Diluted Humalog...need tips

[pookas]

My son, Hunter just started the diluted Humalog yesterday after a 4 day hospital stay for a stomach virus. He used to be on Novalog. I had a little trouble mixing it because of the air vaccuum thing. I did draw out enough air from the empty bottle and put air into the Humalog and dilution solution, but still had a vaccuum problem. Also, any tips on getting it precise w/out extra Humalog or dilution solution in the mixing syringe would be appreciated. BTW, his numbers have been great so far w/ this insulin. Hunter is the first one in his endo.'s office to use the diluted Humalog, so we're kind of winging it. He's on the 25 u. measure.

Linda-[NEPA]-Mom to:
Hunter, 5 yrs, dx'd 11/14/05 type I
Colby, 7 yrs, migraines

[EmmasMom]

I'm sorry you're having to do that, we did it for a while and I hated it!!

Our endo gave us empty sterile vials to mix the diluent and Humalog in. (he got them from the medical school, I'm not sure where you could get some??) He advised us against doing it in a syringe. He also said to always draw up the insulin first, then the diluent, so you never dilute your insulin source. If a tiny amount of insulin gets into the diluent it's not as big a deal.

We would draw up one unit of Humalog and put it into the sterile vial, then draw up 10 units of diluent and put in the vial. So each unit of the mixture was now 1/10 unit.
I found that having the insulin and diluent at room temp helped, and mix, mix, mix. The solution can separate easily, (even thought you can't see it), so you have to really mix the stuff before each use.

We only did this for a few weeks, because we found that there was a big effect on peak times. The insulin was peaking hours later than normal, so she would be high after eating, I would try to correct 2-3 hrs later, and then she would crash.

I hope you don't have to do for long! or at least that it works better for you than it did for me :rolleyes:

Also we got 1/2 syringes, (I had the pharmacist special order them), and we were able to give .25 u without diluting the insulin. It's a tiny amount but the 1/2 unit marks make it much easier to see what you're doing. BD makes the syringes.

[selketine]

I'm trying to figure out why YOU have to mix it and not the pharmacy. My son was on diluted humalog for many months and we used a compounding pharmacy to mix it for us and never had any problems with it. Any chance you can find a pharmacy that does compounding and they will do it for you?

We also used the syringes that had the 1/2 unit markings on them. The pharmacy had to special order them. Our pharmacist used 1 bottle of dilutent and one bottle of humalog so measuring a 1/2 unit in the syringe was like giving him 1/4 of a unit. This worked out pretty well for us until he got his pump.

[Twyla]

Hi,

I've seen several posts here referring to 1/2 unit syringes....could someone please elaborate? We're using 30 unit BD syringes now, but it is tricky to draw up just .5 u of Humalog, which is what Gabriel gets before dinner most nights. One person in the hospital told us smaller syringes were available but everyone we've asked (docs, pharmacy people etc.) say 30 u is the smalles. I don't see how that can be true what with some infants needing insulin, but I'd appreciate a definitive source.

thanks,

Twyla

[selketine]

Tywla and others:

The syringes with 1/2 unit markings are this:

BD Ultra-Fine II
3/10 cc for 30 units or less (1/2 unit markings)
5/16" (8mm) needle
31 gauge needle

Item number is 328440

The number for BD on the package itself is 888-232-2737

The item number may not be the same anymore - William started pumping a long time ago and we haven't bought new syringes since. The key is that they have the 1/2 unit markings - that is what is unique about them.

Believe me - our pharmacy ran out and had to order some and I called around everywhere and most pharmacists did not know what I was talking about. Some thought they had them but really didn't. It is definitely a special order item - perhaps call BD and ask exactly what the product number is so your pharmacist will get the right one. I live in the Washington DC area and my HMO covers all of DC and the city suburbs in Virginia and Maryland and William was 1 of only 2 patients in THAT entire region in our HMO who used 1/2 unit markings syringes :p I was just lucky to have an excellent pharmacist who knew exactly what we needed.

This is a pic of what it looks like - 3rd syringe down: http://www.diabetes123.com/gifs/products/BDUFS03cc.jpg It is exactly the same as the other syringes we used but just had the extra markings on them for 1/2 units

Good luck!

[bkfkmc]

It took me three tries with our local Walmart, but I finally got the 1/2 unit marking syringes from them by special order. The last time I tried, it was with a pharmacist that only works at our pharmacy on occasion, but is Type 1. So, he knew exactly what I was talking about. It really does help in being more accurate. It was the exact same syringe I was already using, but the half unit markings make it so much easier than estimating where half way is.

[jvoyles]

Wal Mart makes a Reli-On syringe with 1/2 unit markings. Ours carried it without any special ordering.

[allisa]

I had a friend who's son was on the diluted humalog and their pharmacy mixed it for them....I believe they needed to refill every 15 days....it had a shorter shelf life. It sounds difficult to dilute on your own....I'd definitley inquire about them doing it.


Also....reagrding needle....we too use the 1/2 unit markings.....makes it very easy to get a precise measuremetn......isn't it hard to get the EXACT right needle.....I always insist on the half unit markings and SHORT needel.....why do they even GIVE kids/toddlers a normal needle.....short, short....that is best !

[lisamomtotwins]

I'm trying to figure out why YOU have to mix it and not the pharmacy. My son was on diluted humalog for many months and we used a compounding pharmacy to mix it for us and never had any problems with it. Any chance you can find a pharmacy that does compounding and they will do it for you?

We also used the syringes that had the 1/2 unit markings on them. The pharmacy had to special order them. Our pharmacist used 1 bottle of dilutent and one bottle of humalog so measuring a 1/2 unit in the syringe was like giving him 1/4 of a unit. This worked out pretty well for us until he got his pump.

Same here! The pharmacy mixed the solution. And we also use the 1/2 unit markings.

[EmmasMom]

There wasn't a pharmacist in town that would dilute the insulin for us, I'm not really sure why??
Mixing it, however, isn't exactly rocket science, it's just a pain.