Treatment with an insulin pen

People with type 1 diabetes need to administer insulin themselves, as their bodies no longer produce it. This can be done by injecting insulin multiple times a day using an insulin pen. There are different types of insulin pens available. The choice of pen is made together with your diabetes care team.

GoOD TO KNOW

Insulin pens come in various types. Some pens have special features that make injecting easier.

To inject insulin with a pen, you use a needle. The length of the needle can vary.

Insulin can be injected into the abdomen, buttocks, or upper thigh. Always make sure your hands and the injection site are clean.

Companies that manufacture insulin pens are continuously working to improve them—such as by integrating them with glucose sensors.

Different insulin pens

An insulin pen is a kind of thick fountain pen, but instead of ink, it contains insulin. With a small needle attached to the pen, a person with type 1 diabetes injects insulin into the body.

There are different types of insulin pens. The type of insulin you use largely determines which insulin pen you can use.

Refillable or Disposable

Insulin pens for type 1 diabetes can be divided into two groups:

Refillable insulin pens, also known as pens with penfill. These pens are initially empty. You fill them yourself with a cartridge of insulin: the ampoule. When the pen is empty, you replace the ampoule.
Disposable pens. These insulin pens already contain insulin. When the pen is empty, you throw it away and start using a new one.

EASY AND ACCURATE

Each insulin pen has its own features. Some of these are important in determining which pen suits you best. For example:

Dose increment: Some pens allow you to set the dose in 0.5-unit increments, while others use 1-unit steps. For someone who uses small amounts of insulin, a pen with 0.5-unit increments works better.

Memory function: Some pens show when the last dose was administered. This is a helpful reminder for people who sometimes forget whether they’ve already taken their insulin.

Type of dose button: The button used to set the insulin dose varies by pen. On some pens, the button extends slightly when setting the dose. This can be uncomfortable for people with hand issues, such as neuropathy caused by type 1 diabetes..

Different needles

To inject insulin into the body, a needle is required. With most insulin pens, you twist or click a needle onto the pen. A new, clean needle is used for each injection.

There are different types of needles, mainly varying in length. For example, there are needles that are 4 or 8 millimeters long. Which length works best depends on the individual.

The diabetes nurse determines which needle is suitable for you. This mainly depends on the thickness of the fat layer just beneath the skin, known as subcutaneous fat. If the subcutaneous fat layer is thinner, a shorter needle is used.

Safe insulin injection

Insulin is injected into the subcutaneous fat. From this layer beneath the skin, the body gradually absorbs the insulin. The preferred injection sites are the abdomen, buttocks, or upper thigh, as these areas have sufficient subcutaneous fat for insulin delivery.

The diabetes nurse will explain how to inject insulin for type 1 diabetes. Good instructions can also be found on the website de website apotheek.nl.

RULES FOR INSULIN INJECTION

It’s important to be careful when injecting insulin for type 1 diabetes. Pay special attention to the following:

Ensure clean hands and a clean injection site. This reduces the risk of infections caused by injecting.
Always use a new needle. This also lowers the chance of post-injection infections.
Rotate injection sites. Avoid injecting in the same spot repeatedly. This helps prevent issues such as fat buildup under the skin, known as lipohypertrophy. While injecting in the same spot may hurt less, insulin is not absorbed evenly there, which can lead to fluctuating blood sugar levels.
Avoid injecting too deep or too shallow. A bruise may indicate that the insulin was injected too deeply, hitting blood vessels closer to the muscles. A lump immediately after injection may mean the insulin wasn’t injected deep enough.

If you have questions about insulin injection, discuss them with your diabetes nurse. They can provide answers and helpful tips.

Smart insulin pens

The technology behind insulin pens for type 1 diabetes is continuously improving. Various manufacturers are working to enhance these systems. As a result, smart insulin pens are now available. These pens have built-in memory that records how much insulin was administered and when. The pen is connected to a glucose sensor and a smartphone app.

In the Netherlands, the Smart InPen with the Simplera sensor is available. However, this insulin pen is only reimbursed for people who also qualify for reimbursement of a CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitoring) sensor. Your diabetes nurse can provide more information about this.