Using your Toujeo^® SoloStar^® Pen

(insulin glargine 300U/mL)

This page covers practical pen-use information, such as storage, injection, and disposing of your pens.

Storing your insulin pen

Before first use

Keep your new pen in the outer carton to protect it from light
Keep your pen in the fridge, between 2°C to 8°C
Do not freeze
Remember to remove your pen from the fridge at least 1 hour before use

After first use

Keep your pen at room temperature, below 30°C
Never put your pen back in the fridge
Never store your pen with the needle attached
Store your pen with the cap on, away from direct heat or light
Always dispose of used needles in an appropriate sharps bin

Only use your pen for up to 6 weeks after its first use. Never use your pen after the expiration date.

Things to know before you inject:

Do’s

Always perform a safety check
Always carry a spare pen and needles incase they stop working

Dont’s

Never re-use your needles
Never use a syringe to remove insulin from your pen
Never use your pen if it’s damaged
Never share your pen

Injecting Insulin

Giving yourself an insulin injection isn’t difficult, but it does take practice. Your doctor or nurse will show you how.

The 3 recommended injection sites are:

The outer, upper arms:

use the outer back area of the upper arm where there is fatty tissue
The stomach:

except for a 2-inch circle around the belly button
The top and outer thighs:

avoid injecting too close to the area above the knee

You should inject under the skin, and to prevent damage, inject into a different site each time. Select an injection area and rotate your injection sites within that area. Do not change injection areas daily, only sites. Skin changes at the injection site. The injection site should be rotated to prevent skin changes such as lumps under the skin. The insulin may not work very well if you inject into a lumpy area. Contact your doctor if you are currently injecting into a lumpy area before you start injecting in a different area. Your doctor may tell you to check your blood sugar more closely, and to adjust your insulin or your other antidiabetic medications dose.

Your doctor or nurse will show you how to inject your insulin, always follow their advice. This short guide can act as a reminder of the basic steps to injecting your insulin correctly.

1 Check your pen

Ensure you're using the correct insulin
Check the pen is not damaged
Check the expiration date has not passed
Check that the insulin is clear and DO NOT use the pen if the insulin looks cloudy or contains particles

2 Attach a new needle

Take a new needle and peel off the protective seal
Screw the new needle onto the pen until fixed. DO NOT over-tighten
Remove the outer needle cap. Keep this to use again after your injection
Pull off the inner needle cap and throw it away

3 Always do a safety test

Turn the dose selector by 3 units and press the injection button down all the way to ensure insulin comes out of the needle

If no insulin comes out of the needle:

Repeat the safety test up to 3 times
Failing this, replace the needle and test it again
If insulin still doesn't come out, use a new pen

4 Select the dose

Ensure the needle is attached and the dose is set to '0'
Turn the dose selector until the pointer lines up with your intended dose
If you cannot select your full prescribed dose, split the dose into two injections or use a new pen

5 Inject your dose

Choose a place to inject as shown in the above picture. Change the place within the area where you inject each day - to reduce the risk of skin shrinking or thickening
Push the needle into the skin of your chosen injection site and press the injection button all the way down and hold
When you see the '0' in the dose window, slowly count from 1 to 5, to make sure you inject the full dose. You can then release the injection button and remove the needle from your skin

6 Remove the needle

Place the outer needle cap back onto the pen and turn it several times to remove the needle
Throw the used needle away in a puncture resistant container
Place the pen cap back onto the pen and store it at room temperature
Never take insulin out of the pen with a syringe

Disposing of your pen:

Make sure you safely remove the needle before throwing your pen away. Throw away your used pen as advised by your pharmacist or local authority.

If you would like to dispose of your used pens via Sanofi’s ‘RePen’ scheme, click here.

Adverse events should be reported.

Reporting of side effects: If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in the package leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

Using your Toujeo® SoloStar® Pen