How do you give 0.125u or 0.1u?

Discussion in 'Feline Health - (Welcome & Main Forum)' started by Elinor & Sibon, Oct 1, 2017.

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  1. Elinor & Sibon

    Elinor & Sibon Member

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    Jul 18, 2017
    I've seen several posts and spreadsheets where this is the amount some caregivers inject. How do you measure that?
    I use 0.3 half unit markings DB Micro-Fine U-100 syringes.
    Thanks.
     
  2. TempestsMum

    TempestsMum Guest

    Hi! :) I had to give my kitty micro doses.
    There's a few ways to do it, some use calipers to measure. I counted drops. I filled a used syringe with water and carefully counted how many drops was in .5u so for .0.25u I released half the drops and so forth.
     
  3. Elinor & Sibon

    Elinor & Sibon Member

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    Jul 18, 2017
    I remember reading about your method some months ago. That's sounds hard :( I suppose you also need to make sure that every drop is equal in size...

    I would love it if someone who uses calipers could reply here as well, even with a picture demonstrating how it's done, if it's possible.
    I suspect I might be close to these dosages in my (and Sibon's) near future.
     
  4. TempestsMum

    TempestsMum Guest

    I didn't find it particularly difficult although I did manage to stab myself at the time with the needle lol! If you colour the water and drop it onto a piece of white kitchen towel or paper that helps. I was happy enough not to be too particular so mine were more guesstimates and they were such small doses a drop here or there really didn't make any difference at that stage.
     
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  5. Amanda and a Loudogg

    Amanda and a Loudogg Well-Known Member

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    Jun 16, 2017
    I have had to give microdoses as well. At the end of the day, it's just trying to eyeball and then be consistent about it. However, just looking around, I did find some helpful information in the Syringe & Insulin Info: Handling, Drawing, & Fine Doses sticky in the Lantus forum. I don't use Lantus, but it's still great information. I copied and pasted the fine dose instructions below.

    Fine dose gradations:
    • 0.5U = exactly half a unit
    • 0.4U = skinny 0.5 touching the line
    • 0.3U = skinny 0.5 with daylight under the line
    • 0.2U = fat zero with daylight over the line
    • 0.1U = fat zero barely touching the line
    Pictorial guide using a U-100 syringe marked with half units:

    [​IMG] [​IMG]
    [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  6. Djamila

    Djamila Well-Known Member

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    Aug 1, 2015
  7. Elinor & Sibon

    Elinor & Sibon Member

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    Jul 18, 2017
    Does "the line" mean the markings on the syringe of the plunger?
    If it means the markings then I don't really understand the logic behind daylight under/over the line... But I get how much insulin I need to have.
     
  8. Amanda and a Loudogg

    Amanda and a Loudogg Well-Known Member

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    Jun 16, 2017
    Yes, the line indicates the markings on the syringe. You would go to the marking that is closest to what you're trying to give (say 0.5U), and then adjust the plunger accordingly. So 0.4U would be right under the 0.5 mark, but still touching underneath the 0.5 line. Now the daylight phrase is just an easy way to indicate seeing a space or "light" just under or over a marking. For the 0.3 dose, you would move the plunger under the 0.5 line until you just see a space ("light") between the plunger and the 0.5 mark. I hope this helps.
     
  9. Elinor & Sibon

    Elinor & Sibon Member

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    Jul 18, 2017
    I'm sorry if my last question is a drag, but by "under the line" do you mean when the syringe is facing down (needle pointing down)?
     
  10. Amanda and a Loudogg

    Amanda and a Loudogg Well-Known Member

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    Jun 16, 2017
    Oh I'm sorry! I wasn't even thinking about that. It depends on how you're holding the needle. If you're holding the needle where the needle is pointing down, 0.4 would be under the 0.5 line. If you have the syringe needle pointing up, like you would to draw the insulin into the syringe, a dose of 0.4 (or less ) would technically be above the 0.5 line.
     
  11. monty_dweezil (GA)

    monty_dweezil (GA) Member

    Joined:
    Dec 15, 2014
    I do it this way too. 0.5 is right on the line marking and 0.3-4 is a teeeny bit less than that. That is the best I can do, not having 500 million fly-like eyes.

    What concerns me is sometimes I can't see the line marking properly as the black part where the insulin line is up to is thicker and covers it.

    Also sometimes the needles are stiff and one tiny movement suddenly makes it go from 1 to 1.8 instead of the desired 1.3. UGH.

    AND very often when you look at the syringes from the side, it is NOT straight across. When you look from the front so you can see the line markings, it looks ok but when you turn the syringe around, the black line where the insulin is up to appears to go up or down at a very slight diagonal angle. So it could be more or less insulin than you think.

    Anyone else ever had syringes with the needle totally crooked!?

    C'mon, syringe manufacturers!!!!!
     
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  12. Elinor & Sibon

    Elinor & Sibon Member

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    Jul 18, 2017
    The line marking also always look rather thick to me. I try to give 0.5u but it feels like I'm always giving something in the range of 0.4-0.6.
     
    monty_dweezil (GA) likes this.
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