How much is one unit

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

MrRipley & Rick

Member
Started on Lantus today. Posted our story in the Lantus Forum. Is one unit really that small. Barely a drop. Just one little mark on a 1/3rd cc Syringe. u-100 syringes. I was expecting it to be more.

Rick
 
Well that kind of depends on if your syringes have half unit marks or not on them if your syringes look like this.



The first line at the very bottom of the syringe is the zero line (closest to the needle)
Then the first line as you are looking at the picture is your 0.5u line and the first line at the top as you are looking at the picture is your 1u mark.

If your syringes don't have half unit marks then again the very first line closest to the needle is the zero line and the next line above that is the 1u mark.

Either way no 1u isn't a whole lot of insulin.

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang
 

Attachments

  • 02260024_1.jpg
    02260024_1.jpg
    33 KB · Views: 1,429
One unit does look quite small, but then our kitty's body mass is quite small compared to us too! Shame on your vet for not going over everything clearly with you so you knew exactly what your dose looked like, it could be dangerous. Good luck to you and your kitty on starting Lantus!
 
U-100 insulins have 100 units in 1 milliliter (mL)

A 1 mL syringe is a narrow barrel syringe, so you can see the markings slightly spread out on it (well, you can if your vision is half decent or you use magnifying glasses!)

This is why you want the syringes with half units - it can be difficult to measure such small amounts!

And measure 0.25 units is always your best guess. You eyeball it from the same side of the lines and try to split the differenc.
 
Vet went over things very well. I had no reason to doubt him. He set me up well, with the tiny syringes with half unit markings. It just seemed like such a tiny amount. Couple days in now, and I'm starting to do some spot tests. Ripley is acting fine. I'll increase the frequency of tests, as we get more into the first week. I expect we will need to increase the dose, but feel it's early to do so now.

So far - So good, I'd say.
 
Lantus is dosed with the exact same amount every 12 hours.
Lantus is a depot insulin and has carryover into the next 12 hour period.
This means successive doses accumulate.
Therefore, dose changes should be made slowly and carefully.
There is a safe protocol for dose adjustments posted in the Lantus forums.
Adjustments for changing dose times are no more than 30 minutes total, in 1 day.

For safety, test times should always include before you give insulin.
This is so you know it is safe to give it.
For new users, we recommend you do not shoot below 200.

Additional tests around the expected nadir, or low point, help identify if the dose is too high.
This is usually about +5 - +7 hours after the shot.
If your cat tests below 50 during this expected low period, he has earned a dose reduction.
Please read How to treat HYPOS - THEY CAN KILL! Print this Out!!

Once you have about 5-7 days at the exact same dose, every 12 hours, you can do a curve. This is when you take 12 hours and test from pre-shot to preshot, evey 2 hours for a full curve, or every 3 hours for 'mini' curve.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top