Novolog

Novolog is a prescription medication used to treat type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Novolog is a fast-acting form of insulin. It is usually given with a long-acting insulin to provide a steady amount of insulin to control blood glucose (sugar) levels.

This medication comes in an injectable form available in vials and prefilled pens. Novolog should be injected just under the skin 5 to 10 minutes before meals. It may also be injected directly into a vein (IV) by a healthcare provider or by an insulin pump.

Common side effects of Novolog include low blood sugar, reaction at the injection site, and weight gain.

Novolog is a prescription medication used to control high blood sugar in adults and children with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

• Administer Novolog exactly as prescribed by your doctor.
• Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.
• Your doctor will determine the best dose for you. The dosage of Novolog must be individualized.

Serious side effects can occur including:

• Serious allergic reaction (whole body reaction). Get medical help right away, if you develop a rash over your whole body, have trouble breathing, a fast heartbeat, or sweating.
• Reactions at the injection site (local allergic reaction). You may get redness, swelling, and itching at the injection site. If you keep having skin reactions or they are serious talk to your healthcare provider. You may need to stop using Novolog and use a different insulin. Do not inject insulin into skin that is red, swollen, or itchy.
• Skin thickens or pits at the injection site (lipodystrophy). Change (rotate) where you inject your insulin to help to prevent these skin changes from happening. Do not inject insulin into this type of skin.
• Swelling of your hands and feet
• Vision changes
• Low potassium in your blood (hypokalemia). This can particularly occur when Novolog is administered into the vein. 
• Weight gain
• Fluid retention and heart failure can occur with concomitant use of thiazolidinediones (TZDs), and insulin, including NovoLog

Do not take Novolog if:

• Your blood sugar is too low (hypoglycemia).
• You are allergic to anything in Novolog. Check with your doctor if you are not sure.

While using Novolog avoid:

• Alcohol. Alcohol, including beer and wine, may affect your blood sugar when you take Novolog.
• Driving and operating machinery. You may have difficulty concentrating or reacting if you have low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Be careful when you drive a car or operate machinery.  

Ask your doctor if it is alright to drive if you often have:

• low blood sugar
• decreased or no warning signs of low blood sugar

Serious side effects may occur. See "Novolog Precautions" section.

Common side effects of Novolog include weight gain, reaction at the injection site, and low blood sugar.

Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) is the most common side effect seen with Novolog use. Symptoms of low blood sugar may include:

• sweating
• dizziness or lightheadedness
• shakiness
• hunger
• fast heart beat
• tingling of lips and tongue
• trouble concentrating or confusion
• blurred vision
• slurred speech
• anxiety, irritability or mood changes
• headache

Severe low blood sugar can cause unconsciousness (passing out), seizures, and death. Know your symptoms of low blood sugar. Follow your healthcare provider’s instructions for treating low blood sugar. Talk to your healthcare provider if low blood sugar is a problem for you.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• oral antidiabetic products, pramlintide, ACE inhibitors, disopyramide, fibrates, fluoxetine, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, propoxyphene, salicylates, somatostatin analogs, sulfonamide antibiotics. These medicines may increase the blood-glucose-lowering effect and susceptibility to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
• corticosteroids, niacin, danazol, diuretics, sympathomimetic agents (e.g., epinephrine, salbutamol, terbutaline), isoniazid, phenothiazine derivatives, somatropin, thyroid hormones, estrogens, progestogens (e.g., in oral contraceptives), atypical antipsychotics. These medicines may reduce the blood-glucose-lowering effect.
• Beta-blockers, clonidine, lithium salts, and alcohol. These may either potentiate or weaken the blood-glucose-lowering effect of insulin.
• Pentamidine as it may cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), which may sometimes be followed by hyperglycemia (high blood sugar).
• beta-blockers, clonidine, and reserpine. These medicines may reduce the signs of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Novolog falls into category B. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given Novolog, and some babies had problems. 

It is very important to maintain control of your blood sugar levels during pregnancy. Your doctor will decide which insulin is best for you during your pregnancy.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding.

You and your doctor should talk about the best way to manage your diabetes while you are breastfeeding. Novolog has not been studied in nursing women.