Lantus Solostar pen

I just gave my first injection with a lantus solostar pen. I think it went well. I didn't feel any wetness when I was done, but I will check BG in 2 hours to see if it went down.
Read some more info on this site, it looks like some people draw the insulin out of the pen and give it to the cat. Why would you do that? Unless you had to give in 1/2 increments. Since the pen only has increments of one. Just want to make sure I am doing this right Thanks so much.

 

No one here uses the SoloStar pen the way a Human diabetic would. Instead, we use insulin syringes to draw the insulin out. The end of the uncapped pen, the part where a Human diabetic would attach a pen needle, has a rubber stopper. We stick the insulin syringe needle into that stopper and draw out the insulin. By doing this, we can dose half units and other smaller amounts of insulin which some cats need.

Have you seen the pictures in this Lantus sticky of how to use insulin syringes with a SoloStar? http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=151

 

With Lantus, doses are typically increased or decreased in increments of 0.25u. If you are changing doses, especially increasing, you risk missing what wold be a good dose and having your cat drop into very low numbers. All of us who use Lantus use syringes that are marked in half unit increments to dispense insulin.

You may want to take a look at the information about Lantus and dosing that's at the top of the Lantus board. An outline of that information is below.

• Tight Regulation Protocol: This sticky contains the dosing protocol that we use here. There are also links to the more formal versions -- the Tilly Protocol developed by the counterpart of this group in Germany and the Queensland/Rand protocol developed by Jacqui Rand, DVM and published in one of the top vet journals.
• New to the Group: Everything you wanted to know about this forum and more. Info on our slang, FAQs, links to sites on feline nutrition and to food charts containing carb counts, how to do a curve and the components to look for, important aspects of diabetes such as ketones, DKA, and neuropathy, and most important, info on hypoglycemia.
• Handling Lantus: how to get the maximum use from your insulin and what to not do with it!
• Lantus depot/shed: This is an important concept for understanding how Lantus works.
• Lantus & Levemir: Shooting & Handling Low Numbers: What data you need in order to be able to work toward remission or tight regulation as well as information if you have a low pre-shot number or a drop into low numbers during the cycle.

 

I used the Levemir Flexpen for my Tonis. He was on 8 units bid. However, I found it more awkward to use than the syringe so I went back to the syringe.

 

I was just told by my pharmacist that I can not use a syringe to pull insulin from the solostar pen. So now, I quess I need to get syringe's elsewhere. This is becoming a nightmare.

 

Ignore the pharmacist. Pharmacists only know how Human diabetics use the SoloStar, not how a cat would. You can use an insulin syringe with the SoloStar pen. Be sure to read the Lantus handling sticky to understand how to use and store the pen.

You can buy insulin syringes from the pharmacy. You may need a prescription from the vet. You want U100 3/10 cc with half unit markings. Needle gauge and lenght is mostly preference. There are 31 gauge 5/16 inch, 30 gauge 5/16 inch, 30 gauge 1/2 inch, and 29 gauge 1/2 inch. 31 gauge is the thinnest needle available. Before you pay for the insulin syringes check the box to be sure that the pharmacist has given you the correct insuin syinges you want. Sometimes a pharmacist will say that half unit marked insuiln syringes do not exist and will substitue insulin syringes with 1/2 inch needles or even 1/2 cc insulin syringes instead. I think by law a pharmacist has to provide a substitute without checking with the person first to make sure it is ok.



Wal Mart's Relion brand of insulin syringes are inexpensive and are available with half unit markings. That might be an option for you. Lots of people here buy their insulin syringes online from AmericanDiabetesWholesale.com Monoject, GNP, UltiCare, and BD are some other brands with half unit marked insulin syringes.

 

I was told the same thing by the pharmacist when I got the Solostar pens. And these people are responsible for dispensing medicine?

Suze