Diabetes and Insulin

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NovoLog® Reach

Tools and support for
type 1 diabetes.

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NovoLog® FlexPen®

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Home > Diabetes and Insulin

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Diabetes and Insulin

Made by the beta cells in your pancreas, insulin is a key hormone. Insulin helps sugar, or glucose, move from your blood into your cells. This lowers your blood sugar levels. Whatʼs more, the cells of your body use this blood sugar for fuel, so insulin is very important.

Without enough insulin, blood sugar cannot be moved to parts of the body that need it. This can result in high blood sugar. High blood sugar can then cause many different problems that are considered signs or symptoms of diabetes. These symptoms may include extreme thirst or hunger, weight loss, or feeling unusually tired and irritable.

Diabetes is a condition in which sugar levels in your blood are high. With diabetes, the body may not be able to produce enough insulin or to use insulin the right way. It may be that the body does not produce any insulin at all. Without insulin to help the body use blood sugar, blood sugar levels increase in the body. This is why most people with diabetes require treatment to lower blood sugar levels.

Type 1 and type 2 diabetes

There are two main types of diabetes. Learn more about the causes, symptoms, and differences between type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

Next: Type 1 Diabetes >

Indications and Usage

What is NovoLog® (insulin aspart [rDNA origin] injection)?

•	NovoLog® is a man-made insulin used to control high blood sugar in adults and children with diabetes mellitus.

Important Safety Information

Who should not use NovoLog®?

•	Do not use NovoLog® if your blood sugar is too low (hypoglycemia) or you are allergic to any of its ingredients.

What should I tell my health care provider before taking NovoLog®?

•	About all of your medical conditions, including liver, kidney, or heart problems.
•	If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or plan to do either.
•	About all prescription and nonprescription medicines you take, including supplements, as your dose may need to change.

How should I take NovoLog®?

•	Eat a meal within 5 to 10 minutes after using NovoLog®, a fast-acting insulin, to avoid low blood sugar. Do not inject NovoLog® if you do not plan to eat right after your injection or bolus pump infusion.
•	Do not mix NovoLog® with any other insulin when used in a pump or with any insulin other than NPH when used with injections by syringe.
•	Do not change your dose or type of insulin unless you are told to by your health care provider.
•	Do not share needles, insulin pens, or syringes.
•	Check your blood sugar levels as directed by your health care provider.

What should I consider while using NovoLog®?

•	Alcohol, including beer and wine, may affect your blood sugar.
•	Be careful when driving a car or operating machinery. You may have difficulty concentrating or reacting if you have low blood sugar. Talk to your health care provider if you often have low blood sugar or no warning signs of low blood sugar.

What are the possible side effects of NovoLog®?

•	Low blood sugar, including when too much is taken. Some symptoms include sweating, shakiness, confusion, and headache. Severe low blood sugar can cause unconsciousness, seizures, and death.
•	Serious allergic reactions may occur. Get medical help right away, if you develop a rash over your whole body, have trouble breathing, a fast heartbeat, or sweating.
•	Other side effects include injection site reactions (like redness, swelling, and itching), skin thickening or pits at the injection site, swelling of your hands and feet, if taken with thiazolidinediones (TZDs) possible heart failure, vision changes, low potassium in your blood, and weight gain.

For more information, please click here for complete NovoLog® Prescribing Information.

NovoLog® is a prescription medicine.

Talk to your doctor about the importance of diet and exercise in your treatment plan.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

If you need assistance with prescription drug costs, help may be available. Visit pparx.org or call 1-888-4PPA-NOW.

What are the possible side effects of NovoLog®?

• Low blood sugar, including when too much is taken. Some symptoms include sweating, shakiness, confusion, and headache. Severe low blood sugar can cause unconsciousness, seizures, and death.

• Other side effects include injection site reactions (like redness, swelling, and itching), skin thickening or pits at the injection site, swelling of your hands and feet, if taken with thiazolidinediones (TZDs) possible heart failure, vision changes, low potassium in your blood, and weight gain.

Please click here for additional Important Safety Information

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