Last night's "immediate problem" -- follow-up...

[ADHDiabetic Mom]

A thousand thanks, everyone!!

It all worked out. I got the insulin, woke SD up for a shot (he was still over 500), and then stayed up until nearly 2:00 a.m. until I was sure he was in a safe range. He was 212 when I finally went to bed. This morning he was in the 80's, and at the moment he is as normal as normal ever gets around here!

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!! It was a little scary, but you taught me so much I feel sure we won't have this particular emergency again!

:D

[WestinsMom]

Can I ask, what kind of insulin did you end up getting? Were you able to get your vial or did you go get some R? Just curious.

[ADHDiabetic Mom]

Can I ask, what kind of insulin did you end up getting? Were you able to get your vial or did you go get some R? Just curious.

Yeah, well... it's kind of embarassing... :o

I was all set to drive to a 24-hour pharmacy I had looked up. Then... It turns out that my husband (one of the instructors) has a key to the dojo. He's out of town, but I found his key. (*blush*)

So.... all that panic for nothing.

But TODAY, I'm going to get a backup vial of R. This morning. Before I do ANY of my other errands.

[Mary Lou]

Just chiming in to say I'm glad everything worked out.

this whole insurance thing really ticks me off. Seriously. This is all so wrong. When I was home in Canada this summer, we got separated from my Dad in his motorhome on vacation and realized we were on the middles of the prairie in the hot baking sun without a backup vial of insulin and 2 children on pumps.

We pulled into a pharmacy and were going to try to call our endo back in the states for a script and the pharmacist said that insulin was an OTC drug and the retail price was $30 Cdn. My jaw hit the floor. $30 bucks. and the guy was SO apologetic that we had to pay the full amount. He wrote a receipt so we could get "reimbursed" from insurance. We thanked him very much. And saved our laughter for when we were far away in the car -- that was less then our co-pay. It would be more bother than it was worth.

Rant over....down off soapbox....

Again, so glad this worked out for you. I'm sure you'lll come up with some way to divide your insulin so your son isn't carrying around the only vial you have for home. We used to pre-fill syringes and carry them in a tupperware container.

[WestinsMom]

Another thing to check on, I "think" you can get a cheaper R at Walmart. I think I read that somewhere online.

[MReinhardt]

So glad you were able to find a key. :D Glad he had good numbers waking up too.

[selketine]

I am glad it all worked out!

I just wanted to add that insulin is definitely not OTC in every state. I'm pretty sure here in Maryland you cannot buy any type OTC. I am glad you had that option though.

[Kaylee's Mommy]

Idon't understand why insulin is OTC.. thats kind of weird.. when K was in the hospital they put R through her IV, they had to have two nurses double check to make sure it was the proper medicine.. I mean, if someone gets to much R, they'll die.. just baffles me that you can buy R OTC, but cough meds the check ID's and put you through a national database...:eek:

in anycase, I'm so glad it all worked out!:)

[funnygrl]

Just chiming in to say I'm glad everything worked out.

this whole insurance thing really ticks me off. Seriously. This is all so wrong. When I was home in Canada this summer, we got separated from my Dad in his motorhome on vacation and realized we were on the middles of the prairie in the hot baking sun without a backup vial of insulin and 2 children on pumps.

We pulled into a pharmacy and were going to try to call our endo back in the states for a script and the pharmacist said that insulin was an OTC drug and the retail price was $30 Cdn. My jaw hit the floor. $30 bucks. and the guy was SO apologetic that we had to pay the full amount. He wrote a receipt so we could get "reimbursed" from insurance. We thanked him very much. And saved our laughter for when we were far away in the car -- that was less then our co-pay. It would be more bother than it was worth.

Rant over....down off soapbox....

Again, so glad this worked out for you. I'm sure you'lll come up with some way to divide your insulin so your son isn't carrying around the only vial you have for home. We used to pre-fill syringes and carry them in a tupperware container.
You're lucky it was OTC, as Canadian pharmacies can't take prescriptions from US doctors (or even doctors in other provinces). We were on vacation there once, and my dad forgot one of his heart meds. We ended up needing to drive back to the states to get it filled. It was that, or a walk in clinic visit.

[funnygrl]

Another thing to check on, I "think" you can get a cheaper R at Walmart. I think I read that somewhere online.
Yep, they have ReliOn (Novolin) R for $19.95.

[bgallini]

I've heard that you can get Humalog OTC. I've never tried it but that's what I've heard.

[funnygrl]

Idon't understand why insulin is OTC.. thats kind of weird.. when K was in the hospital they put R through her IV, they had to have two nurses double check to make sure it was the proper medicine.. I mean, if someone gets to much R, they'll die.. just baffles me that you can buy R OTC, but cough meds the check ID's and put you through a national database...:eek:

in anycase, I'm so glad it all worked out!:)
Honestly, it's because it's been out so long- since before prescription laws were so strict. If you think about it, R, though animal R, was the first insulin back in the 1920s. Some say if Aspirin were to come out today it'd be prescription.

Now- after my 3 posts in a row, I'm glad it worked out so well.

[funnygrl]

I've heard that you can get Humalog OTC. I've never tried it but that's what I've heard.
In Canada, yes. US? No. It's a legend drug, which means it requires a script in every state.

[clb1968]

In Texas, not sure of other states, you have been able to buy NPH and R insulins over the counter for quite some time. When I did not have insurance, or money to see the doctor, I would just buy my insulin OTC when I got my test strips. I just took the amounts that the doctor had prescribed previously. I was taking two shots and testing two times a day , from 1990 till 1998, when I went on MDI , still taking 2 shots NPH and R at meals and testing 4 times a day.

When I could finally see a doctor again , I found out about Lantus , but the doctor woud not prescribe it and Lantus is not OTC. I have a type 2 friend that was on Lantus, she gave me a couple of bottles to try and I read up the instructions on changing from NPH to Lantus and changed myself over, then when I saw the endo's nurse, I told her what I had done and that I wanted a script for the Lantus. She called the doctor and I told him the whole thing over the phone and I was finally put on Lantus. Took another few months for him to put me on Novolog.

[RosemaryCinNJ]

Im glad it all worked out for you anad his numbers were good this morning...So happy to hear you had a key after all...isnt motherhood a real kick in the booty sometimes? lol

[ADHDiabetic Mom]

isnt motherhood a real kick in the booty sometimes? lol

LOL! :D Oh, yes. Never a dull moment!

[momandwifeoftype1s]

I'm happy that everything turned out okay. Thanks for giving us an update.

Amy