Wrong needle, fur shot?

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milfordcollector

milfordcollector

Member Since 2012
Afternoon everyone! After educating myself on syringes I believe Walmart gave me the incorrect syringe(don't need RX for supplies) Sabrina is on Lantus, 1 unit every 12 hrs. I found out the ReliOn needles I got were U-100 1cc & my vet specified 3/10cc. It has been very hard to try to get correct measurement......Please let me know if I'm correct in assuming a 1cc measures in 2u increments, whereas if I got the 3/10cc it would be measured in either 1/2 or 1u increments? I do have to go out this afternoon & check with my local store. Also Sabrina's +6 BG post was 278.....could I have possibly given her a fur shot :?: (newbie @ this!) I gave her the AM shot @ 6:30.....I'm going out to dinner tonight & will be gone for approx. 2 hrs...is it ok to give her PM shot @ 6:00 or do I wait til we get home? confused_cat Thank you everyone, Cindy & Sabrina cat_pet_icon
 
The 1 CC syringes only have marking every two units.
You can get the 3/10 CC syringes with either one-unit marking or 1/2-unit markings. You may have to get them to order the ones with 1/2-unit markings.
 
yes they gave you the wrong syringes - take them back and ask for the U100 syringes with 3/10 cc with 1/2 unit increments - you fill find that the 1/2 unit will come in very handy.
 
BG too high

Thank you for the info.....another question :? I just got another BG reading 10 minutes ago & it shot up to 370 from 278 @ 12:30 PM.....Do I wait til 6:00 to give pm shot(think I gave Sabrina a fur shot this am) or go fo it now? very confused at this point
 
Hi and Welcome! :-D

As to the potential fur shot, more than likely, she got the shot, especially if her numbers went down. Either way, with fur shots, it's always better to never give another shot than be mistaken and give too much insulin.

milfordcollector said:
Thank you for the info.....another question :? I just got another BG reading 10 minutes ago & it shot up to 370 from 278 @ 12:30 PM.....Do I wait til 6:00 to give pm shot(think I gave Sabrina a fur shot this am) or go fo it now? very confused at this point
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Yes, you wait. Lantus works best given 12 hours apart with no more than a half-hour variance a day or a 15 minute difference per shot. How long has she been on insulin?

The way Lantus usually works is along a "curve," where the highest numbers are generally the pre-shot numbers and the lowest numbers (nadir) are in the middle between shots (usually +5 to +7 hours after a shot has been given).

Example of a typical Lantus curve:
+0 - PreShot number.
+1 - Usually higher than PreShot number because of the last shot wearing off. May see a food spike in this number.
+2 - Often similar to the PreShot number.
+3 - Lower than the PreShot number, onset has started.
+4 - Lower.
+5 - Lower.
+6 - Nadir/Peak (the lowest number of cycle).
+7 - Surf (hang around the nadir number).
+8 - Slight rise.
+9 - Slight rise.
+10 - Rising.
+11 - Rising (may dip around +10 or +11).
+12 - PreShot number.
Click to expand...

It does take some time to settle into a new dose and to find the right dose, so don't expect the numbers to be perfect right away. Something to keep in mind is that "It's more of a marathon than a sprint" so you might see some high numbers in the first few days, weeks, or even months. If you check out Michelangelo's spreadsheet, you can see that these numbers are not too unusual. The goal is to eventually get them into the 100-180 range, but it takes time. Are you testing Sabrina's urine for ketones, just in case?

When the numbers go back up, there are numerous factors to cause this: it can be because the insulin is starting to wane (the +7 to +12 time-frame) or because of food or stress or infection or.... In your case, since it was past her nadir, it's most likely from the insulin or food.

What are you feeding her, by the way? The best chance at regulation and/or remission is a low carb (under 10%), wet food diet.
 
Yes, a 1 cc insulin syringes has markings for every 2 units:

InsulinNOsplit100.jpg


There are a few brands of 1 cc insulin syringes that do have markings for every single unit but it's really hard to measure insulin because the lines are so close together.

If the vet wrote the prescription for 3/10cc insulin syringes and the pharmacist gave you the wrong ones, you should be able to take the box back and get the correct ones.

A 3/10 cc insulin syringe either has whole unit markings or half unit markings:

resource.aspx
 
Hi there!
With Lantus you need to shoot every 12 hours so you were correct to wait - consistency is key.

Can i suggest/request you come over and start posting instead in the Lantus forum? There are experts there who will look at your results every day and advise and answer your questions. Ideally you post an update every day. For example todays would look like this

subject : (?) 1/17 Sabrina AMPS 266 + 6 278 + 9 370 PMPS 373
Reply : Today sabrina was behaving happy and purry although she was peeing a lot. I didnt have such a good day as walmart gave me the wrong syringes.... Question - is it ok to give her PM shot @ 6:00 or do I wait til we get home? .... and a link to yesterdays condo/post (we call each daily post a "condo")

Wendy
 
Morning Everyone! I did go back to Walmart yesterday & got the 3/10cc syringes with the 1/2 markings. Walmart told me they would not let me return the 1cc but I'm going to push them cause I bought 100 & used 1 pkg....all the rest are unopened :YMSIGH: Sabrina has only been on insulin since this past Tuesday so I'll do a curve, 1 wk or 10 days? I am feeding her Fancy Feast Classics & letting her graze during the day....Hopefully when she's a bit more regulated she won't be so ravenous! I''ll go on the Lantus site later today & set up her info there. Please let me know if everyone can access her Profle & SS...took me a while to navigate through the technical stuff, but I think it's posted correctly now. Thank you for all your help! Cindy & Sabrina :RAHCAT
 
Oh one more thing

I have not tested for ketones yet.....any suggestions on how to collect the urine? Sabrina is skittish & runs if anyone comes near her litterbox, which is in our laundry room & has a door I can close if need be. What about meters which test the ketones like a BG meter? Are they expensive, better to try the urine ketostix? Again another challenge :dizcat
 
Just a suggestion from a serious newbee, I have no trouble getting a urine test from Lucian as long as I wait till he is in process of peeing. He can't just shut it off, so I stick the strip under him and Viola'! Tested. Be sure to wait exactly 15 seconds for correct reading, over 15 it will darken a little, ignore that. Catching the urine in something would probably be a good idea though if you need to test multiple times, like for a high reading you weren't expecting. So far, it's worked for me. Like I said, I know nothing but got this part even if it's the ONLY thing I have managed to get right. I'm also lucky, cause Lucian pees with his back to the door of the little box, so he never sees me coming! :-D
 
I can see the profile - looks good although some photos would be nice!

Here is some info on ketones and testing - http://www.felinediabetes.com/phorum5/read.php?8,1299632 Although most people here just use the strips instead of the meter.

Some people here also use aquarium gravel instead of litter cos it isnt absorbent (need to wash and rinse it before using)
Temporarily replace the regular litter with fish tank gravel. After the cat has used the box, tip the box to pool up the urine into a corner, and dip the test strip into that. Make sure to use a clean litter box. Litter residue will affect the test strip reading.
Click to expand...

Give Walmart a talking too. its their fault they gave you the wrong ones, and anyway I dont know about where you are, but mine sell them in the baggies (one box has 10 baggies of 10) as well!

Will be watching for you on the Lantus forum!
 
For future purchases of insulin syringes from the pharmacy, make sure to check the box to be sure that they are the correct ones you need before you pay for them.

I would do a curve in a week. Lantus takes a couple of days to "build a shed". There's a sticky that explains this on the Lantus board.
 
I once got some defective syringes (all the lines were blurry) from Wally World and had trouble returning them. Their policy is that medical stuff like syringes are not returnable.
 
Afternoon Sugar Kitty parents

:dizcat Afternoon! first off, to all my new friends on FDMB........you're asking a bit too much :-D to have me post pictures right now(reminder I'm technologically impaired!!!~) I just got home a little while ago...went to Walmart & was told it's a federal law? that diabetic supplies can not be returned. Let' just flush 13.00 down the drain unless someone in our forum could use U-100 1cc syringes with a 31 needle.....any takers let me know, I have 90(9 pkgs) ReliOn to donate.....just pay shipping. Tonight or tomorrow I'm going to try to post on the Lantus forum(no promises!!!!!), but I promise by Monday haha_smiley Have a wonderful weekend everyone! Cindy & Sabrina :RAHCAT
 
You may want to post this on the High Dose forum and supply closet to see if there is anyone there that could use them. The high dose kitties would be the only ones that may be able to use them.

Another thought is to see if you can donate them to a person who uses insulin and could use them. Maybe there is a people diabetes group you can contact.
 
Thanks for the advice

I'll go on the other forums & post supplies......also contact some local physicians & such to see if someone can use them......Thanks for the suggestions :razz: Cindy & Sabrina
 
I think if the profile is a Word doc you can just go.. File, insert picture to add a photo.. but ECID ( and in this case it means every computer is different!)
 
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