Depending on what your healthcare provider prescribes you may need either one or two bottles of insulin. Learn how to properly inject one bottle of insulin, for two bottles of insulin please scroll further down for instructions.
Instructions for One Bottle Injection
- Wash your hands.
- Pick up the bottle and turn it upside down.
- Roll the bottle gently between your hands to mix the insulin.
- Set the bottle back on the table.
- Wipe the top of the bottle with alcohol.
- Remove the caps from the top and bottom of the syringe.
- Pull the plunger down to the correct unit mark for your insulin dose as ordered.
- Leave the bottle on the table.
- Insert the needle into the bottle.
- Push the plunger down to inject air into the bottle.
- Leave the needle in the bottle.
- Turn the bottle upside down with the needle in it.
- Hold the bottle at eye level.
- Pull the plunger down to the correct unit mark for your insulin dose.
- Look for air bubbles in the syringe.
- If you see air bubbles in the syringe, push the insulin back into the bottle and repeat steps 14 and 15.
- Check that the dose is correct.
- Pull the bottle away from the needle.
- Set the bottle on the table.
- Set down the syringe. Do not let the needle touch anything.
- Pinch or spread the skin for the injection site.
- Wipe the area with alcohol. Let the alcohol dry.
- Pick up the syringe. Hold it like a dart.
- Insert the needle straight into the skin at a 90-degree angle. Make sure the needle is in all the way through the skin.
- Push down the plunger to inject the insulin. Count to five.
- Pull out the needle while applying pressure to the area with an alcohol swab.
- Discard the needle and syringe as advised.
Instructions for Two Bottle Injection
- Wash your hands.
- Pick up the CLOUDY bottle and turn it upside down.
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Roll the bottle gently between your hands to mix the insulin. - Set the bottle back on the table.
- Wipe the top of both (clear and cloudy) bottles with alcohol.
- Remove the caps from the top and bottom of the syringe.
- Pull the plunger down to the correct unit mark for your CLOUDY insulin dose as ordered.
- Insert the needle into the CLOUDY bottle.
- Push the plunger down to inject air into the CLOUDY bottle.
- Withdraw the empty syringe from the bottle. Set the bottle aside.
- Pull the plunger down to the correct unit mark for the CLEAR insulin dose as ordered.
- Insert the needle into the CLEAR bottle.
- Push the plunger down to inject air into the CLEAR bottle.
- Leave the needle in the bottle.
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Turn the bottle upside down with the needle in it. - Hold the bottle at eye level.
- Pull the plunger down to the correct unit mark for the CLEAR insulin dose.
- Look for air bubbles in the syringe.
- If you see air bubbles in the syringe, push the insulin back into the bottle, and repeat steps 17 and 18.
- Pull the bottle away from the needle, and set aside the CLEAR bottle.
- Pick up the CLOUDY bottle of insulin.
- Turn the CLOUDY bottle upside down and push the needle into the bottle. Be very careful not to move the plunger.
- Pull the plunger down and withdraw the correct number of units for the CLOUDY insulin.
- The plunger should now be on the unit mark showing the total units of both the CLEAR and CLOUDY types of insulin. For example, 6 units of CLEAR insulin are already in the syringe. Add 14 units of CLOUDY insulin for a total of 20 units in the syringe.
- Pull the bottle away from the needle. Set both bottles on the table.
- Look for air bubbles in the syringe.
- If you see air bubbles, discard the dose and begin again.
- Set the syringe down. Do not let the needle touch anything.
- Pinch or spread the skin at the chosen injection site.
- Wipe the area with alcohol. Let the alcohol dry.
- Pick up the syringe. Hold it like a dart.
- Insert the needle straight into the skin at a 90-degree angle. Make sure the needle is all the way through the skin.
- Push the plunger down to inject the insulin. Count to five.
- Pull the needle out while applying pressure to the area with an alcohol swab.
- Discard the needle and syringe as advised.