Lantus Solostar 100IU/ml Pre filled Pen 3ml Solution for Injection

Lantus Solostar 100IU/ml solution for injection contains insulin, a synthetic human hormone used to treat diabetes mellitus. This medication helps regulate blood sugar levels by maintaining a steady insulin level in the body, allowing glucose to enter cells for energy. By controlling blood sugar, Lantus can reduce the risk of serious complications like kidney damage, blindness, nerve damage, and stroke.

Lantus Solostar 100IU/ml solution for injection is a long-acting insulin that provides a steady supply of insulin throughout the day. Unlike rapid-acting or short-acting insulins, it works slowly and steadily. It's typically taken once daily, usually at bedtime.

To ensure effective treatment, it's crucial to inject Lantus correctly. Your healthcare provider can teach you the proper technique, which involves rotating injection sites to prevent skin changes. For optimal results, it's important to combine Lantus treatment with a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Regular blood sugar monitoring is essential to ensure safe and effective use. To prevent hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), it's crucial to inject the precise dose as prescribed by your doctor. While Lantus Solostar helps control blood sugar levels, it's important to be aware of the risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

Symptoms can include sweating, shaking, dizziness, and confusion. If you experience these, treat it promptly with a fast-acting glucose source like glucose tablets or a sugary drink. Always carry a glucose source with you.

Before starting Lantus Solostar, inform your doctor about your complete medical history, including any existing conditions and medications, supplements, or herbal remedies you're currently taking or planning to take. This will help identify potential drug interactions and ensure safe and effective treatment.

Dosage

Overdose

• An excessive amount of insulin will lead to low blood sugar levels, called hypoglycemia. You may experience symptoms like dizziness, fainting, sweating and tremors.
• If you have the blood glucometer with you, test immediately and confirm blood glucose levels.
• Whether or not you test your levels, it is important to take some glucose water/juice/eat sugar or chocolates immediately and then rush to your doctor.

Missed a Dose

• A missed dose may lead to high blood sugar levels which can cause symptoms like feeling thirsty, excessive urination, loss of appetite, drowsiness, a fruity smell from breath, etc.
• If you have missed taking any dose of this medicine, take it as soon as you remember. If it's time for your next dose then skip the missed dose and continue with your regular dosing schedule.
• Do not take a double dose of this medicine to compensate for the missed one as taking a double dose can cause a drastic fall in blood glucose which can be dangerous.

Mode of Action

How Does It Work?

• Insulin is a crucial hormone that allows the entry of blood glucose into each cell of the body. Inside the cell, this glucose is used as fuel.
• In type 1 diabetes mellitus, the body fails to produce adequate insulin and this leads to glucose accumulating in the blood and causes high blood glucose.
• This medicine lowers blood sugars by stimulating glucose uptake by cells, tissue and muscles, especially by skeletal muscles and fat and by inhibiting glucose production by the liver.

Directions for Use

• Take the Lantus Solostar injection as per the technique suggested by your doctor or nurse.
• This injection is to be taken under the skin of the thigh or upper arm or abdomen.
• Do not take this injection in the vein or in the muscles.
• Pull a skin, fold up to take this injection.
• Wait for at least 6 seconds before removing the needle from the injection site.
• Always rotate the site of injection, do not take concurrent injections at the same site.

Precautions and Warnings

Pregnancy

Can I take the Lantus Solostar 100IU/ml Solution for Injection during pregnancy?

Lantus Solostar 100IU/ml solution for injection can be used during pregnancy if your doctor recommends it. However, close monitoring of blood sugar levels is suggested as the dose requirements may change with each trimester of pregnancy.

Breast Feeding

Can I take the Lantus Solostar 100IU/ml Solution for Injection while breastfeeding?

You can use Lantus Solostar 100IU/ml solution for injection while breastfeeding if recommended by your doctor.

Driving

Can I drive if I have taken the Lantus Solostar 100IU/ml Solution for Injection?

• Lantus Solostar 100IU/ml solution for injection is known to cause low blood sugar levels and can impair your driving abilities.
• Always keep sugar or a bar of chocolate in your car while driving.
• In case you experience any of the symptoms of low blood glucose levels like dizziness, drowsiness, visual disturbances and sweating, stop driving immediately and have sugar/ juice.

Alcohol

Can I consume alcohol with the Lantus Solostar 100IU/ml Solution for Injection?

• It is advisable not to consume alcohol when you are taking the Lantus Solostar 100IU/ml solution for injection as it interferes with the way insulin works.
• Consumption of alcohol may lead to an increased risk of both low blood glucose levels and high blood glucose levels.
• Avoid excessive use of alcohol while taking insulin.

Other General Warnings

Talk to your doctor if

• You have frequent fever and infections.
• You have diseases related to the liver and kidney.
• You have thyroid disorders.
• You are switching to a different insulin medicine brand.
• You have pain, itching and swelling at the site of injection, you should continuously change the site of injection.
• Avoid doing heavy exercise.
• You are planning to change your diet preferences.
• You should always carry a sugar candy with you.
• You are taking insulin but not taking adequate meals, your blood glucose can drop drastically.

Contraindications

• If you are allergic to insulin or any other ingredients of Lantus Solostar 100IU/ml solution for injection.
• If you are suffering from hypoglycemia (low blood sugar level).

Side effects

• Low blood sugar
• Injection site reactions

Interactions

Interactions with other medicines

• Some medicines can affect the way the Lantus Solostar 100IU/ml solution for injection works or this medicine itself can reduce the effectiveness of other medicines taken at the same time.
• Tell your doctor about all the medicines, supplements or herbals you are currently taking or might take to avoid any possible interaction.
• Especially, if you are taking antihypertensives, oral contraceptives, thiazide, steroids, etc.
• You may have symptoms of low blood sugar if you are taking other medicines for diabetes, a brain-related disorder like fluoxetine, medicines for fever and pain (salicylates).
• You may have high blood sugar if you are taking thiazide, steroids, thyroxine, medicines used to treat severe diarrhoea and abnormal growth of body organs like octreotide, lanreotide.

Interactions with food items

• Lantus Solostar 100IU/ml solution for injection is to be taken 15 mins before meals or after meals.
• Maintaining a constant meal pattern is advisable when you are taking insulin.
• Avoid skipping or delaying meals when you are taking insulin.

Storage and disposal

• Store the Lantus Solostar injection between 2°C to 8°C in the refrigerator.
• Do not freeze it.
• Keep it out of the reach of children and pets.
• Do not open the carton of vials to protect it from light.
• Any unused portion should not be stored and should be appropriately discarded.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What food items I should avoid, as I'm a diabetic?

• Avoid maida, white bread, noodles, corn flakes, poori, biryani, naan, fried rice, etc.
• Avoid custard apple, mango, jack fruit, fruit salads with ice cream, fruit-based desserts.
• Avoid cheese, milkshakes, ice creams.
• Try to avoid pork, beef, soft drinks, sugarcane juice, sweetened health drinks and beverages.

Can I stop taking the Lantus Solostar 100IU/ml Solution for Injection if I am feeling uncomfortable after taking this medicine?

No, you can not stop taking your insulin without speaking with a doctor. It may lead to high blood sugar levels and may worsen your disease condition and land you in complications. In case of side effects or discomfort, talk to your doctor. You may need a dose adjustment.

Why should I always change the site for taking this injection?

Taking injection at the same site may lead to a lump formation, local irritation and itching. Thus, it is advisable not to take injections at the same site or maintain a gap of at least one day.

What other lifestyle modifications I need to consider to manage diabetes?

• Diet should include chapatis, multigrain bread, puffed rice with vegetables, sprouts, roasted grams, plain cooked daal, soups, steamed vegetables, cooked vegetables with less oil, Jamun, orange, guava, apple, watermelon, papaya, cow’s milk, curd, thin buttermilk, fish (grilled, baked or steamed), peanuts, cashew nuts and walnuts(handful).
• Limit sugar intake.
• A brisk walk daily for 30 minutes.
• Exercise regularly.
• Monitor your blood glucose regularly.
• Take your anti-diabetic medication on time.

I experience low blood sugar levels often, what could be the possible reasons?

• Risk factors for developing low blood glucose levels include taking too much insulin, not taking adequate meals or missing meals, too much alcohol consumption, fever and too much exercise.
• Some medicines, when used with insulin can result in such episodes as other diabetes medicine glimepiride, medicines used for fever and pain (salicylates), ramipril, etc.
• Report to your doctor about these episodes. You may need a dose of adjustment.

What are the symptoms of diabetes?

Symptoms of diabetes include increased urine frequency, increased hunger and thirst. To know the exact status, your doctor may ask you to do blood tests like fasting blood glucose, post-meal blood glucose and HbA1C.

Does Lantus Solostar need to be refrigerated?

No, do not put the Lantus Solostar in a freezer. However, Lantus can be refrigerated until the expiration date. Remove the Lantus Solostar from the refrigerator 1-2 hours prior to injecting, because cold insulin can be more painful to inject.

Where is the best place to inject the Lantus Solostar?

Three possible injection sites are the stomach, thighs and upper arms. As these areas have more fat and fewer nerve endings. Due to this, you may feel less discomfort in these particular areas. However, it is advisable to rotate your injection sites with each dose to reduce your risk of getting thick or pitted skin and lumps at the injection site.