[alexg]

I just got my insulin pen for the Novomix 7030 yesterday. I have attempted it twice and still have some concerns. First time, I think I got nervous and counted to fast to 5 like they told me with 6 on the dial of Novomix 7030. I might have not gotten it right the first time. Well anyways, second time this morning, I did count to 5 and actually heard the thing click. Hurray!

Anyways, let me run over this to see if I have it right.

1. Shake the mix first rolling it with your hands making sure its cloudy and not being clear or have any lumps in there.

2. Put the niddle, set dial to 2, squeeze, let air bubble out.

4. Set dial to dosage (6 for mine), then in a stab 45 degree motion, insert the needle to the gutt (thats what I use), count to 5 regularly squeezing the top part of the insulin pen and it should click down while it transfers the insulin.

5. Cap needle, remove it, the throw it away. Put cap back on insulin pen to avoid light.

Is this all right. The nurse went over it pretty quickly, so I just got all that.

By the way, are those lumps that they say may appear really big and noticeable?

Is it normal for the the insulin to have a bubble in there after using and removing needle?

What happens if a bubble enters my system?

Please anyone help to clarify this for me. I appreciate it.

Alexg

[Mich]

Hi Alex, three things I noticed about your routine:

1. If your box of needles say "short needle" (you should be injecting straignt in, not at a slant. Most people with pens use short needles these days--about 3/8 of an inch, 30 or 31 gauge.

2. I think the click you will hear is when you pull the pen back on its spring. It is the lock that lets you know the spring is set. The second click is the spring letting go. The squeeze is to put the insulin into you. Be sure to count to five AFTER you squeeze so the insulin dosen't run back out the little hole you just made. The five seconds gives it time to "soak in."


3. Keep an eye on how your sugar runs with the 70/30. The 70, and you know is NPH which has a peak after about 8 hours. You may find yourself eating to feed the NPH's peak, which is a pretty inconvenient way to live. The 30 is fast acting insulin, which will work starting in 15 minutes and be pretty much finished in 2-3 hours. You will have to eat to feed it too. Depending on your tolerance for injections (and with a pen, they're pretty simple and painless) you may want to ask your doctor about a regimen of twice a day Lantus for your basal insulin and a quick stick of Novolog, Humalog, or some other fast acting insulin right at the times you eat. Much better control and predictability, but at a minimum of 5 shots a day. This is what everyone here calls Multiple Daily Injections or MDI,

No, the lumps don't appear quickly and you can avoid them altogether by rotating your injection sites to different places.

Hope this helps, Mich

[alexg]

****** I guess I am doing this all wrong. Does everyone get this right the first time cause I didn't and feel so stupid.

Your saying to start counting to FIVE after I click the button and hear it go back to zero?

The lump thing I was talking about are the ones that may develop inside the insulin that you may no longer use after that.

Alexg

[caswellhb]

I recently started on Novomix30 and love it.
I usually count 10 seconds down after releasing the insulin into myself but other than that you seem to be doing the same as me.
Don't worry. You will know if you have done it wrong from the resultant numbers.
Good luck and I hope you love it as much as I do!

Heather.

[alexg]

Thanks for the replies, I guess I might have done it wrong the first two times, but now I got it. I will stick myself, click the button (it will return to 0 from my 6 Dosage), then count to FIVE.

Alexg

[alexg]

Hmmm... Just found the instructions for inserting the Novomix. It says this:

Deliver the dose by pressing the push-button
all the way in. Be careful only to push
the push-button when injecting.

Does this mean press the blue button only not the whole dial thing down? Or do they mean not to move the dial while pressing? Will pressing the blue button on top produce the clicking sound to where the Flexpen goes back to 0 or not?

I guess I was pressing the whole thing and not just the button. I will try it again this afternoon. Did I do any harm to myself by doing this procedure wrong first two times?

Alexg

[Mich]

Relax, the whole thing will be pretty clear soon. You may want to try the old practice method of injecting into something other than you a few times. That would help you get the mechanics down. Since you would throw the needle away afterward, it wouldn't matter if you dulled or otherwise ruined it. Try just holding it over a wad of paper towels and see what happens when you inject.

The only harm you could do to yourself is run high blood sugar because you got too little insulin in the injection. Test often until you know what is going on. Before you eat, an hour and two hours after, when you go to bed, when you get up and when in doubt. Make sure your doc writes your test strip prescription for enough strips.

Another idea is to attend a group discussion of new diabetics, or ask your doc to set you up with a Certified Diabetes Educator to go over things again. The nurse must have been rushed, she should have maybe tried you out with a few practice runs on the paper towel pile.

We all felt this way when we started a new regimen. You should have seen me mess up my first few set changes for my pump! Hang in there Alex, you weren't born knowing this stuff and are doing just fine. Mich

[alexg]

Thanks for the info. Testing my Blood Glucose twice already during my two attempted tries at the Novomix injections, I have noticed no change in my glucose levels. They are the same as when I had without the Novomix.

Alexg

[alexg]

Can someone explain the difference between insulin being uniformly cloudy vs frosty in the Novomix Flexpen. My flexpen is now, I am guessing, mostly pertinently like cloudy milky color. Knowing this, how would I know when it looks frosty and not use it anymore?

Sorry for being so ignorant but I don't know anything about this and just want to study up on it.

Alexg

[ladytaz]

Hi Alex, I was using the Novolin 70/30, but have gone MDI now, and I did/do it the "old fasioned way" [syringes] and have never used a pen so I'm of NO help there, sorry! But wanted to say congrats on the insulin! You should be feelin better about it all in no time!! Also had a question, does your doc still have you taking the Glimepiride?? If so, WHY??? This can cause you to have even MORE chances of going low, taking it along with the insulin!

[alexg]

Yes he has me taking the pills too. I don't know why but they weren't really working. I am at a low dosage right now of insulin so I don't really know what will happen.

I have attempted twice already with the insulin pen and don't even know if I am doing it right. Anyways, I will try it again tonight and see what happens. Hope I am not making a full of myself by not getting this right the first time, I am a former cancer patient and needles make me nervous so maybe thats why I am awful at this.

Alexg

[ladytaz]

Personally, I think he should have taken you off it straight away, since, it causes your pancreas to make and secrete insulin (if you have any to spare! LOL) BUT, it is in NO kind of regulated form. You never know how much or when your pancreas will spew the stuff out!! Doc too me off it the day I started on insulin! And for me too, it wasnt working. Tho I was on a different brand of sulfonylurea [Glipizide (Glucotrol)]

When ya "get it right" play CLOSE attention to your BG's!! [altho I think you should be off it NOW] and let your doc know of the lows if you have any.

NEVER feel like a fool!! It's NEW!! You've never done it before, so how are you supposed to know how it all goes??? You're doing the exact right thing by coming her asking questions of those in the know!!! Don't worry, you'll "get it" soon enough!!

I'm sorry to hear about your fear of the needle though! Although, I think that it won't be a matter of time that you'll be saying to yourself, "what was all THAT about anyways??? This ain't nuttin!!! Sheeeeeeesh" YaY on being a Cancer survivor too!!!!

[alexg]

Thanks for your replies and making me feel much better. I truly appreciate that I am not alone here.

About the medication, he had gave me glipizide back then and last week before the insulin, he change me to this new one. He said they are basically the same thing though. But yes he still told the head nurse to tell me to keep taking them. Maybe cause of the low dose of Novomix intake I am taking right now. Who knows what this doctors are thinking.

Being that this insulin can cause low glucose levels, if I eat breakfast at 8 - 9 AM, lunch at 12 PM, and dinner at 6 - 7 PM, taking the insulin shots + meds before breakfast and dinner, should I still use that rule of eating a snack every 2 - 3 hours between meals to keep things rolling? I know that with insulin, I have to consume a bit more than with just meds, but not clear about it though.

Alexg

[pjams]

Alex:
Have you tried calling the Novo company? They are pretty helpful and may send you some information or video. The number should be on the pen. I also had many questions when I started using their pens and they answered all my questions.
JayP

[ladytaz]

Who knows!!! LOL

I'd worry about it [snacks] most between your lunch and dinner, and then after dinner. Just like in the beginning, it comes down to trial and error again. Keep a close watch on the BG. If you're say around 70-80, go ahead and have a snack if it's gonna be a while till your meal. If you're 80 or above, I wouldn't really worry about it, unless you're dropping fast, which happens sometimes. ALSO ... what time are you taking your PM shot? between 5:30 and 6:30 (30 min before your meal)? You should be ok at that time, but say you have a later meal, say 9 pm (I often eat this late, but then, I awake much later in the day than you ) be sure to wake yourself up about 1/2 way thru your sleep time and check your BG to make sure you aren't going low. You said he's got you on a low dose, so this may not be a problem at all for you at this time.