as to the "fragile" nature of lantus and it's shelf life once opened... lantus is not as fragile as once thought and were led to believe.
when the "handling" suggestions in the
STICKY: LANTUS & LEVEMIR - INFO, PROPER HANDLING, & STORAGE are followed, an open vial/cartridge/pen of lantus has been known to last for six months.
PROPER HANDLING OF LANTUS and LEVEMIR
* Lantus and Levemir should be inspected visually prior to administration and should be used only if it appears clear and colorless.
* Never shake or roll your vial, cartridge, or pen.
* In-use and unopened Lantus and Levemir should be stored in the refrigerator between 36 to 46 degrees F (2 to 8 degrees C).
Be careful your refrigerator is not so cold that the insulin freezes. Do NOT use Lantus or Levemir if it has been frozen.
* Never reuse syringes. You'll run the risk of contaminating the whole vial/cartridge/pen.
* Do not inject air into vial and especially not cartridges or pens. Cartridges and pens are designed to work on a negative pressure principle.
* If you draw up too much insulin in the syringe... squirt excess either into the air dramatically like they do on TV or into a paper towel... anywhere but back into vial/cartridge/pen. There is a silicon coating inside the syringe. It can contaminate the insulin vial with silicon (this is probably what makes "floaties", it forms a white precipitate). Better to waste a drop than ruin whole vial, cartridge, or pen.
*
Pre-filling Syringes with Lantus (see page 3) is NOT recommended.
* Lantus and Levemir should not be diluted or mixed with any other insulins or liquids.
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR INSULIN IS NO LONGER GOOD?
* When you lose regulation for no reason.
* If you see any hint of "floaties"/"tiny particles"... discard the insulin.
* If insulin is cloudy or discolored, or if rubber stopper is cracked... replace insulin immediately.
* The manufacturer of Lantus recommends discarding the insulin after 28 days of use.
However, many Lantus users have been able to use a vial/cartridge/pen for as long as six months.
* The manufacturer of Levemir recommends discarding the insulin after 42 days of use.
Many Levemir users have been able to use a vial/pen for six months. However, many Levemir FlexPen users do toss the pen when the insulin gets down to about the "12" mark on the FlexPen.
hope this helps...