Converting For Syringes

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Valerie and Herbie

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Hi - I am Valerie and Herbie, formerly known as Valerie and Newman. I haven't been on the board for awhile; hello to all of my old friends and to those of you I don't know yet.

I want to use syringes with longer needles; Herbie has very tough, thick skin and I'm afraid I'm not getting the insulin in there each time. Newman (GA) was on PZI. I can't remember the exact syringes, but they had an approx. 1/2" needle. Herbie is on Lantus and the needle is perhaps 1/4" (my measurements may be off as I don't have them in front of me, but you get the idea). I know that the different syringes are due to the type of insulin (U100, U40, etc.).

Per my vet, the longer needles were made especially for PZI and since PZI is discontinued, the syringes aren't available. For Lantus, the shorter ones are the only ones available. Seems to me that in my past experience on this board (well, the original board), with Newman, I frequently saw posts about converting doses because of syringe differences. As that wasn't my need, I didn't pay much attention. My questions are:

- Are syringes with longer needles still available?
- If so, what's the identifying info that I can pass along to my vet?
- If so, what's the conversion formula?

Herbie is currently getting 2.5 units of Lantus bid. He's not responding very well at all, and we're looking at all possibilities; we know that's a pretty hefty dose. I am very happy with my vet and am glad that we're working together on this. I just want to check the knowledge on this board. I'm very experienced with giving the shots, but I just want to make sure that I'm getting it in there and am more comfortable with the longer needle.

Many, many thanks -

Valerie and Herbie
 
Hi Valerie,
I'm very new to this, but I can tell you that my Charlie is on prozinc and we use u40 syringes. They are about a half inch long and have a red cap. From what I've read on this site you can order those without a script through hocks.com. I think that lantus is a u-100 insulin, though, so you'd have to find the conversion chart to find out how many units in a 40 syringe are equal to what you shoot in a 100 syringe. Good luck!!
 
Hello Valerie......welcome back......I use the 1/2" needle, always have, and I get my U100 syringes at Walmart. I use the 3/10cc, 29gauge, 1/2". I think no matter what syringe you buy you can either get the 5/16" short or the 1/2" long. Do not think there are any other lengths to use on an insulin syringe. Who is Herbie?
 
Charliemeow said:
. I think that lantus is a u-100 insulin, though, so you'd have to find the conversion chart to find out how many units in a 40 syringe are equal to what you shoot in a 100 syringe. Good luck!!
Click to expand...


:o :o

There is NO conversion needed if you are using U100 insulin syringes with U100 insulin.

The only time you would need to do a conversion if you are using U100 insulin syringes with U40 insulin.

The conversion backwards (U40 insulin syringe for U100 insulin) is not recommended to do.

Valerie and Herbie said:
- Are syringes with longer needles still available?
- If so, what's the identifying info that I can pass along to my vet?
- If so, what's the conversion formula?

Herbie is currently getting 2.5 units of Lantus bid.
Click to expand...

Yes, you CAN get U100 insulin syringes with 1/2 inch long needles to use with Lantus. See this U100 reference chart: http://www.diabeteshealth.com/media/pdf ... h_2010.pdf

I used Monoject U100 3/10cc 29 gauge 1/2 inch needles with half unit markings for both Lantus and Levemir. I bought them from here: http://www.americandiabeteswholesale.co ... Detail.bok
 
Thank you all for your quick replies. I've printed the chart and will send it to my vet; he's great and I believe that he'll be happy for the info.

Thanks also for the "welcome back". Herbie is my approximately 16 year old tuxedo boy. He was diagnosed last Spring. Unfortunately, the new meter I bought (a Walmart brand) was giving me excellent numbers, but Herb wasn't responding. I took him back to the vet and the vet tested with his meter and I tested the same blood with mine. My number was 161 and the vet's was 400 +! So - I bought a new meter; a One Touch.

Now the good news is that the meter is registering correctly but the bad news is that Herbie is typically in the 300-500 range. Sometimes over 500, normally in the 400s. And last week he gave me an 89!

He's been on a round of broad-range antibiotics just in case. I'm feeding Fancy Feast and no dry (no dry since diagnosis). I'm giving 2.5 units (vet suggested raising to 3.0, which I did for a few days hoping to see a change due to the antibiotics, FF, etc. No change, so I will go up to 3.0).

Sigh - Herbie was 23 pounds at his peak, for a long time. He's now just over 11 pounds.

Valerie and Herbie
 
Love my OTU.....always have. Valerie, have you gone to the Lantus site here and read up on using Lantus? So different from the Humulins and PZI we used to use. I'm still using IDEXX PZI and when that is gone I am going to BCP PZI.
 
Others have answered your syringe question.

I just wanted to say I remember Newman and his dapper bow tie. I think of him
from time to time...he is not forgotten.

"Congratulations" on treating another diabetic...ha, ha.

At least you know where to come for help !
 
How nice, Karen, thank you. He was a special boy. And I feel the same about you and Smokey. Our loving sugar-babies.

And Hope and Baby (GA), same to you.

I did read up on Lantus when Herbie first went on it, but it's a good suggestion for me to do so again now. Thanks.
 
squeem3, thanks for the good info! Like I said, I'm very new at this! I knew needles came longer, but didn't realize you had a choice of lengths within one u-grade of syringes. Also I didn't know you couldn't convert backwards from u100 to u40. You learn something new everyday.
 
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