When to order more insulin, how to get all of out a vial?

Candy&Company

Candy&Company

Active Member
My 1st ever vial has just recently dipped below the half mark - how can I make the most of it, when it gets "too low"...? Are there tips, tricks? When should I reorder, 1/2, 1/4, when..? My vet never said. Not how to get the most out of the vial, or when to reorder.

I'm running out of EVERYTHING - food for me, food for them.. I did get her syringes refill though. My car's been in the shop an astounding 3 weeks, come this tues... it's NEVER gone this long before, and I'm worrying a bit. She's an ollllllllld car, but they've told me about 6 times now, "you can take her home today!" but that wasn't true... I can get on with it, no problem, I have plans in place but they're not easy.

But this is one I've never had answered. Can anyone help me and reply, please? 1st paragraph?
 
Hmmm...it's been awhile since I ordered insulin. First thing, I'd call your vet and let them know you aren't ready for any yet, but you want to know how long it will take to get it when you are. OR you can check with Chewy.com...they sell it too, but I don't know the process. Once you know for sure how long it will take to get, that helps your process.

How to get the most out of it? Well there's really no science to that. You just keep giving til it's gone. However, most of us actually will often keep the last little bit in our fridge and start a new vial...that way you have some if your new bottle breaks or something. Not a ton...just enough for a few doses usually.

When to reorder? Depending on how long it will take to get it (I think it only took my vet a few days) and how much you're giving, I'd probably reorder when you get to maybe 1/8 of a bottle? (Anyone else who has a cat on insulin, please chime in...I'm sort of guessing here since it's been so long since I had to do this!). Also, you might want to reorder if you notice Fena's numbers getting worse and suspect the insulin may be going bad.

Side note, it looks like your SS is out of date. How are Fena's numbers these days?
 
If you order from chewy they deliever in about two days. Decent price for ProZinc as well ($96).
 
I usually order when I'm at about 1/3 of the vial, just because I like to stay ahead of things like that so I don't forget. As others have said, you just reorder when you're ready to reorder, making sure you get the new vial before the old vial runs out. And I agree with Rachel that it's good to keep some insulin in the old vial in case the new vial gets dropped or left out or something and you need backup until you can get a new order. How much to leave is up to you. I usually try to guess about a weekend's worth of insulin or so. I'm not sure what you mean about getting the most out of a vial. You just use it until you're ready to switch vials, or until it gets too old.
 
Rachel said:
Hmmm...it's been awhile since I ordered insulin. First thing, I'd call your vet and let them know you aren't ready for any yet, but you want to know how long it will take to get it when you are. OR you can check with Chewy.com...they sell it too, but I don't know the process. Once you know for sure how long it will take to get, that helps your process.

How to get the most out of it? Well there's really no science to that. You just keep giving til it's gone. However, most of us actually will often keep the last little bit in our fridge and start a new vial...that way you have some if your new bottle breaks or something. Not a ton...just enough for a few doses usually.

When to reorder? Depending on how long it will take to get it (I think it only took my vet a few days) and how much you're giving, I'd probably reorder when you get to maybe 1/8 of a bottle? (Anyone else who has a cat on insulin, please chime in...I'm sort of guessing here since it's been so long since I had to do this!). Also, you might want to reorder if you notice Fena's numbers getting worse and suspect the insulin may be going bad.

Side note, it looks like your SS is out of date. How are Fena's numbers these days?
Click to expand...

Her numbers are okay, they haven't changed all that much - no big highs or lows, still on 2 units ProZinc but she's plateauing now so I'll need to update her SS soon to make a decision but where the 1 unit she was kinda all over, the 2 unit she's more... stable? For lack of a better word, so aka she's doing better but now she'll need an adjustment so I need to grab my notebook and fill in all of her numbers on her SS.

She's slightly better than her numbers at the vets, but not by much sometimes. :( Lawn mowers, school buses, etc. anything LOUD it bugs her.

I'll jump on that next time I'm on here. She's grooming full throttle, playing, following me around happily, trilling, squeaking, having some but not alot of "zoomies" - totally cuddle bugging which I've never seen before but welcoming. The Miralax is keeping her "going" just fine, she's gaining weight or looks to be doing so. Bright eyed, etc.

I'll post another reply in the coming week with all numbers, plus Mao... I'm starting to get a bit worried about him.
 
Djamila said:
I usually order when I'm at about 1/3 of the vial, just because I like to stay ahead of things like that so I don't forget. As others have said, you just reorder when you're ready to reorder, making sure you get the new vial before the old vial runs out. And I agree with Rachel that it's good to keep some insulin in the old vial in case the new vial gets dropped or left out or something and you need backup until you can get a new order. How much to leave is up to you. I usually try to guess about a weekend's worth of insulin or so. I'm not sure what you mean about getting the most out of a vial. You just use it until you're ready to switch vials, or until it gets too old.
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Oh I mean, get the most, literally - I mean, we pay for it so how do we get as much as we can, out of it....? I can reorder at 1/3rd, I'm coming up on that mark soon - but doesn't anyone try and get all of it out, or as much as possible? I guess that's what I meant. How to do that? Tips, tricks...? Or, no?

If no, that just seems .... weird to me. I mean hell, I'm the type that will add a little water to cough medicine bottles to get the last out for myself, etc. Isn't there ANY tricks to getting as much out of a low vial of insulin as possible..?

Beyond playing with needle depth, angle, etc..?

I get saving some in a vial but it still doesn't help me get it all OUT if I NEED that little bit in the old vial in the future, you know? Granted "all" is impossible I know, but "the most"..? Or hell I can just play around with it on my own and figure it out I guess.
 
Candy&Company said:
Oh I mean, get the most, literally - I mean, we pay for it so how do we get as much as we can, out of it....? I can reorder at 1/3rd, I'm coming up on that mark soon - but doesn't anyone try and get all of it out, or as much as possible? I guess that's what I meant. How to do that? Tips, tricks...? Or, no?

If no, that just seems .... weird to me. I mean hell, I'm the type that will add a little water to cough medicine bottles to get the last out for myself, etc. Isn't there ANY tricks to getting as much out of a low vial of insulin as possible..?

Beyond playing with needle depth, angle, etc..?

I get saving some in a vial but it still doesn't help me get it all OUT if I NEED that little bit in the old vial in the future, you know? Granted "all" is impossible I know, but "the most"..? Or hell I can just play around with it on my own and figure it out I guess.
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Leave a few doses in the bottle just in case something bad happens like you drop the new one and it shatters... That way you have a backup until you can replace it
 
JanetNJ said:
Leave a few doses in the bottle just in case something bad happens like you drop the new one and it shatters... That way you have a backup until you can replace it
Click to expand...

Okay I can do that, say around the 1/3 or a bit less mark then? I'll be there before the end of the week, I think. But still any tips on if I HAVE to get more out of the limited vial, suggested angles, etc...? I'm gonna play around with it regardless but was wondering if anyone had any tips/tricks.
 
Candy&Company said:
Okay I can do that, say around the 1/3 or a bit less mark then? I'll be there before the end of the week, I think. But still any tips on if I HAVE to get more out of the limited vial, suggested angles, etc...? I'm gonna play around with it regardless but was wondering if anyone had any tips/tricks.
Click to expand...
I usually leave like 1/5
 
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