? HELP! Can't find a syringe smaller than 1ml!

Hi

I have recently started by kitty Bandit on Lantus (1u BID). I use an insulin pen.
It looks like I might soon have to reduce her dosage to 0.75u.

I live in India and it doesn't look like we have u100 insulin syringes smaller than 1ml (100 units).

Can anyone advise me on how to shoot less than 1 unit with such a syringe?

Alternatively, can I shoot Bandit 1 unit once a day?
She grazes through the night and doesn't really eat during the day (unless she hasn't finished her food quota at night).

She is still on kibble. Haven't yet managed to transition her to wet/canned food.

Thanks in advance!
Bhooma

 

Just a couple of suggestions..

Ask a pharmacist what syringes are used for children and see if the have 1/2U (0.5U) marks. Can you order from the UK or from Australia?

Welcome!

 

Thanks Lizzie. Will check. I don't think I have time to order from outside India.

Bandit's BG today was 163 (+5) and 96 (+8). She'll probably be much lower at PMPS. Looks like I might have to skip the shot tonight and lower it to 0.75 from tomorrow morning.

She has been nibbling on kibble every 2-3 hours today but not too much.

 

You can use 1U syringes but it is more difficult to get accurate smaller doses. Where are you in India? Not sure, but I think you are the first posting here . We have a large office in Pune.

Hopefully someone will come along with more suggestions.

 

We are in Mumbai

 

Can you check on-line and see if you can find 6-inch digital calipers? You can set the amount based on the caliper measurement.

I'd check with a pharmacy as well as a university hospital -- either their outpatient pharmacy or the College of Pharmacy. They may know how to source syringes. Likewise, if there's a children's hospital, the pharmacy there may be ablate guide you.

 

Lizzie/Sienne,

Do you mean insulin syringes for children?

I checked at a veterinary hospital and chemist and they didn't have nothing less than 1ml syringes. FYI.

 

They are discontinued now but I used to use 1/3 cc Monojects that were used in pediatric care units, about the size of your pinky finger. They were a special order, not the kind of syringe you'd find in a pharmacy. Just a note that I loved my Monojects, other members have had issues with their accuracy.

 

Check these resources in India. You may need to order online.

 

Yes. Because children often require less insulin and more accurate dosing than adult humans it might be worth a try.

Here is the sticky on the dosing using a pen vs. syringe info (pen doses can vary a lot from one dose to another - we recommend using syringes regardless of dose size)
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/...info-proper-handling-drawing-fine-dosing.151/

Here is the information on dosing using calipers:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/dosing-with-calipers-updated-w-videos.79851/

 

Thanks Sienne, Lizzie!

I will look at Indiamart and see if I can find 0.3ml syringes there. Have also asked friends with children to check with their pediatrician if such needles are indeed in use/available in India.

Really appreciate your taking the time to provide me with links!

 

Will also see if anyone coming from the US can bring some for me. Found this on amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/SureComfort-...insulin syringes 0.3cc&qid=1575302126&sr=8-24

 

I may be wrong (I live in Canada), but I think some states in the U.S. require a prescription for syringes. It would be good to check which states beforehand.

A lot of people order from here: https://www.adwdiabetes.com/categor...by-field=BESTMATCH,page=1,ppp=20,op=page,ps=|
Half unit syringes make fine dosing easier.
https://www.adwdiabetes.com/product/6942/bd-u100-syringes-31g-8mm-3-10cc-1-2-unit-markings-100ct-5pk

500 syringes would last you 250 days. You cannot re-use syringes.

 

Thank you! Will check on the prescription requirement.

 

We have some members from Australia/Spain who can order half unit syringes from the UK. Tagging @Gill & George and @Bron and Sheba (GA) who have that info. Alternatively, if you are using the BD Microfine syringes available most places in the world, there is a document you can print off that has rulers on it. In the Sticky Note on Dosing, there is an attached document called Management of Diabetic Cat’s... It has a section on fine dosing eight the link to the rulers and shows you has to use it. It is only for the BD’s.

 

I think that one has not got the 1/2 unit markings
This one does, same syringe but with half unit markings, take a look at the box
https://www.adwdiabetes.com/product/1316/surecomfort-u100-syringes-half-unit-31g-3-10cc-5-16in-100ct

The place I know of in the UK only delivers to Europe.
I think Bron may know of a company that delivered to Australia.

 

Here is the link to the 1/2 unit syringes that can be bought from the UK.
They deliver to Australia within 7 to 10 days so I would imagine they would deliver to India.
https://www.hyperdrug.co.uk/BD-Micr...03ml-pack-of-100/productinfo/BDMICROFINE03ML/

 

Thank you everyone!

A friend in the US says that even if she were to be able to buy the syringes online from ADWDiabetes.com, she would have to declare them at US customs as medical devices and possibly pay duty on them. Does anyone have any experience with carrying syringes when traveling out of the country?

 

I took my cat from Canada to the US and back, twice. Once by car, once by plane. I never paid duty on them. I did have a letter from her vet saying Neko was diabetic. Truth be told, they never even cared about them. Nor the controlled substance (buprenorphine) that I was carrying. The thing that caught their interest was the cat litter.

Typically you don't pay duty leaving a country, the issue occurs when entering a country. So it would be up to India's rules and regulations.

 

If you order them from the UK they won’t have any trouble leaving the country. I don’t know about India but getting things into Australia can be difficult but there was no issue with the syringes coming into Australia.

 

Thanks Wendy & Bron, I too think the problem should not be at the point of departure/exit but on arrival in India. Let me see what I can manage. Thanks again.