Vetsulin Changes

[aubreysdad]

Has anyone noticed changes in Vetsulin as you get near the bottom of the bottle?

I'm a newbe so still learning and trying to get Aubrey regulated. I've noticed that as I get to the bottom of the bottle her numbers will stay high in the am and drop late in the day, like the insulin is only the long acting. Example, Her numbers started around 350 in the am and stayed there thru the day then was at 53 before pm meal. I shake the bottle well every time i use it. I noticed the same thing on the last bottle but was in the process of changing from 1xday injections to 2xday and wrote it off as that.

[Raysaint]

Re: Vetsulin Changes

I don't use Vetsulin, but I believe you shouldn't shake insulin, you should roll it between your hands. Shaking can affect it's composition. If it's mixed unevenly, more of the long acting might be staying in the bottle each time you draw some out. Just a hunch.

[aubreysdad]

Re: Vetsulin Changes

Per Vetsulin website.."".Vetsulin® (porcine insulin zinc suspension), like many other insulin preparations, is a suspension. The active ingredients in Vetsulin are present in the precipitate and in the clear supernatant.

Therefore, before administering, the insulin should be shaken until a homogeneous, uniformly milky suspension is obtained. This applies to both the 10 mL vial and 2.7 mL cartridges.

Foam on the surface of the suspension formed during shaking should be allowed to disperse before the product is used and, if required, the product should be gently mixed to maintain a homogeneous, uniformly milky suspension before use.""

I may not be waiting long enough for the foam to settle and maybe that is causing the problem??

[Raysaint]

Re: Vetsulin Changes

I'm surprised they recommend shaking. Rolling it between your palms will make any insulin homogenous, that's what I was taught for all the various insulins I've used for myself.
You don't need to shake, just roll. Shaking will give you that foam variable that may affect homogenous mixing.

[CraigM]

Re: Vetsulin Changes

I'm surprised they recommend shaking. Rolling it between your palms will make any insulin homogenous, that's what I was taught for all the various insulins I've used for myself.
You don't need to shake, just roll. Shaking will give you that foam variable that may affect homogenous mixing.

I think the recommendation to shake the vial was made in the last year or two. There's shaking and SHAKING! Probably should refrain from shaking like a martini, but more of a gentle shake?

I'm not using Vetsulin, but years ago I remember there was almost always a white layer on the bottom of the vial prior to mixing. I don't think (remember) that an easy roll was enough to get everything mixed into a solution.

Craig

[Daisydog10]

Re: Vetsulin Changes

When Daisy was on Vetsulin I had to shake shake shake.

[Aggie]

Re: Vetsulin Changes

Shake it. It is different from other insulins, and the instructions specifically say to shake it until it is uniformly milky. Apparently they did change the formulation some time back, and at that time the new formula requires shaking. Many people do not do this and get uneven results over time.

Aubrey's dad, since you are already shaking it, that's not the problem. Our bottle of vetsulin only lasts 26 days (because we use enough that it is empty at that point), but it says it can last up to 42 days on the packet and I am not sure whether or not that is true, or if it might lose some effectiveness after so many weeks. How much insulin do you use per day?

[aubreysdad]

Re: Vetsulin Changes

Shake it. It is different from other insulins, and the instructions specifically say to shake it until it is uniformly milky. Apparently they did change the formulation some time back, and at that time the new formula requires shaking. Many people do not do this and get uneven results over time.

Aubrey's dad, since you are already shaking it, that's not the problem. Our bottle of vetsulin only lasts 26 days (because we use enough that it is empty at that point), but it says it can last up to 42 days on the packet and I am not sure whether or not that is true, or if it might lose some effectiveness after so many weeks. How much insulin do you use per day?

I use up a bottle in around 20 days also so that's not it. It seems odd that her numbers run high all day then crash before pm meal. I reduced her dose and kept using the same bottle and she seems fine now. Maybe the recent food change had something to do with it.

[amydunn19]

Re: Vetsulin Changes

Any changes to food will throw off your numbers so you have to kind of go through the regulation process all over again. In fact, the slightest change in food or dose or a bath or a squirrel or company coming over or a vet visit can cause blood sugar to drop suddenly or increase.

[mcscaljon]

Re: Vetsulin Changes

aubreysdad
I experienced the same thing when I get to the last 2-3 ml of the Vetsulin bottle. I noticed highs in Wiggles as well. I threw out the bottle, started a new one. This week's curve however on the new bottle has a different effect. Peak took longer - 8 hours instead of 6 and duration is prolonged. I started a thread "need advice on curve'.
I'm wondering if the latest curve effect is due to the fact that each draw of the Vetsulin is different in that you might get uneven portions of the fast acting and long acting insulin.
Have you see this with Aubrey?

Thanks

[Soaphie & Sydney's Mom]

Re: Vetsulin Changes

We used Vetsulin for 7+ years and never shook it. Always a gentle roll.

Weather, changes in food/treats, the UPS man, full moon, mail man, hours of sleep, how much exercise, seasons, etc etc can impact numbers.