How To Use The Lantus Solostar Pen
Please check the leaflet for the insulin for complete instructions on how to store SoloSTAR®. If your SoloSTAR® is in cool storage, take it out 1 to 2 hours before you inject to allow it to warm up. Cold insulin is more painful to inject. Keep SoloSTAR® out of the reach and sight of children. Keep your SoloSTAR® in cool storage until first use. Do not allow it to freeze. Do not put it next to the freezer compartment of your refrigerator, or next to a freezer pack. Once you take your SoloSTAR® out of cool storage, for use or as a spare, you can use it for up to 28 days. During this time it can be safely kept at room temperature up to 86°F . Do not use it after this time. SoloSTAR® in use must not be stored in a refrigerator. Do not use SoloSTAR® after the expiration date printed on the label of the pen or on the carton. Protect SoloSTAR® from light. Discard your used SoloSTAR® as required by your local authorities. Protect your SoloSTAR® from dust and dirt. You can clean the outside of your SoloSTAR® by wiping it with a damp cloth. Do not soak, wash, or lubricate the pen as this may damage it. Your SoloSTAR® is designed to work accurately and safely. It should be handled with care. Avoid situations where SoloSTAR® might be damaged. If you are concerned that your SoloSTAR® may be damaged, use a new one.Continue reading > >
Recent Developments In Insulin Pen Technology
We asked Bzowyckyj, Dr. Isaacs, and Joshua D. Miller, MD, about the latest developments in insulin pen technology. Among the answers they shared were:
- Disposable pens in 200 unit per mL and 300 unit per mL concentrations
- The ability to administer partial units for more highly customized doses
- Memory functions that allow users to keep track of when they took insulin
- A dose calculator that allows people to more accurately determine how much insulin they need in a given situation
- The ability to integrate CGM data into a pen
Heres a closer look at these developments.
Whats Fueling The Rapid Increase In Insulin Prices
There is no doubt that the prices of insulin have reached a tipping point where some people cant afford their medication. In a presentation for the ADA, Irl B. Hirsch, MD, explains that from 2013 to 2016, a vial of glargine insulin had a price increase of 593%, and a box of five insulin lispro pens rose 522%. During that time, inflation rose by only 8.3%. In 2014, drugmakers increased the price of insulin twice, each time for approximately 16%. That means insulin prices rose by over 30% in one year.
There isnt just one reason for the high cost of insulin. Pharmaceutical companies complain that pharmacy benefit managers administering prescription benefits for commercial insurance companies drive the cost up by requiring rebates to have their brand of insulin included in the insurance formulary. They claim their net price is lower than the list price. But the PBMs say its the pharmaceutical companies who set the list price.
Several factors keep insulin prices high:
Higher levels of competition would lower prices, increasing the affordability of insulin.
The rising cost of insulin has real-world consequences. A group in Minneapolis reportedly take a bus to Canada to purchase insulin at a fraction of the price as it sells for in the United States.
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How Much Does Insulin Cost Without Insurance In 2021
The cost of insulin has steadily increased over the past few years. This price rise is disproportionate to annual inflation. It poses a threat to people living with diabetes who cannot afford to pay for these increased prices but need insulin to survive. The retail price for insulin can be over $140 for a brand-name Humalog KwikPen however, patients can now pay about $60 for generic insulin such as lispro KwikPen.
MiraRx can help you access insulin for an affordable price. At $25 per month, you can access affordable urgent care visits, low-cost lab testing, virtual care, and more. .
Picking The Right Pen
Pens come in two basic types: disposable and reusable.
- Disposable pens are preloaded with insulin and are thrown away after the insulin cartridge is empty or the pen has been in use for 28 or 32 days .
- Reusable pens work with insulin cartridges that can be loaded into the pen and then tossed away once the insulin is used, leaving the pen ready for the next cartridge. Each pen only works with certain types of insulin, so keep that in mind as you browse pens.
Even though reusable pens are more expensive at first, replacement cartridges for reusable pens are cheaper than those for disposable, making them about the same price over the long term.
Another pen trait you may want to note when picking a pen is how it doses insulin. Some pens can dose in half-unit increments , while others dose in whole units. The maximum dosage of insulin that can be delivered at one time also varies among pens.
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Example #: Carbohydrate Coverage At A Meal
First, you have to calculate the carbohydrate coverage insulin dose using this formula:
CHO insulin dose = Total grams of CHO in the meal ÷ grams of CHO disposed by 1 unit of insulin .
For Example #1, assume:
- You are going to eat 60 grams of carbohydrate for lunch
- Your Insulin: CHO ratio is 1:10
To get the CHO insulin dose, plug the numbers into the formula:
CHO insulin dose =
- The carbohydrate coverage dose is 6 units of rapid acting insulin.
- The high blood sugar correction dose is 2 units of rapid acting insulin.
Now, add the two doses together to calculate your total meal dose.
Carbohydrate coverage dose + high sugar correction dose = 8 units total meal dose!
The total lunch insulin dose is 8 units of rapid acting insulin.
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Costs Of Insulin Pumps
Without insurance, a new insulin pump costs about $6,000 out of pocket, plus another $3,000 to $6,000 annually for ongoing supplies, like batteries and sensors. The cost varies depending on the features, software, brand, and size of the pump.
But youll also need to pay separately for the insulin delivered via the device, so the cost for using an insulin pump without good insurance coverage can be tremendous.
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How Much Insulin Is In A Lantus Solostar Pen
Lantus SoloStarpenpen
Simply so, how many units of insulin are in a pen?
300 units
One may also ask, does Lantus pen come with needles? Laura: The Lantus®SoloSTAR®pen can fit into your daily routine. It features small, thin needles, a large print dosing window, dial-in dose, and push-button injection.
Herein, how many ml is a insulin pen?
Each vial contains 5 ml of solution for injection, equivalent to 500 units, or 10 ml of solution for injection, equivalent to 1000 units. Each cartridge or pen contains 3 ml of solution for injection, equivalent to 300 units. *Insulin glargine is produced by recombinant DNA technology in Escherichia coli.
How much does Lantus insulin pen cost?
The cost for Lantus SoloStar subcutaneous solution is around $454 for a supply of 15 milliliters, depending on the pharmacy you visit. Prices are for cash paying customers only and are not valid with insurance plans.
Devices For Parenteral Administration
Insulin syringes: Disposable syringes can release silicon particles into the insulin vials, reducing the effectiveness of insulin . This can happen when insulin is injected back into the vial, during correction for the desired dose, and is specifically seen when low doses are used for long periods. Flocculation of insulin, found before the expiry date, may be related to this problem .
Insulin pens: Insulin pens are being increasingly used for intensive insulin therapy. For low doses, pens are more accurate than syringes . In 48 children and adolescents pen devices were more accurate than syringes when under 5 U of insulin had to be injected for higher doses pens and syringes were comparable .
Long-acting isophane insulin in pens can be insufficiently resuspended before an injection, resulting in a great variation in the dose of insulin per injection in one study isophane content ranged from 5% to 214% . Only 10% of 109 patients tipped and rolled the pen more than 10 times. There was no relation between inadequate suspension and the number of attacks of hypoglycemia. It was mechanically proven that 20 cycles are necessary for good suspension. After education, suspension errors were less common in 80% of the patients. They had fewer attacks of hypoglycemia, but HbA1c did not change.
Neil J. Press, … Peter Ertl, in, 2019
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Why Do I Need To Take Insulin
All people who have type 1 diabetes and some people who have type 2 diabetes need to take insulin to help control their blood sugar levels. The goal of taking insulin is to keep your blood sugar level in a normal range as much as possible. Keeping blood sugar in check helps you stay healthy. Insulin cant be taken by mouth. It is usually taken by injection . It can also be taken using an insulin pen or an insulin pump.
Injecting Insulin With An Insulin Pen:
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Can I Carry An Insulin Pen While Flying
Yes. TSA rules specifically state that diabetes-related supplies, including liquids, are allowed onboard once they have been screened by X-ray or hand inspection. You should declare your insulin pen and other diabetes equipment and separate them from other items when going through TSA screening.
Always pack your medications in a separate clear, sealable bag and never place insulin in a checked bag as changes in pressure and temperature can affect it.
Insulin Prices: Pumps Pens Syringes And More
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The price of insulin can be overwhelming, especially if you need it to stay healthy. Even with insurance, you could be paying hundreds of dollars in out-of-pocket costs each month.
Insulin is absolutely necessary for people with type 1 diabetes. People with type 2 diabetes often need it as well. Roughly 7.4 million Americans with diabetes take insulin.
If you need to take insulin for diabetes, its essential to learn how to get the cost down to something you can afford, while simultaneously understanding how to manage your condition.
There are several types of devices available to deliver insulin, and each come with their own set of pros and cons.
The best insulin device for you depends on many factors, including how much your blood sugar fluctuates each day and your lifestyle.
Nowadays, cost is becoming an increasingly important factor to consider when deciding on a device.
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Where Do I Inject The Insulin
Insulin is injected just under the skin. Your doctor or his or her office staff will show you how and where to give an insulin injection. The usual places to inject insulin are the upper arm, the front and side parts of the thighs, and the abdomen. Dont inject insulin closer than 2 inches from your belly button.
To keep your skin from thickening, try not to inject the insulin in the same place over and over. Instead, rotate injection places.
Important Safety Information For Soliqua 100/33 Injection 100 Units/ml And 33 Mcg/ml
What is the most important information I should know about SOLIQUA 100/33?
Do not share your SOLIQUA 100/33 pen with other people, even if the needle has been changed. You may give other people a serious infection, or get a serious infection from them.
SOLIQUA 100/33 can cause serious side effects, including inflammation of the pancreas, which may be severe and lead to death.
Before using SOLIQUA 100/33, tell your doctor if you have had pancreatitis, stones in your gallbladder , or a history of alcoholism. These medical problems may make you more likely to get pancreatitis.
Stop taking SOLIQUA 100/33 and call your healthcare provider right away if you have pain in your stomach area that is severe, and will not go away. The pain may be felt in the back area. The pain may happen with or without vomiting.
Who should not use SOLIQUA 100/33?
Do not use SOLIQUA 100/33 if you:
- are having an episode of low blood sugar
- are allergic to insulin glargine, lixisenatide, or any of the ingredients in SOLIQUA 100/33. Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction with SOLIQUA 100/33 may include swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat, fainting or feeling dizzy, problems breathing or swallowing, very rapid heartbeat, severe rash or itching, or low blood pressure.
Before using SOLIQUA 100/33, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:
How should I use SOLIQUA 100/33?
What are the possible side effects of SOLIQUA 100/33?
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Grudge Match: Pens Vs Syringes
Taking insulin is a cornerstone of care for millions who have diabetes, and the most common method of insulin delivery in the U.S. is injection via needle and syringe. Roughly 20% of insulin users wear an insulin pump, 15% use insulin pens, and less than 1% use jet injectors.
Insulin pumps can be expensive, with the average price hovering around $6,500, not including the disposable supplies that have to be replenished regularly, such as infusion sets, cartridges, and batteries. Although jet injectors may seem like a dream come true for patients who fear needles, they have been known to cause bruising and more pain than injections.
The big question is why insulin pens are not more popular in the U.S., whereas in Europe and Japan, they comprise from 66% to 75% of insulin prescriptions. Its not for lack of patient appreciation: In the November 2011 issue of the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, a review of 43 studies that compared patient- reported outcomes for insulin pen devices found that patients preferred pens over vial and syringe for myriad reasons, including ease of use, less pain, and greater perceived social acceptance.
Managed care has not embraced pens here, but with- out factoring cost offsets for things like improved outcomes and lower overall healthcare costs , its not clear to me how insurers come to that decision, says Asche.
What Is An Insulin Pen
An insulin pen is a device used to inject insulin. Many types of insulin pens are available. Most are disposable. A disposable pen contains a prefilled amount of insulin. When this type of pen is empty, it is thrown away. A few types are reusable pens. A reusable pen contains an insulin cartridge that can be replaced. When the cartridge is empty, it is thrown away. Then a new, prefilled cartridge is put in. Always use a new needle every time you inject insulin.
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When To Throw Away Your Insulin Pens
Youll use the same insulin pen over and over for a certain number of days. The number of days depends on the type of insulin pen youre using. The table below lists some common types of insulin pens and the number of days you can use each one. You can also read the instructions that come with your insulin pens.
| Insulin Type |
|---|
Whenever you start using a new insulin pen:
For example, if you start using a Lantus SoloStar insulin pen on January 1st, count ahead 28 days to January 28th. Write January 28 on a piece of paper tape and put the paper tape on the pen. Throw away the pen on January 28th, even if theres still insulin in it.
You can keep unused insulin pens in the refrigerator until the expiration date listed on the pen label. Once an insulin pen reaches the expiration date listed on the pen label, throw it away.