Does anyone have any unused recently bought Lantus Pens?

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rbrumbaugh82

I am looking due to financial costs anyone who has any unused Lantus Pens that they want to get rid of that have not expired? The ones I have are over 6 months old and not sure how long they were refrigerated and my Pooper's doesn't seem to respond greatly on it. It stays in his system longer but he manages to stay in the 300s more often. IF anyone has any that would be great and a blessing!
 
I'm sorry that I can't help - no unused cartridges. In case no-one gets back to you with unused cartridges that they can spare, have you tried asking at your vet/pharmacies/local hospital etc. if they will sell single cartridges? I know that some will. That will be cheaper, and if the fresh cartridge makes no difference, at least you wouldn't have had to shell out for a box of five when you still have insulin left.
 
Yeah unfortunately no one around here is smart enough to sell 1 pen at a time. They want to make profits by selling by the box. :(
 
Sorry I don't have extras. Hope someone here can help you. Maybe they'd be cheaper on craig's list or ebay? Ditto on calling around to see if you can buy 1 solostar Lantus pen at a time. I called 5 or 6 places when my cat started on Lantus. I don't know where you are, but I've been able to buy them one at a time at Cub Foods, they have some program called pet Rx that gives a discount. One pen cost around $81 + tax. I keep it in the fridge with the pen cap on and a Ziploc bag around it, so it is even more air tight. I don't have it out of the fridge long when I measure and give the cat the insulin. The first pen lasted me around 3 months, but I'm sure it depends on the dose and how much is wasted while trying to measure the dose. I accidentally dropped it at about 3 months and it got more air bubbles in it and started to seem less effective, but it still had approx. 20 units left and up until then seemed to be working fine. Hope someone can help you out. I wonder if nursing homes ever have them left, like if someone dies or something?
 
Check the Supply Closet forum on this board too. It doesn't look like there are any new posts for unused Lantus that haven't already been spoken for, but there have been a few put up there previously.
 
I really think your insulin is probably fine....the pens were made for humans to throw in their pocket and carry around with them all day. They're supposed to be good for 28 days even without refrigeration (once "punctured")

This is from the Lantus website --"No refrigeration for open pens. You don't refrigerate the pen once it's in use and it's good for 28 days once opened."

The reason we keep them refrigerated is to keep them good much longer than the 28 days since our cats don't use the kind of doses that humans do and due to the cost, we want every drop to last as long as possible.

You can also check out the last post on the "Insulin from Canadian Pharmacies" thread. A lot of us are buying from Marks now because they're so much cheaper than anywhere in the US
 
Someone told me about this link, when I was looking for places to call about buying 1 pen at a time. When I tried it, several places looked like they would sell 1 pen/list the cost for 1 pen, but when I called most of them they wouldn't, I kept calling until I found one that would sell 1 pen. That was after about 5-6 calls. Someone said Sam's Club or Costco might be cheaper, but I don't know if they'd sell 1 pen, I don't think they were open when I was calling on a Friday night, trying to get some that night.

http://www.goodrx.com/ If nothing else, this site jogged my memory about possible places to try. Cub Foods wasn't even on it.

I also looked into it, if you had a human doctor who prescribed it (probably not allowed) the Lantus website has something where you can supposedly get a 1 month supply for no more than $25, because I brought that coupon to the pharmacy. They said, without a human doctor's some kind of ID number, it wouldn't work.
 
I read the 28 days nonrefrigerated thing is because when humans use the pen, the pen tips, and dial on the pen itself to measure, something in the pen mechanism to measure the insulin correctly doesn't work well when it is cold. So if we're using syringes to draw the insulin out, like from a vial, it can be refrigerated and lasts a lot longer. I also read something that the 28 days was because the company only paid to have it checked or approved for that long, but it really lasts a lot longer. I thought I read it would've cost the company more to get it approved to be good for longer.
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/lantus-levemir-info-proper-handling-storage.151/

From two of the leading researchers in the field of lantus use with feline diabetics, Jacquie S. Rand BVS, DVS and Rhett D.Marshall BVS (University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia):

"Glargine should be refrigerated because it has a shelf life of 4 weeks once opened and kept at room temperature. We have found that opened vials kept refrigerated can be used for more than 6 months. If using an insulin pen, the manufacturer recommends that once a vial of insulin is used, the pen be kept at room temperature because temperature changes associated with refrigeration alter the volume administered by the pen."
(Dead link removed due to revamping of the University of Queensland web site)
 
Yes...that's what I said....it's only been tested to be good for 28 days without refrigeration...we refrigerate it because we WANT it to last longer than that.....but the fact that the pens you already have came to you without a cold pack shouldn't matter unless they had already been "opened" (punctured)

You might try Target stores....we've seen some of them are willing to sell one pen at a time....but you're going to pay around $80 for one pen....for $133.99 plus shipping, you can get a 5 pack from Canada
 
Wow Chris! Do you have a good place to get a 5 pack from Canada for $133.99 plus shipping? Have they worked well for you? That sounds great! :)
 
Is that because Lantus didnt work for me in maybe the same sense as me and Levemir worked for you? Do they both operate the same way?
 
Bot Lantus and Levemir are similar. Both are depot insulins unlike ProZinc, N and BCP PZI. For some cats Levemir works better than Lantus.
 
rbrumbaugh82 said:
I am looking due to financial costs anyone who has any unused Lantus Pens that they want to get rid of that have not expired? The ones I have are over 6 months old and not sure how long they were refrigerated and my Pooper's doesn't seem to respond greatly on it. It stays in his system longer but he manages to stay in the 300s more often. IF anyone has any that would be great and a blessing!
Click to expand...

I just found VetRxDirect.com. They have the single pens for $106 and 10% off if you sign up for their newsletter. I can't find anyone in town that will break a box of 5 for me, so this is the best option. They will call my vet and get the prescription info then ship overnight and refrigerated.
 
I have lantus solostar pens. Single or box however you want . It comes 5 per box.



Thread closed by Moderator.
Lantus for Sale posts have been moved to the appropriate forum: Supply Closet.
 
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