundup

1. Drugmaker Eli Lilly caps the cost of insulin at $35 a month, bringing relief for millions

Eli Lilly will cap the out-of-pocket cost of its insulin at $35 a month, the drugmaker said Wednesday. The move could prompt other insulin makers in the U.S. to follow suit.

The change, which Eli Lilly said takes effect immediately, puts the drugmaker in line with a provision in the Inflation Reduction Act, which in January imposed a $35 monthly cap on the out-of-pocket cost of insulin for seniors enrolled in Medicare.

2. Over 7,500 Pot Convictions Expunged in Missouri

More than 7,500 individuals in Missouri have had their prior marijuana-related convictions expunged with recreational cannabis now legal in the state.

The expungement is the latest byproduct of the constitutional amendment that was approved by Missouri voters last fall, which legalized pot for adults and cleared the way for Missourians to have their records cleared.

3. Scientists cure 22 year old former race horse's behavioral disorders after 15 years of symptoms

A team of international researchers from Italy and Brazil published findings earlier this month in the science publication Veterinary and Animal Science in which they reported a “successful outcome of four weeks-therapy with CBD” in a clinical case involving a 22-year-old Quarter horse that was experiencing behavioral disorders.

The clinical case study was a collaboration between investigators from the Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences at the University of Bologna in Italy and the Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences at the University Metodista of São Paulo in Brazil. At the heart of the study was a 22-year-old mare subject that was reportedly suffering from “chronic crib-biting and wind-sucking,” which are common behavioral disorders in horses for various reasons, including but not limited to poor welfare

4. Clean energy record: More than 40% of US electricity now comes from carbon-free sources

Power from zero-carbon sources made up a full 41% of the U.S. electricity mix in 2022, a record-breaking number that has increased almost every year since 1990.

That mix includes power from nuclear plants, hydroelectric dams, solar and wind. With nuclear and hydropower relatively unchanged for years at about 19% and 10% respectively, the majority of the increase has come from the rapid build-out of solar and wind power, whose costs have plummeted in the past two decades. 

5. ‘Cruelty-free’ circus replaced animals with holograms

Holograms of horses run in circles. The Circus Roncalli stopped using wild animals in its shows in the 1990s. Circus Roncalli was among the first circus acts in Europe to stop using animals in acts.

6. New UN brokered High Seas Treaty Places 30% of Ocean into protected areas by 2030 after decades of talks

The High Seas Treaty places 30% of the seas into protected areas by 2030, aiming to safeguard and recuperate marine nature.

The agreement was reached on Saturday evening, after 38 hours of talks, at UN headquarters in New York. The negotiations had been held up for years over disagreements on funding and fishing rights.

7. 'Heroic' Wirral student rescues dog from Manchester canal

Watch the video here:

https://twitter.com/feelgoodnws/status/1632323139454550018

- - -

Lastly, I opened a Youtube account. Subscribe for more wholesome videos. That's it for this week. If you liked this post you can support this newsletter with a small kofi donation:

Buy me a coffee ❤️

[pianocat939]

Can I have a blurb about yandere rise!turtles with a diabetic, picky eater mc?

(totally not me!)

Ok first of all, I don't know practically anything about diabetes, so this is only based off of light research- so obviously there's a chance I mess things up.

Second, I'm going to assume it's type 1, considering type 1 is the autoimmune type and also is the one that is diagnosed at a very young age. It's also not caused by unhealthy diet and lifestyle.

This is the research that I've collected in a matter of brisking through a few webs:

- constant checking of blood sugar levels (and depending on that level, the food consumption/diet will be changed)

- taking insulin shots. Which there's 2 types, basal and bolus. Basal is the type you take everyday, regardless of what you eat. Meanwhile, bolus is a rapid-acting insulin that will regulate the carbohydrates within the body (in the pancreas specifically)

- Medications (kinda obv)

- Calculating carbohydrate intake and overall diet.

- Needing more sleep to regulate blood sugar levels easier

(this is the basics I've accumulated so yeah- I'm going off of this)

I'm just casually doing a mini research project for this aha-

Tw: restricting behaviour, Mikey is being creepy, vague religious themes

Raph is literally panicking like a lot. You know- man's just constantly asking if you need anything because he doesn't know what to expect at any given moment. (plus, he's pure anxiety). He chronically keeps snacks if you ever go out to anywhere.

Leo ensures you take your insulin and medications, all while saying some smug shit like- "Oh aren't I just the best for keeping you healthy?" Like stop it. No. You aren't the best. He's literally a hypocrite when he does this, but he forces you to sleep. Even though he doesn't sleep.

Donnie? He's terrifying. He's calculating every gram of your diet, making sure he focuses on the carbohydrate intake especially. He's very strict about everything, whether you like it or not. He knows what it's like to be a picky eater, so he tries everything to find foods you like while still getting your balanced intake.

I'm not going to lie, Mikey is kinda creepy about it. Like bro knows your blood sugar levels before you even knew. He actually blames the foods you don't like as unholy and doesn't dare touch them (unless if it's an ingredient he needs to make something you like). He keeps multiple journals of your daily insulin intake, there's no reason as to why. He's just obsessed.

(I'm sorry it's been 2 whole ass weeks since I've last written anything- but hey- at least my marching season will be over in a week...but still got Matilda to go through aha...)

- Celina

[mrwolfhare]

Some fun research concerning raccoons, in case any fan wants to write fanfic or make fanart of him.

There are several foods that are bad for raccoons, this doesn't mean they're necessarily bad for Rocket, as his body was uplifted and might have an immunity to them, much like humans not suffering as most animals do when ingesting things like onions, raisins and chocolates.

That being said, here are some foods that can be harmful to normal raccoons:

Processed Foods: Foods high in sugar, salt, and artificial additives can be harmful to raccoons. They can lead to obesity and other health problems.

Chocolate: Chocolate contains theobromine, which is toxic to raccoons (as well as many other animals). Consumption can lead to symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, rapid breathing, and even death.

Alcohol: Alcohol can be toxic to raccoons, causing neurological and metabolic problems.

Caffeine: Caffeine-containing products like coffee, tea, and energy drinks can be harmful to raccoons, leading to increased heart rate, tremors, and seizures.

Dairy Products: While raccoons may be attracted to dairy, many adult raccoons are lactose intolerant and can experience digestive upset if they consume milk or other dairy products.

Avocado: Avocado contains a substance called persin, which is toxic to many animals, including raccoons. Consumption can lead to heart and lung congestion.

Raw Eggs: Raw eggs can carry the risk of salmonella and other bacterial infections, which can harm raccoons. Do note that raccoons really like eggs.

Moldy or Spoiled Food: Mold can produce mycotoxins, which can be harmful to raccoons if consumed.

Foods with Sharp Bones: Raccoons can choke on small bones or sharp fragments from bones, so it's best to avoid feeding them bones from meat or fish.

Onions and Garlic: Allium species, including onions and garlic, can be toxic to raccoons, causing damage to red blood cells and potential anemia.

Xylitol: Xylitol, an artificial sweetener, can be toxic to raccoons and may lead to insulin release, causing hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

High-Fat Foods: Foods that are very high in fat, like fried or greasy items, can lead to digestive issues and obesity in raccoons.

And concerning weight gain in raccoons, they do add that extra layer of cuddle during the autumn months before winter comes around. This is an instinctual act due to the environment. If the environment doesn't change / get colder, then they won't bother adding weight for the cold months.

Now imagine Rocket on Earth or a planet with similar climates, and instinct kicks in, and he starts scarfing down more than normal to get ready for winter. There needs to be a winter Rocket. Roundhouse Rocket. An angry chunker. Butterball bandito. Roly-poly rascal.

[macgyvermedical]

Using Over the Counter Insulins to Manage Diabetes

In the United States, you can buy some older types of insulin (regular human insulin, NPH insulin, and 70/30 insulin) without a prescription. The cheapest place to buy these is WalMart, where these often cost just under $25 per 10-mL vial. This makes them an attractive option for someone looking for an emergency replacement for newer, more convenient insulins. This post gives an idea of what that could look like, and how to plan around it.

Now, it's important to understand that these insulins are not 1:1 your current regimen. You need to plan for this, and not wait until you're out of insulin to consider them.

The first thing you're going to want to do is make an appointment with your diabetes educator. Don't have one? Call your doctor's office and ask if they have one on staff. If they don't, ask if you can be referred to one. If you have the option, see an old one. One that was practicing in the 1990's, preferably.

Tell them you are making a plan for if you ever run out of insulin and need to use over the counter insulin. If they try to offer you discount cards or other ways of paying for insulin, accept them, but still insist they work with you to develop a plan to use the ones available over the counter. This is your backup, and you really want to have it available.

The reason it is your backup and not just your day-to-day (and also why you NEED to see a diabetes educator about them) is that the older insulins are genuinely more difficult to use. They require a lot more planning, a lot more timing of food, and often counting of carbohydrates or other skills not necessarily required of newer regimens of rapid-acting (aspart, lispro) and basal (glargine) insulins. Plus, this is going to require probably significantly more blood glucose checking if you don't use a continuous glucose monitor.

Next, you're going to want to present this to your doctor. You know your doctor better than I do and know how they're going to take this. Generally, this is second because doctors don't have a lot of time to discuss this plan, and it's easier to get them on board if you've already thought through things and discussed them with a diabetes educator. Reassure them that this is for short periods to prevent emergencies that could put you in a hospital, when other options have been exhausted. They're probably still not going to like it. Be prepared for that.

Below I'll discuss the differences between "newer" (what you are probably taking), and "older" (what Wally World has on offer).

Newer insulin regimens usually involve a rapid acting insulin taken each meal, combined with a basal insulin given once per day that covers the rest of the time. Since rapid acting insulins closely mimic the body's response to ingestion of carbohydrates, they can be taken immediately before a meal, which gives people a lot more flexibility as to when they need to eat. Long acting insulins don't ever really peak, so you don't need to time them as precisely with food. Skipping a meal, as long as you also skip a rapid acting administration, generally won't cause hypoglycemia.

Older insulins are less convenient and carry a higher risk of hypoglycemia. Older human insulin peaks about an hour after administration, meaning that to use it effectively, you have to give the dose, wait an hour, and then eat. It lasts about 4-6 hours. NPH insulin, which works for about 12 hours and peaks at 4-6, often requires a meal or snack at it's peak as well. Since both of these are often needed to manage blood sugar levels, timing is everything. That means no oversleeping, no changes to meal schedule, and no unplanned-for snacks.

TL;DR: If you ever think you might want or need to switch to an older, cheaper, OTC insulin, you should start planning now by seeing a diabetes educator about how to use older insulins.

[nochiquinn]

The Ongoing Situation, updated and revised with new developments:

my kid is type 1 diabetic. she uses a constant glucose monitor. this involves a small sensor attached to her arm that lasts for about two weeks that we scan with a reader. she has insurance coverage, but the cost of the sensors have been creeping up each time we refill, around $40 for two (so far), and that’s a monthly purchase if they don’t break or fall off or what have you - then it’s twice in one month. the reader has decided that test strips are for other people, so we had to purchase a separate finger-stick tester for when we need to double-check her sensor readings.

the other reality is the cost of insulin. she takes two kinds, a rapid-acting for meals and to correct highs, and a slow-release at night. each of these comes in a pack of 5, and with insurance each of those packs costs ~$75. the rapid-acting disappears faster bc we have to send one to school with her - she’s not allowed to carry it back and forth. so that’s two pens in active use at the same time.

her dad, my partner, is also t1d, and requires all the same supplies she does (sans the sensors/monitor). so they draw from the same pool of alcohol swabs, pen needles, etc, but he has his own test strips he has to purchase, ~$25/50, and we've been having to buy them more often thanks to the aforementioned fuckery with kiddo's reader. he also has to buy his own insulin, which is ~$50/5 pens (since he can thankfully use the knockoff walmart kind), x2 because he also needs a long-lasting dose for overnight. kiddo also has her own stash of supplies at school - a pack of test strips, syringe heads, alcohol swabs, etc - and her dad has one at work. this necessary doubling-up of supplies adds up. school is starting back, so we have to replenish her school kit as well.

so just sitting here and doing the math, sensors + test strips + insulin for them both = $315. and that’s before swabs and glucose tabs and what have you. insulin-dependent diabetic care in the united states is a fucking racket.

this wall of text is to say: helping us buy medical supplies for them both would be a huge weight off our shoulders. ways to do this include:

amazon list, to buy supplies directly. (needles are no longer on here, because for whatever reason amazon has stopped shipping them to our address. I don't know if this is true for everyone or just us, but we're now reliant on the walmart pharmacy and the pip website for needles.)

gofundme

ko-fi/ko-fi shop

tipping

redbubble

teepublic

on the larger scale, please vote for and support politicians in favor of expanding medicaid/medicare, capping the cost of insulin, or universal healthcare in general. voting is not enough etc etc but it's a start. also, as always, burning down the pharmaceutical industry. 💙

[amporella]

Facts about Kyle & Diabetes

ANYWAY, THE POST I MEANT TO MAKE:

I don’t think the specific effects of diabetes in daily life are all that widely known, so here are some notes/facts you might find interesting if you’re planning on writing a Kyle POV and canon/realism is important to you:

- Kyle’s specific type of diabetes is never mentioned in Cherokee Hair Tampons, but it’s highly likely that he has type 1. Type 1 diabetes is a (theorized) genetic condition that usually presents early in life, while type 2 is more lifestyle related. 

- Sheila mentions that Kyle has been diabetic all his life, implying it appeared at a fairly young age. Type 1 diabetes appears at two noticeable peaks - 4 to 7 and 10 to 14 years old - so it’s likely that Kyle’s diabetes developed between the ages of 4 to 7. Maybe even on the younger end of that?

- In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas produces little to no insulin. Because of this, EVERY PERSON with type 1 diabetes must take insulin on a daily basis.

- The bolus secretion is the insulin your body releases at mealtimes, and the basal secretion is the small amount of insulin that’s always in a non-diabetic’s blood. Basal secretion is the only necessary type of insulin, and some diabetics choose to only take basal insulin. Basal insulin constantly brings down high resting blood glucose levels, while bolus insulin is much more powerful but much more short lived. It’s what you’d take at mealtimes/in moments of extremely high blood sugar.

- Speaking of types of insulin, there are multiple types a diabetic might take:

Rapid-acting: takes effect within 15 minutes and is typically taken at mealtime. Mimics the bolus secretion.

Regular/short-acting: takes effect between 30 minutes to an hour. Is also taken at mealtime, but lasts longer than rapid-acting insulin. Also mimics the bolus secretion.

Intermediate-acting: lasts for 10-16 hours and is typically taken twice a day. Imitates the basal secretion.

Long-acting: lasts for 20-24 hours and is typically taken once a day, but some might take it twice a day for better control of their blood sugar. Mimics the basal secretion.

Pre-mixed insulin: combines two other types of insulin.

Basal-bolus insulin therapy: A treatment in which the diabetic takes a combination of basal and bolus insulins throughout the day. Allows for diabetics to not have to eat meals at specific times of day.

- Dosages for insulin are specific from person to person, and are often finicky and require frequent adjustments.

- Insulin CANNOT be taken as a pill. Type 1 diabetics can only take insulin through daily injections or through an insulin pump.

- There are four main areas a diabetic will inject insulin: the abdomen, the back of the arm, the thighs, and the hips/butt. Injections into the abdomen will absorb the fastest, followed by the arms, thighs, and hips.

- Insulin is designed to be injected into the subcutaneous tissue layer; ie, the layer directly under the skin. Injecting it into muscle will cause it to absorb significantly slower.

- Constantly using the same injection site will cause the body to develop a resistance/scar tissue, and insulin will be absorbed slower. It’s important to rotate insulin injection sites every so often.

- Heat and exercise also both effect insulin absorption; heat opens up the blood vessels and allows for insulin to be absorbed faster, and leg exercise increases the rate of absorption in the legs (but slows it slightly in the abdomen!). However, physical activity only increases insulin absorption in rapid-acting and regular/short-acting insulins.

- 20-40% of type 1 diabetics choose to use an insulin pump instead of using injections. Insulin pumps and injections are equally effective, but insulin pumps come with the risk of the pump failing to perform. People with insulin pumps still need to check their blood sugar, and pumps vs injections really just come down to a matter of choice. It is entirely feasible for Kyle to go with either.

- Some diabetics check their blood sugar using finger sticks, and others check it using a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system. CGM systems check glucose levels every ~10 minutes, and the glucose sensor must be moved to a different area every 1-2 weeks. People using CGM systems still need occasional finger pricks for reliability.

- Young adults with type 1 diabetes are more prone to developing excess body weight than non-diabetic young adults.

- Poor muscle health is a complication of diabetes, even in very active people. Overactivity in people with diabetes may reduce metabolism and accelerate the rate of developing disability. Exercise is important to help reduce excess weight gain, but diabetics shouldn’t exercise beyond the recommended amount.

- A kidney transplant alone (like the one Kyle got in Cherokee Hair Tampons) is not a cure for diabetes; a pancreas transplant is the only way to fully cure it. However, pancreas transplants are typically reserved for people with very significant complications. 

And huge thanks to @girl-kendallroy for adding the following information!!

- 100-150 is typically the goal range for blood sugar, below 100 is low, 150-200 is moderate, and 200-250 is high. Correction insulin/water is given when blood sugar is considered high, which is also when high blood sugar symptoms start to show.

- Type 1 diabetics are prone to low blood sugar seizures, as well as other diseases and autoimmune disorders. As a result, they undergo routine testing for thyroid issues, celiac disease, and other organ functions (such as kidney, liver, and eye).

IN CONCLUSION: Not all of this is relevant on a day to day basis, but a lot of it is, and if you plan on writing a Kyle POV that encompasses multiple scenes/lasts for a long period of time, the above information may be worth considering if realism in fic is up your alley! 

SOURCES:

https://diabetes.org/healthy-living/medication-treatments/insulin-other-injectables/insulin-pumps-relief-and-choice

https://www.uptodate.com/contents/blood-glucose-monitoring-in-diabetes-beyond-the-basics

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180418092042.htm

https://bmcendocrdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12902-022-01062-y

https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/type-1-diabetes/type-1-diabetes-insulin

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/316616#what-is-basal-bolus-insulin-therapy

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/619237/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7609903/#:~:text=Physical%20exercise%20increases%20the%20rate,in%20older%20long%2Dacting%20insulins.

https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/blog/affects-insulin-absorption/

[usascripthelpers2024]

Can the Humalog Kwikpen Be Used by Both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Patients?

The Humalog KwikPen is a device designed to make insulin administration easier and more convenient for people managing diabetes. This innovative tool is used to deliver insulin, which is essential for controlling blood sugar levels in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients. 

Here's a straightforward look at how the Humalog KwikPen can be beneficial for individuals with either type of diabetes. And remember, managing your diabetes effectively requires the right medication and tools, so consider visiting USA Script Helpers, a pharmacy partner based in Canada, where a prescription is a must to order meds online.

What is the Humalog KwikPen?

The Humalog KwikPen is a pre-filled, disposable insulin pen containing Humalog, a rapid-acting insulin. It's designed for ease of use, making it simpler for people with diabetes to administer their insulin doses accurately. The KwikPen allows for adjusting doses, offers a discreet way to take insulin, and is convenient for on-the-go lifestyles.

Suitable for Type 1 Diabetes Patients

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition where the pancreas produces little to no insulin. People with type 1 diabetes require insulin therapy to maintain their blood sugar levels within a healthy range. The Humalog KwikPen, with its rapid-acting insulin, is particularly suitable for these patients. It can help manage blood sugar levels around meal times, providing a quick response to insulin needs after eating. Its ease of use also supports the frequent adjustments in insulin dosing that type 1 diabetes patients often require.

Suitable for Type 2 Diabetes Patients

Type 2 diabetes involves insulin resistance or a significant decrease in insulin production, leading to high blood sugar levels. While many people with type 2 diabetes manage their condition with oral medications, diet, and exercise, some may require insulin therapy as their disease progresses.

The Humalog KwikPen can be a valuable tool for these individuals, offering a way to incorporate insulin into their treatment plan easily. Its rapid-acting formula can assist in controlling blood sugar spikes that occur after meals, making it a practical option for type 2 diabetes patients needing insulin.

Benefits of the Humalog KwikPen

Convenience: The KwikPen is easy to carry and use, whether you're at home, work, or on the move.

Accuracy: It allows for precise dose adjustments, ensuring you receive the exact amount of insulin prescribed by your healthcare provider.

Discretion: The pen's design makes administering insulin discreet, helping users feel more comfortable taking their doses in public.

Ease of Use: The KwikPen is user-friendly, even for those new to insulin therapy or who have difficulty with manual dexterity.

How to Use the Humalog KwikPen

Using the Humalog KwikPen involves checking the insulin, attaching a new needle, priming the pen to remove air bubbles, setting the dose, and injecting the insulin into the fatty tissue under the skin. It's essential to follow your healthcare provider's instructions regarding dosage and injection sites.

Obtaining the Humalog KwikPen

The Humalog KwikPen requires a prescription from a healthcare provider. It's crucial to use the pen and insulin as directed to manage your diabetes effectively. For a reliable source to fill your prescription, consider USA Script Helpers. They offer a secure and convenient way to access the medications you need, ensuring you have the right tools to manage your diabetes.

Visit USA Script Helpers

Managing diabetes requires consistent care and the right medical supplies. For those prescribed the Humalog KwikPen, USA Script Helpers provides a trusted platform to order your medication. With a valid prescription, you can have your diabetes management tools delivered directly to your door.

Conclusion

Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients can use the Humalog KwikPen as part of their diabetes management plan. Its convenience, accuracy, and ease of use make it a valuable tool for anyone requiring insulin therapy. 

Remember, it's essential to consult with your healthcare provider to ensure that the Humalog KwikPen is right for your specific needs and to learn how to use it correctly. For your prescription needs, including the Humalog KwikPen, USA Script Helpers offers a reliable, convenient service to help you manage your diabetes effectively.

[mcatmemoranda]

KEY COMPONENTS OF INSULIN PUMP SETTINGS:

BASAL RATE: The rate at which rapid acting insulin is delivered as a continuous subcutaneous flow: expressed as units/ hour. The patient may have multiple basal rates programmed during the 24 hour period.

CARBOHYDRATE RATIO: The predicted amount of insulin needed per gram of carbohydrate for a specific meal or snack. (e.g., 1 unit insulin needed for 10 grams of carbohydrate)

CORRECTION OR SENSITIVITY FACTOR: The amount that blood glucose (mg/dL or mmol/L) will be reduced by 1 unit of insulin. (e.g a correction factor of 50 means that 1 unit of insulin will reduce BG by 50 mg/dL)

TO CONVERT INSULIN PUMP SETTINGS TO SQ INSULIN INJECTIONS:

1: Determine the basal insulin injection dose (glargine or NPH):

Calculate the basal insulin dose by multipying the hourly basal rate by 24. •  Provide the calculated basal insulin dose as daily glargine (preferred) or NPH before b-fast and at bedtime.

2: Determine the nutritional aspart injection dose:

•  Maintain the carbohydrate ratio in the nutritional aspart order from the insulin orderset (eg: if patient has Carb ratio of 1 unit of insulin for every 15 carbohydrates eaten and is on 60 gram CHO diet, order 4 units of NUTRITIONAL aspart per meal.)

3: Determine the correctional aspart injection scale:

See image below

We have a pt whose insulin pump stopped working and her blood glucose was 517 so we were consulted for diabetes management.

Anyway she ended up being put on Lantus 24 U BID (in the picture it should say 24 units BID for the lantus) and moderate dose ISS with hypoglycemic protocol

[ishiphardlove]

Have not been here for a while but I'm desperate...

I need help. Financial help.

To help me pay for my medication and bills.

My life has been a complete crap for the past few years since the pandemic.

Suffered from depression and anxiety, was diagnosed with diabetes, suffered a soft stroke and now, I am in between jobs.

I am almost out of my long lasting and rapid acting insulin and have not worn a libre sensor for a while now.

It sucks and I am ashamed but I am begging to anyone who can help.

I am not good with words but I hope that you can spare me a moment of your time. Any amount will be appreciated as I go through this trying time.

[dingo-saurus]

non-exhaustive list of things i need to do as a type-1 diabetic whenever i eat in order to keep my blood sugars in a healthy range (which i need to do consistently to stay alive and not need to amputate limbs or deal with organ failure later in life):

count the carbs and sugars for everything i am eating or drinking in that moment. this is obviously harder if the meal is homecooked as you need to not only work out the carbs for everything in the meal but also how much your portion would be. fortunately and unfortunately there are a number of apps that can help with this built primarily for dieting that you can take advantage of

am i taking metformin (med that reduces insulin resistance) or not? if so, normal dose. if not, slightly higher. usually only by 1 or 2 units but this varies

test my current blood glucose. even if i am wearing a glucose monitor i need to do this manually with a fingerprick test to confirm the monitor is correct (they often aren't). is it in range? normal dose. too high? a little more, depending on how much higher my blood glucose is and how much my body personally needs to correct sugars. which needs to be worked out with testing, and is subject to change. too low? have a few sips of sprite or some jelly beans while meal prepping. how much i need to bring it up into range is subject to change and something that experience with my body helps me with

okay so now we need to figure out how much insulin i need with the meal, taking all the above into account. there is a mathematical formula that helps to determine this based on your weight that i was taught by a medical professional and type 1 diabetes expert (yes the advice is different between type 1 and 2. you need someone who knows your specific type or you will get Bad Advice). this is not infallible, in fact it does not work for me at all (i sometimes need about twice the insulin i should need, due to my body's fluctuating insulin resistance). so i have had to deviate from it and work things out for myself, increasing the ratio of insulin-to-carbs until i was getting it correct. this can change based on basically Anything. have i been exerting myself today? are the specific carbs in the meal quick or slow to release? is there protein? am i sick? do i have a migraine/have recently had a migraine? did i sleep well? am i stressed about something? did i take a dose of basal insulin today (and how much)? experience will help me feel this out. i can still get it wrong even after 4 years, and need to correct it after the meal

okay, i've done the calculation and have my number. when do i give myself the insulin dose? well that depends. i need to time it so that the peak of the insulin's effectiveness hits when the meal is hitting my blood sugars. i have a couple of rapid-acting insulin brands that hit at different times, but the one i'm taking rn takes about 30 minutes. so either before or during the prep/cook time i need to duck out and do my dose, or i need to wait for a time after i take my dose to grab whatever i'm grabbing. i set an alarm for this

inject insulin (thankfully this was not difficult for me to get used to as it's MUCH easier these days than it was in the past)

eat

you are doing this 3 times a day, more if u want to snack. my body changes constantly, and requires frequent rethinking of all of the above (metformin is making this easier for me, thankfully. i had to troubleshoot and figure this out myself after 3 frustrating years)

as you can imagine, it generally means i do not eat out (most restaurants do not keep track of the carbs and sugars in their meals) and cannot eat homecooked meals unless the cook is willing to calculate exactly how many carbs and sugars are in the meal so i can figure out how much is in my serve

it takes a lot of energy, attentiveness, adaptability, determination, and perseverance to treat your diabetes effectively day-to-day and avoid damaging your body or putting your life at risk. thankfully i have the support to do that monetarily, medically, and socially. not everyone does

be kind to diabetics

[zackfairmutual]

anywhos long story short of the shit from today is my doctor hasnt refilled by lantus yet, which is my long acting insulin i take alongside my rapid acting. i only have enough lantus to last until saturday night so im gonna try and call the doc tomorrow to get it filled asap but i dont even know if theyll do it same day or not or if theyre gonna drag their feet until monday. so yeah. thats happening

[partisan-by-default]

Biden Administration Adds Insulin to Drug Price Negotiation List in Major Blow to Big Pharma

The Intercept? Saying something even backhandedly good about non-Republicans? What is this world coming to?

The Biden administration pleasantly stunned health care reform advocates Tuesday by including short-acting insulin in its list of 10 drugs for which Medicare will negotiate lower prices, power vested in the White House by the Inflation Reduction Act.  The IRA was passed in the face of one of the heftiest barrages of lobbying in congressional history, with the pharmaceutical industry spending more than $700 million over 2021 and 2022 — several times more than the second- and third-ranking industries — much of it aimed at stopping the legislation, watering it down, or undermining its implementation.  The industry succeeded in narrowing the scope of the new law, with only 10 drugs eligible for negotiation in 2023. But the effort to stop the administration from using that authority to target blockbuster drugs failed spectacularly, as the White House list includes medications that seniors spend billions on in out-of-pocket costs alone, never mind the fees paid by Medicare itself. But it was the inclusion of the broad swath of ingredients and medical devices needed to make insulin that sets the White House move apart and which will likely have the most far-reaching impact.  “This was an unexpected victory in a long fight against an illegal cartel of three corporations who have raised their insulin prices in lockstep,” said Alex Lawson, executive director of Social Security Works, referring to Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi. “The inclusion of insulin in the list of negotiated drugs shows that the Biden White House isn’t fucking around.” Lawson’s organization has advocated for drug price negotiations for years, often drawing the ire of the White House and congressional leaders in the process. Joe Biden’s insulin category covers a wide variety of products, including Fiasp, Fiasp FlexTouch, and Fiasp PenFill — rapid-acting insulin products — as well as commonly prescribed insulin products NovoLog, NovoLog FlexPen, and NovoLog PenFill. Major insulin makers, under severe public pressure, have in recent months announced price cuts to their products, though they could unilaterally raise prices absent this government intervention. “We did not expect to see short-acting insulin on this list. We were caught a little off guard,” said Shaina Kasper, policy and advocacy director for T1International, an organization dedicated to defending the interests of diabetes patients. Broadly speaking, she said it was “the result of years of dogged organizing and advocacy by patients with diabetes and caregivers.” The IRA laid out specific criteria for which drugs could be included, and the White House went after the 10 that added up to the highest spending among drugs that met that criteria. Kasper said her organization will continue to push for executive action to drive down drug prices — the Biden administration has other authorities it could draw on — as well as legislation at the state and federal level.

[needlepokes]

Just learned that rapid acting insulin was created in the 90s/early 2000s, oh my god i cannot imagine planning your meals around regular insulin, my GP had me on it for 2 days after diagnosis before my endo switched it and it was so unpredictable and made me go high and crash without even eating. Older diabetics are so much stronger than me.

[renubresearch]

Insulin Pump Market will be US$ 11.12 Billion by 2032

The insulin pump market is expected to be worth around US$ 11.12 billion by 2032, compared to US$ 4.63 billion in 2023. The CAGR for the Insulin Pump Industry from 2024 to 2032 is 10.23%. The technology for insulin pumps is rapidly evolving. An insulin pump is a wearable medical device that supplies a continuous flow of rapid-acting insulin underneath your skin. Most pumps are small,…