IMPORTANT: if using the Lantus Pen, check your button press duration

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Zipdrive

Zipdrive

Member Since 2017
Thought I'd pass this along.

With Simone's AMPS being low for the last couple mornings and her PMPS being quite high I thought I'd do a SoloSTAR Lantus Pen test to see if a quick press of the button or a press & hold for a few seconds of the button resulted in different amounts coming out. There was, which I didn't know could happen. At least it's happening to the current pen I'm using. The video on how to use the pen suggests holding the button for 10 seconds.

I set the dial to 2u for a safety test and pressed the button, then dabbed the needle tip in tissue to make sure it was clear of any drops. Then I turned the dial to 1u and done a quick "click" type press of the button, like you would with a ball point pen. 2.25 - 2.5 drops came out the needle tip and ran down. I did this several times and the amount was the same.

Doing the same test as above but holding the button for a few seconds resulted in 4.25 - 4.5 drops coming out. Almost double.

Now I know that over the course of Simone's injections I have done an "inject and click press type shot" and at other times an "inject and long press type shot", which I did last evening Feb 27. I do it randomly without realizing I'm doing it. The poor little critter, I've been dosing her incorrectly while still having the pen at it's selected dose.

So to anyone using the pen as a delivery devise, which is the correct way for the small 1 - 2 unit doses?
 
We don't use the pen needles - for kitties, doses are changed by .25 units. Pen needles only dose in whole units, way too much of a change for a cat. We use regular syringes - preferably with half-unit marks. The same little rubber seal is on the end of the pen where you screw on the pen needles. As you discovered, pen needles also don't deliver a reliable dose. 1-2 units are not 'small doses' for kitties. My current diabetic, Dakota, wobbles between 1.75 and 2 units for many months.
 
I bought two 10 packs of the 1/2 marking BD Ultra Fine II syringes yesterday (all they had). I wasted one today just practicing drawing liquid (not insulin) into it for a correct dose and expelling it just to get a feel for using a syringe and removing air bubbles. Also watched the video of drawing insulin out of a Lantus pen for when it's time for the real thing.

Just curious. What's the cost of 100 syringes in the U.S from a pharmacy or retail store like Walmart?

The 20 I bought cost me $6 and that's the cheapest locally, so 10 packets (100 syringes) will be just under $30 for a month and a half supply at 2x daily. It ends up being a little cheaper then a box of 100 pen needle tips at $36.
 
Zipdrive said:
The 20 I bought cost me $6 and that's the cheapest locally, so 10 packets (100 syringes) will be just under $30 for a month and a half supply at 2x daily. It ends up being a little cheaper then a box of 100 pen needle tips at $36.
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That's a good price for the BD's. Down here in the "big city" I could get a box of 100 for $35 at the cheapest store and had the privilege of paying up to $45 at another store (where I stopped buying them).

To save even more money, next time instead of buying the Lantus pens, buy the 5 pack of cartridges - like a mini vial that is a refill for the pens.

ADW has good prices on syringes, but they don't ship to Canada. :banghead: I never found good prices on line in Canada.
 
Those of you from the U.S. can get the supplies at a decent price but the insulin, and other medications, from what I see is what costs a pretty penny. I don't know why Walmart Canada doesn't carry many store brand diabetic supplies like it's U.S. counterpart. It would be the go to place if they did.

Wendy&Neko said:
That's a good price for the BD's. Down here in the "big city" I could get a box of 100 for $35 at the cheapest store and had the privilege of paying up to $45 at another store (where I stopped buying them).

To save even more money, next time instead of buying the Lantus pens, buy the 5 pack of cartridges - like a mini vial that is a refill for the pens.

ADW has good prices on syringes, but they don't ship to Canada. :banghead: I never found good prices on line in Canada.
Click to expand...

That $35 is pretty much the going rate where I live too. The normal price where I bought mine was something like $3.98 for 10 but the pharmacy owner sold them to me for the price I mentioned above because I'm using them for a cat. She also carries the test strips for my BG monitor $5 cheaper then what I paid when I first got the monitor, which too was lower then the other big pharmacy's that carry them.

Thanks for the heads up on the Lantus refill vials. Every little bit saved can go towards other supplies and or food.

We here in Canada may get out medicine cheaper, or free in some cases, but boy do they ever nail you on any extra supplies you need.
 
With the current Lantus pen getting close to it's 28 days I'm going to take a new pen tomorrow and start using syringes for dosing Simone. Now I watched the one video linked in the Lantus stickie, but also seen this one:

I thought injecting air back into the pen is a no- no. Or is that only if I was going to use the pen as the injection device. Just want to get my info right.
 
As long as you keep pens in the fridge are are using the syringes, your Lantus will last much longer than 28 days, depending on the dose. Typically you can use it to the last drop. Guess that's another benefit of syringes over pens. :) And you are right, don't inject air back into the pen if using a syringe.
 
A Lantus pen when handled properly will last a lot longer than 28 days - that's just the time period the manufacturer set in it's FDA application. Keeping it refrigerated pens will last months. As long as the numbers remain moving as expected, your insulin is still good.

And no, air isn't supposed to be injected into the pen - it works on negative pressure. I didn't watch the video (sorry...dumb computer) The pen is really just a little vial. This one is empty - that little red rubber thing inside is the bottom plug that comes up as insulin is withdrawn. That little round white looking thing at the end of the cartridge is the rubber seal.

LevPen3.jpg LevPen4.jpg
 
A box of 100-count U100 Relion syringes w/ half unit markings is $12.78 at the Walmarts where I am.

We should set up an exchange with you Canadians. We'll send you cheap supplies in exchange for the much cheaper insulin from up there :cat:
 
Hi


I have been using 30G x 5/16" (8mm) 3/10cc/ml syringes. The 1/2 needles hurt my cat, I have two boxes of the 1/2 that I won't use unless I run out. I'm currently having to pay $40 per 100. I had a hard time finding syringes with the 1/2 mark on them. Just saw someone else post where to by them for $11 I'll be oredering a box asap, that's a really good deal.
 
Are you storing the pen in the refrigerator? The manufacturer suggests 28 days and keeping it unrefrigerated. Apparently that is because the cold affects the pen dosing mechanism. We encourage people to use syringes for accuracy, store their insulin in the fridge (something like a butter compartment or a vegetable drawer where the temp is not going to freeze), and use their insulin until there is evidence that it's not good. If it gets floaties, strings, cloudy, or the kitty loses regulation (drifts upward) then that tells you it's no good. It's not uncommon for people to be able to use pens until they are gone.

The reason for not see-sawing the dose back and forth between the syringe and the insulin vial/pen/cartridge is that the syringes now all have lubricants inside the barrel. If you shoot back into the pen, you're allowing that lubricant to get into the insulin. That contamination could possibly have an effect on how long the insulin is good. If you do it once, accidentally, just be aware of its potential impact. Many people have had it happen once and the insulin doesn't seem to be harmed. Just don't make a practice of it.
 
Willow said:
Hi


I have been using 30G x 5/16" (8mm) 3/10cc/ml syringes. The 1/2 needles hurt my cat, I have two boxes of the 1/2 that I won't use unless I run out. I'm currently having to pay $40 per 100. I had a hard time finding syringes with the 1/2 mark on them. Just saw someone else post where to by them for $11 I'll be oredering a box asap, that's a really good deal.
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James, that's from American Diabetes Wholesale.com - they have good deals on insulin supplies. www.americandiabeteswholesale.com
 
I was using the pen as instructed by both the Pharmacist and vet. Once first used DO NOT put it back in the fridge. Hence the 28 days.

With the next pen I will be drawing insulin from it like a vial and keeping it in the fridge on the lowest shelf or in the crisper which will last past the 28 days and I will be able to use up all of it.
 
Zipdrive said:
Those of you from the U.S. can get the supplies at a decent price but the insulin, and other medications, from what I see is what costs a pretty penny. I don't know why Walmart Canada doesn't carry many store brand diabetic supplies like it's U.S. counterpart. It would be the go to place if they did.



That $35 is pretty much the going rate where I live too. The normal price where I bought mine was something like $3.98 for 10 but the pharmacy owner sold them to me for the price I mentioned above because I'm using them for a cat. She also carries the test strips for my BG monitor $5 cheaper then what I paid when I first got the monitor, which too was lower then the other big pharmacy's that carry them.

Thanks for the heads up on the Lantus refill vials. Every little bit saved can go towards other supplies and or food.

We here in Canada may get out medicine cheaper, or free in some cases, but boy do they ever nail you on any extra supplies you need.
Click to expand...
I'm in Canada and buy my U100 syringes from my vet for about $25 per box of 100. It's hard to find them with half units at a human pharmacy but the price there was about the same.
 
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