How long has your Lantus vial lasted?

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lovey11

Member Since 2013
Good morning. I have been using my vial for about 2 months now. Just curious, how long others get from a 10ml vial.

I hear people mentioning Lantus pens and I read the sticky on handling insulin. I noticed a few types of pens. Do you refrigerate the pens? How do you use them? I have a prescription for a vial so I would need to get one for the pen?

Are pens cheaper?
 
I believe you have to have a prescription that says it is for pens if you want to get them. I've heard people say their vials have lasted 5 or 6 months. Furball's first vial lasted me almost a year. If you take care of it, keep it cold, don't shake it, it can last a long time. Just watch for floaties (little particles) in the insulin. If you see them, you need to replace the vial.
 
My Lantus vials have lasted for 6 months. In addition to particles, get a new one if it becomes cloudy or if you notice an increase in your cat's numbers (which is how I discovered it went bad).

I'm currently using the Lantus Solostar pens. Some of the other people have been able to purchase them individually; I have not found a pharmacy willing to break up a box, so I have to purchase 5 pens at a time. So far, they are working well. You keep them refrigerated and use them the same way you would a vial (with your U-100 syringes).

You will need to get a new prescription.
 
Thank you so much for your information Carla and Hannah Bell's mom. I don't think I know your first name. Heidi? Have a great Saturday.
 
I have been using my refrigerated Lantus for 4 months with no issues (works great)! We are now on our OTJ trial so who knows how much longer the Lantus will last. Someone on this site told me that when the Lantus goes bad, the BG numbers don't just increase, they jump around in a crazy way.
 
I hope you never have to use that Lantus. Congratulations on your OTJ trial. That is wonderful! Many of those OTJ kitties started with those beautiful consistent blue and green spreadsheets like Mr. Cat's.
 
watch the video on how to draw from the pen as opposed to the vial - it's on the new to the group sticky about 1/2way down. you don't want to inject air into the pen or see-saw the insulin back and forth from the syringe-pen-syringe-pen. we always used up our vials before they went bad, but punkin was a high dose kitty.
 
Thanks Julie. I watched the video today again. Nice kitchen... I am going to look into the pen next. Thank you.
 
hehe we'd just gotten done with having it remodeled when i did the video. you shoulda seen it before! :lol: 1965 in all of it's glory!

i bought 4 or 5 boxes of pens off of craigslist last year for about $250ish, if i remember correctly. which is the retail cost of 1 box, approximately. the woman selling them - her dad had been diabetic and had passed away. they were within the expiration date and had been kept refrigerated. i had no problems with them. i think it's a good option if you feel confident they were taken care of appropriately. the boxes are sealed so you would know if they'd been tinkered with.
 
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