Over the Counter Insulin for Diabetes Management

Insulin costs is a very serious issue for plenty of diabetics, and one reasonably priced option is OTC or over-the-counter insulin.

According to survey results published in the JAMA Internal Medicine journal this February 2019,

individuals typically purchase ReliOn insulin from Walmart and that the retail giant sells more than 18,000 insulin vials every single day in all its pharmacies.

But despite the increase of over the counter insulin use, medical professionals want people with diabetes to know and understand that these OTC injections are different from prescription insulin.

Those interested in OTC insulin should take certain precautions before jumping into the OTC insulin bandwagon.

How Prescription Insulin is Different from Over the Counter Insulin

Newer insulin analogs are inherently different than OTC insulin, and if you need to take insulin to manage your diabetes, you need to understand the difference.

In general, the way over the Counter insulin gets absorbed by the body, when they peak, and how long they stay in the body are different than prescription insulin.

For instance, regular OTC insulin requires 30 minutes to an hour to work so you should plan your meals ahead of time, while newer insulin analogs can be taken right before eating.

Likewise, OTC intermediate-acting or NPH insulin formulations peak at six hours, which means that you should expect low blood sugar during this time, while newer insulin analogs don’t peak.

Different Behaviors

Basically, OTC insulin and prescription insulin behave differently.

However, if you are aware of these differences and can anticipate them, you should be fine.

It is for these reasons that educating yourself about the different forms of insulin is immensely crucial.

The Problem with OTC Insulin

The availability and low cost of OTC insulin is both a positive and a negative issue.

On the one hand, it could help many people with diabetes who can’t have regular appointments with doctors and lack insurance.

On the other hand, using OTC insulin comes with significant health risks to these people if they fail to get the timing and dosage just right.

For instance, taking inaccurate doses consistently could cause high blood pressure, nerve damage, vision loss, kidney disease, and even stroke.

This is why it’s extremely vital that you work with a diabetes management professional, if you’re considering OTC insulin to help you adjust and modify your dosage and really understand how it works differently than prescription insulin.

Additionally, OTC insulins are sold in vials that you would need to inject using a syringe, while newer prescription insulins are administered through handy pen devices.

When in Doubt, Consult a Diabetes Management Professional

If you’re really thinking of switching to over the counter insulin, find a diabetes management professional to help you decide.

Many patients ration their prescribed insulin or don’t take it as recommended due to cost concerns.

Conclusion:

But considering OTC insulin is more favorable than just stopping your prescribed insulin dose because of cost issues – you just have to know the risks and how you can avoid them.

You need to be very upfront and honest about your specific circumstances and reason for going with over the counter insulin.