Lantus pen arriving today

Hi Oscar’s lantus pen should arrive today along with his new syringes. I am used to Prozinc and vials.

can someone instruct me the correct way to get insulin from the pen.

 

This sticky on the board is a great resource for this! It has both pictures and videos on how to go about it.

https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/thr...info-proper-handling-drawing-fine-dosing.151/

 

I watched it….how difficult is it to get the dose correct on the first try so I am not shooting half the insulin into the sink?

 

Hello and welcome to LLB forum. When you've got the time, take a read through all the Sticky Notes. Lots in there, you will find yourself reading them more than once.

I always drew about 0.5 unit extra in the syringe, to account for bubbles. Turn the syringe needle side up, draw down to make a bigger bubble at top, then tap so the little bubbles join the big one up top. Then slowly twist the syringe, not push, to get out the air, then twist some more to get down to the dose you want. It takes a little practice, but also depends on what type of syringes you have, some are fussier than others or more prone to bubbles. Make sure you slide the syringe up and down a few times before withdrawing insulin, to spread the lubricant and make it easier to more the syringe.

 

I generally withdraw the insulin very slowly to help avoid bubbles, and you’ll get a feel for how much volume a bubble displaces. You might want to start with just half a unit extra and then see if you can scale down as you get more comfortable with the doses.

The most important “trick” for me (besides plunging up and down a couple times to lubricate the barrel) is to twist the plunger up to give more fine control than just pushing.

 

I will be using the pen. This is confusing since it said not to push the insulin back into the pen.

 

Don't push insulin back into the pen. Squirt the excess into the air.

 

I got that part about where to insert the needle. It was the part about withdrawing the insulin so as to get the right amount without wasting excess in the sink or too much goes in the sink and I have to start all over again.

I am so used to the vial where you can adjust the dose in and out if the syringe while it is still in the vial.

 

Once insulin is in the syringe, you aren't supposed to squirt it back into the vial either.

 

The Prozinc website has the lady telling you to pull the plunger past the recommended dose then pushing it back up to the exact dose the animal needs. (I was using Prozinc vial) . Also rolling the vial. I understand I am not to roll or shake the lantus pen.

 

That is correct. Keep it in the main part of the fridge in a glass or cup for support and don’t shake or roll.

 

Do I need to prime the pen even though I will use a syringe?

 

Nope!

 

Thought about that after I asked the question. Can’t prime with no pen tips needles. Can’t believe that chewy filled the pen prescription and sent no instructions.