The Basaglar KwikPen is a prefilled insulin pen that delivers between 1 and 80 units of long-acting insulin per injection. Using it involves four main stages: preparing the pen, priming it, dialing your dose, and injecting. The entire process takes just a few minutes once you’re familiar with it.
Preparing the Pen
Start by washing your hands with soap and water. Confirm the pen label says Basaglar so you know you’re using the right insulin. Pull the pen cap straight off and wipe the rubber seal at the top with an alcohol swab.
Before attaching a needle, look at the insulin through the cartridge window. Basaglar should be clear and colorless. If it looks cloudy, has particles, or shows any color, don’t use that pen.
Peel the paper tab off a new pen needle and push it straight onto the pen tip, twisting until it’s snug. Every injection requires a fresh needle. Then pull off the outer needle shield (set it aside, you’ll need it later) and pull off the inner needle shield and discard it.
Priming Before Every Injection
Priming clears air from the needle and confirms insulin is flowing. Skip this step and you could get less insulin than you need, or none at all.
Turn the dose knob until the number 2 appears in the dose window. Hold the pen with the needle pointing straight up and tap the cartridge gently a few times so any air bubbles float to the top. With the needle still pointing up, press the dose knob all the way in until the window reads “0,” then hold it in and count slowly to five.
You should see a steady stream of insulin at the needle tip. If you only see a few drops or nothing at all, repeat the prime. It can take two or three attempts with a new needle before you get a full stream.
Dialing Your Dose
Turn the dose knob until the number of units your doctor prescribed lines up with the dose indicator. The pen moves one unit at a time and clicks as you turn, but don’t rely on counting clicks to set your dose. Always read the number in the dose window to confirm it’s correct.
If you dial past your dose, simply turn the knob back in the other direction. The pen allows up to 80 units in a single injection. If your prescribed dose is higher than 80 units, you’ll need to give yourself two separate injections to get the full amount.
Choosing and Rotating Injection Sites
Basaglar goes under the skin in one of four areas: your stomach, the outer part of your upper thighs, the back of your upper arms, or your buttocks. Wipe the spot with an alcohol swab and let it air dry before injecting.
Rotating where you inject is important. Repeatedly using the same small patch of skin can cause hard lumps of fatty tissue to form underneath, which changes how your body absorbs insulin. A practical approach is to mentally divide each injection area into quadrants, use one quadrant for a week, then move to the next in a clockwise pattern. Within that quadrant, space each injection about a finger width (roughly 1 cm) from the last one. If you ever notice a firm lump under the skin, avoid injecting into that spot and let your care team know.
Giving the Injection
Insert the needle into your skin at the injection site. Press the dose knob all the way in, then keep holding it down while you slowly count to five. This pause ensures the full dose is delivered. After counting, pull the needle straight out.
Check the dose window. If it reads “0,” you received the complete dose. If it shows a number other than zero, some insulin wasn’t delivered. Don’t try to re-inject. Note what happened and contact your care team for guidance.
After removing the needle from your skin, carefully place the outer needle shield back on, twist the needle off the pen, and dispose of it in a sharps container. Replace the pen cap.
What to Do If You Miss a Dose
Basaglar works for about 24 hours with no sharp peak, so consistency in timing matters. If you remember within about two hours of your usual time, take your normal dose. Be aware it will wear off later than usual, which slightly raises your chance of low blood sugar, so check your levels more frequently for the next day.
If more than two hours have passed, check your blood sugar and contact your diabetes care team before injecting. They’ll use your current reading to advise you on whether to take a partial dose, a full dose, or wait until your next scheduled time. Setting a daily alarm on your phone is one of the simplest ways to avoid missed doses in the first place.
Storing Your Pen
An unopened Basaglar KwikPen belongs in the refrigerator at 36 to 46°F (2 to 8°C). Once you start using a pen, keep it at room temperature below 86°F (30°C) and use it within 28 days. Don’t freeze it, and don’t leave it in a hot car or in direct sunlight. Write the date on the pen label the first time you use it so you can track the 28-day window.
Recognizing Low Blood Sugar
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) is the most common side effect of any insulin. Symptoms come on quickly: shakiness, sweating, dizziness, confusion, blurred vision, a fast heartbeat, or sudden hunger. If you notice these, treat it with fast-acting sugar (glucose tablets, juice, or regular soda) and recheck your levels after 15 minutes.
Other possible side effects include mild reactions at the injection site like redness or itching, and gradual weight gain. The hard lumps mentioned earlier (lipodystrophy) are also possible if you don’t rotate sites consistently.
Important Safety Rules
Never share your KwikPen with another person, even if you change the needle. Shared pens carry a risk of transmitting blood-borne infections. Always use a new needle for each injection, both for safety and because reused needles dull quickly and make injections more painful. The manufacturer recommends BD brand pen needles, which come in several lengths. Needle length doesn’t affect the dose delivered, so your pharmacist or care team can help you pick a comfortable size based on your body type.