Is it better to use old/pooped out insulin than none at all?

[Sushi (GA 5/05-3/14)]

Hi!
I've had quite the saga today with trying to get our Lantus refilled. Around 4pm, I spent an hour Wal-Mart gathering supplies and waiting in a LONG line (is it just my area or is Wal-Mart a total zoo!?). I finally arrived at the counter to discover my vet still hadn't called in our insulin prescription. A prescription I requested at 12:30 and was assured would be ready this afternoon!! After several phone calls to my vet, and 10 (yes, 10!) calls to the Wal-Mart pharmacy, I still don't have an insulin refill. I think I can squeeze one more dose out of this pooped out bottle for tonight (even though we're 2 hours late), but what about the morning? I have a bottle with an expiration date of 7/12 that I started using in January and began pooping out in May.
Is it better to use old/pooped out insulin than none at all?

 

[Carl & Polly & Bob (GA)]

Re: Is it better to use old/pooped out insulin than none at

lol, I saw your question and linked the thread from health to here!
You were a minute ahead of me.
Carl

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

Re: Is it better to use old/pooped out insulin than none at

There's no "right" answer to your question. Old insulin may give you inconsistent results. From that perspective something is better than nothing but, and this is a BIG but, without any of Sushi's BG test data, I'm not terribly comfortable making suggestions.

If you shoot tonight, your AM shot time is 12 hours from whenever you shoot. That may give you enough time to pick up more insulin.

Not to be a pain in the neck but if your insulin was beginning to go bad in May, why have you waited this long to get more?

 

[Sushi (GA 5/05-3/14)]

Re: Is it better to use old/pooped out insulin than none at

lol, I saw your question and linked the thread from health to here!
You were a minute ahead of me.
Carl

;-) I just might be getting the hang of this thing!

If you shoot tonight, your AM shot time is 12 hours from whenever you shoot. That may give you enough time to pick up more insulin.

True...if my vet will decide he's on my team by then. :roll:

Not to be a pain in the neck but if your insulin was beginning to go bad in May, why have you waited this long to get more?

Not being a pain in the neck--very good point! It's an old bottle that I held on to; now I'm kind of glad I did!

 

[Carl & Polly & Bob (GA)]

Re: Is it better to use old/pooped out insulin than none at

There's no "right" answer to your question. Old insulin may give you inconsistent results. From that perspective something is better than nothing but, and this is a BIG but, without any of Sushi's BG test data, I'm not terribly comfortable making suggestions.

If you shoot tonight, your AM shot time is 12 hours from whenever you shoot. That may give you enough time to pick up more insulin.

Not to be a pain in the neck but if your insulin was beginning to go bad in May, why have you waited this long to get more?

She just joined the board yesterday. From her post in health yesterday, (which I think you posted in early on before more of the details were posted), her Sushi is in pretty bad shape. She's shooting 6u lantus BID, and has not been home testing due to multiple reasons. Now she's found out about the FDMB protocols, and she's doing her best to get on board with all of it (getting a meter, strips, new scrip for lantus, etc). She's got one good dose left, then an older vial of lantus, and from the way her vet/patient relationship sounds, it's doubtful she'll get new insulin before her AMPS. Please help if possible.

viewtopic.php?f=28&t=48973

Thanks,
Carl

 

[Christie & Willie (GA)]

Re: Is it better to use old/pooped out insulin than none at

Sienne-- from her posts in health, it looks like she hasn't been using the bottle that started wonking out in May, but rather she had gotten a new one at that time, which is the one that is almost empty. She had just held onto the one from May.

Sushi's mom-- see my post in Health!