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As a diabetic who must take insulin shots on a regular basis, before every meal, and then again at bedtime, you are probably in search of the easiest way possible to deliver your medication. Fortunately, there are several options now available in today’s market that can help make your insulin injections needs a lot easier.

Introducing the insulin pen

There are several manufacturers who are always seeking better and easier ways for diabetics to deliver insulin into their systems. Such companies include Owen Mumford, Novo Nordisk, Becton Dickinson, and Eli Lilly. These companies have created and market what is known as “the insulin pen”. The insulin pen is extremely useful and although it does not eliminate your need to use needles, it definitely changes the way your insulin is measured for the better.

When you start using your insulin pen, it is very handy due to the fact that it comes with the insulin cartridge pre-inserted for easy usage. Insulin pens also come with the cartridge placed inside of the pen which is very similar to that of ink cartridges, which are used in real pens.

How does the insulin pen work?

Every cartridge will contain either 1.5 ml of insulin or 3.0 ml of insulin. The mixture will be made of NPH, lispro, aspart, regular, or a mixture of these insulins if the medication calls for it. Your doctor will decide what type is best.

You can then easily dial in on the amount of insulin you must take. Even the visually impaired can operate the insulin pen with ease. There is a clicking sound that happens every time a unit is dialed in. These units will also show the color yellow inside the pen window when the unit is used up.

A safety mechanism helps you from drawing up too many units of insulin by expressing it out of the needle as waste. Other insulin pens will allow you to reset them so that you do not waste the extra insulin and can start over. Depending on which insulin pen you utilize for your injection shots, you can inject anywhere from 30 insulin units up to 70 insulin units.

Should you change over to the insulin pen if currently using standard needles?

Using the pen is definitely easier and the process runs very smooth when it comes to dialing in to the perfect amount of insulin needed, however, if you are already comfortable with your current treatment with using a needle and syringe then there is no need to change over. Many diabetics have spent years administering their daily injection shots and have mastered their technique as well as the exact amount of insulin needed each time. If you fall into this category, then there is no need to switch to the insulin pen. However, if you have recently been diagnosed with diabetes and new to the injections, then you’re a prime candidate for this state of the art insulin injection tool.