My trip to Mexico for Lantus

[Roberta and Chloe]

I left my house at 9:30 approx. and arrived home at 1:05, just in time for my soap opera. I bought a 5-pack of Lantus pens for $70. I used U.S. cash.
Since it was mid-week, the line to get back into the U.S. wasn't bad. It only took about an hour in line. I put $1.50 in the parking meter for over 3 hours, and when I got back, I had 2 hours left. The pharmacy I go to is less than 10 meters from the gate crossing into Mexico. This time I got their phone number, which is a 520 area code, like mine.

 

[Roberta and Chloe]

I wanted to post a new thread but it posted this one instead. Anyway, they are slightly connected because Chloe doesn't seem to be responding to the new insulin. I was using a vial that was rather old and she was doing great. I even thought she might be heading towards remission. But today, she was in the 200's all day. Can anybody explain this?

 

[jt and trouble (GA)]

I left my house at 9:30 approx. and arrived home at 1:05, just in time for my soap opera. I bought a 5-pack of Lantus pens for $70. I used U.S. cash.
Since it was mid-week, the line to get back into the U.S. wasn't bad. It only took about an hour in line. I put $1.50 in the parking meter for over 3 hours, and when I got back, I had 2 hours left. The pharmacy I go to is less than 10 meters from the gate crossing into Mexico. This time I got their phone number, which is a 520 area code, like mine.

You my friend have nerves of STEEL!

 

[jt and trouble (GA)]

I wanted to post a new thread but it posted this one instead. Anyway, they are slightly connected because Chloe doesn't seem to be responding to the new insulin. I was using a vial that was rather old and she was doing great. I even thought she might be heading towards remission. But today, she was in the 200's all day. Can anybody explain this?

Interesting Hubby has been getting his Lantus "down there" for years. Every once in a while his numbers seem wonky. (to me not to him) I chalked up my feeling to ..."Well you dont know what hes eating during the day and he AINT gonna tell ya" Now I am rethinking that. This happens rarely. Maybe 3 times in 5 years? something like that.
I do see that at the same time you dropped the dosage. (understandably) would that have anything to do with this last reading?
j

 

[Roberta and Chloe]

You my friend have nerves of STEEL!

Good morning, Jeanne. You're up early. I've started to add comments on my SS, so I can remember what time I took the reading. The time on my meter is wrong. I don't have nerves of steel, I went during daylight. Anyway, I traveled alone in Asia for 1.5 years when I was in my 20's.
I don't know what you are referring to about the dosage. It's been at 0.5 for awhile. Yesterday, I increased it by .25 because the numbers were over 200 all day. She's back to normal today so far... When I saw the vet last week, Chloe's glucose was in the normal range and her fructosamine was slightly high. I'm still hoping she goes into remission. I'm going to do a curve today.
btw, I think you should go to Mexico with your hubby sometime. To start, instead of going to Tijuana, maybe fly to Mazatlan or some other tourist destination and stay in a nice hotel. Or you could do what I did several years ago and take a cruise down the Mexican 'Riviera'. I would wait until the pandemic is over, of course. The cruise business is falling apart right now.
Roberta

 

[jt and trouble (GA)]

OH! ok I see how you enter the dosage I was confused because you entered the dose on both days the ones above are blank because its the same dose as the first "change" lol even if that doesnt make sense to you it does to me
In other words I get it.

GOOD LUCK with the curve! This will be VERY interesting.

 

[Panic]

Yesterday, I increased it by .25 because the numbers were over 200 all day.

I know you didn't ask for dosing advice but it looks like those yellows are from a bounce from getting a little too much juice and dropping lower, not from her needing more insulin. She's got some amazing greens going on. I wonder if she'd do better on just a little .10u when she hits blues to slide her into remission. She should have gotten a reduction after that 35. (!!)

Just thinking out loud.

 

[Roberta and Chloe]

I know you didn't ask for dosing advice but it looks like those yellows are from a bounce from getting a little too much juice and dropping lower, not from her needing more insulin. She's got some amazing greens going on. I wonder if she'd do better on just a little .10u when she hits blues to slide her into remission. She should have gotten a reduction after that 35. (!!)

Just thinking out loud.

I thought the yellows were because she started a fresh Lantus. Because of COVID and extreme summer heat, I had been using a vial that wasn't expired, but was very old (probably over a year since I had started it). I should have been marking the date on the vial. Actually, I should have been using the pens since they stay good forever until they are opened as long as they are in the fridge, right? Plus, if you drop a pen, it doesn't shatter. I keep the vials in the fridge after I start a new one as backups.

 

[jt and trouble (GA)]

I thought the yellows were because she started a fresh Lantus. Because of COVID and extreme summer heat, I had been using a vial that wasn't expired, but was very old (probably over a year since I had started it). I should have been marking the date on the vial. Actually, I should have been using the pens since they stay good forever until they are opened as long as they are in the fridge, right? Plus, if you drop a pen, it doesn't shatter. I keep the vials in the fridge after I start a new one as backups.

do not store the vials in the door. (you probably already know that)
Leo (hubby) buys the pens. His eyesight is too poor to be drawing it out in a syringe.

 

[Roberta and Chloe]

OH! ok I see how you enter the dosage I was confused because you entered the dose on both days the ones above are blank because its the same dose as the first "change" lol even if that doesnt make sense to you it does to me
In other words I get it.

GOOD LUCK with the curve! This will be VERY interesting.

do not store the vials in the door. (you probably already know that)
Leo (hubby) buys the pens. His eyesight is too poor to be drawing it out in a syringe.

No, I did NOT know that! Why?

 

[Roberta and Chloe]

I know you didn't ask for dosing advice but it looks like those yellows are from a bounce from getting a little too much juice and dropping lower, not from her needing more insulin. She's got some amazing greens going on. I wonder if she'd do better on just a little .10u when she hits blues to slide her into remission. She should have gotten a reduction after that 35. (!!)

Just thinking out loud.

The vet was concerned over her very low numbers and she gave me the following guidelines: Under 150, do not give insulin; over 151 give a half unit. I'm doing a curve today.

 

[jt and trouble (GA)]

As I understand it Lantus should be handled with kid gloves no shaking or rolling. When you open and close your fridge door several times a day well...you get the picture.

 

[Panic]

No, those look like bounces to me. A fresh vial in theory should make numbers better anyway. And I think a study was done leaving pens out in 100 degrees for a month and no changes were found. I will have to refind that though.

Fluctuating from no insulin to .5u is probably making her drop very low, bounce in yellows, which makes you up the dose, rinse repeat. That's why I think trying .10u if she's not in greens would help.

And yep, the open door doesn't keep the insulin as cool.

 

[Roberta and Chloe]

As I understand it Lantus should be handled with kid gloves no shaking or rolling. When you open and close your fridge door several times a day well...you get the picture.

Are you serious? I was told to roll the insulin before drawing it out using the syringe. In fact, I was told to roll it 10 times.

 

[jt and trouble (GA)]

Well Maybe I'm wrong on that. Been a while since I read the L protocol. BUT the door opening and shutting was more what I was talking about. I'm SURE you will get more feedback on this remember Ive never used lantus . In fact we used NPH

 

[Roberta and Chloe]

No, those look like bounces to me. A fresh vial in theory should make numbers better anyway. And I think a study was done leaving pens out in 100 degrees for a month and no changes were found. I will have to refind that though.

Fluctuating from no insulin to .5u is probably making her drop very low, bounce in yellows, which makes you up the dose, rinse repeat. That's why I think trying .10u if she's not in greens would help.

And yep, the open door doesn't keep the insulin as cool.

omg. so the old insulin I was using had been kept in the door for over a year! I had a more current vial that I'd been keeping in the box on the shelf of the fridge, but I couldn't find it one day, so I started using the door vial that was ancient. After a couple days, I found the current vial (in the box). I had put it in a cabinet drawer, rather than the fridge. So I thought being at room temperature for a couple days would have ruined it, so I continued using the ancient vial that had been in the door.

 

[Nan & Amber (GA)]

Other insulins (like Vetsulin, I believe) do need mixing, but lantus does not. I think it's more stable than originally thought, though-- as long as you aren't shaking it vigorously (or slamming the fridge door back and forth!) it's probably fine .

 

[Roberta and Chloe]

Other insulins (like Vetsulin, I believe) do need mixing, but lantus does not. I think it's more stable than originally thought, though-- as long as you aren't shaking it vigorously (or slamming the fridge door back and forth!) it's probably fine .

I can't visualize a fridge door being slammed.

 

[jt and trouble (GA)]

I can't visualize a fridge door being slammed.

mine slams closed all on its own Everything in the door get shook

 

[Panic]

The vet was concerned over her very low numbers and she gave me the following guidelines: Under 150, do not give insulin; over 151 give a half unit. I'm doing a curve today.

But we need low numbers to get into remission - shoot low to stay low. The advice your vet gave might be something ideal for a very new diabetic on in and out insulin ... Definitely not Chloe. You want to provide just a little support when the pancreas is so close to working on its own again. In fact that advice is probably preventing her from going off the juice, it's counter-productive.

Since Lantus has a depot, it craves consistency and works best when the dose is the same each day (unless a reduction is earned). By fluctuating it your filling and draining the depot constantly.

Lantus is surprising hardy, in its defense, but it doesn't need rolled or anything, in fact I think you're encouraged not to.

 

[Roberta and Chloe]

But we need low numbers to get into remission - shoot low to stay low. The advice your vet gave might be something ideal for a very new diabetic on in and out insulin ... Definitely not Chloe. You want to provide just a little support when the pancreas is so close to working on its own again. In fact that advice is probably preventing her from going off the juice, it's counter-productive.

Since Lantus has a depot, it craves consistency and works best when the dose is the same each day (unless a reduction is earned). By fluctuating it your filling and draining the depot constantly.

Lantus is surprising hardy, in its defense, but it doesn't need rolled or anything, in fact I think you're encouraged not to.

I can't go much lower than .5, and I will not shoot when she is hypo.

 

[Panic]

I think most members when nearing remission use reading glasses/magnifying glasses to get the dose just right. For a strong remission you'd want to taper down to .10u and then possibly even a single drop if needed.

I don't think it's impossible to get into remission not following that advice (some cats can stumble into remission despite vets doing all the wrong things) but I think it'll be more difficult. And we don't want to encourage a hypo by dosing more than she needs. Just my two-cents anyway.

 

[Polgeria]

Lantus vials need to be rolled, not shaken, the pens don't shake or roll or do anything with. That's the protocol I was taught, and what I recall reading up on from all the sources. Just my input on this. (Saw the tidbit on Mexico and wanted to see the story)

 

[Critter Mom]

Hi all,

According to the following sticky at the top of the Lantus support group's board, Lantus should be neither rolled nor shaken:

https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/thr...info-proper-handling-drawing-fine-dosing.151/


Mogs
.

 

[Roberta and Chloe]

I think most members when nearing remission use reading glasses/magnifying glasses to get the dose just right. For a strong remission you'd want to taper down to .10u and then possibly even a single drop if needed.

I don't think it's impossible to get into remission not following that advice (some cats can stumble into remission despite vets doing all the wrong things) but I think it'll be more difficult. And we don't want to encourage a hypo by dosing more than she needs. Just my two-cents anyway.

I just ordered new syringes that only go up to 30 units. I'd been using the Walmart ones that are 100 units. That will be easier for small doses, I think.

 

[Panic]

I just ordered new syringes that only go up to 30 units. I'd been using the Walmart ones that are 100 units. That will be easier for small doses, I think.

Oh yes, you were getting the ones without half units? Walmart gave me those the first time around. It'll be much easier with the new ones.

 

[Roberta and Chloe]

Hi all,

According to the following sticky at the top of the Lantus support group's board, Lantus should be neither rolled nor shaken:

https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/thr...info-proper-handling-drawing-fine-dosing.151/


Mogs
.

 

[JL and Chip]

I just ordered new syringes that only go up to 30 units. I'd been using the Walmart ones that are 100 units. That will be easier for small doses, I think.

Ohhh wow, yes the 3/10 cc syringes will definitely make it easier to micro-dose.

If I recall, I think each notch in the 1cc syringes you are using is 2 units, so I can’t even fathom how you are pulling 0.5 unit. Dang!

(I’m just following along quietly ... the Mexico run caught my attention too)

 

[Roberta and Chloe]

Hi all,

According to the following sticky at the top of the Lantus support group's board, Lantus should be neither rolled nor shaken:

https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/thr...info-proper-handling-drawing-fine-dosing.151/


Mogs
.

Ohhh wow, yes the 3/10 cc syringes will definitely make it easier to micro-dose.

If I recall, I think each notch in the 1cc syringes you are using is 2 units, so I can’t even fathom how you are pulling 0.5 unit. Dang!

(I’m just following along quietly ... the Mexico run caught my attention too)

 

[Roberta and Chloe]

I goofed. We were using the 3/10 syringes.

 

[Roberta and Chloe]

Hi all,

According to the following sticky at the top of the Lantus support group's board, Lantus should be neither rolled nor shaken:

https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/thr...info-proper-handling-drawing-fine-dosing.151/


Mogs
.

I just ordered new syringes that only go up to 30 units. I'd been using the Walmart ones that are 100 units. That will be easier for small doses, I think.

Never mind. The Walmart ones I've been using are 3/10. Why can't they make syringes for smaller doses. Do you know any cats that get more than 10 units? I'm old and it's really hard on my eyes.

 

[Panic]

Acro cats easily get over 10. Pamela's Amethyst gets 19u at the moment.

I wish we could make quarter unit syringes! If they existed for cats they'd be so expensive.
Some people use those head lamp hats to see, or use calipers.

 

[Roberta and Chloe]

Acro cats easily get over 10. Pamela's Amethyst gets 19u at the moment.

I wish we could make quarter unit syringes! If they existed for cats they'd be so expensive.
Some people use those head lamp hats to see, or use calipers.

Yes! 20 unit syringes divided into quarter units would be perfect.

 

[Red & Rover (GA)]

A pair of dollar store reading glasses might help.