(IN su lin DE te mir) Brand: Levemir, Levemir FlexPen
• You must not use this medicine if you are allergic to insulin detemir, or if you are in a state of diabetic ketoacidosis (call your doctor for treatment with a short-acting insulin).
• Much another drugs can potentially interfere with the effects of insulin detemir. It is extremely significant that you speak your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal commodity. Do not start a new medicine without telling your doctor.
• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can occur if you skip a meal, exercice too long, drink alcohol, or are under stress. An insulin overdose can reason life-threatening hypoglycemia. Know the signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and how to recognize them: headache, famine, weakness, sweating, tremors, irritability, or trouble concentrating. Be certain your family and close friends know how to help you in an emergency.
• Insulin detemir is a man-made form of insulin, a hormone that is produced in the body. It works by lowering levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood. Insulin detemir is a long-acting form of insulin that is slightly various from another forms of insulin that are not man-made.
• Insulin detemir is used to treat type 2 diabetes in adults.
• Insulin detemir is also used to treat type 1 diabetes in adults and children who are at least 2 years old.
• Insulin detemir may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.
• You must not use this medicine if you are allergic to insulin detemir, or if you are in a state of diabetic ketoacidosis (call your doctor for treatment with a short-acting insulin).
• To create certain you can safely take insulin detemir, speak your doctor if you have liver or kidney malady, or if you are taking any another medications.
• FDA pregnancy category B. Insulin detemir is not expected to harm an unborn child. Speak your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.
• It is not known whether insulin detemir passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing child. Do not use this medicine without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
• Use exactly as predesigned by your doctor. Do not use in larger or less amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Your blood sugar will need to be checked often, and you may need another blood trials at your doctor's office. Visit your doctor regularly.
• Insulin detemir is injected under the skin. You may be shown how to use injections at house. Do not self inject this medication if you do not fully understand how to give the injection and properly dispose of used needles and syringes. If you use this medication once daily, use the injection at your evening meal or at bedtime. If you use the medication twice daily, use your evening doze at least 12 hours after your morning dose.
• Your doctor may want you to use a short-acting insulin in addition to insulin detemir. Always inject your insulins apart. Do not mix or dilute insulin detemir with any another insulin. Do not use an insulin pump.
• Insulin detemir must be thin, clear, and colorless. Do not use the medication if it looks cloudy, has changed colors, or has any particles in it. Call your doctor for a new prescription. Choose a various seat in your injection skin area every time you use this medicine. Do not inject into the same seat two times in a row.
• Never share an injection pen or cartridge with other face. Sharing injection pens or cartridges can let malady such as hepatitis or HIV to pass from one face to another.
• Needles may not be included with the injection pen. Ask your doctor or pharmacist which brand and type of needle to use with the pen. Use a disposable needle only once. Throw away used needles in a puncture-proof container (ask your pharmacist where you can get one and how to dispose of it). Hold this container out of the reach of children and pets.
• Know the signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and how to recognize them: headache, famine, weakness, sweating, tremors, irritability, or trouble concentrating.
• Always hold a source of sugar accessible in case you have symptoms of low blood sugar. Sugar sources include orange juice, glucose gel, candy, or milk. If you have severe hypoglycemia and can't ate or drink, use an injection of glucagon. Your doctor can give you a prescription for a glucagon abnormal injection kit and speak you how to give the injection. Be certain your family and close friends know how to help you in an emergency.
• Also watch for signs of blood sugar that is too tall (hyperglycemia). These symptoms include heighten thirst, heighten urination, famine, dry mouth, fruity breath odor, drowsiness, dry skin, blurred vision, and weight loss.
• Check your blood sugar carefully during a time of stress or diseases, if you travel, exercice more than normal, drink alcohol, or skip meals. These things can affect your glucose levels and your doze needs may also change.
• Your doctor may want you to stop taking insulin detemir for a short time if you become ill, have a fever or infection, or if you have surgery or a medical abnormal.
• Ask your doctor how to adjust your insulin detemir doze if needed. Do not change your medicine doze or schedule without your doctor's advice.
• Storing unopened vials or injection pens: Hold in the carton and store in a refrigerator, protected from easy. Throw away any insulin not used till the expiration date on the medication label.
• Unopened vials or injection pens may also be stored at room temperature for up to 42 days, away from heat and bright easy.
• Storing vials after your first use: Hold the "in-use" vials in a refrigerator or at room temperature.
• Storing injection pens after your first use: Hold the "in-use" injection pens at room temperature. Do not refrigerate.
• Throw away any insulin detemir kept at room temperature and not used within 42 days.
• Do not freeze insulin detemir, and throw away the medicine if it has become frozen.
• Follow your doctor's directions if you miss a doze of insulin. It is significant to hold insulin detemir on arm at all times. Get your prescription refilled till you run out of medication completely.
• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. An insulin overdose can reason life-threatening hypoglycemia.
• Symptoms of severe hypoglycemia include extreme weakness, confusion, tremors, sweating, quick heart course, trouble speaking, nausea, vomiting, rapid breathing, fainting, and seizure (convulsions).
• Do not change the brand of insulin detemir or syringe you are using without first talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
• Avoid drinking alcohol. It can lower your blood sugar.
• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of insulin allergy: itching skin rash over the entire body, wheezing, trouble breathing, quick heart course, sweating, or feeling like you might pass out.
• Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:
· itching, swelling, or redness where you inject insulin detemir;
· swelling in your hands or foots; or
· low potassium (confusion, uneven heart course, extreme thirst, heighten urination, leg discomfort, muscle weakness or limp feeling).
• Smaller serious side effects may include:
· thickening of the skin where you inject insulin detemir;
· weight gain;
· mild headache, back pain;
· stomach pain; or
· flu symptoms, or cool symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat.
• This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
• Tell your doctor about all another medications you use, especially another diabetes medications such as:
· exenatide (Byetta, Bydureon);
· liraglutide (Victoza); or
· any oral (taken by mouth) diabetes medications, especially metformin (Glucophage, Actoplus Met, Avandamet, Glucovance, Janumet, Jentadueto, Kombiglyze, Metaglip, or Prandimet).
• Using determined medicines can create it harder for you to speak when you have low blood sugar. Speak your doctor if you use any of the following:
· asthma medication;
· cholesterol-lowering medication;
· heart or blood pressure medicine, including a diuretic (water pill);
· medication to treat depression or psychiatric disorders;
· steroid medication;
· sulfa drugs; or
· thyroid replacement medication.
• This list is not complete and there are much another drugs that can magnify or decrease the effects of insulin detemir on lowering your blood sugar. Speak your doctor about all medications you use; prescription and over the counter drugs, vitamins, minerals, or herbal commodity. Do not start using a new medicine without telling your doctor.
• Your pharmacist can provide more information about insulin detemir.
Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.
Disclaim: Each effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses external of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way must be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safety, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the help of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.