Changing insulin question

S

SamanthaLily

Member Since 2020
Lily is switching from Caninsulin vial to Lantus solostar pen. She will be receiving 2 units bid. I always received the 2.5 ml vial because of the low dose/day and the short expiry date of insulin once opened. When the vet gave me the lantus pen he said it would last a long time. I never thought about the expiry date once opened though and I also never thought about going from a u40 insulin to a u100 insulin.
When are you supposed to replace the insulin in the pen with a new one? Once the first dose is given should the pen be kept in the fridge or room temperature?
 
It's great that Lily is switching from Caninsulin to Lantus. Lantus is a much gentler, long acting insulin and more suited to cats.

Most of us have used Lantus to the last drop. Once you start using the pen, store in in the fridge where it won't be exposed to temperature changes (when the fridge door is opened) and won't be jostled. So not in the fridge door.

Are you home testing Lily to see whether the dose is too high or low?
 
Hi! I switched from prozinc to Lantus recently and have been very pleased. Hope it woks for Lilly too!
I don't have any experience with pens, but I thought I would comment that you can still use syringes to deliver Lantus (I think most os do), just make sure to get U100 syringes.
Here in the Uk, when you buy Lantus, you get small vials that fit inside a pen, but I just draw the insulin from the vials. All the paper work I have for Lantus is for humans, and suggest keeping all vials in the fridge until loading into the pen, then the pen sitting outside can be used for 28 days. I take that to mean that at room temp Lantus can last 28 days, but that it can be stored in the fridge for a long time. So I keep mine in the fridge, and plan to use until the last drop.....(as long as there is no comtamination)
 
Bandit's Mom said:
It's great that Lily is switching from Caninsulin to Lantus. Lantus is a much gentler, long acting insulin and more suited to cats.

Most of us have used Lantus to the last drop. Once you start using the pen, store in in the fridge where it won't be exposed to temperature changes (when the fridge door is opened) and won't be jostled. So not in the fridge door.

Are you home testing Lily to see whether the dose is too high or low?
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Thanks for answering my questions. Yes I am home testing the blood glucose level to adjust accordingly.
 
Hercule's mum said:
Hi! I switched from prozinc to Lantus recently and have been very pleased. Hope it woks for Lilly too!
I don't have any experience with pens, but I thought I would comment that you can still use syringes to deliver Lantus (I think most os do), just make sure to get U100 syringes.
Here in the Uk, when you buy Lantus, you get small vials that fit inside a pen, but I just draw the insulin from the vials. All the paper work I have for Lantus is for humans, and suggest keeping all vials in the fridge until loading into the pen, then the pen sitting outside can be used for 28 days. I take that to mean that at room temp Lantus can last 28 days, but that it can be stored in the fridge for a long time. So I keep mine in the fridge, and plan to use until the last drop.....(as long as there is no comtamination)
Click to expand...


Thanks for answering. It is nice that you are liking Lantus. I will try using the pen and see how that goes. If Lily doesn't care for it then I will buy some u100 syringes and try withdrawing from the vials.
 
SamanthaLily said:
If Lily doesn't care for it then I will buy some u100 syringes and try withdrawing from the vials.
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Not sure what you mean by this, but you should go ahead and get the syringes - and withdraw the insulin from the pen - there's a little sponge on the end. Don't use whatever devices came with the pen itself - it's not good for fine dosing. I promise Lily won't know the difference between a pen and a vial.
 
Sue and Luci said:
Not sure what you mean by this, but you should go ahead and get the syringes - and withdraw the insulin from the pen - there's a little sponge on the end. Don't use whatever devices came with the pen itself - it's not good for fine dosing. I promise Lily won't know the difference between a pen and a vial.
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Some people were saying that that their cats didn't like the pen needles so they were withdrawing from the pen. Along with the solostar pen my vet gave me CAREPOINT VET Pen needles. He said that is what he uses.

Sorry missed your point.... To start off with Lily will be on 2u or 1u bid to see how that goes and adjust from there.

When I was using Caninsuin, I was told by some one in the FDMB not to give insulin if the blood glucose level was below 11 mmol/l. At what blood glucose level should I not give Lantus insulin? I could only find do not give lantus if cat is hypoglycemic or is allergic to components of Lantus.
 
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As long as the Carepoint are U-100 3/10cc syringes with half unit marking, then those are perfect.

SamanthaLily said:
At what blood glucose level should I not give Lantus insulin?
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The answer is - it depends. With Lantus you will eventually shoot lower numbers. But you need the data and experience to do so. Speaking of data, since you are home testing, have you considered entering that data into a spreadsheet. There is a common format we all use, and it really helps us help you with dosing suggestions. Here is more information about the spreadsheet:
FDMB Spreadsheet Instructions:
Understanding the Spreadsheet/Grid

I know it's a lot when you are getting started, but at some point you may with to read our Dosing Methods Sticky Note and see if one of those two dosing methods would work for you. The dosing methods tell you when to increase and decrease the dose, as well as what do regarding lower preshots.
 
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