Lynn and Kitten/ need help with drawing insulin

Status
Not open for further replies.
K

Katlyn

Member Since 2012
Hi all. How do u measure the insulin in the syringe. How do u line up the plunger with the mark on syringe. I also posted in the main forum. I make the plunger flush with the mark if u were looking at the suringe horizontally. My husband purs more insulin in where the top of the plunger is just under the mark. Also, Kitten is not herself. Is it ok to do insulin shot as long as she eats. She just had a good exam and bloodwork this past week. Dont know what is wrong. She is hiding in bathroom. She just does not want the pills and the inhalers and the shot anymore esp now that she is feeling some type of pain
Thanks for suggestions about the insulin
 
Hi Lynn,

Have you looked at the pictures of syringes in the Sticky "New to the Group"? (The informational "Stickies" are at the top of this forum; the information on dosing with pictures of syringes is toward the end of the Sticky.) Basically, what you have to know is that the first line at the top (needle end) of the syringe is the "zero" line. Be sure to get syringes with 1/2 unit markings. The line after the Zero line is the 1/2-unit line, the next line is the 1-unit line, etc. etc.

Here is my procedure for filling the syringe to the prescribed dose and getting any air bubbles out of the syringe.

1. work the plunger back and forth a few times to loosen it up.
2. push the plunger all the way in FORCEFULLY and hold it there.
3. still holding the plunger all the way in, invert the insulin vial or pen (hold it perpendicular to the ground) and insert the needle into the rubber gasket, ease up on the plunger, and SLOWLY draw out more insulin than you need. (Since your dose is 1.5 Units, I would suggest drawing out to the 2-unit mark.) Gently pull the syringe out of the vial.
4. with the tip of the needle over a paper towel, slowly TWIST the end of the plunger until the rubber stopper of the plunger arrives at your correct dose, 1.5 units. (Twisting is easier and more accurate than pushing).
5. give the shot.

The key here is step #2, forcefully holding the plunger all the way in. This minimizes air bubbles by expelling any air that might be hiding in the syringe.

Hope this helps.

Ella & Rusty
 
Ella, thankyou for taking the time to reply. First, your method of drawing insulin is also how I do it. I use the half mark needles. Second, The pics of the syringe in the sticky did not help me as they are doing.25 and .75 doses. I need to see a whole measurement. I can read the needle markings ,but my question is where to position the plunger. Some people do it differently. If I wanted 2 units say.. Does the tip of the plunger get positioned level to the mark or just under the mark.
Thanks.
 
Usually a full unit does is right on the line. The end of the black end of the plunger is on the top of the line and the backside of the black end is on the bottom of the line if you are holding the syringe upright. On the line and just below the line are two different doses. We would call just below the line a "skinny" dose.

The important thing is that you do it the same every time. Are Kitten's number better with one or the other? It's hard to say which is better for Kitten, but pick one way of measuring and stick w/ it. DH and I check w/ each other every time there is a dose change so we are both doing it the same.
 
Tess, thanks for the reply. I am still confused. Wouldn't that be a fat dose and not a skinny dose. If the plunger is just beneath the line, then that would be more insulin making it a fatty? No?
 
I agree: that would be a fat dose. ( I think Ann/Tess mistakenly wrote the wrong thing. Easy to do when there is so going on on the Board.)
This may not be the right time to introduce this "problem", but you should be aware that syringes of all brands are notoriously inaccurate with regard to the unit lines. It only becomes a real issue if you are giving very small doses. The reason the lines are often not exact is that the syringes are designed for human diabetics, who shoot much larger doses than we do. The discrepancies in the lines would not make much difference to a human diabetic. If all of this concerns you, you might consider using digital calipers to help get the dose more exact and therefore more uniform. Many of us use calipers. Here is a link to Marje's pictures of how to use them:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=79851&hilit=calipers

And here is a link to the brand we all use (which happens to be on sale at the moment):
http://www.harborfreight.com/4-inch-digital-caliper-47256.html


The calipers take a little practice, but they are super for getting a uniform dose. You don't have to use the lines on the syringe at all once you have determined your dose and have your calipers set and locked. You simply use the plastic "baseline", which is part of the body of the syringe.

Good luck,

Ella
 
Ella, thankyou very much. I am going to get calipers. I have no idea what they are but luckily my husband is good with that stuff. I really do not like my BD syringes. Half the box have crooked needles. I have to mark with a sharpie where the bevel is and now I have to slant it in the direction of the needle. Are the Relion needles better? Anyone have syringes that are consistent with quality. I pay over $30 for a box of 100 at Rite Aide after my AAA discount. I am not happy using crooked needles. Thanks!!!!
 
Hi again,

You can order syringes from American Diabetes Wholesale (see the ADW box at the top of the FDMB site; FDMB gets a rebate if you order using this box). The two brands that are most consistent are Terumo and Monoject. Both are reasonably priced. If you live in a state that requires a prescription for syringes, get your vet to phone one in (place your oder first: if they contact you about needing a prescription, you can then get the vet to phone it in). Then, each time you reorder, simply write in the "notes" box that your prescription is "on file." Get the 31-gauge, 3/10 cc (for 30 doses or less), 1/2 Unit markings, and the short needle (9 mm on the Terumo; 8 mm on the Monoject).

I use Terumo for a whole bunch of reasons, which I will not go into here; if you are interested you can search Terumo vs. Monoject on the Board. The Monojects have slightly bolder markings.

Ella

p.s. the $30 a box of 100 you are paying at your pharmacy is ridiculously high.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top