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Lantus: spotted a trend.

If all the conditions remain constant, then your thinking about membrane puncture and air contamination seem very likely.

In which case there is nothing you can do about it - except adjust dose to compensate - but what an inconvenience.

I must say, I am impressed with your systematic observation and analysis. There must be many out there who put the BG rise to 'life'.
 
A quick question for you. How long does it take you to get halfway down a cartridge? Many of us who have used lantus in Phials with a syringe found that even in a phial it was shot after 18-21 days.
 
Actually this problem isn't just confined to Lantus I have found over the past 6 months that the last 70-100mls of my Insulatard cartridge is losing potency, whilst I don't leave the needle attached it still goes weaker, I used to up the dose to counter the lose of potency but now I must admit to binning it as I found it could cause hypo symptoms if not a full blown hypo, one other thing I have noticed is that the colour changes from a milky white to a milky grey,
 
I definitely noticed the same issue with Levemir - 20 days max. Apidra is even worse - get rid after 15 days. I've not noticed the same with Tresiba yet and Insuman Basal definitely did not have the problem.

Personally I just chuck out what's left every two weeks now and start fresh cartridges. It seems wasteful, but it's not worth using insulin that has lost its potency.

Smidge
 
RuthW said:
So we need a Campaign for Smaller Cartridges!
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What? Like when our novopens used 1.5ml carts you mean?

Taking that one step further.... After the introduction of MDI and dafne, were pen sizes moved to 3 ml because people thought they could eat whatever they wanted and insulin doses went up?
 
tim2000s said:
A quick question for you. How long does it take you to get halfway down a cartridge? Many of us who have used lantus in Phials with a syringe found that even in a phial it was shot after 18-21 days.
Click to expand...

Good question Tim. Thanks for asking. I can tell you exactly when I changed to a new cartridge.. Friday the 5th of June.. I'm around the half way mark now. & the potency has started to slip.
Just to reiterate. Pen? Check. Insulin storage temp? Check. Cartridge condition? Check. (No cracks or obstructions.)

Just covering all bases to make sure I haven't missed anything...
 
tim2000s said:
What? Like when our novopens used 1.5ml carts you mean?

Taking that one step further.... After the introduction of MDI and dafne, were pen sizes moved to 3 ml because people thought they could eat whatever they wanted and insulin doses went up?
Click to expand...

Lol. I was sold MDI in 1989? on the idea I could eat whenever I want due to my "irregular lifestyle" at the time. (I was in a Surrey dance/performing arts school.)
 
Jaylee said:
Lol. I was sold MDI in 1989? on the idea I could eat whenever I want due to my "irregular lifestyle" at the time. (I was in a Surrey dance/performing arts school.)
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Was it that far back @Jaylee
 
noblehead said:
Was it that far back @Jaylee
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Yep, plastic "windows 95" OS running computer case coloured pens that were flat sided & the only difference you could tell from the basal bolus (apart from removing the cap.) was a removable colour code strip (yellow for Actrapid & green for insulatard.) on the cartridge box that could be stuck to the side of the corresponding pen!

Those were the days.. I had a dancer sit on my bolus pen the first week I got issued...
 
robert72 said:
I got my first NovoPen around 1989 when I switched to Actrapid and MDI. Still had syringes and vials for insulatard though.
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Clueless when I got my first pen and changed to MDI Rob, it was probably around the same time as you and Jaylee.
 
I went to MDI somewhere around 1992. Actrapid and Protophane.
 
Yes, I've noticed by 21 days my Novorapid really doesn't cut the mustard any more. Into the bin with it.
 

Yep. A waste. But it would narrow down managment consistency with BS control.. One less "variable" out of the mix.
 
LucySW said:
Yes, I've noticed by 21 days my Novorapid really doesn't cut the mustard any more. Into the bin with it.
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I nominally get about 15 days out of a novorapid cart but I have found that the last couple are often not so effective.
 
This is really interesting post and something i will be keeping track of from now on (thought it was in my head).

I take 12 units Levimer a day so takes me a while to get through a pen and it definitely becomes less effective the older it is.

Thanks
 
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