2/14 - Lantus pen / cartridge usage

[analiese42]

I have just spoken to my vet about changing my prescription from the vial to the cartridges/pens that alot of people on this site have recommended due to cost and usage. She is not familiar with this type of Lantus. She believes that I have to extract the insulin from the cartridges and put in a sterile container in fridge. She also wants to make sure it is 100 units not 40 units. She is going to do some research and let me know later if the prescription can be changed. :cry:

Am I missing something really critical to using this type of insulin? I thought the doses were taken from the cartridge. And I will still need syringes.

Thanks

 

[PeterDevonMocha]

Hmm well Im not sure if I have the right answers for you or not, but we use the lantus solostar pens. They have a cap on one end that you take off and there is a rubber stopper. You still use syringes and put the needle of the syringe into the rubber stopper and draw out your insulin. When you remove the needle, it instantly seals itself back up, if that makes sense.

 

[Laurie and Mr Tinkles]

I have just spoken to my vet about changing my prescription from the vial to the cartridges/pens that alot of people on this site have recommended due to cost and usage. She is not familiar with this type of Lantus. She believes that I have to extract the insulin from the cartridges and put in a sterile container in fridge. She also wants to make sure it is 100 units not 40 units. She is going to do some research and let me know later if the prescription can be changed. :cry:

Am I missing something really critical to using this type of insulin? I thought the doses were taken from the cartridge. And I will still need syringes.

Thanks

You are correct. You don't need to extract the insulin from the cartridges and put it in a sterile container. You use the cartridge/pen just like you would a vial, you insert a syringe into the rubber stopper in the end and draw your insulin. You do NOT want to use the pen needles that humans use with these containers. You will need u100 insulin syringes, the same ones you use with a vial.

I suspect your vet's concern about 100 units vs 40 units is a question about the strength of the insulin. ALL Lantus is u100, no matter what type of container it comes in....meaning that there are 100 units of insulin per ml. Some of the veterinary insulins are u40 strength, meaning that there are 40 units of insulin per ml.

It sounds like your vet is not very familiar with Lantus. Most vets are much more knowledgeable about the veterinary insulins (Vetsulin, PZI, etc). There is no reason that you can't use the cartidges/pens instead of the vial, the insulin is exactly the same. I hope your vet's research will help her come to that conclusion.

 

[Ann & Tess GA]

Yes, Laurie & Devon gave you all the info. Just tell your vet the only difference is in the size of the container, 3ml instead of 10 ml. We use the pens like mini vials. Unless you have a high dose cat it is just more economical. Although the cost for the prescription is more you are getting 15 ml not just 10. AND the life of the insulin starts from the day you use each pen, so you get at least 5 months of insulin w/ the pens rather than 1 with the vial. Very few cats are on a high enough dose to make use of all the insulin, even in the pens, before it deteriorates. So, in a month you will throwing away what is left of 3ml, not 10ml!

One difference in using the pens is that you do NOT inject air or extra insulin back into the pen. The pens are pressurized , air will cause bubbles and possible faster breakdown of the insulin. Shooting excess insulin back into the container can contaminate the insulin from the lubricant on the inside of the syringe. It shouldn't be done w/ the vials either.

I hope you stick around LL. There is a lot of good info here and great peeps. Tell us about your cat, all the FD stuff lie dx date, dose etc, but also just about the kitty.

 

[LynnLee + Mousie]

i wish i could find the pictures someone has around here of the solostar pens but i can't seem to right now. if someone else doesn't post the pictures, i'll make a video tonight and post it of how to use it.

in short though, the solostar pens look like just that, a fat ink pen. and how you use it is that you take the cap off of it, like you were going to write with it. instead of ink though, you'll find a small version of an insulin vial. on the end where the point of the pen would be is basically the end of a vial. you insert your insulin syringe in the rubber seal there just like you do your regular vial, and draw out your dose. then you can re-cap the pen and put it back in the fridge.

i did find this one picture. the pen is the one on the far left
http://www.felinediabetes.com/phorum5/r ... sg-1015374

 

[squeem3]

Lantus is Lantus and is only made as U100. It comes in 3 different types of containers: a 10 ml bottle like most other Human insulins, a pre-filled SoloStar pen, and as an OptiClick cartridge for use in an insulin pen. All can be used for a diabetic cat. All you need is to do is stick the insulin syringe needle into the rubber stopper at the end and draw up a dose.

 

[analiese42]

Thanks everyone! I appreciate the support and information.
My vet did not write the prescription right, ( i get the impression she is not too familiar with cat home care diabetes), so when I went to pick up my pens. I looked in the bag before checking out, and there was a vial of lantus in the bag with syringes in other baggies. I asked why I had this. The pharmacist said this is what the vet wrote (I went back to vet for a second prescription specifically for the pens) and that he could call the office to confirm that i asked for pens. I said yes. Of course the office was closed. So i said forget it, "i will take the vial and syringes and use this" ($108.00 for vial as opposed to $225.00 for 5 pens, so I will save the money i set aside for purchasing the pens after the vial is expired) mainly because this is what i learned on last week, and at least i will get the hang of it . But the important thing is Thai has the insulin, and I am comfortable with the dosage and container for now. We are on our way!

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

Read the sticky on caring for your Lantus. You should be able to get more than 28 days use from the vial if you don't shake or roll it and keep it refrigerated.

Just one correction to the info you've been given. The cartridges for the Opi-click system are being discontinued in the U.S.