6 Tips for the Best Insulin Injection Routine

Managing your diabetes with insulin often means learning how and when to give yourself insulin injections. Although this may seem daunting, with time insulin injections can become a regular part of your daily routine.

1. Rotate Injection Sites

   Always injecting your insulin in the same places will cause your skin to thicken and harden making it harder for the insulin to be absorbed. Keep track of where and when you inject yourself by following the same pattern or using a grid. For example, you can start with your left arm, right arm, left leg, right leg, right side of the belly, then left, then right and left buttock.

2. Keep It Cool

   Insulin is best stored in the refrigerator. While it can be kept at room temperature for a while, it’s best to keep your insulin in an insulated lunch box if you are leaving your home and will need your insulin on the go. 

3. Watch Your Numbers

   How you feel combined with your blood sugar levels are the best ways to know if your injections are working. If your levels are moving between high and low and seem hard to control it is always a good idea to double check your technique. Be sure to consult your healthcare team to ensure that everything is going smoothly.

4. Plan Ahead

   Mealtime insulin injections require planning out what you are going to eat so you can confidently give yourself the right dose. If you know you will be somewhere where you don’t have access to food, make sure you have a tasty snack pack to go along with your travel pack of supplies. Snacks including apples with peanut butter, hard boiled eggs or veggies with hummus are great to have on hand.

5. Build a Dream Team

   Great diabetes care takes a knowledgeable and thoughtful team. Take your time to find the right healthcare professionals, endocrinologist, certified diabetes educator or pharmacist to help you answer any questions that may arise.

6. Be Open and Honest

   In order for your dream team to assist you in feeling your best you need to communicate exactly how your injections are going. Living with diabetes takes learning and being truthful with your team is the best way to accelerate learning.

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