Giving yourself an insulin shot takes some practice, but it's not hard. Here are the general steps to follow if you need to mix two types of insulin in the same shot.
[How to Give Yourself an Insulin Shot—Mixed Dose]Giving yourself an insulin shot takes some practice, but it's not hard. Here are the general steps to follow if you need to mix two types of insulin in the same shot.One type is usually a shorter-acting insulin, which appears clear. The other is an intermediate-acting insulin, which appears cloudy.Gather your supplies: sharps container, alcohol wipes, syringe and insulin vials. If you store your insulin in the refrigerator, first let the vials come to room temperature. Injecting cold insulin can be painful.Then wash your hands well with soap and warm water.Now you're ready to start. Check to make sure you have the correct vials. Remove the plastic cap on the vial if you are opening a new one. Then wipe the top of the insulin vial with an alcohol swab and let it dry. You will use the intermediate-acting insulin vial first. This is the cloudy vial.Roll this vial gently between the palms of your hands. Mix it well, but don't shake the vial.Next, get a new syringe. Unwrap it, if necessary and remove the cap from the syringe. Experts recommend using a new syringe for each injection.Each syringe has a barrel, a plunger, and a needle. On the side of the barrel are marks for units. Your healthcare provider will tell you how much insulin you need for each shot.Pull the plunger back to the mark your healthcare provider has told you to use for the cloudy insulin. Insert the needle into the top of the cloudy insulin vial. Push the plunger all the way down so air enters the vial. Remove the needle from the cloudy insulin vial.Follow the same steps with the shorter-acting insulin vial. This is the clear vial.Pull the plunger on syringe back to the mark your healthcare provider has told you to use. Insert the needle into the top of the clear insulin vial. Push the plunger all the way down so air enters the vial. Turn the clear insulin vial and syringe upside down.Slowly pull back on the plunger until it reaches the same mark you used before. Be sure the tip of the needle is in the insulin liquid.If you see any bubbles in the barrel of the syringe, you will need to remove them. First, try tapping the barrel of the syringe to get the bubbles to the top. If this does not work, try pushing the plunger back in and then slowly pulling it back to the mark on the barrel. Remove the needle from the vial.Insert the syringe into the cloudy insulin vial. Turn this vial and syringe upside down. Make sure the tip of the needle is in the insulin.Slowly pull back the plunger until it reaches the mark for your COMBINED insulin dose. Do NOT withdraw more than you need and do NOT push the mixed insulin back into the vial.Remove the syringe from the vial.Next, use an alcohol swab to clean the skin area where you will give yourself the shot. Allow the alcohol to dry.Pinch the skin between your thumb and first two fingers. Hold the syringe in your other hand like you would a pencil. Put the needle into your skin, so that it is pointing straight in. Then, slowly push the plunger all the way in. Make sure the syringe is empty.Then pull the needle straight out of your skin.Throw the syringe away in a sharps container.You can make your own container with a detergent bottle that has a screw-on top. Label it so everyone in your family knows what it is.Leave the vials as they are. They will last about a month at room temperature.
Online Medical Reviewer: Foley, Maryann, RN
Online Medical Reviewer: Turley, Ray, BSN, MSN
Date Last Reviewed: 12/01/2018
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