Table of Contents
Is it safe to draw insulin from an insulin cartridge?
Drawing insulin out of a prefilled pen or cartridge cannot be recommended. Risks include dosing errors, which can lead to significant harm should this result in overdose of insulin. Users of prefilled pens and cartridges should always have a spare pen available in case one malfunctions.
What can you do with an empty Lantus pen?
Once the needle is removed, pen devices can be safely disposed of in household trash. These devices should not be recycled. Vials and Cartridges: Empty insulin vials and cartridges can be disposed of in household trash. Do not recycle these items.
Can Lantus be prefilled in syringes?
Aventis Pharmaceuticals does not recommend prefilling syringes with Lantus and storing for any period longer than needed for application.
Can out of date insulin hurt you?
Using insulin past the manufacturer’s expiration date can cause your blood glucose to be higher than expected if you stick to the same dosing you’ve been using all along. High blood sugar can cause symptoms like thirst, fatigue, blurry vision and a frequent need to urinate.
What insulins are rapid-acting?
Rapid-acting insulin (Novolog, Humalog, Apidra) begins to work almost as soon as you inject it and quickly leaves the body 2 to 4 hours later. You will typically inject a rapid-acting insulin right before a meal to keep your blood sugar from spiking too high after the meal.
How long can Lantus pen be unrefrigerated?
After its first use, don’t refrigerate the Lantus SoloStar pen. Keep it at room temperature only (below 86°F). After 28 days, throw your opened Lantus pen away—even if it still has insulin in it.
How do you know when an insulin pen is empty?
Press the injection button. You should see a drop of insulin on the tip of the pen. If you do not see a drop, change the needle and repeat this step. If you do not see a drop after you repeat this step 3 times, use a new pen.
Where do you inject Lantus insulin pens?
Lantus® may be injected in the abdomen, upper arm, or thigh. Remember to rotate injection sites. The abdomen is the preferred injection site for the AutoShield Duo. This location facilitates proper injection technique—such as keeping the pen at the proper 90 degree angle.
What do you do if your insulin pen doesn’t work?
If insulin still doesn’t come out, dial to 2 units and press the injection button once again. If insulin still doesn’t come out, put the outer needle cap back on the needle. Twist the needle off the insulin pen and put it in the sharps container. Put a new needle on the insulin pen and repeat steps 8 to 14.
How many times can you use a insulin pen needle?
Insulin pen needles should be used only once; they should be removed and discarded after an injection.
What happens if you don’t Prime insulin pen?
Priming your Pen means removing the air from the Needle and Cartridge that may collect during normal use and ensures that the Pen is working correctly. If you do not prime before each injection, you may get too much or too little insulin.
How do you draw up Lantus?
Inject air into the vial—Draw air into the syringe that is equal to your insulin dose. Put the needle through the rubber top of the vial and push the plunger to inject the air into the vial. Draw up the dose—Leave the syringe in the vial and turn both upside down. Hold the syringe and vial firmly in one hand.
Why is Lantus given at night?
Lantus is designed to give a steady level of insulin over 24 hours, even when you are not eating such as between meals and overnight. This helps keep blood glucose levels consistent during the day and at night.
What pen does Lantus cartridge use?
AllStar® is a reusable pen for the injection of insulin. AllStar® can only be used with Sanofi 3 mL (300 units) insulin cartridges (U-100) from Sanofi Group.
How do you know if Lantus is bad?
The first method is visual inspection. If your insulin looks cloudy or discolored in any way, don’t use it. If it has clumps or what look like little “strings” in it, it’s probably not safe to use. The second way to know your insulin is not working properly is unexplained high blood sugars, as mentioned above.
Should insulin pens be kept in the fridge?
Keep an insulin pen refrigerated until you open it; after that, you can store it at room temperature. Ask your doctor if your particular insulin has a shorter or longer lifespan. Some insulins must be used in as little as 10 days. If you suspect your insulin was ever frozen, you should not use it.
Do insulin pens need to be refrigerated?
Insulin pens only require refrigeration before their first use. After its initial use, simply keep your insulin pen out of direct sunlight and in room temperature. Insulin pens typically stay good for 7 to 28 days after the initial use, depending on the type of insulin they contain.
How fast does Lantus work?
Long-acting: It begins working around four hours after injection and it has the ability to work for up to 24 hours. These insulins do not peak but are steady throughout the day. Examples of long-acting insulin including glargine (Lantus) and detemir (Levemir).
Which insulin should never be mixed?
Some insulins, like glargine (Lantus®) and detemer (Levemir®), cannot be mixed. Other insulins (NovoLog 70/30®, Humalog 75/25®) are already a combination of two types of insulin and should not be mixed. Wash your hands with warm water and soap. Dry your hands.
What is the best time of day to take Lantus?
The package insert for Lantus states that it should be administered once daily at bedtime. However, this product does exhibit a relatively constant glucose-lowering profile over 24 hours, and therefore in theory, time of dosing should not matter if administered at the same time daily.
