How to Take Mixture Insulin
Humalog Mix75/25 and Humalog Mix50/50 are mixture insulin that must be injected into your body. Because they contain rapid-acting insulin, their "onset of action" is very quick. You should take your dose of mixture insulin within 15 minutes before you eat. The safety and effectiveness of Humalog Mix75/25 and Humalog Mix50/50 in patients less than 18 years of age have not been established.
How often you need to take your insulin
Treatment plans are different for different people. Some people may be able to control their blood sugar with only two injections per day (generally at breakfast and dinner). Others may need to take their insulin more often. Your healthcare provider will recommend the dosing schedule that he or she believes is best for you.
How and where to give insulin injections
There's more than one way to take Humalog Mixture insulins, from a traditional syringe to a prefilled pen. One of the first questions that people ask when starting insulin is, "Will it hurt?" Today, insulin needles are short and tiny, so there is minimal discomfort. Your diabetes educator will show you how to give yourself an injection.
Knowing exactly where on your body you should give your injection(s) each day is very important. In general, you can give an injection anywhere there is a layer of fat under the skin. Never inject Humalog into a muscle or vein. The chart below shows sites for your insulin injections in the purple grid areas. Each square is a place to give yourself an injection. You may need help from a family member to give injections in some of the sites.
Rotating sites
For your insulin to work best, it's important to use a different location for each injection. This is called "site rotation," and involves following a regular pattern as you move from site to site. If you take more than one injection each day, use a different area for each injection. Different people use different patterns, but
the intent should always be to use all of the areas and the sites. When you do this, no one site will be used too often. Overusing a site can cause tissue changes that lower or change insulin absorption.
Giving an injection takes practice. If you are having trouble in the beginning, be sure to talk to your diabetes educator. Also, you can view Vial and Syringe Instructions for more helpful information and detailed instructions for giving injections.
Determining your dose
How much insulin you need depends on you. Your healthcare provider will work with you to figure out your individual needs. In general, your mealtime dose is matched to what and how much you eat, with adjustments made for your blood sugar level. However, there are several things, such as your weight, stress level, current medications, and level of physical activity, that affect how your body uses insulin. Checking your blood sugars will also help you determine your insulin needs. When your blood sugars are near target most of the time, you've reached the right doses. Individual blood sugar targets can vary, so work with your healthcare team to determine the most appropriate targets for you.
If you are changing from another insulin to Humalog Mixture insulin, your dose or dosage schedule may need to be changed. Check your blood sugar levels and talk to your healthcare team about how you are feeling and to receive more information about dosing. Starting or changing insulin therapy should be done cautiously and only under medical supervision.
