What is Insulin Glargine-yfgn: Uses, Warnings & Interactions

Follow all the directions given by the healthcare team.

Please read the Patient Information sheet included with the medicine.

Read and follow the illustrated Instructions for Use that come with the vial or injection pen.

Giving injections:

• Inject only one dose daily.

• Injections can be administered at any time of day, but must be administered at the same time every day.

• A healthcare provider will demonstrate how to administer an injection and where on the body to make an injection.

• Use a different body area for each injection. 

• Administer injections only under the skin (subcutaneously), never into a vein or a muscle.

• Do not administer insulin injections into tender, bruised, damaged, hard, thick, scaly, lumpy, scarred, or pitted skin.

• A caregiver should administer injections for people who are blind or have vision problems.

• Do not mix insulin glargine-yfgn with another insulin.

• Do not use insulin glargine-yfgn in an insulin pump.

How to prepare for an injection:

• Wash your hands.

• Check the insulin type, concentration, expiration date, and appearance of the medicine. 

• The medicine should appear clear and colorless. Do not use it if it is cloudy, colored, or contains particles.

How to administer injections using a needle and syringe:

• Use a new syringe for each injection.

• Use only syringes designed for U-100 insulin injections. 

• Wipe the skin with an alcohol swab and let it dry.

• Draw the medicine into the syringe following the Instructions for Use.

• Pinch the skin.

• Insert the needle into the skin as instructed by the healthcare team. 

• Release the skin.

• Slowly push down the plunger until all the medicine is injected.

• Keep the needle in the skin for at least ten seconds.

• Pull the needle straight out of the skin.

• Press gently on the injection site for several seconds.

• Do not recap the needle.

• Dispose of the needle and syringe in a sharps container.

• Dispose of the empty vial in a sharps container.

• Store the unopened vials in the refrigerator. Do not freeze.

• Store opened vials in the refrigerator or at room temperature below 86˚F.

• Protect the medicine from heat and light.

• Throw away unopened vials after 28 days.

Using an injection pen:

• Attach a needle. Always use a new needle for each injection. 

• Do a safety test before each injection. Follow the step-by-step directions in the Instructions for Use. 

• If the safety test fails, attach a new needle and perform the safety test a second time.

• Do not use the pen if the safety test fails a second time. Start with a new pen.

• If the safety test succeeds, select the dose on the dose selector. 

• If there’s not enough medicine in the pen to give a complete dose, use the pen to inject what’s left in the pen. Use a new pen to inject the remaining part of the dose.

• Wipe the skin with an alcohol swab and let it dry.

• Push the needle into the skin.

• Put your thumb on the injection button. 

• Slowly press the injection button all the way in.

• Hold the injection button down until the dose counter reaches “0.” 

• Continue holding the injection button with the needle in the skin and slowly count to “10.”

• Release the injection button and pull the needle out of the skin.

• Carefully replace the outer needle cap.

• Remove the needle from the pen and dispose of it in a sharps container. 

• Replace the pen cap. Tighten it by squeezing the wide part of the needle cap and turning the pen.

• Do not put the pen back in the refrigerator. Store it at room temperature, protected from heat and light. Never store it with the needle attached.

• Store unused injection pens in the refrigerator. Do not freeze.

The prescriber or healthcare team should provide a plan for managing missed doses. If not, ask the prescriber how to manage missed doses.

They will recommend one of three options for handling a missed dose: 

• Take the missed dose within a specified number of hours after its regular time.

• Take a lower, remedial dose within a specified number of hours after the dose is missed.

• Skip the missed dose. Monitor blood sugar and manage it with fast-acting insulin throughout the day.

If you don’t have clear instructions from the healthcare team, call a doctor or visit an urgent care if you miss a dose.

If you skip a missed dose, regularly test blood sugar levels throughout the day.

Never take two doses of insulin to make up for a missed dose.

This medicine is not right for everyone. 

Do not use it if you have had an allergic reaction to insulin glargine.

Do not use insulin glargine when blood sugar is low.

Insulin treatment requires regular doctor’s visits and blood tests to monitor treatment and adverse effects. Keep all appointments.

Ensure other doctors and healthcare providers know you’re taking insulin. 

Tell the prescriber if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.

Tell the prescriber about all your medical conditions before and during insulin treatment, particularly kidney or liver problems.

To ensure correct dosing, inform the prescriber about significant changes in your life, such as:

• Changes what, how much, and how often you eat

• Changes in how much exercise or physical activity you get

• Changes in stress levels

• Illness

• Injury

• Any recent or upcoming surgeries

• Any new drugs being taken

• Any drugs that you’ve stopped taking

The most common side effect of insulin treatment is low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), a potentially serious side effect.

• The prescriber or healthcare team will teach you the signs and symptoms of low blood sugar. 

• When you notice symptoms of hypoglycemia, follow the instructions given to you by the healthcare team.

Because hypoglycemia is a common side effect, accidents and injuries are an ever-present risk. 

• Do not drive or engage in any other risky activity until you know you are stabilized on your insulin doses. 

• When experiencing hypoglycemia, resolve the problem before you drive or engage in activities that can cause injury.

Insulin treatment can also lower potassium levels. 

• Review the clinical signs of low potassium (hypokalemia) with the prescriber or healthcare team. 

• Call a healthcare professional or get medical help when experiencing low potassium symptoms.

Never share syringes, needles, injection pens, or insulin with other people.

Make sure the prescriber knows about all the prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, and supplements you use, particularly:

• Other diabetes drugs, particularly thiazolidinediones (glitazones)

• Blood pressure drugs called ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, or beta blockers

• Cholesterol drugs called fibrates

• Corticosteroids

• Birth control pills

• Female sex hormones (estrogens and progestogens)

• Thyroid hormones

• Drugs that make you urinate (diuretics)

• Salicylates (aspirin is the most common salicylate) 

• Sulfonamide antibiotics

• Antiviral drugs called protease inhibitors

• Atypical antipsychotics 

• Phenothiazine antipsychotics, such as chlorpromazine or thioridazine

• Sympathomimetics, such as epinephrine or albuterol

• Drugs called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)

• Drugs called somatostatin analogs (usually used to treat cancer)

• Clonidine, danazol, disopyramide, fluoxetine, glucagon, guanethidine, isoniazid, lithium, niacin, pentamidine, pentoxifylline, pramlintide, reserpine, somatropin

Do not drink alcohol or use medications containing alcohol when taking insulin.

Always inform your diabetes physician when you start or stop a new drug or supplement.