Vetsulin Product Alert in Pennsylvania ??

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Delma and Frank

Delma and Frank

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I wanted to post in the Vetsulin forum but didn't see it, if anyone has suggestion for a better forum to post this please let me know.

I recently got a call from the vet telling me that the office will not be dispensing vetsulin anymore. She gave me several printouts, an email from the AHAA (American Animal Hospital Assoc.), website info from FDA site, and a letter from a DVM at Intervet, Schering-Plough Animal Health. They all say that although Vetsulin is not recalled, it soon will be in short supply or unavailable.

Apparently it has been determined that Vetsulin is unstable. Vetsulin "may have varying amounts of crystalline zinc insulin in the formation". This "can result in unpredictable fluctuations in the glucose levels". All printouts tell the vets to transition their diabetic patients on vetsulin, to another insulin. Soon, Frank will start Lantus. Have any of you encountered this in your area?
 
Yes, there was a notice of this up on the old board last month, I think. I started as a US/FDA warning, but was expanded to Canada and Europe in Dec for the Caninsulin version.

I can suggest Levemir as an alternative - that or lantus - both are much longer duration and a gentler action. My Beau was on vetsulin for two years and I switched him to levemir last June. He did very, very well on it.
 
glad your vet informed you of the vetsulin problem and i see in the last sentence of your post that he switched you to lantus, very good. that is a far far better insulin for cats than vetsulin even if there was not manufacturing issues with it.
did you get the script for lantus from vet yet? IMPORTANT: there is an offer for a whole box of free lantus pens but it expires 12/31, you have to move quick!
http://www.lantusconnection.com/lc2/ema ... ePens.html
make sure vet writes script for exactly what offer is for, 5 pens of lantus. that is enough insulin to last you 5-6 months for free. hurry!
 
Hey, Kimmee - glad to see the vetsulin/N ISG up and running here. Although I think the days of vetsulin are numbered due to the warnings and the fact that levemir & lantus work SO much better. But, I suppose that if there are no alternatives for dogs, vets will still have the stuff around and some will still dispense it regardless of warnings/efficacy...sigh.
 
I am looking forward to starting Frank up on Lantus since I believe it is better. AND thanks for the tip on the free pens, Jojo!! The price of Lantus is the only downside. For vetsulin, I pay $30 for 6 weeks....and the vet tells me Lantus will cost about $100 for 8 weeks. This is a hefty increase. I do not know the cost of lantus syringes yet....they can't be much more. I'm glad right now I am able to afford this.
 
I agree Sheila..still looking at this forum as sort of triage to support those who are given Vetsulin Caninsulin or N ,as a transition time to the longer lasting ones.
It is sad that in spite of these serious warnings, vets are still dispensing this. sigh...but...at least here everyone is given as much info as possible.
 
I switched from Humulin N to Levemir and the only regret I have is that I didn't do it earlier than I did. I chose Lev over Lantus for two reasons....1) there are times when I have to work in the evenings and my mom has to give Spot his shot. I can pre-fill syringes with Lev, but it is not recommended for Lantus. 2) Cost....A cartridge of Lev lasts longer than lantus. A pack of 5 flex pens (simular to the pens for lantus) cost only $114. I filled my script in March 2009, and am now on my last cart. This one will probably last another month or so (Spot is on a very low dose), so that kinda adds up to about $12 a month for insulin.
 
pief2815 said:
A pack of 5 flex pens (simular to the pens for lantus) cost only $114.
Click to expand...

I just picked up my free 5-pack of Lantus. I went to the local supermarket pharmacy...the price would have been $215.
 
Deb & Spot said:
I switched from Humulin N to Levemir and the only regret I have is that I didn't do it earlier than I did. I chose Lev over Lantus for two reasons....1) there are times when I have to work in the evenings and my mom has to give Spot his shot. I can pre-fill syringes with Lev, but it is not recommended for Lantus. 2) Cost....A cartridge of Lev lasts longer than lantus. A pack of 5 flex pens (simular to the pens for lantus) cost only $114. I filled my script in March 2009, and am now on my last cart. This one will probably last another month or so (Spot is on a very low dose), so that kinda adds up to about $12 a month for insulin.
Click to expand...

The manufacturer of Levemir says not to prefill syringes with Levemir.
Here's some food for thought posted by Ilkka on the "old" board:

They say don't prefill (surprised?)
Posted by: Ilkka (IP Logged)
Date: August 25, 2009 01:30AM

I spoke with a couple of people inside Novo Nordisk, including a pharmacist.

I expected them to say not to prefill, and they did; but I was also hoping that it would be as a matter of a precaution -- i.e., that the worst case scenario was that the insulin could be rendered less effective. However, that is not the reason.

They've done tests with disposable syringes and they have found that the insulin can and does bond with the inner wall of the plastic in the syringe, and that the presence of two preservatives, phenol and meta-cresol, cause complications that can lead to infections and other unpleasant things. I did not get a clear answer to how long Levemir could be in the plastic syringe before this happens, but anything more than a few hours is not recommended.

I also called Becton-Dickinson (a leading syringe mfr) and discussed the matter of syringes (specifically in rel to diabetes) -- they do not make disposable glass syringes, or anything that can be prefilled. That doesn't mean that disposable glass syringes for microdoses aren't made.. somewhere.

Ilkka and Tom

http://www.felinediabetes.com/phorum5/read.php?24,1806004,1810193,sv=1#msg-1810193
 
Jill, thanks for posting that (a little late getting around to reading this)....Jeez, I was under the assumption that it was ok to pre-fill the syringes with Lev. Unfortunately, that is the only solution that I have at this time...There are days I have to work 15 hours (run from one job to another) or I have an appointment and I just can't be home to give Spot his shot. My mom can test and give the shot, however, at 75 and poor eyesight, I don't trust the fact that she could draw up a regular dose, let alone a microdose. However, I can usually make it home to fill a syringe and the insulin is only in there for usually no more than 3 hrs. So far so good....
 
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