May 16, 2002
Insulin
Question from Batislava, Slovakia, Europe:
My nine year old son has had diabetes for about two and a half years, and I mix his insulin immediately before his shot. Can I mix Humalog with Actrapid and Humalog with Insulatard? My son’s doctor told me that I cannot mix different brands of because each brand has different preservatives, and they can react together to evoke allergic reactions. It is true? I often read some materials about insulin from the Internet, and I have read there about using a combination of Humalog with other types of insulins.
Answer:
It is generally not wise to mix insulins from different manufacturers because of possible preservative admixtures. However, it is done in many centers without problems reported. You should discuss this with your child’s diabetes care team since they know the details of his needs and can give you appropriate specific advice.
SB