Vial vs Pens

What is the benefit of using pens versus vial, of Lantus?

 

Once you start using a vial, the countdown begins.
Lantus life is guaranteed for approx 28days.
Levemir life is 42days I think.

If you are at a very small dose, you will waste more with a vial which is 10ml as opposed to a pen which is 3ml.

Yes, many people used their insulin after the 28days, but if it fizzles on you, you will have wasted alot of your money.

If you can get the package of 5 that are 3ml each, only the 1 that is in use is affected, and the other 4 stay fresh until the expiry on the package

 

See this sticky: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=151

The main reason is cost.

A 10 ml bottle costs around $100-$110 or so. A single bottle may last a month, maybe a little more. Since most diabetic cats only need a few units of insulin, you're throwing away not even half used bottle of Lantus every month or so. It's basically a waste of money. You never know how long a bottle will last, even with proper handling and storage. Sometimes the bottle will just poop out and you start seeing higher than usual bgs. Othertimes you may see floaties inside the bottle.

The pens or cartridges are 3ml each and comes in a box of five. The cost for the entire box of five is like $150 so each pen/cartridge is $30. You typically use a new pen or cartidge each month. There is insulin being thrown away but with the pen/cartridge only containing 3ml it's not much compared to what you're throwing away with a bottle. And because there is five pens or cartidges in the box, that is a 5 month supply right there.

Most people use the pens or cartridges to save money.

 

and depending on the dose, the pens can last even longer. i am averaging 2 months out of each pen in our pack so i'll get roughly 10 months use for around $150 **anti-jinx**

 

Thank you for responses. It will cost me double, for the cartridges. Approx, $200. I live in a rural area, where things cost more.
Must the UNopened pens be refrigerated? I've been concerned about the vial, in the event of a power outage, during all this wild weather we've had lately.
It would be great if they didn't need to be cold as long as they are not open.

 

The pharmacy keeps the insulin in the frig, so I would say you need to keep it in the frig.

 

Some people order the pens and cartidges from Canadian pharmacies for less money. That is something you can look into. There are a couple different web sites people use. You can also try using a free prescription drug card to save some money on Lantus: http://www.felinediabetes.com/phorum5/r ... ?8,1946184


The unopened pens/cartidges should be refrigerated:

Unopened Vial/Cartridge system/SoloStar disposable insulin device:

Unopened LANTUS vials, cartridge systems and SoloStar device should be stored in a refrigerator, 36°F – 46°F (2°C – 8°C). Discard after the expiration date.
http://products.sanofi-aventis.us/lantus/lantus.html

 

As long as your power doesn't go out for more than a couple days and your fridge has a good seal, it should be able to stay cold for a while. Just don't open the door more than you absolutely have to. Plus food will hold the cold longer than air, so the more stuff you have in the fridge the better.