2 Insulin Questions...

Hi everyone! It's been a busy couple of weeks.

2 questions.

1. What do you do with your old insulin? I have 2 bottles that are half full, but should be tossed.

2. I know ECID, but what is considered a high Lantus dose?

Thanks in advance,
Amy & Revson

 

1. good question - we get cartridges of Levemir and use it to the last drop pretty much. DH keeps the empties (ugh!)
If you open and pour down the drain (the insulin is dead anyway), you could throw away the bottles.

2. "high dose" according to one acromegaly report is a cat needing more than 1 unit per lb body mass per day

So - if you have a 12 lb kitty, and you are at 6U BID --- you're at the threshold.

We recommend if you've been following the start-low, go slow method and are feeding good low carbohydrate food, and you get up to 5u BID --- time to start thinking about getting the IGF-1 and IAA tests done.

These two tests have more definite YES/NO answers than Cushings tests.

My first diabetic cat, Norton, had Acromegaly (positive IGF-1 test). At his high point, he was getting 13u BID.


Edited to add:
A vet that treats dogs may suggest Cushings tests -- Cushings is more common in dogs. We have seen here at FDMB that Acromegaly is much more common than Cushings for CATS. So... stick to your guns if you want these tests run --- these two tests are run at ONE lab in North America -- have your vet contact them directly to cut down on travel time, shipping fees and middle-man fees.

 

1. I dispose of my old insulin by putting it in the same sharps container I discard my used needles and lancets in.

2. Can't answer this one directly as my cat has never been on more than 2 units twice a day. But, I would guess that if the units of insulin seem very high to you, then you may want to consult with your vet and the people on this board about what your routine is and the possibility that the dosage my not be needed at that high of a range.

 

I use the Lantus pens so I am able to use every drop. Ricky's dose is 1 1/2 units BID.

I do not have any experience with a high dose cat, but Phoebe's advice of starting low & slow is correct. If you start on too high of a dose, you may have missed your optimal dose. In addition to the risks of your cat becoming hypoglycemic, there is also a condition called Somogyi rebound that causes the BG levels to be too high. So most people that are not familiar with this, increase the dose. What is happening is in order to protect itself from becoming hypoglycemic, the cat's body releases extra glucose to counteract the high dose of insulin. If you start at a low dose, such as 1 unit and slowly increase the dose by 1/4 to 1/2 units, with at least one week between dose changes, you will be able to find the best dose.

 

You can dispose of the insulin anyway you want. It is just a protein. You can drink it if you want. It is not like antibiotics an other drugs.