got my first Lantus on Friday - not refrigerated :(

Hi - I know this is a busy board so I will make this quick. I got my first Lantus (first insulin ever) on Friday night and went to my vet today to learn how to administer. She asked if I had kept it in fridge. I called Pharmacy and he did not seem too concerned and said to put in fridge now.

It never got hot or warm or was in Sun. I hate to think I wasted $115!!

thanks!

 

Hi there

is your Lantus a vial or pen?
And has been out of fridge since you bought it on friday, unopened?
Have you opened it since you bought it?

Have a look at this info stickie link on Proper Handling and Storage of Lantus
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=151

I know when I bought my lantus it came out of fridge at the pharmacy, as well it does need to be shipped cold...let's see what others say.

 

Hi Kyndra,
You don't have to throw it away. Unless you see floaty particles in it or your kitty's numbers seem to get "Wonky". Most of us do refrigerate it but you don't really have to. The RULE according to manufacturer is that if you don't refrigerate it you can't use it after 28 days...

Here you go...I found this
"Storage
Unopened Vial/Cartridge system/SoloStar® disposable insulin device

Unopened LANTUS vials, cartridge systems and SoloStar® should be stored in a refrigerator, 36°F - 46°F (2°C - 8°C). LANTUS should not be stored in the freezer and it should not be allowed to freeze. Discard if it has been frozen.
Open (In-Use) Vial

Opened vials, whether or not refrigerated, must be used within 28 days after the first use. They must be discarded if not used within 28 days. If refrigeration is not possible, the open vial can be kept unrefrigerated for up to 28 days away from direct heat and light, as long as the temperature is not greater than 86°F (30°C). Open (In-Use) Cartridge system:

The opened (in-use) cartridge system in OptiClik® should NOT be refrigerated but should be kept at room temperature (below 86°F [30°C]) away from direct heat and light. The opened (in- use) cartridge system in OptiClik® kept at room temperature must be discarded after 28 days. Do not store OptiClik® , with or without cartridge system, in a refrigerator at any time.
Open (In-Use) SoloStar® disposable insulin device

The opened (in-use) SoloStar® should NOT be refrigerated but should be kept at room temperature (below 86°F [30°C]) away from direct heat and light. The opened (in-use) SoloStar ® kept at room temperature must be discarded after 28 days.

LANTUS should not be stored in the freezer and it should not be allowed to freeze. Discard if it has been frozen."

Hope it makes you feel better

 

Hi Ronnie & Caryl,

It is a vial, I did not open it, I picked it up Friday night and never put it in fridge until just now.

I feel a little better since it has not been used/opened. We did not even use it the vet. We used sterile water instead so she could show me how to admin.

I just got my first test kit (thanks to this board!) and also just fed her but think I will begin the insulin tomorrow because I have to go to a meeting tonight and want to be here after I give her her first dose. We have been managing her diabetes with diet since Sept. I have to figure out how to setup the test kit, convert it and all that stuff so tomorrow is better. I will have more questions I am sure and look forward to reading over more about Lantus and how it works. Diabetes/insulin is till quite confusing to me.

Well, off to my meeting so if I have disappeared don't take it personally - thanks for the help! Will check back later!

I realize I did not sign my post - sorry

Bonnie and Kyndra (Kyndra is the cat

 

Hi again Bonnie..
Duh..of course Kyndra is the cat..silly me ohmygod_smile :razz:
I may be wrong but I believe that unopened has to be refrigerated. That is what I am reading. After it's opened it can be kept unrefrigerated if need be. Please read what I sent again.

Others will follow with more answers I'm sure.

Caryl

 

hmmm...right, I see. Odd, isn't it? We think of things as needing refrigeration once they are opened.

 

The safest bet with insulin is just to refrigerate...then you don't have to think about it. And you don't shake or roll Lantus. You don't "do" anything to it. Just wanted to make sure you knew, but I guess you would have read that.
But ya' know what..if your pharmacist said today that it was okay, then he would know better than I would.
I'm sorry I can't help more. :sad:

 

Bonnie:

I would ask your pharmacist to replace the vial with one that has been refrigerated. If you do a quick search of the internet, you will find that all of the information indicates that the vials require refrigeration. This should be a pharmacy basic and the prescription label should also indicate that the vial needs to be refrigerated. If they give you a hard time, ask to speak with a registered pharmacist. You may be speaking to a pharmacy tech who doesn't know better.

 

It was not their fault, it was mine so they are not responsible to replace it. I brought it home and did to put it in the fridge. It does say on the box to put it in the fridge but I did not take it out of the bag right away. I wish they had said it to me when I picked it up but I cannot blame them. So I either use it or spend another $115. As it is I have not workjed for a month and have laid out over $300 in vet bills plus the $115 and the $35 for syringes. :sad:

Ronnie: you said "And you don't shake or roll Lantus. You don't "do" anything to it. Just wanted to make sure you knew, but I guess you would have read that."

My vet told me to roll it. :?: I have not given it to her yet and am feeling very overwhelmed...

 

My pharmacist said that it did not have to be refrigerated unless I wanted it to last longer than 28days. He said it is best to refrigerate, but that only lengthened its life and many human users don't refrigerate their's at all because they don't like using cold insulin.

If it were me I would go ahead and use it, but watch it VERY closely for any signs of going bad and maybe toss at the end of the month if you see rising numbers.


My vet also told me to roll Lantus. Don't shake, but roll lightly. :?

 

kyndra - I just searched the Lantus site and this might ease your mind on using the vial at least for a while.

Here is the link http://products.sanofi-aventis.us/lantu ... section-15

The table shows that unopened vials stored at room temperature are good for 28days. So you should be good using it for at least that long. It would have been nice to stretch it out for full use, but at least you can get 28days out of it.

 

I am so broke with no new income and don't see how I can possibly replace this in 28 days. My vet tech has a diabetic cat and stretches it out so that is what I was counting on, I can't believe I screwed up this early on. I just gave her first injection and am now so nervous that something will go wrong...

Bonnie

 

Hi Bonnie,

I was gonna say, might as well go for it since u have it now..

will u be able to set up a spreadsheet?
here are the instructions from the Tech Forum, if u need help, please check out that forum.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=16

are u home to grab a couple of spotchecks during this first cycle?

 

I looked at the spread sheet and right now it looks intimidating!

I got a One Touch meter thru the boards here and just pricked Kyndra's ear twice (was a lot easier at the vet while I was holing here and the tech was pricking!) and I got an error message on the meter! UGH! The error said there was a problem with the sticks. I coded them properly into the meter per instructions so I do not what is wrong. I do work (when I have work) from home so can check her and really wanted to get a reading now after her very first does to see what was happening.

Now I don't know what to do. She seems fine.

 

You take a deep breath and try again, staying calm and relaxed, cuz your cat will sense your tension.
give yourself some time to get the hang of things, doesn't happen all overnite.

did you get an AMPS number before you shot today?
how much did you give?

since you have no spreadsheet yet, please remember to include this info, any updates on numbers in here.

it'll be ok, remember patience.

 

from your previous reply on handling lantus.....

no, don't roll the lantus, dont shake it, dont warm it up, although once you take it out of the fridge and within the time (usually 15min) it takes to set up the syringe and shoot, the vial itself wont be as cold, so thats ok.

 

Hi Ronnie,

No, I did not get any numbers. I wondered if I should but decided not to prick her so much - don't you run out of places on the ear to prick after a while?

After reading the instructions and going by what was said here I opted NOT to roll the Lantus.

She is on one unit 2x/day

Can I set up a spreadsheet in excel and convert it to google? Excel is just something I know and feel better about doing it offline.

thanks, I am trying to stay calm (have meditation class tonight)

 

Didn't I read somewhere that there is a recall on some of the One touch ultra strips?

Yup Bonnie read the top of the Lantus page and check your box of strips!

 

About preshot testing, we highly encourage preshots, if you want to save the ears save them on any other time but preshot.

Ears heal, you can try neosporin or polysporin ointment creme, a little dab per ear and it helps.
alternate ears too, dab the creme overnite or before u go for the day.

With 2u I would really really encourage you to do the preshot test.

I know you can convert a google document to excel, but not sure about the other way around....I haven't seen anything else but google document spreadsheets in this board, give it a try, when you have free time, post in the Tech forum for assistance.

The One Touch strips: please check this link if these are the ones you are using OneTouch® SureStep® Test Strips,

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=7562

 

You can now keep it 27 days not 28 after you open it. That day counts too. I know this from having a diabetic daughter (19 years on insulin.) Refrigerated you can keep it until the date marked unless opened or taken out of the fridge. Technically you could refrigerate it for a month or more unopened, but when you took it out to use, you would have only the 27 days not 28 days due to the one day's worth of deterioration of the preservative in the Lantus.

 

As someone who has used the same Lantus vial for 4 months and only stopped because Basil went OTJ, I would say use your vial, handle it carefully, keep it refrigerated and watch for floaties, cloudiness or sustained unexplained high numbers. The cautions about 28 days come from the drug manufacturers. Well, need I say more? LOL! It isn't going to suddenly turn bad and make your cat sick. You'll see--either in numbers or in the condition of the liquid--if it's no good.

You know, just for information, the tests on expiry dates and such are done by the drug companies. Often, the dates they give for drugs are the most ultra-cautious and the earliest one they can get away with. There HAS to be a bog range in when the Lantus becomes ineffective. Just monitor, and you may get months out of it.

 

I thought I replied to this but must not have hit submit. I did see this yesterday and checked my strips immediatley. there were recalls and neither were mine but I am going to call mfg. anyway. I wonder if I am not getting enough blood.

Where else do I get blood from?

 

ignore that last post as I have read about the foot pad.

Ronnie - you said "About preshot testing, we highly encourage preshots, if you want to save the ears save them on any other time but preshot." So do you mean it is best to always take the Pre-shot reading for the ears rather than the foot pad?

I am going to try to get a foot pad reading now so I have something. She just used the litter box so her foot should not be in anything for a while.

Bonnie

 

I had been using my first vial for longer than the 28days, before I knew about that time frame, and Shadoe's numbers were going up.
I switched to a fresh cart, and her numbers were better on the very first shot.
If you don't see any deterioration in the numbers, then your Lantus may well be still good.
Start counting once you first start using the vial or cart; I track the date on my ss, so each day you will know how many days I have been using the Lantus cart and the R cart.
The pharmacy I use keep all the insulins in the frig, so I do the same, open or unopen.

 

You can test ears or paws, and whether its a preshot or just a spotcheck in the cycle, it makes no difference.
some people do test just on the paws, if this is something that may work for u, even better.

u know u can offer a treat too after testing? kitties learn that with a test comes a little treat - you'd be surprised by how many here have their kitties run up to the testing area - they know there's a treat involved, smart kitties.
really! this is very common!

 

Thanks for clarifying. I just posted to the health board about using the Lancing Device on the pad and how to adjust the depth. I thought this might get me better results. I hate to waste the lancets and strips. :-/

Kyndra loves green beans so that is her treat of choice and I did have some chopped up for her in the fridge

thx