Recommended antihistamine options: Cetirizine (Zyrtec): 10mg once daily, non-drowsy, fast-acting (within 1 hour), most effective for injection site itch Loratadine (Claritin): 10mg once daily, non-drowsy, good for mild reactions Fexofenadine (Allegra): 180mg once daily, non-drowsy, least sedating option Diphenhydramine (Benadryl): 25 to 50mg every 6 hours, causes drowsiness but strongest anti-itch effect, best for severe reactions or nighttime use Strategic timing approach: Take a non-drowsy antihistamine 1 hour before your scheduled injection
If more than 5 days have passed, skip the missed dose and take your next scheduled dose on the upcoming regularly scheduled day
This regimen (shown as a 50:50 dosage ratio) is more difficult to adjust because NPH has both a 2 hour delay, limited duration of action, and a time course that gives it prandial-like properties that can result in different levels of insulin stacking when another prandial insulin is given concomitantly (see Figure 14)
Weve partnered with Nourish to provide customized diet and nutrition coaching