Which insulin pen to choose and how to administer insulin with it?

The insulin pen is used for subcutaneous injection of insulin. See how the operation of such a device looks like.

Type 1 diabetes, and sometimes type 2 diabetes as well, requires insulin therapy, i.e. subcutaneous insulin injection. The device that facilitates this task is the insulin pen. Thanks to it, the procedure is simple, painless and can be performed independently at home.

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease characterized by elevated levels of glucose in the blood caused by damage to the cells of the pancreas (type 1 diabetes) or the body’s tissue resistance to insulin (type 2 diabetes). Some women develop gestational diabetes, which resolves after childbirth, under the influence of pregnancy hormones. Treatment of the disease depends on its type and the patient’s condition. Sometimes it is necessary to inject insulin. Then the sick person should get an insulin pen.

What is an insulin pen?

The insulin pen is an automatic device that is used to self-inject insulin under the skin. It consists of a plastic housing, a dose setting knob, a plunger, a very thin needle with a length of 4 to 8 millimeters and a cover protecting against mechanical damage. The name of the insulin pen comes from its shape – it resembles a writing pen . There are pens available on the market in various sizes, colors and types (e.g. special for children, visually impaired people or specific types of insulin).

Insulin pen – where to buy?

You can get the insulin pen free of charge at the diabetes clinic. However, you must remember that the device should be replaced regularly; the moment when it should be done is strictly determined by the manufacturer. There is also an option to buy a modern insulin pen yourself at a medical equipment store. If you have diabetes insurance and have been diagnosed with diabetes, you can cover the cost of purchasing the insulin pen using the diabetes insurance benefit. In addition to financial support, the package for diabetics, which is an additional package to life insurance, also provides access to tests and specialist consultations.

How to administer insulin with a pen?

You can carry out insulin therapy yourself at home. Handling the insulin pen is simple. The rules of using this device will be presented to you by the attending physician or the nurse from the diabetes clinic. In case of doubts or difficulties, you can always ask someone from the medical staff to instruct you again.

The administration of insulin with an insulin pen should be as follows:

1. Wash your hands with warm, soapy water.
2. Test your blood glucose with a blood glucose meter.
3. Check the needle patency in the insulin pen – set one unit of the drug and release it (a drop at the end of the needle indicates that the device is working properly).
4. Set the correct insulin dose.
5. Choose an injection site (e.g. abdomen).
6. Grasp the skin at the puncture site and insert the needle into it at a right angle.
7. Slowly depress the plunger and inject the insulin under the skin.
8. Wait a few seconds, remove the needle and let go of the skin.
9. Replace the needle with a new one (secure the old one and throw it away).
10. Place the device in a special insulin pen case and put it in a safe place.
11. Wash your hands again.

Self-administration of insulin with a pen is safe. However, you must remember to:

• make sure you have set the correct insulin dose,
• do not share your insulin pen with another person,
• use two separate pens for each type of insulin,
• Do not push the plunger of the insulin pen before inserting the needle into the skin.

Remember that you do not need to disinfect the skin where you intend to insert the needle of the insulin pen. However, it is important that it is clean and dry. In the event of difficulties, you can ask someone else to help you administer the medicine. This is essential when changing the injection site (which is recommended to avoid lipoatrophy, or local fat loss).