Questions about usage of Lantus

I was just reading the How tos about Lantus and it specifically states not to shake or roll the vial. My vet told me not to shake it but did tell me to roll it or twist it in my fingers a few times before withdrawaling the unit.

Also it says not to inject excess insulin back in the vial because of a silicon coating inside the syringe. HELP! I have been doing this for over two months. My vet told me to draw in more insulin that was necessary and then back it off back into the vial.

What should I do?

The liquid doesn't appear to be compromised. Is there some way to test it to make sure it is still good. I would really hate to have to get more, especially since I have used less than half the vial. And at over $100 a vial that could be expensive.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Tina

 

Hi there

nope - no shaking, no rolling, no tossing it in the air...
pretty much everything u need to know about proper care of Lantus is up in the information stickie up top, here is the link.

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=151

Do u home test? If you do, you would be tracking BG levels throughout the day...
If you don't home test, then you are
1) shooting insulin blindly which can be very unsafe
and 2) you don't know how it is working on your cat without data collected by home testing.

Please continue to read through the stickies up top, as mentioned, familiarize yourself with how Lantus works.

Have a great day!

 

Hi there and welcome!

Don't worry to much, I think many have done those things without knowing it. Now, you know so you can change your habits!

Injecting excess insulin back into the vial CAN affect the insulin, but it may be just fine. If it looks clear and has no "floaties" in it it's probably still good. It may not last as long as it could have, but you should be able to use it for while longer. Your cats response to the insulin (changes in your BG measurements) will tell you if the insulin still has it's power.

No you don't need to shake or roll Lantus, if you have rolled it a little I don't think it has hurt it (it's not that fragile like TNT or something :lol: ) just try not to do it anymore. Most important to preserving the insulin as long as possible is protecting it from light and keeping it refrigerated at a constant temp. NEVER ALLOW IT TO FREEZE!

When you do you need to buy new insulin it's better if you get a Rx for a package of pen refill cartridges or Solostar pens. they come 5 in a box each container has 3ml (300 units) in it, so in all you have 1500 units, but if you were to drop one and break it or leave it out in the sun all day you would only be throwing away 1 container of 300 units and would still have 4 (1200 units) left that you could use.

I think the pens cost more than the vial but it's also more insulin so if you compare the price per 100 units it's likely not much difference.

 

:? I always rolled mine.

And my vet told me to inject air as well. I did it for the first little bit and then was advised against it. As long as your insulin still looks ok, I wouldnt be too worried about it. But you will find it will last much much much longer if you follow the above.

 

Yeah, I used Humulin N for 9 years and always rolled it...that was a hard habit to break. I also used to shoot air into the vial....also a no-no. My first vial of Levemir (similar to Lantus....same rules apply) I bought the vial too...it actually lasted me about 3 months and was probably still good but I got the cartridges instead. Much more reassuring to just get a new cartridge out each month than worry about whether the vial is still good when you get a funky reading. The cost of the vial was about $100 and the cartridges was just a little more...about $115...from Canadian Pharmacy online.

If you're using Lantus, why not join us here in Lantus Land by starting a spreadsheet and daily condo??

 

Thank you to everyone who has provided some feedback. I am hoping that this information will help me get Sami back on track with her BG.

 

It is OK to draw more insulin into the syringe than what you may need. The trick is to then, remove the syringe from the vial and squirt the unwanted amount into the sink.

Hope this helps.

 

The problem is, based on how I have been doing it, is that I would be wasting around 2-5 units per day. I guess I need to back off and only draw the dose and if I go over a bit then I can squirt in the sink.

Thanks.

 

No rolling, No shaking, no injecting Lantu back into the vial- -That's what I learned here!!! It will ruin your lantus.
This is not humilin or any other insulin, it is somewhat fragile--So YES forget what you learned about the others, This is new! It's the mighty Lantus :razz:

Also ONE CONDO per day--We keep a chronicle of posts in one condo so we can follow what's going on with you over 24 hrs-OK?
Great to have you & Keep ansking what you dont know or are not sure of! WELCOME!