Hello..new to Lantus..first shot due this eve

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George&Bert

George&Bert

Member Since 2009
Hi everyone. I have been on FDMB for years as my guy "Bert" (GA) was on PZI for quite awhile. He eventually soccombed to a always deadly form of cancer and not diabetes. I did home test and do have the Lifescan meter.
So, here I am with another sugarcat a former feral who is now four years old. The vet said to give him Glargine at 1.0 units BID using a u100 syringe.
I have the insulin and syringes have a 30 gauge x 1/2 long needle.

I used to "scruff shoot" and now guess I have to flank shoot with a cat that is running from me.
I should explain that he has been poked and prodded for eight weeks by a vet who misdiagnosed him. He has had a bad UR infection he can't shake so I took him to a new vet, thank goodness.

Questions...
I used to roll PZI gently before using to mix it. Is that required of Lantus?
Is it okay to sit in the syringe for fifteen minutes before injection to warm it up?
Any advice?

Thanks from me and Andre"

The Tuxedo in the bottom pic is Bert (GA) and the Orange and WHITE IS BABY (GA) WHO HAD TO BE PUT TO REST TWO WEEKS AGO
 
Hi there and welcome !

No rolling with Lantus - it's kinda fussy .
here are instructions on proper handling.

Regarding letting it sit out for 15 min - I think it would be OK, however if you just hold the syringe between you fingers that should take the edge off the cold.

What was Berts BG at diagnosis?
 
George&Bert said:
Hi everyone. I have been on FDMB for years as my guy "Bert" (GA) was on PZI for quite awhile. He eventually soccombed to a always deadly form of cancer and not diabetes. I did home test and do have the Lifescan meter.
So, here I am with another sugarcat a former feral who is now four years old. The vet said to give him Glargine at 1.0 units BID using a u100 syringe.
I have the insulin and syringes have a 30 gauge x 1/2 long needle.

I used to "scruff shoot" and now guess I have to flank shoot with a cat that is running from me.
I should explain that he has been poked and prodded for eight weeks by a vet who misdiagnosed him. He has had a bad UR infection he can't shake so I took him to a new vet, thank goodness.

Questions...
I used to roll PZI gently before using to mix it. Is that required of Lantus?
Is it okay to sit in the syringe for fifteen minutes before injection to warm it up?
Any advice?

Thanks from me and Andre"

The Tuxedo in the bottom pic is Bert (GA) and the Orange and WHITE IS BABY (GA) WHO HAD TO BE PUT TO REST TWO WEEKS AGO
Click to expand...

Hey there! Welcome!

No rolling the Lantus and no need to shoot flank... not sure why you think that - is that what the latest vet said to do? Scruff is just fine, and you may find the flank can hurt or the cat won't like it, and you don't want to start out doing something the cat does not like!

Some people take out the insulin and let it sit for 15min, but I am sure that 15min in the syringe would not be a problem. It's not a good idea to pre-load syringes for much later times, though.

What's the vet having you do to treat the URI?
 
Welcome to Lantus Land!

I think Sandy meant to ask what Andre's BG was at diagnosis. Were there any other medical issues -- aside from his being misdiagnosed? No shaking, rolling, or allowing Andre to use your Lantus as a hockey puck. It's a relatively fragile insulin. Also, do not inject air back into the pen (if you're using a pen vs. a vial).

There is a huge (overwhelming, really) amount of information in the starred, sticky notes at the top of the Board. I'd suggest starting with the New to the Group and the Tight Regulation stickies.

The most challenging part of this adventure, since you're a seasoned hand at testing and shooting, is going to be wrapping your head around the differences between Lantus and PZI.
  • dosing is based on the nadir and not on pre-shot values
  • there are no sliding dose scales -- Lantus likes consistency so the dose is the dose unless there's a drop below 50 in which case the dose is reduced.
  • doses are increased initially after 5 - 7 days and thereafter, the wait is 3 days (6 cycles)
  • doses are typically changed in increments of 0.25u. Having syringes that are in half unit increments will help
  • it's important to test before each shot and to get at minimum, one spot check during the AM and PM cycle whenever possible
  • with Lantus, the effects of the doses are cumulative and there is overlap between shots. This gives Lantus its duration.
  • it is also a depot-type of medication. There is information about this in one of the stickies.

If you want to get a spreadsheet set up, the instructions can be found in the Tech Support forum.

Please let us know if you have questions or how we can help. This is an incredible group who are more than generous with their time and their knowledge.
 
Hi George!

It's funny, I was just thinking of you the other day and wondered how you and Bert were making out. I'm so sorry that you lost your sweet boy. I know you did everything possible for him. I'm also sorry you just lost Baby too. My heart goes out to you. You are a saint with your kitties.

Fly Free Bert and Baby

Glad to see you're on the lantus board with your newest diabetic. I had great luck with it and my cat Sara [GA] You've gotten spot on advice already so I'll just add welcome aboard.

Nice to see you again.
jan
 
Welcome, George and Andre! I'm pretty new here so I will just welcome you to LL dancing_cat

I am sure that Andre will be calming down and enjoying his new, stable home very soon! You are very kind to care for these FD kitties. I'm sorry to hear about your GAs. I hope that Andre will bring you lots of cuddles in the meantime!
 
Hi George and Andre,
Welcome to the group! Lantus is a lot different from PZI (my GA kitty, Stu, had been on PZI Vet for 4 years before switching to Lantus when PZI Vet was discontinued), the most important differences, as Sienne said, are that it likes consistency (a 12/12 schedule), doesn't like to be rolled or shook up, and dosing is based on the nadir, not the pre-shot. I have never found, either with Stu or with Rusty, that insulin fresh from the 'fridge bothered the kitty. If you're worried, just hold the syringe in your hand for a minute or so before shooting. Definitely shoot in the scruff (or on the side, behind the shoulder). As Gayle has said, most kitties hate being shot in the flank. You will certainly want to get syringes with 1/2-unit markings, because we make changes in dose by 0.25 of a unit. Most of us use the shorter needle (5/16th inch). This is the syringe I like and American Diabetes Wholesale (click on "Shop" on the FDMB) has excellent prices:
http://www.americandiabeteswholesale.com/product/monoject-syringe-31g-310cc-100bx-case-of-3_3360.htm

I am very sorry that you lost Bert and Baby. I hope that Andre will bring you much joy.

Ella & Rusty
 
hi George! want to add my welcome to you and Andre! you sound like a wonderful bean - and i love the pics of Bert & Baby. i'm sorry you just lost Baby - we know how hard that is. sounds like Andre found a good home.

you've had lots of good info, so i'll just say hi and please feel free to ask questions. there's usually someone here and we'll try to help you make the change-over to lantus as easy as possible. 1.0 unit is a typical starting dose, although there is a formula for an exact dose based upon the BG at diagnosis (which is no doubt why Sandy asked) and Andre's weight. either way is ok to begin.

we shoot in the scruff. you just want to move it around and try to not shoot in the exact spot over and over.

good to meet you!
 
Thank you everyone for saying hello and offering good advice. It is well appreciated.

I gave Andre his first shot last eve without incident. It is the antibiotics he is on he hates..Orbax and Clindamycin.

I did shoot the Scruff. With Bert I would hold the scuff for and aft and shoo from the side and then hold it right to let and shoot the back and the same but shoot from the front with him facing me. I think I will do that system with Andre'.

I have lost a few along the way, two I have mentioned here, but I lost Bert's sister AJ two weeks ago to cancer. She was the life of the party and her absence is greatly noticed...to quite around here now. I am down to twenty little ones. Nine in the house and eleven in my mini shelter.

Just two years ago when I had trapped and fixed Andre he would have bit my finger off if I touched him. I had to add him to my family because he was under threat. Now, he purrs his way the whole time at the vets.

He is quite a guy. He is still very sick as he was misdiagnosed by my "now" former vet for two months before I threw in the towel.

Hi Jan! It is so nice to hear from you! I think about you often and I'm sorry we lost touch. Things have just been crazy.

My best to all of you and I am glad and relieved I have an FDMB family to rely on for support and knowledge.

Have a happy day everyone.
 
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