A list of all medications you are taking also include any vitamins, supplements, over-the-counter medicines, or herbal products

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1 This is your customized insulin discussion guide to bring to your next doctor s visit. WHAT TO BRING TO YOUR NEXT CHECK UP A record of your recent blood sugar readings A list of all medications you are taking also include any vitamins, supplements, over-the-counter medicines, or herbal products General questions you have for your doctor about diabetes Starting Insulin Is my A1C level higher than 7% (or my personal goal set by my healthcare team)? The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends an A1C goal of less than 7%. However, A1C goals are individualized for each patient. Your doctor can provide information about your goals. Have I done everything (healthy eating, exercise, taking oral diabetes medications) that I can to reach my targeted A1C goal? When diet, exercise, and oral diabetes medications alone don t bring your blood sugar levels under control, insulin may be an effective option to help with uncontrolled blood sugar. Your doctor can help determine if adding insulin to your diabetes treatment plan is right for you.

2 Could adding insulin be an effective tool to help control blood sugar levels? The American Diabetes Association (ADA) states that insulin is an effective medication to help lower blood sugar levels. Work closely with your doctor and your healthcare team to establish a personalized diabetes treatment plan to help you control blood sugar levels and help you reach your A1C goal. Why isn t it enough to take oral diabetes medication alone? Over time, diabetes treatment plans may need to be adjusted as the disease progresses. Some people find that adding insulin injections to their treatment plan is an effective way to reach their goals. Your doctor will work with you to find a treatment approach that works for you. Would adding insulin to my diabetes treatment plan be right for me? There are several factors that your doctor will take into consideration (diet, lifestyle, other diabetes medication) to determine if insulin could benefit you. Your doctor may decide that adding insulin, as part of your overall diabetes treatment plan, could benefit you by helping you reach your treatment goals. When taking insulin, blood sugar monitoring is important.

3 What insulin types might be right for me? There are different types of insulin for different needs. The 2 main insulin types are basal insulin and mealtime insulin. Your doctor will discuss the potential benefits and realistic risks of insulin to find the best choice for your lifestyle and schedule. Taking Insulin Which method (syringe, pump, or pen) for taking insulin would be best for me? Different methods are used for insulin delivery depending on the individual s needs. Your doctor can discuss each method for taking insulin and ask about your preferences. Together, you can determine which is best for you. How will I learn to inject insulin, and is it difficult? Your doctor, or a member of your healthcare team, will show you how to inject insulin. Insulin injections are relatively easy to do after learning how. Many insulins come in insulin pens that can be carried almost anywhere.

4 What time of the day should I take insulin? Depending on which insulin your doctor prescribes, it may be taken at a specific time of day, or it may be taken at mealtimes. Ask your doctor which insulin might be right for you. Do I need to eat before or after taking insulin? Not all insulins are taken with food. However, there are insulins that may be taken either before, during, or after a meal. This kind of insulin controls blood sugar levels during meals. Your doctor can let you know if mealtime insulin may be right for you. How long does it take for insulin to start working? This depends on the type of insulin prescribed. Different insulins are used for different needs. Mealtime insulins can begin to work about 15 minutes after injection, while basal insulins can take longer. Your doctor will discuss each type of insulin and how it works to help control your blood sugar.

5 Where should insulin be stored? Some insulin can be stored at room temperature depending on the product. Ask your doctor to explain when your insulin needs to be refrigerated and when it can be stored at room temperature. How often will I need to check my blood sugar levels? Many patients with type 2 diabetes check their blood sugar levels prior to each meal. Ask your doctor how often you should check and record the level of your blood sugar. Blood sugar monitoring is important when you take insulin. What are my blood sugar goals? A person with diabetes should establish blood sugar goals. Ask your doctor about your treatment goals and record them here: Blood sugar level A1C level Other treatment goals:

6 Adjusting to Insulin How will insulin affect my oral diabetes medications? Insulin injections work with other diabetes medications to help control blood sugar levels. Your doctor may change or adjust the dose of other diabetes medications you are taking. Be sure to tell your doctor about other medicines and supplements you are taking because they can change the way insulin works. Will my other medications require me to adjust my insulin? Diabetes treatment plans are individualized to each person. As a result, insulin may have to be adjusted to determine the correct amount for you. Your doctor and healthcare team will work closely with you to help determine your correct dose. Can insulin cause me to have low blood sugar? The most common side effect of insulin is low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which can be serious. Some people may experience symptoms such as shaking, sweating, fast heartbeat, and blurred vision. Your doctor will discuss ways to deal with low blood sugar.

7 Will I gain weight? Insulin does cause the body to store calories from food. Following a healthy meal plan and exercising regularly may help people with diabetes control their weight. Talk to your doctor about your exercise routine and meal plan to see if an adjustment may be needed. Will I have to change my lifestyle (hobbies, job, etc.) if I start taking insulin? This is a common myth about insulin. The fact is many people can continue leading the lifestyle they are living with their other diabetes medications. Many insulins come in insulin pens that can be carried almost anywhere. How will my meal planning be affected? It s always important to eat healthy. Ask your doctor how insulin can help control blood sugar levels associated with meals.

8 If I don t like insulin, can I stop taking it? Yes. Insulin is not physically addictive or habit-forming. Many patients stay on insulin because they see the effect it has on lowering blood sugar. Talk to your doctor before starting or stopping any medication, including insulin. LANTUS SoloSTAR Insulin Pen What is LANTUS? LANTUS, the only 24-hour insulin approved exclusively for use once a day, is available in the easy-touse LANTUS SoloSTAR pen. Please talk to your healthcare provider about proper injection technique and follow instructions in the Instruction Leaflet that accompanies the pen. With just one shot a day at the same time each day, LANTUS helps control your blood sugar day and night. Ask your doctor if LANTUS might be right for you. Do not take LANTUS if you are allergic to insulin or any of the inactive ingredients in LANTUS. You must test your blood sugar levels while using insulin, such as LANTUS. Do not make any changes to your dose or type of insulin without talking to your healthcare provider. Any change of insulin should be made cautiously and only under medical supervision. Do NOT dilute or mix LANTUS with any other insulin or solution. It will not work as intended and you may lose blood sugar control, which could be serious. LANTUS must only be used if the solution is clear and colorless with no particles visible. Do not share needles, insulin pens or syringes with others. The most common side effect of insulin, including LANTUS, is low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which may be serious.

9 How does LANTUS compare to other insulins? More people with diabetes are prescribed LANTUS long-acting insulin to help control their blood sugar levels than any other brand of insulin.* When discussing insulin with your doctor, your doctor can help you determine if LANTUS is a type of insulin that may benefit you. Prescription LANTUS is a long-acting insulin used to treat adults with type 2 diabetes and adults and children (6 years and older) with type 1 diabetes for the control of high blood sugar. It should be taken once a day at the same time each day to lower blood glucose. Do not use LANTUS to treat diabetic ketoacidosis. Do not take LANTUS if you are allergic to insulin or any of the inactive ingredients in LANTUS. *Based on TRX data from IMS Health, NPA monthly database, time period from May 2003 to March Are there any side effects with LANTUS? The most common side effect of insulin, including LANTUS, is low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which may be serious. Some people may experience symptoms such as shaking, sweating, fast heartbeat, and blurred vision. Severe hypoglycemia may be serious and life threatening. It may cause harm to your heart or brain. Other possible side effects may include injection site reactions, including changes in fat tissue at the injection site, and allergic reactions, including itching and rash. In rare cases, some allergic reactions may be life threatening. Your doctor can explain the potential benefits and realistic risks associated with insulin use.

10 Do I have to check my blood sugars regularly? You must test your blood sugar levels while using insulin, such as LANTUS. Do not make any changes to your dose or type of insulin without talking to your doctor. Your doctor can explain the importance of blood sugar monitoring when you take insulin. Is the LANTUS SoloSTAR pen easy to use? LANTUS SoloSTAR is an easy-to-use insulin pen that comes prefilled with LANTUS, which provides up to 24 hours of blood sugar control. Please talk to your healthcare provider about proper injection technique and follow instructions in the Instruction Leaflet that accompanies the pen. Do not take LANTUS if you are allergic to insulin or any of the inactive ingredients in LANTUS. You must test your blood sugar levels while using insulin, such as LANTUS. Do not make any changes to your dose or type of insulin without talking to your healthcare provider. Any change of insulin should be made cautiously and only under medical supervision. Do NOT dilute or mix LANTUS with any other insulin or solution. It will not work as intended and you may lose blood sugar control, which could be serious. LANTUS must only be used if the solution is clear and colorless with no particles visible. Do not share needles, insulin pens or syringes with others. The most common side effect of insulin, including LANTUS, is low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which may be serious.

11 Would the LANTUS SoloSTAR pen be a good choice for me? Only you and your doctor can determine if LANTUS SoloSTAR is right for you. LANTUS SoloSTAR is used as part of an overall diabetes treatment plan of diet, exercise, and other diabetes medications. Talk to your doctor about LANTUS SoloSTAR to see if it may help you reach your A1C goal. It is important to talk to your doctor about the potential benefits and realistic risks associated with insulin use. You must test your blood sugar levels while using insulin, such as LANTUS. Do not make any changes to your dose or type of insulin without talking to your healthcare provider. Any change of insulin should be made cautiously and only under medical supervision. Tell your doctor about other medicines and supplements you are taking because they can change the way insulin works. Before starting LANTUS, tell your doctor about all your medical conditions including if you have liver or kidney problems, are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding or planning to breast-feed.

12 Important Safety Information For LANTUS (insulin glargine [rdna origin] injection) Do not take LANTUS if you are allergic to insulin or any of the inactive ingredients in LANTUS. You must test your blood sugar levels while using insulin, such as LANTUS. Do not make any changes to your dose or type of insulin without talking to your healthcare provider. Any change of insulin should be made cautiously and only under medical supervision. Do NOT dilute or mix LANTUS with any other insulin or solution. It will not work as intended and you may lose blood sugar control, which could be serious. LANTUS must only be used if the solution is clear and colorless with no particles visible. Do not share needles, insulin pens or syringes with others. The most common side effect of insulin, including LANTUS, is low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which may be serious. Some people may experience symptoms such as shaking, sweating, fast heartbeat, and blurred vision. Severe hypoglycemia may be serious and life threatening. It may cause harm to your heart or brain. Other possible side effects may include injection site reactions, including changes in fat tissue at the injection site, and allergic reactions, including itching and rash. In rare cases, some allergic reactions may be life threatening. Tell your doctor about other medicines and supplements you are taking because they can change the way insulin works. Before starting LANTUS, tell your doctor about all your medical conditions including if you have liver or kidney problems, are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding or planning to breast-feed. LANTUS SoloSTAR is a disposable prefilled insulin pen. Please talk to your healthcare provider about proper injection technique and follow instructions in the Instruction Leaflet that accompanies the pen. Indications and Usage Prescription LANTUS is a long-acting insulin used to treat adults with type 2 diabetes and adults and children (6 years and older) with type 1 diabetes for the control of high blood sugar. It should be taken once a day at the same time each day to lower blood glucose. Do not use LANTUS to treat diabetic ketoacidosis. Please review full prescribing information for LANTUS on previous webpage that generated this discussion guide or click here for full prescribing information on LANTUS. Click here for information on drug anti-counterfeiting. The health information contained herein is provided for general educational purposes only. Your healthcare professional is the single best source of information regarding your health. Please consult your healthcare professional if you have any questions about your health or

13 Additional Questions