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Diabetes: Giving Yourself an Insulin Shot


If you have type 1 diabetes—or if you have type 2 diabetes and other diabetes medicines are not controlling your blood sugar—you have to take insulin. If you have gestational diabetes, you may need to take insulin if diet and exercise have not been able to keep your blood sugar levels within your target range.

With little or no insulin, sugar (glucose) in the blood cannot enter your cells to be used for energy. As a result, the sugar in your blood rises above a safe level. When your blood sugar rises past about 180 mg/dL, your kidneys begin to release sugar into the urine, which can make you dehydrated. If you are dehydrated, your kidneys make less urine, which means your body can't get rid of extra sugar. This is when blood sugar levels rise.

Taking insulin can prevent the symptoms of high blood sugar and emergencies such as diabetic ketoacidosis (in type 1 diabetes) and hyperosmolar coma (in type 2 diabetes). Insulin also can help lower blood sugar, which can prevent serious and permanent complications from long-term high blood sugar.

The three most important elements of success in giving insulin injections are:

  • Practicing how to give your injection.
  • Storing the insulin properly so that each dose will work effectively.

How To

Your health professional or certified diabetes educator (CDE) will help you learn to prepare and give your insulin dose. Here are some simple steps to help you learn this task.

Get ready

To get ready to give an insulin injection, follow these steps.

  2. Gather your supplies. Most people keep their supplies in a bag or kit so they can carry the supplies wherever they go.
  3. Check the insulin bottle or cartridge.
    • When you use an insulin bottle for the first time, write the date on the bottle. On the 30th day after opening, throw away the bottle with any remaining insulin. Insulin may not work as well after 30 days of use.

Prepare the injection





If you have poor eyesight, have problems using your hands, or cannot prepare a dose of insulin, you may need someone to prepare your insulin injections ahead of time.

Prepare the site

Before giving your injection:

Give the injection

Follow the steps for giving an insulin injection in the belly. It's also possible to give a shot in the arm.


Cleanup and storage

After giving your injection, be sure to:

  • Store your insulin properly so that each dose will work effectively.
  • Dispose of your used syringe, disposable insulin pen, or needle. Do not throw your used syringe, needle, or insulin pen into a household wastebasket or trash can. You can dispose of them in a metal container, such as a coffee can, that has a lid that screws on or that you tape down tightly. You also can buy special containers for disposing of used needles and syringes. You can also buy a small needle clipper device that breaks the needle off the syringe and stores it safely for disposal. Talk with your local trash disposal agency, pharmacy, or your health professional about how to get rid of the container.

Other tips for success and safety

  • You can practice injecting air or water into an orange until you feel comfortable with the steps for giving insulin. Then do the steps in front of your doctor or certified diabetes educator and ask him or her how you did.
  • Teach other family members how to give insulin injections. Have at least one other person who can prepare and give your insulin injection in an emergency. It's a good idea to let this person give your scheduled insulin injection for practice. Then it will not be as unfamiliar when an emergency occurs.
  • Never share syringes with another person because of the risk of getting diseases that can be transferred through blood, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or infection of the liver (hepatitis).


Other Works Consulted



By Healthwise Staff
E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Rhonda O'Brien, MS, RD, CDE - Certified Diabetes Educator
Last Revised August 13, 2013

