Does insulin have a smell?

Question

I can't find anything about this online, but I've noticed an odor to insulin that no one else seems to. It's not just my imagination, or a certain type, because not only was my ex-boyfriend a diabetic who used insulin on a daily basis, but my stepmother and my cat are both insulin-dependant, and I notice the EXACT same odor. It's odd. It smells almost like nail polish remover, with a hint of disinfectant, but I've been told, both by my ex and my stepmother, and by a doctor, that insulin has no scent. So...what am I smelling? It's not that disinfectant-y hospital smell, and I only notice it when I'm around insulin. I've noticed this in doctor's offices, hospitals, and even right this moment, as my stepmother is testing her blood and taking the dosage of insulin she needs. I would have figured diabetics would notice this smell, but apparently not. Help me out? Thanks. <3

Answer 1

To me it smells like band-aids.

Who thumbs downed me? It does smell like Band-aids and I have the support of three other people that say the same thing. Thanks guys!

Answer 2

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Answer 3

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Answer 4

Insulin does have a smell, at least to me it does. When I was a young child my dad was a type 2 and took insulin twice a day. I used to help give him his shots. He died I was 15. At age 29 I was diagnoised with type 1 and started insulin. The night of my first injection I told my husband i could recall the smell, it reminded me of my dad. It took me a few weeks to get used to the smell it reminded me of him so much.
Funny thing is the insulins my dad took is not the insulins I take but that smell is all the same.

Answer 5

You're not crazy unless I am too - insulin definitely has a smell - it's very distinctive (nothing like ketones! no one is going to die from smelling like insulin!!!) and a bit hard to describe but definitely there! I don't notice it as much as I used to so maybe you stop smelling it after a while, and obiously you can't smell it through a vial or penfil etc. - maybe that's why they haven't noticed it? squirt some onto some paper or something like that and they won't be able to deny it. A little while ago I was filling my pump resivoir and pulled it too far and the end (and all the insulin) fell out (it's a bit like a syringe) - it stank! I've no doubt it has a smell! xx

Answer 6

Yes! I came onto the internet to ask the question because I have been taking insulin for over a year and the smell is obnoxious! Band-aids is probably pretty close - it's definitely a chemical smell and I even smell it after my injections. Ugh!

Answer 7

I just found this because I raised my units for my shot and had to get online to find out if I was going crazy. Right after my shot I started smelling this chemical rubbery smell and you hit it right on the head "band aids" . Got on the Internet to see if this was normal or maybe some reaction to the insulin. I use the lantus solostar pen and it also burns really bad 90% of the time when I take my shot.

Answer 8

My wife, who is a diabetic claims insulin smells like the residue from novacaine. In fact I just placed a small amount of insulin on a paper towel and it smells the same to me.

Answer 9

I am diabetic , and yes insulin has a terrible and weird smell to it, almost like some type of chemical. I use novolog and I have also used humulin and they both had that same kind of smell.

Answer 10

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Answer 11

This is a bizarre comparison, but I think insulin smells exactly like llamas... I was in Peru and thought my infusion set was leaking the entire trip, when really, we were just surrounded by llamas