Need Information on Lantus SoloStar with Syringe

[AvalonWitch]

Hello everyone, my name is Ava.

I've been posting for a week now in the main health forum, but this request is really more Lantus specific so I thought I'd take a shot here. If it's not appropriate please let me know.

My parent's cat Shiro was Dx'd last-last week. It's been...a journey. At first they wanted to put him down, then they were only willing to change his diet (and by change his diet I mean make me do these things). Then they conceded to let me home test him and after a week of low-carb canned only food...his numbers were still in the mid 200's to low 400s! Obviously, a diet alone was not going to fix the situation. I finally convinced my parents to get him on insulin only for us to have an eventuall all-out-war with his current vet: they'd insisted hospitalized 3 day curve was necessary to get a script for insulin, when we started getting second opinions they decided to Rx a vial and say that only a one day curve was "necessary", then they lied about Lantus existing in pen form, then said it was not as effective as the "type" of insulin in the vial and were unsupportive about home testing. Needless to say, Shiro has an appointment with a new vet tomorrow evening.

However, while this vet is willing to learn - she has never heard of the lantus pen. She said that as long as it was the same insulin, it seemed good to her and she was willing to learn to use it with me. But i'm sure having some information (scientific of personal-experience) on hand would be beneficial. I've already linked her to the below:

Rhett and Rand's 2006 Study "INFORMATION ON USE OF GLARGINE IN DIABETIC CATS" (mentions using vials and pens.)
http://www.drjohnson.com/a_article_comp ... betes.html

Feline Diabetes Message Forum depicting using a vial, cartridge or pen with a syringe to draw Lantus):
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=151

(Same forum, discussion of handling Lantus including the use of pens)
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=64963&p=705633&hilit=SoloStar#p705633

Youtube Tutorials of this Method:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4KtK_skpmQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAm5VaXijZU

But i'd love to have more information. All things going well, i'll be posting my first AMPS on Saturday or Sunday!

 

[Julia & Bandit (GA)]

Check out this thread, also: http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=151

This article from the Information for diabetic management for Dogs and Cats from Queensland University also mentions pens: http://www.uq.edu.au/ccah/docs/diabetesinfo/link5.pdf

EDIT: Oops, I see you already got the first one. I can't imagine showing your vet what you already have and her saying no. Especially with the Rand study.

 

[mybuddybinks]

Welcome to Lantus Land, Ava & Shiro!

I posted this a few days back in your health thread, but want to say it again...
Shiro has surely found a guardian angel in you!

We're a crazy group here, but fun
Somehow, I'm sure you will fit right in! :lol:

celi & binks

 

[Sienne and Gabby (GA)]

FWIW, my vet didn't know about the pens, at first, either. You'd think with all of the TV ads for insulin that is now dispensed in the pens your vet would have caught on.

This is a link to the Lantus website. I linked you to the page on the Solostar pens.

 

[julie & punkin (ga)]

glad you found some info - punkin & i did the first video - i hadn't seen the second one before.

here's a coupon for your first pen too. http://www.lantus.com/solostar-insulin-pen/solostar-coupon.aspx perhaps if you print out the coupon and take it to the vet that would persuade them of the existence of The Pen! ;-)

a few places will sell you one pen at a time, which is a great idea, especially when you're starting out. there are some cats that go off of insulin fairly quickly if their diet is changed to canned low carb food and they are started on lantus. so one pen is a good start. We have a Sav-On pharmacy here that will sell one pen at a time for $43 - with the $25 off coupon, that makes your first pen $18. not too bad. some hospital pharmacies will sell one at a time, i've heard some Costcos will also. you'll have to do a search to find one, otherwise most everybody sells the boxes of 5 pens for a couple hundred-ish.

one little bit - because you're going to use syringes, you do not need to buy the pen needles that attach to the pens. you want syringes with 1/2 unit markings. most of us order those online - i couldn't find any locally, although some people have found them at walmart.

and welcome Ava & Shiro! we'll be glad to teach you what you need to know to help out shiro. ask a million questions!