use for prescription lanoxin
insulin glargine (IN suh lin GLAR jean)
What is the most important information I should know about Lantus?
• Know the signs and symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), whichinclude shaking; nausea; headache; drowsiness; weakness; dizziness; fast heartbeat;sweating; pale, cool skin; anxiety; and difficulty concentrating use for prescription lanoxin. Carry a pieceof candy or glucose tablets with you to treat episodes of low blood sugar use for prescription lanoxin.
• Follow any diet and exercise plan that you have developed with your doctoror nurse use for prescription lanoxin. Changes in what you eat or how much you exercise can change the amountof insulin that you need to control blood sugar levels use for prescription lanoxin.
• Ask your doctor or nurse what to do if you are sick with a cold, flu,or fever use for prescription lanoxin. These illnesses may change your insulin requirements use for prescription lanoxin.
• Do not change the brand of insulin glargine or syringe that you are usingwithout first talking to your doctor or pharmacist use for prescription lanoxin. Some brands of insulin glargineand syringes are interchangeable, while others are not use for prescription lanoxin. Your doctor and/or pharmacistknow which brands can be substituted for one another use for prescription lanoxin.
• Do not mix or dilute Lantus with any other insulin or solution use for prescription lanoxin.
What is Lantus?
• Insulin is a hormone naturally produced by the pancreas use for prescription lanoxin. Insulin enablesthe body to use the sugar in food as a source of energy use for prescription lanoxin. When the body doesnot produce enough insulin, or when the insulin produced by the body is noteffective enough, the condition is called diabetes mellitus use for prescription lanoxin. This conditionallows sugar levels in the blood to become very high use for prescription lanoxin. Diabetics must use man-madeinsulin or insulin that comes from pigs (which is very similar to human insulin)to lower these high blood sugar levels use for prescription lanoxin.
• Lantus is used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus use for prescription lanoxin.
• Lantus may also be used for purposes other than those listed in thismedication guide use for prescription lanoxin.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using Lantus?
• Do not use Lantus if you are allergic to insulin or if you have intoleranceto a certain Lantus product use for prescription lanoxin.
• Before using insulin, tell your doctor if you have any other medicalconditions or if you take other prescription or over-the-counter medications,including vitamins, minerals, and herbal supplements use for prescription lanoxin.
• Before using Lantus, tell your doctor if you have kidney or liver disease use for prescription lanoxin. You may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment use for prescription lanoxin.
• Lantus is in the FDA pregnancy category C use for prescription lanoxin. This means that it is notknown whether it will be harmful to an unborn baby use for prescription lanoxin. Do not use this medicationwithout first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnantduring treatment use for prescription lanoxin.
• It is not known whether Lantus passes into breast milk use for prescription lanoxin. Do not use thismedication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding ababy use for prescription lanoxin.
How should I use Lantus?
• Use Lantus exactly as directed by your doctor use for prescription lanoxin. If you do not understandthese instructions, ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist to explain them toyou use for prescription lanoxin.
• If the insulin has been stored in the refrigerator, it can be warmedto room temperature before use use for prescription lanoxin.
• Lantus is usually used once a day use for prescription lanoxin. Follow your doctor's instructions use for prescription lanoxin.
• Do not mix or dilute Lantus with any other insulin or solution use for prescription lanoxin.
• Do not use any insulin that is discolored, looks thick, has particlesin it, or looks different from previous bottles, cartridges, or pens of Lantus use for prescription lanoxin.
• Change injection sites as directed by your doctor use for prescription lanoxin. Usually, you shouldnot inject within 1 inch of the same site within 1 month use for prescription lanoxin.
• Never reuse a needle or syringe use for prescription lanoxin. Dispose of all needles and syringesin an appropriate, puncture-resistant disposal container use for prescription lanoxin.
• Do not change the insulin strength (e.g., U-100) or insulin type (e.g.,glargine, lispro, regular, etc.) unless your doctor recommends a change foryou use for prescription lanoxin.
• Do not change the brand of insulin glargine or syringe that you are usingwithout first talking to your doctor or pharmacist use for prescription lanoxin. Some brands of insulin andsyringes are interchangeable, while others are not use for prescription lanoxin. Your doctor and/or pharmacistknow which brands can be substituted for one another use for prescription lanoxin.
• Follow any diet and exercise plan that you have developed with your doctoror nurse use for prescription lanoxin. Changes in what you eat or how much you exercise can change the amountof insulin that you need to control your blood sugar levels use for prescription lanoxin.
• Ask your doctor or nurse what to do if you are sick with a cold, flu,or fever use for prescription lanoxin. These illnesses may change your insulin requirements use for prescription lanoxin.
• Your healthcare provider may recommend regular monitoring of blood sugarlevels with blood or urine tests use for prescription lanoxin.
• Wear some type of medical identification bracelet, necklace, or otheralert tag to inform others that you have diabetes and that you require insulinin the case of an emergency use for prescription lanoxin.
• Proper foot care, eye care, dental care, and overall proper health careare important for people with diabetes use for prescription lanoxin. Visit your doctor, dentist, eye doctor,and other heath care practitioners as recommended by your doctor use for prescription lanoxin.
• Store unopened vials Lantus in the refrigerator between 36 and 46 degreesFahrenheit (2 and 8 degrees Celsius), in the original carton use for prescription lanoxin. Do not store Lantusin the freezer and do not allow it to freeze use for prescription lanoxin. Do not use Lantus if it has beenfrozen use for prescription lanoxin. Throw away any expired Lantus use for prescription lanoxin.
• Vials of Lantus insulin can be kept unrefrigerated for up to 28 days,but should not be exposed to excessive heat or sunlight use for prescription lanoxin.
• Once punctured, the insulin vial in use, whether stored in the refrigeratoror at room temperature, must be used within 28 days use for prescription lanoxin. Throw away any unused insulin28 days after the vial is first punctured use for prescription lanoxin.
What happens if I miss a dose?
• Follow your doctor's directions if you miss a dose of insulin use for prescription lanoxin. To preventmissed doses, be sure to always have enough insulin on hand, especially if youare going on vacation use for prescription lanoxin.
What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention if an overdose is suspected use for prescription lanoxin.
• Symptoms of an insulin overdose reflect very low blood sugar levels andinclude headache, irregular heartbeat, increased heart rate or pulse, sweating,tremor, nausea, increased hunger, and anxiety use for prescription lanoxin.
What should I avoid while using Lantus?
• Do not use alcohol without first talking to your doctor use for prescription lanoxin. It lowers bloodsugar, and you may experience dangerously low blood sugar levels use for prescription lanoxin.
• Follow any diet and exercise plan that you have developed with your doctoror nurse use for prescription lanoxin. Changes in what you eat or how much you exercise can change the amountof insulin that you need to control your blood sugar levels use for prescription lanoxin.
What are the possible side effects of Lantus?
• Rarely, people have allergic reactions to insulin use for prescription lanoxin. Seek emergency medicalattention if you experience an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closingof the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives) use for prescription lanoxin.
• The side effects of insulin therapy result mostly from blood sugar levelsthat are either too high or too low use for prescription lanoxin. You should be familiar with the symptomsof both high and low blood sugar levels and know how to treat both conditions use for prescription lanoxin. Also, be sure your family and close friends know how to help you in an emergency use for prescription lanoxin.
• Low blood sugar may occur when too much insulin is used; when meals aremissed or delayed; if you exercise more than usual; during illness, especiallywith vomiting or diarrhea; if you take other medications; after drinking alcohol;and in other situations use for prescription lanoxin.
• Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, has the following symptoms: shaking;nausea; headache; drowsiness; weakness; dizziness; fast heartbeat; sweating;pale, cool skin; anxiety; and difficulty concentrating use for prescription lanoxin.
• Keep sugary candy, fruit juice, or glucose tablets on hand to treat episodesof low blood sugar use for prescription lanoxin.
• Increased blood sugar may occur if not enough insulin is used, if youeat significantly more food than usual, if you exercise less than usual, ifyou take other medications, if you have a fever or other illness, and in othersituations use for prescription lanoxin.
• Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, has the following symptoms: increasedthirst, increased hunger, and increased urination use for prescription lanoxin.
• Monitor your blood sugar levels and ask your doctor how to adjust yourinsulin doses if your blood sugar levels are too high use for prescription lanoxin.
• Side effects may also occur at the site of injection use for prescription lanoxin. If the area becomesthickened, hard, or pitted, talk to your doctor before injecting at that siteagain use for prescription lanoxin.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur use for prescription lanoxin. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome use for prescription lanoxin.
What other drugs will affect Lantus?
• Many drugs can interact with insulin or affect your blood sugar levels use for prescription lanoxin. Do not take any other prescription or over-the-counter medicines, includingvitamins, minerals, and herbal products, without first talking to your doctoror pharmacist during treatment with insulin use for prescription lanoxin.
Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about Lantus written for healthprofessionals that you may read use for prescription lanoxin.
|
