Calipers??

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JenM

JenM

Member Since 2013
So... question... I see some mention on here regarding doses (usually really odd amounts) measured in calipers. What does that mean?

I'm finding it really hard to measure doses with Lantus, compared to ProZinc where I could use a u100 syringe with the conversion chart. Now that I'm using a u100 insulin... I'm stuck with those tiny little amounts again. My syringes have half-unit markings... but there's like NO ROOM between .5 & .75 - and then I see people giving even more incremental doses. HOW?! LOL

It SOUNDS like this "caliper" thing maybe measures more precisely? But how... and what do I look for to get one? I tried an online search but am apparently not using the right wording to find anything relevant to insulin or diabetes.

Mind you, I'm going up to 2u tomorrow... so it wont be as much of an issue (for now)... but these teensy tiny doses are just really hard to measure!
 
Larry has you covered on the 'where', we use the 4" digital ones from Harbor Freight.

Another reason for using calipers - ever notice how different each syringe is on that first 'zero' line before you ever start pulling a dose? I've had some that were so far off that if I used the marks, I'd be giving them .5 units different that what I THOUGHT I was giving. Many are off by at least .25 units making the doses inconsistent with each syringe. I even had one mismarked by almost a whole unit the other day - out of the same pkg that contained 'good' ones too. With calipers, the dose is always the same regardless of the syringe markings.

HUGS!!!
 
OH... so you're using the caliper to measure the insulin in the syringe, rather than the syringe markings? Interesting. I might have to get me one of those!

I have noticed that sometimes that first unit looks bigger than subsequent units... you'd think since insulin syringes are specifically FOR INSULIN - that they'd be required to be pretty darned accurate. Then again... I guess a .25u increase or decrease probably isn't noteworthy in a human.


ETA: Looks like Larry has been having some problems with an Apple device? LOL That first link isn't related to calipers. :lol:
 
You hit the nail on the head - for humans that difference isn't even a hiccup but for our cats that weigh so little comparitively, it can be doubling a dose! Usually the lines themselves are the same, where the lines start is the biggest issue. I turn the syringe to the 'no marks' side to measure, only thing I use the marks for is to pull the initial dose with that bit of 'extra' to push out.
 
Oh Mercy. Everytime I think I can handle this, I find out about something else.

My new syringes, which have 1/2 unit markings, look like crap. Relion, they are. I noticed, the lines farther up the syringe look good, but the ones under 5 are all blurry and crooked and crappy. Right now we're doing 1/2 unit, about to move up to .75 Sunday, and then onward and upward, as need be. And yeah, the zero line is totally not zero. I think I will play around and see how many drops I get at the zero line.

how many people end up using calipers? Is this something most everybody does to do very small doses?

reading about tiny doses is the main reason I went with Lantus over Levemir!

Too bad some nice little boutique company doesn't make animal specific syringes made for really tiny dosing!
 
Skunky's Mom said:
....
reading about tiny doses is the main reason I went with Lantus over Levemir!
Click to expand...

We dose drops with Levemir too just like Lantus.

Too bad some nice little boutique company doesn't make animal specific syringes made for really tiny dosing!
Click to expand...

A company tried that but the syringes ended up being so expensive few could afford them...

HUGS!
 
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