You may have been taking a long-acting insulin for a while now. So why did your doctor prescribe another insulin? Well, it’s to help control the blood sugar spikes that happen naturally when you eat. Everyone gets them, but when you have diabetes you may need extra help controlling them. That’s where Humalog comes in.
Humalog is different than your long-acting insulin. Long-acting insulin helps control your blood sugar throughout the whole day.
Humalog is a fast-acting insulin—it helps control the blood sugar spikes that happen naturally when you eat.
Available Delivery Options
Humalog KwikPen®
- Humalog KwikPen is a small, lightweight pen that's prefilled with mealtime insulin. Plus, since it shouldn't be refrigerated after the first use*, you can take it just about anywhere. You can carry it in your purse, backpack or pocket because it's the size of a marker.
- Unopened Humalog should be stored in a refrigerator and can be used until the expiration date on the carton or label.
- Humalog should be stored away from light and heat.
- Do not use insulin if it has been frozen.
- Opened vials should be kept at room temperature or in a refrigerator. Opened cartridges or prefilled pens should be kept at room temperature.
- Once opened, Humalog vials, prefilled pens, and cartridges should be thrown away after 28 days.
*Store at room temperature below 86˚F.
Humalog U-100 Junior KwikPen®
- Humalog Junior KwikPen is a prefilled pen with half-unit dosing capability, enabling finer dose adjustment for those who need it.
- Humalog Junior KwikPen is a small lightweight pen that's prefilled with Humalog U-100 mealtime insulin.
- Plus, since it shouldn't be refrigerated after the first use*, you can take it just about anywhere. You can carry it in your purse, backpack, or pocket because it's the size of a marker.
*Once you start using Humalog Junior KwikPen, it should be stored at room temperature, below 86˚F (30˚C), and must be used within 28 days or be discarded, even if it still contains Humalog. - The Humalog Junior KwikPen offers fast-acting insulin, right when you need it, to help you control your diabetes.
Select Safety Information
Do not reuse needles or share your insulin injection supplies with other people. This includes your:
- prefilled pen for use by a single patient
- cartridges
- reusable pen that works with Lilly 3mL cartridges
- needles
- syringes
You or the other person can get a serious infection. This can happen even if you change the needle.
Use of Humalog U-100 with a Vial and Syringe
Storage for Humalog U-100 KwikPens and Vials
Unopened Humalog should be stored in a refrigerator (36° to 46°F [2° to 8°C]) and can be used until the expiration date on the carton or label.
Opened cartridges or prefilled pens should be kept at room temperature, below 86°F (30°C). Opened vials should be kept at room temperature or in a refrigerator. Do not freeze and do not use Humalog if it has been frozen.
Opened Humalog vials, prefilled pens, and cartridges must be thrown away 28 days after first use, even if they still contain insulin.
Humalog should be stored away from light and heat.
Use of Humalog U-100 in an Insulin Pump
For some people, an insulin pump can help improve diabetes management and make it more flexible. A pump may be a good option if any of these apply:
- You regularly test your blood sugar
- You are active and have an inconsistent meal and physical activity schedule
- You have demonstrated the ability to manage your diabetes but don't want to draw attention to it
Have your healthcare team discuss the pros and cons of external insulin pumps with you. They can help you decide whether taking Humalog with an external insulin pump is right for you.
Select Safety Information
Using Humalog or Insulin Lispro Injection (100 units/mL) in an insulin pump may cause serious side effects that can lead to death, such as high blood sugar and ketoacidosis. You can have these serious problems if your insulin pump or infusion set stops working. They can also happen if the insulin in your pump is no longer effective. For these reasons, always keep extra insulin injection supplies with you.
An insulin pump is another way to deliver Humalog U-100 to your body. The insulin pump stores Humalog inside it and has a small, bendable, plastic tube attached at one end. This tube goes into the skin through a small needle. Once the tube is set in place, the needle is removed. To deliver the amount of insulin needed, a button on the pump is pushed. The pump is small enough to be worn on a belt or kept in a pocket.
SAFETY SUMMARY
Warnings -
Do not take Humalog or Insulin Lispro Injection if you have:
- symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
- an allergy to insulin lispro products or any of their ingredients.
Do not reuse needles or share your insulin injection supplies with other people. This includes your:
- prefilled pen for use by a single patient
- cartridges
- reusable pen that works with Lilly 3mL cartridges
- needles
- syringes
You or the other person can get a serious infection. This can happen even if you change the needle.
Do not change the type of insulin you take or your dose, unless your doctor tells you to. This could cause low or high blood sugar, which could be serious.
Do not use a syringe to remove Humalog from your prefilled pen. This can cause you to take too much insulin. Taking too much insulin can lead to severe low blood sugar. This may result in seizures or death.
Humalog and Insulin Lispro Injection may cause serious side effects. Some of these can lead to death. The possible serious side effects are:
- Low blood sugar. This can cause: If you are at risk of having severely low blood sugar, your doctor may prescribe a glucagon emergency kit. These are used when your blood sugar becomes too low and you are unable to take sugar by mouth. Glucagon helps your body release sugar into your bloodstream.
- dizziness or light-headedness
- headache
- shakiness
- irritability
- sweating
- blurred vision
- fast heartbeat
- mood change
- confusion
- slurred speech
- anxiety
- hunger
- Severe allergic reaction.
Get emergency help right away if you have:- a rash over your whole body
- sweating
- extreme drowsiness
- swelling of your face, tongue, or throat
- trouble breathing
- a faint feeling
- dizziness
- a fast heartbeat
- shortness of breath
- confusion
- Low potassium in your blood. This can lead to severe breathing problems, irregular heartbeat, and death.
- Heart failure. Taking diabetes pills called thiazolidinediones (thIE-uh-zOH-li-dEEn-dIE-OHns), or "TZDs," with insulin lispro products may cause heart failure in some people. This includes people who do not have any heart problems. If you have heart failure, it may get worse if you take TZDs with these insulin lispro products. Tell your doctor if you have any new symptoms of heart failure, or if they get worse. Some symptoms of heart failure include: shortness of breath, swelling of ankles and feet, and sudden weight gain. Your doctor may need to change or stop treatment with TZDs and your insulin lispro product.
- High blood sugar and ketoacidosis. You can have these serious problems when your insulin pump or infusion set stops working. They can also happen if your insulin is no longer effective. For these reasons, always keep extra insulin injection supplies with you.
Common side effects
The most common side effects of Humalog and Insulin Lispro Injection are:
- low blood sugar
- reactions where you have injected insulin
- swelling of your hands or feet
- itching
- allergic reactions
- changes in fat tissue where you have injected insulin
- weight gain
- rash
These are not all of the possible side effects. Tell your doctor if you have any side effects. You can report side effects at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Before using
Talk with your doctor about low blood sugar and how to manage it. Also tell your doctor:
- about all of the medicines you take, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
- about any other prescription medicines you take, especially ones called TZDs.
- about all of your medical conditions, including if you have heart failure or other heart, liver, or kidney problems.
- if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or plan to become pregnant or breastfeed.
How to take
Read the Instructions for Use that come with your Humalog or Insulin Lispro Injection. Be sure to take your insulin lispro product and check your blood sugar levels exactly as your doctor tells you to. Your doctor may tell you to change your dose because of illness, increased stress, or changes in your weight, diet, or physical activity level. He or she may also tell you to change the amount or time of your dose because of other medicines or different types of insulin you take.
Before injecting your insulin lispro product
You can inject your insulin dose yourself, or you can have a trained caregiver inject it for you. Make sure you or your caregiver:
- Check the insulin label before each injection. This will help you make sure that you are taking the correct insulin.
- Use a new needle for each injection. You can get a serious infection or the wrong dose of insulin if you re-use needles.
- Change (rotate) where you inject your insulin with each dose. This can reduce your chance of getting pits, lumps, or thickened skin where you inject your insulin. Do not inject your insulin into the exact same spot or where the skin has pits or lumps. Avoid injecting into thickened, tender, bruised, scaly, hard, scarred, or damaged skin.
When you are ready to inject
- Inject Humalog or Insulin Lispro Injection, under your skin within 15 minutes before or right after you eat a meal.
Staying safe while taking your insulin lispro product
To stay safe while taking your insulin, be sure to never inject Humalog U-200 in your vein, muscle, or with an insulin pump. Also be sure not to:
- mix Humalog U-200 with other insulins or liquids.
- drive or use heavy machinery until you know how your insulin lispro product affects you.
- drink alcohol or use other medicines that contain alcohol when taking your insulin lispro product.
Learn more
Humalog and Insulin Lispro are prescription medicines. For more information, call 1-800-545-5979.
This summary provides basic information about Humalog and Insulin Lispro Injection. It does not include all information known about these medicines. Read the information that comes with your prescription each time your prescription is filled. This information does not take the place of talking with your doctor. Be sure to talk to your doctor or other health care provider about your insulin lispro product and how to take it. Your doctor is the best person to help you decide if these medicines are right for you.
HI SP CON BS 14SEP2022
Humalog® is a registered trademark owned or licensed by Eli Lilly and Company, its subsidiaries, or affiliates.
INDICATIONS
Humalog® (HU-ma-log) and Insulin Lispro Injection are fast-acting insulins used to control high blood sugar in adults and children with diabetes.
- Humalog comes in two strengths: U-100 (100 units per milliliter) and U-200 (200 units per milliliter). The Humalog U-200 prefilled pen contains 2 times as much insulin per 1 milliliter as standard (U-100) insulin. The dose window on the pen shows your insulin dose.
- It is not known if Humalog or Insulin Lispro Injection are safe and effective for children with type 2 diabetes or for children younger than 3 years of age with type 1 diabetes. There were no studies done with these insulins in these groups of children. If your doctor decides to give your child one of these insulins, he or she may give you special instructions.
All Humalog and Insulin Lispro Injection products contain insulin lispro.
