having a hard time understanding conversions :/

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NadjaAndSam

NadjaAndSam

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I saw the conversion list. My syringe box says 40u but the actual syring has 20 units.
I want to give 0.5u to my cat but the "To administer this amount
of U-40 insulin" has 0.60 and 0.80 and 1.0
"the Draw to this level in a U-100 syringe" says 1.0 40U is equivalent to 2.5 in 100u syringe is this right? I don't see 2.5 units in the 100u syringe only 10,20,30 and so on.
I'm confused!
 
20 units is the quantity the syringe will hold.

If you have u40 syringes, and you're using Prozinc u 40, just count the number of lines. There should be little hash marks for each (1) unit, and every 5 units is labeled (5, 10, 15, ...). .5 units is between the tip and the first little hash mark.

You DO NOT use the conversion chart UNLESS you're using syringes labeled U100. I'm pretty sure this is standard, regardless of what brand syringe you're using: U100s have orange caps; U40s have red.

So based on what you've told us, you need to draw enough insulin to go halfway to the first little hash mark.
 
Ok. So your newly purchase syringes are u100s, but have unit markings of 10, 20, 30. Right? Are there hash marks between the numbers?
 
yes it has orange cap for the u-100, an my 40u has red cap/
between 10,20,30 etc it has 4 hash marks.
so 0.5u will be half of the first hash mark of the u100 syringe? it's barely nothing :/ is this right?
 
If the markings are 10, 20, etc and not 1.0, 2.0 then the hash marks would be 2,3,4,8u.

Using the conversion chart....the first column is what you want of u40 insulin (ProZinc/PZI). If you want to shoot .5u of u40 insulin, you find that in the first column. Since the first column is in .2u increments, look at .4u and .6u. The column next to those amounts shows 1.0 and 1.5, right? That means you would draw up insulin to be at those numbers on the u100 syringe to actually be shooting .4-.6u of u40 insulin.

Your syringes don't show 1 or 1.5 units (the ones they gave you hold a bunch of insulin - up to 100 units! Wowzer!). Your first hash mark is 2u of u100 insulin. If you find 2u of u100 in the second column on the conversion chart, you'll see that's equal to .8u of u40 insulin in the first column.

Have you opened the package of syringes? I mean exposed any of the syringes? If not, you could take them back and tell them you want u100 syringes for 3/10 mL or 1/2 cc - with 1/2 unit markings.

If you have opened them - you can still make them work ... just means having to eyeball the dose like you did with the u40s.
 
oh gosh I asked the girl behind the counter for the 3/10 mL but she didn't know what I was talking about so i thought i was the dumb one :sad:
Yes the box has been opened. so basically because I want to give him 0.5U it will be between 2nd and 4th hash, or better saying, saying each hash is increment of 2 it will be between the 1st and 2nd hash? but since I would have to eyeball it I think it's easier to eyeball my current 40U syringe :?
 
.5u of u40 insulin would be a bit past halfway between the needle and the first hash mark. As you have described the syringes you have, the first hash mark is 2 units of u100...which would be .8u of u40 insulin.
 
oh Ok so 0.5u on the 100u syringe it's between the needle and the 1st hash mark. it looks so small! I was comparing 0.5U on the 40u syringe against the 0.5 on the 100u syringe and it doesn't look like the same quantity :?
but I think I understood now :D
thanks!
 
The syringes should have different sized barrels - holding different amounts of insulin. I have 2 different types of u100 syringes (1/2 cc and 3/10cc). While they both have orange caps and half unit markings, the barrels are still different looking. :-D
 
if you search on this site for either "needles" or "syringe" you'll see one of the posts has some nice photos of the two different needles. The visual may help clarify it for you.
 
thank you everyone :]

I just tested Sam he is 65mg :? it's been 12 hrs since his 0.5U shot. I will skip his pm shot and he is eating right now, I also gave him some temptation treats.

Tomorrow morning should I give him 0.25u then? because it seems like 0.5U is too much for him :-|
 
thank you I just saw the pictures :mrgreen: so if I want to reduce Sam's dosage to 0.25 I have to get the 0.25 IU U-100 syringe type right?

I will have to skip Sam's shot tonight again because he tested very low. I'm giving him a gravy style cat food. Gosh I can't believe my vet wanted me to blind shoot him.
 
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