How much insulin monthly?

[Sarah Maddie's Mom]

For the past 5 years we've been able to get by on 2 vials of insulin a month, but lately that's the minimum of what we're going through each month and I have no additional on hand. I'm not comfortable having no additional insulin in the house. I asked the endo for a new prescription for three bottles a month and she rather begrudgingly wrote it. Today pharmacy reports that insurance company won't cover more than two.

So, my question... How much insulin do you get every month??

[liasmommy2000]

We get four a month. When Lia started pumping this summer she was using just one but they said for pumping we would need more and the CDE (not our usual one) wrote it for four. Well, we do use two (thought not fully) but never any more. I need to tell them to change it as we now have quite a stock built up.

Never had any problems with insurance about it though. I can't imagine they can restrict how much you get. If you need it, you need it!

[Mom2rh]

We get 3 at a time. I don't really pay attention to how long it takes us to use it...but probably per month.

Maybe the insurance company will only fill it 2 at a time? They can't keep her insulin from her if she needs it. Do they deny you if you try to fill it before the end of the month? That is crazy.

[Kirsten]

We use ~1.5 vials/month. It would be less, but the minimum for the pod is 80-100 units every other day. Our TDD is around 12 units/ day. Of course Griffin is a toddler.:rolleyes:



Kirsten

[sammysmom]

We get two per month and the pharmacist told us that when we need three just let him know and he will make it happen!

[Nancy in VA]

I think you just need to make sure your prescription is written for a maximum of "x" units a day, that translates to 4 bottles a month. The insurance company may ARGUE that its too much insulin, but if your doctor prescribes a certain amount of a medication a month, and they cover that medication at all, they have to cover it at the level prescribed by the doctor.

My pharmacist has had to argue about the number of syringes prescribed a month - the insurance company tried to say that she didn't need that many shots in a day - and the pharmacist about had a fit with the insurance company

[Heather(CA)]

We get 2 bottles of Apidra and 2 bottles of Lantus:cwds:

[Treysmom]

We get 2 bottles a month. Right now thats enough. But I do have to keep one at school. If we had to use it at school that would really mess us up.

[Sarah Maddie's Mom]

Boy - you guys are fast!!

I knew it was nuts - I didn't speak with pharmacist - DH did. I will phone on Monday. I just wanted back-up and I'm getting it!

You people are great!:D

[thebestnest5]

We've gotten a range from 3-6 vials per month of Novolog. That irritates me when they act like we're taking more then we need.:mad: Hello, our children need this to live more than they need food! I remember when we got out of the hospital and the CDE wrote prescriptions for the Dr. to sign...1 vial per month. I asked for 3 before our first fill and our Dr. happily OK it. The pharmacy tech acted like I shouldn't be asking for more than one vial.:mad:

[KeltonsMom]

We get 4 vials of Novolog and 3 vials of Lantus

[Jensmami]

we get 4 vials of Novolog each month, and I always like a little stock of everything. So in case of an emergency i put all the supplies in a suitcase and fill up my friobag and off we are:D;)

[lotsoftots]

Samantha is on the pens for both Lanus and Novolog..she get a 5 pack each month..but right now she is only using one each month so I am stocking piling I know some day she will be needing more then 5 to 6 units a day

[Mom2Will]

We get 3 vials of Novolog and 2 of Lantus. When we see the endo I ask for samples of each, they have always given me some, my CDE told me to ask every time because they get a lot for training and most of it goes bad because they usually use saline for training. I just like having extra in case of an accident. I dropped a bottle of Novolog the other day, man.....it smells!!

[Armyemily]

I am suppoesed to get 6 vials a month although my insurance company will only give me 3 then I have to call before I run out stay on hold half the day get transfered all over the company then am told to call back. It usually takes a week for them to apporve the rest of the vials and sometimes they do not apporve it at all. They pay more in hospital bills (because I run out of insulin and end up in DKA) then they would if they would just give me the 6 vials a month.
Although I am on an insulin pump and they approve 6 months of supplies at a time for my pump.

[Mary Lou]

My endo wrote Andrew's RX for six bottles (humalog), so we don't even usually fill Brian's RX (which is for 4). I like to stockpile the extras, because you never know what's going to happen...

The pharmacy has never said a word about it, nor has our insurance.

[AlisonKS]

we go through one bottle of nph and one bottle of novolog a month, actually we throw a lot out cause he's so little! He's so sensitive to novolog he gets only .5 units a day. DH dropped a bottle of novolog two days ago and it stinks so bad-and our insurance covered that even though our rx is for once a month, something about covering accidents or something.

[Nancy in VA]

we go through one bottle of nph and one bottle of novolog a month, actually we throw a lot out cause he's so little! He's so sensitive to novolog he gets only .5 units a day. DH dropped a bottle of novolog two days ago and it stinks so bad-and our insurance covered that even though our rx is for once a month, something about covering accidents or something.

When we were on injections, we never finished a bottle a month - like you, we threw out a lot. BUT, our endo was in the practice of writing the prescriptions for 2 for just that reason. What if you dropped a bottle at 10pm when your pharmacy is closed. Your endo should rewrite your prescription so that you can stockpile for just that reason - and for vacations - you always want to have extra on hand when you go on vacation.

[Kaylee's Mommy]

We are to the point that we go through almost 1 bottle a month, we still throw some out.. but we get two a month, and have for a long time, we do have a large stock pile in our fridge but like everyone else, I want back ups.. thats her life line.. no insurance company should be dening insulin.. no way no how.. if they are.. I'd be contacting every media station/outlet out there and get my story out.. that is just wrong plan ... Like others have stated, what if something happens.. if something were to happen you can reuse syringes, resevoirs and such (although, obviously you wouldn't reuse a syringe unless you absolutely HAD too..) but you can't reuse insulin once its in the body.. its gone.. important to have a back up of that.. there is ALWAYS a chance my dh could get laid off and we could temp. loose insurance (he has to work so many hours to keep his insurance..) so we want a stock pile just for that reason..

[AlisonKS]

When we were on injections, we never finished a bottle a month - like you, we threw out a lot. BUT, our endo was in the practice of writing the prescriptions for 2 for just that reason. What if you dropped a bottle at 10pm when your pharmacy is closed. Your endo should rewrite your prescription so that you can stockpile for just that reason - and for vacations - you always want to have extra on hand when you go on vacation.

that's a good idea to get extra, I'll have to bring that up at this weeks appointment! We never go on vacations though lol. But we are moving halfway across the country soon so I'll want extra on hand!

[momofsingingdiabetic]

We get three of Novolog per month and use just about all of it. Our endo changed the way her prescription was written when she went on the pump. Now it says 'as needed via insulin pump'....or something like that. Insurance has not given us a problem at all.

[Kirsten]

We use a novopen jr as our backup for our pump, so we do have novolog cartridges as a back-up insulin for our pump if we need it. In fact my stepmom broke a vial of humalog when we were visiting them in Baltimore and we just loaded our pods from the novopen.

Kirsten