What you should know about

Humalog® in bottles (vials)

Please read this leaflet carefully before you start to use Humalog®. This leaflet does not contain all the information about Humalog® that you may need to know, so please ask your doctor, pharmacist or diabetes nurse specialist if you have any questions. This leaflet only applies to Humalog® vials.

What is in Humalog®?

Your medicine is called Humalog® and is used to treat diabetes. Its active ingredient is insulin lispro. This is a man-made form of human insulin. It works more quickly than normal human insulin because the insulin molecule has been changed slightly. You should normally use Humalog® within the 15 minutes before a meal. Its strength is 100 units per millilitre (U-100), and each bottle contains 1000 units (10 millilitres).

Humalog® also contains the inactive ingredients m-cresol, glycerol, dibasic sodium phosphate.7H20, zinc oxide and water for injection. Sodium hydroxide and/or hydrochloric acid may have been used during manufacture to adjust pH.

 

 

Always check the pack and the bottle label for the name and type of the insulin when you get it from your pharmacy. Make sure you get the Humalog® that your doctor has told you to use.

Humalog® is made in the laboratory by a 'recombinant DNA technology' process. It is a changed form of human insulin and is therefore different from other human insulins and from animal source insulins. Human insulin, to which it is closely related, is a natural hormone and is made by the body's pancreas.

Humalog® is made by Lilly France SA, Rue du Colonel Lilly, 67640 Fegersheim, France. The product licence is held by Eli Lilly Nederland B.V., Kritjwal 17-23, 3432 ZT Nieuwegein, Netherlands.

Why Humalog®?

You get diabetes if your pancreas does not make enough insulin to

control the level of glucose in your blood. Humalog® is a substitute for your own insulin when you develop diabetes and is used to provide control in the long term. It works very quickly and for a shorter time than a soluble insulin.

Your doctor may tell you to use Humalog® with a longer-acting human insulin. Each of these comes with another patient information leaflet to tell you about them. Do not change your insulin unless your doctor or nurse tells you to. Be very careful if you do change insulin.

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Before you inject Humalog®

Make sure it is safe for you to use Humalog®.

If you answer YES to any of the following questions, tell your doctor, pharmacist or diabetes nurse specialist.

Your insulin needs may also change if you drink alcohol.

You should also tell your doctor, pharmacist or diabetes nurse specialist if you are planning to go abroad. The time difference between countries may mean that you have to have your injections and meals at different times from when you are at home.

 

Please read the back of this leaflet

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What you should know about Humalog® in bottles - continued

Using Humalog®

While using your insulin

Common problems of diabetes

A. Hypoglycaemia ('hypo'- low blood sugar) means there is not enough sugar

in the blood. This can be caused if:

Alcohol and some medicines can affect your blood sugar levels.

The first symptoms of low blood sugar usually come on quickly and include:

  • tiredness
  • nervousness or shakiness
  • a headache
  • rapid heartbeat
  • nausea
  • cold sweat
  • B. Hyperglycaemia and diabetic ketoacidosis

    Hyperglycaemia ('hyper' - too much sugar in the blood) means that your body does not have enough insulin. Hyperglycaemia can be brought about by:

    Hyperglycaemia can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis. The first symptoms come on slowly over many hours or days. They are:

    • sleepy feeling
    • flushed face
    • thirst
  • no appetite
  • fruity smell on the breath
  • sweating
  • Severe symptoms are heavy breathing and a rapid pulse.

    Get medical help immediately.

    C. Illness

    If you are ill, especially if you feel sick or are sick, your insulin needs may change. Even when you are not eating normally, you still need insulin. Test your urine or blood, follow your 'sick rules', and tell your doctor.

    D. Allergy to insulin

    Local allergy: Some people get redness, swelling or itching around the area of the insulin injection. This usually clears up in anything from a few days to a few weeks. If this happens to you, tell your doctor.

    Systemic allergy: This allergy to insulin is not common. The symptoms are:

    • rash over the whole body
    • difficulty in breathing
    • wheezing
  • blood pressure dropping
  • heart beating fast
  • sweating
  • If you think you are having this sort of insulin allergy with Humalog®, tell your doctor at once.

    E. Lipodystrophy

    If you notice your skin thickening or pitting at the injection site, tell your doctor.

    If you have these or any other side effects, tell your doctor.

    How to store Humalog®

    Keep your Humalog® in a fridge at between 2°-8°C. Do not put it near heat or in the sun. Do not freeze Humalog®. If you cannot keep your Humalog® in the fridge, you can keep it for up to 28 days at room temperature (up to 30°C). Keep your medicine where children cannot see or reach it. Do not use it after the 'Use before' date.

    Remember: This medicine is for you. Never give it to others. It may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same as yours.

    Date this leaflet was written: November 1995

    © Eli Lilly and Company Limited, 1995

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