Going to Syringe from using pen needles

Teya and Tweety

Teya and Tweety

Member Since 2024
Hello, Tweety seems to be needing to go to 1.5 units of her Lantus Glargine Pen. We have been using pen needles and I just bought 8MM 31G in order to begin giving half units. Her pen needles are only 6MM and I am worried it will hurt more.

I have inexplicable (severe) anxiety about using a syringe. There are tons of contradictory posts and videos. One saying you have to draw back to check for blood and the other saying nope just pop it in the tented skin and go. Yet another saying I am injecting into the wrong spot at her shoulder scruff - meanwhile the vet says "anywhere you can tent the skin is fine."

Did anyone else feel this way (anxious) and how did you get past it? Shot time is coming in 2 .5 hours...although we did NOT yet increase it, based on her numbers I can tell it is highly likely and I want to get in the habit of using it vs the pen needles.

Do you have to use firm pressure when inserting? Slow? Fast? I am just unsure.

My understanding to draw and inject from a pen thanks to some help here:

  • Simply treat the pen as the vial.
  • Prep the syringe by moving it up and down (for the lubricant inside) and then tightly closing it.
  • Press into where pen needle would go and draw a bit more than needed - DO NOT ever push extra back inside vial or pen - shoot into air only.
  • Tap for bubbles
  • Into air push to the amount actually needed
  • Tent at scruff
  • Insert (how hard?! Is it super gentle? Slow? Fast?)
  • Press once inserted
Thank you for listening.

Sincerely, One anxious kitty mom

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Giving insulin is the easiest shot you will ever give. Well, B12 is also. The needle is tiny. No need to go slow. It’s over before you know it. I’ve had to give sub-q fluids and that is not easy. You won’t hurt her giving insulin by syringe. The insulin itself does sting some cats but that’s usually with high doses. Honestly testing was more stressful to me before I did it but that did not bother Max either. Give a treat after if you don’t shoot while eating. If the pen did not bother her this will be even easier on her.
 
Totally agree with what Elise said .
On your previous post I gave you which U-100 syringes with half unit markings and where to buy them.
Can you please link your previous days post to this one,so if members need to look back they won't have to search for it.
Whenever you post on the Lantus board we need you to post your previous days post to your new one.
You will find your previous days post all the way up top that starts with https:// in green. Just copy and paste it to your new post for the day
 
Hi all,

There are tons of tips and tricks and things to do to get help and to get comfortable with on this board. Thanks for bearing with me - like many folks life has been hectic, but I am omitting things that can wait to be more calm, grounded and focused.

That said, I used syringes last night and this morning on the new dose. I am no longer afraid!!!! :) She did not even notice! Plus the new insulin 1.5u seems to immediately have affect on her. So I will be watching closely.

@Diane Tyler's Mom I hope this works I am trying to add my previous threads. ALSO - yes thank you for the syringe information, but my vet said I do not need 100U that 30U would be easier to read for me if I could find them so I did at Sams Club. So those are the needles I got. Same 8MM and 31G just not 100U.

I sent a link to allow assistance with my spreadsheet as well. So much to learn it is overwhelming, and I cannot wait until this is all clear and routine and begins to improve in all ways possible.

Thank you all so much for your help and bearing with me. I know I have been all over the place - emotions high in dealing with loss of my mom in August and our kitty Bella 11 weeks later AND starting school and a new job in the last 30 days. So I am jam packed and wanting to do my best for my Tweety girl. Thanks again. ~

https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/thr...ing-kitty-with-ibd-daily-prednisalone.285698/

https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/generic-insulin-switched-pharmacies.285861/#post-3148801

https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/going-to-syringe-from-using-pen-needles.286238/#post-3148734
 
Tootsie778 said:
@Diane Tyler's Mom I hope this works I am trying to add my previous threads. ALSO - yes thank you for the syringe information, but my vet said I do not need 100U that 30U would be easier to read for me if I could find them so I did at Sams Club. So those are the needles I got. Same 8MM and 31G just not 100U
Click to expand...
@Tootsie778
The U-100 refers to the syringes to be used for lantus, the ones you said you are using seen to be fine
Great job posting the previous links
Post new thread for today 2-3 just go to the lantus board and tap on start a new post and add the BG numbers
Date , Tweety, AMPS and then the rest of the BG numbers ,continue with the PMPS numbers and any test after that.
To add the tests look to the right tsp on Thread tools , then tap on Edit title and add any additional tests, tap save.
When you start the new post for 2-3 you only have to link this thread which is (Going to syringe from us in pen needles ) ,not every post you did
So just the one above
Start a new post everyday
As long as they look like the ones on the left you're good
  • Full and half-unit syringe scales:
49823063143_3437e9e997_o.jpg
 
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Lantus / glargine is a U100 insulin (the U refers to the strength of the insulin) so you MUST use U100 insulin syringes. The box of insulin syringes will say U100 on them. If it says U40 or anything else, those are the wrong insulin syringes and you will either under dose overdose the cat.

30 units refers to the max capacity of the syringe, aka 3/10cc or 0.3ml. This is what you want to use for cats. Needle length and gauge is preference but most people use 5/16 inch (8 mm) long needles that are 30 or 31 gauge for cats. This is the only size available with half unit markings.

U100 insulin syringes are available in 50 unit (1/2 cc or 0.5 ml) and and 100 unit (1 cc or 1 ml) capacities. Perhaps that is what the vet was confused about. You do not need or want 100 unit capacity insulin syringes for your cat.
 
I noticed on your SS you wrote
Today started out low and had me worried and now and she is over 300. So confusing
Tweety is probably bouncing from those nice blue numbers from last night and today

  • Bouncing - Bouncing is simply a natural reaction to what the cat's system perceives as a BG value that is "too low". "Too low" is relative. If a cat is used to BGs in the 200's, 300's, or higher for a long time, then even a BG that drops to 150 can trigger a "bounce". Bouncing can also be triggered if the blood glucose drops too low and/or too fast.The pancreas, then the liver, release glucogon, glycogen and counter-regulatory hormones. The end result is a dumping of "sugar" into the bloodstream to save the cat from going hypoglycemic from a perceived low. The action is often referred to as "liver panic" or "panicky liver". *Usually*, a bounce will clear kitty's system within 3 days (6 cycles).
Can you add SLGS to your signature also ,just not your spreadsheet :cat:
Just remember we adjust increases and decreases by 0.25 units at a time
After 7 days you do a 12 hours curve.
If Tweety's BG falls under 90 your immediately decrease the dose by 0.25 units
 
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Diane Tyler's Mom said:
I noticed on your SS you wrote
Today started out low and had me worried and now and she is over 300. So confusing
Tweety is probably bouncing from those nice blue numbers from last night and today

  • Bouncing - Bouncing is simply a natural reaction to what the cat's system perceives as a BG value that is "too low". "Too low" is relative. If a cat is used to BGs in the 200's, 300's, or higher for a long time, then even a BG that drops to 150 can trigger a "bounce". Bouncing can also be triggered if the blood glucose drops too low and/or too fast.The pancreas, then the liver, release glucogon, glycogen and counter-regulatory hormones. The end result is a dumping of "sugar" into the bloodstream to save the cat from going hypoglycemic from a perceived low. The action is often referred to as "liver panic" or "panicky liver". *Usually*, a bounce will clear kitty's system within 3 days (6 cycles).
Can you add SLGS to your signature also ,just not your spreadsheet :cat:
Just remember we adjust increases and decreases by 0.25 units at a time
After 7 days you do a 12 hours curve.
If Tweety's BG falls under 90 your immediately decrease the dose by 0.25 units
Click to expand...


Thank you... this is all so new and so much. I took her back down to 1 or darn close this evening. Posted new thread as you said with AMPS and PMPS and old posts.
 
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