Cainsulin Shelf Life

[Douglas_my ginger cat]

Hi,

I have heard and read that Caninsulin is only really 'valid' for 28 days after opening. Is this really the case or is there some wiggle room with this? I only ask as I am on my second bottle now and the 28 days are up on 19th September, yet I still have nearly half a bottle left. Seems such a waste but understand that if the potency of the insulin starts to decline after 28 days ...but just wondering if 28 days is the set number.

The vet is currently prescribing me 40ml bottle.

Thanks!

 

[Diana&Tom]

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-long-does-caninsulin-vetsulin-last.166214/

Hi Anna
The thread above may be helpful and you may get other input to your question of course. Meanwhile, I’d have thought that there is a little bit of wiggle room, yes. 28 days may be the limit to which the manufacturer can guarantee potency but it may be ok for longer, correctly stored of course. If you carried on using a vial well past 28 days and started to get some really wonky numbers, you could take a good guess at why.
Having said that, you don’t want to take too many chances, it’s not worth it.

Just had a look at Douglas’s ss btw - nice curve today!

 

[Douglas_my ginger cat]

https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/how-long-does-caninsulin-vetsulin-last.166214/

Hi Anna
The thread above may be helpful and you may get other input to your question of course. Meanwhile, I’d have thought that there is a little bit of wiggle room, yes. 28 days may be the limit to which the manufacturer can guarantee potency but it may be ok for longer, correctly stored of course. If you carried on using a vial well past 28 days and started to get some really wonky numbers, you could take a good guess at why.
Having said that, you don’t want to take too many chances, it’s not worth it.

Just had a look at Douglas’s ss btw - nice curve today!

Hi Diana, I did think there would already be a post about it so thank you for pointing me in the right direction.

Douglas has had quite a few nice curves recently, although today's AMPS was the first blue number! It does feel a little like deja vu though. After a couple of good curves, he has a low pre shot reading so I do not administer insulin next round he will have higher numbers then the next couple of rounds is us trying to bring them down again, then its too low again for administering (and as I work during the week, I can't monitor regularly).

 

[Diana&Tom]

Hi Diana, I did think there would already be a post about it so thank you for pointing me in the right direction.

Douglas has had quite a few nice curves recently, although today's AMPS was the first blue number! It does feel a little like deja vu though. After a couple of good curves, he has a low pre shot reading so I do not administer insulin next round he will have higher numbers then the next couple of rounds is us trying to bring them down again, then its too low again for administering (and as I work during the week, I can't monitor regularly).

There may be other threads about insulin life, Anna - you could use the search bar to check (a good starting point for anything if you’re stuck).

Douglas seems to be getting good duration from the 2.5u dose. I wonder if it’s time to tweak the dose a little to even out the numbers and get him high enough to shoot more often - although that doesn’t sound right in that you don’t want him to be too high too often, it’s better for him and you if you can find a dose that mean’s he’s shootable but not sky-high at PS time, then in the blues for much of the cycle before rising a little again. I know you know this! I don’t like giving dosing advice whatever my instinct, but maybe a few eyes on that issue wouldn’t go amiss? People know you on the main health forum so perhaps start a new thread there and ask for opinions on dosing at this point? Keep going, you’re doing really well!

 

[Elizabeth and Bertie]

After a couple of good curves, he has a low pre shot reading so I do not administer insulin next round he will have higher numbers then the next couple of rounds is us trying to bring them down again, then its too low again for administering

I wonder if it’s time to tweak the dose a little to even out the numbers and get him high enough to shoot more often

Hi Anna, I agree that you are seeing some better numbers. That's good news!
But the fact that you are having to skip some shots due to low preshot numbers makes me wonder if the dose is a bit too high.... It 'may' well be that lowering the dose would enable you to give insulin twice a day, and keep insulin in the system for more of the time (as I think Diana is suggesting in the post above), and that may also help to level out the numbers....

Eliz

 

[Diana&Tom]

Hi Anna, I agree that you are seeing some better numbers. That's good news!
But the fact that you are having to skip some shots due to low preshot numbers makes me wonder if the dose is a bit too high.... It 'may' well be that lowering the dose would enable you to give insulin twice a day, and keep insulin in the system for more of the time (as I think Diana is suggesting in the post above), and that may also help to level out the numbers....

Eliz

Yes that’s exactly what I meant, thanks Eliz.
Just seen that you had a lovely 6.5 this evening Anna which is good but means you can’t shoot again. When I was musing about a dose tweak in my previous post I was thinking of lowering it, not increasing... it’s your call entirely though of course, you’re the one holding the needle as we always say. We just want Douglas to do well and stay safe.

 

[Douglas_my ginger cat]

Thanks both, this makes sense about lowering to be able to shoot more often then keeping to his current cycle of too high, shoot, too low, skip.

Sods law, I had spoken to my vet yesterday and we agreed to up his dose to 2.75, which I started today, before seeing your posts. Good part, my vet was encouraging and supporting my suggestions which is great, also said he loved the spreadsheet so thank you FDMB! As I cannot test during the day until the weekend, I may see how his numbers go, test over the weekend and perhaps suggest a lower dosage if there is too much skipping. I'll definitely start a thread in the main forum.

Thank you Diana and Eliz.

Also, on a side note, I had some out of the blue news yesterday evening, before Douglas' shot, about a very close friend so my anxiety was up. Douglas would not let me shoot him so must've picked up on my anxiety as this morning he was a dream. It only twigged today for me that he wasn't angry, but probably anxious as I was anxious. Just amazed at cats everyday. I mean, I wouldn't be happy if a nurse or doctor wanted to inject me and I could sense they were nervous or anxious either!

 

[Diana&Tom]

Thanks both, this makes sense about lowering to be able to shoot more often then keeping to his current cycle of too high, shoot, too low, skip.

Sods law, I had spoken to my vet yesterday and we agreed to up his dose to 2.75, which I started today, before seeing your posts. Good part, my vet was encouraging and supporting my suggestions which is great, also said he loved the spreadsheet so thank you FDMB! As I cannot test during the day until the weekend, I may see how his numbers go, test over the weekend and perhaps suggest a lower dosage if there is too much skipping. I'll definitely start a thread in the main forum.

Thank you Diana and Eliz.

Also, on a side note, I had some out of the blue news yesterday evening, before Douglas' shot, about a very close friend so my anxiety was up. Douglas would not let me shoot him so must've picked up on my anxiety as this morning he was a dream. It only twigged today for me that he wasn't angry, but probably anxious as I was anxious. Just amazed at cats everyday. I mean, I wouldn't be happy if a nurse or doctor wanted to inject me and I could sense they were nervous or anxious either!

You’ve got this, Anna