# How many vials?



## Monica

How many vials do you have in your fridge?

I know the insulin needs differ in everyone, but as I don't actually know yet how lon a vial lasts for Carol, I just wondered.


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## Hanmillmum

Hi for M I usually have 2 or 3 but her average total daily dose is only approx 9/10 units so we don't get through it very quickly !


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## Monica

Hanmillmum said:


> Hi for M I usually have 2 or 3 but her average total daily dose is only approx 9/10 units so we don't get through it very quickly !



thanks, Carol's daily dosage should be around 45, but at the moment she's driving me mad with eating things she shouldn't, so she has to correct, as we got the carb amount wrong in the first place.


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## Pumper_Sue

Monica, you need to always have at least one spare vial incase of breakages.


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## Monica

Pumper_Sue said:


> Monica, you need to always have at least one spare vial incase of breakages.



At the moment I have 2 full ones and 1 started one. But 1 of the full ones will go to school tomorrow.
I think I will have to ask the GP to up the prescription and give me more than just 1 every time, otherwise I'll be asking for a new one every week!!


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## Pumper_Sue

Monica said:


> At the moment I have 2 full ones and 1 started one. But 1 of the full ones will go to school tomorrow.
> I think I will have to ask the GP to up the prescription and give me more than just 1 every time, otherwise I'll be asking for a new one every week!!



Must admit am very curious to know why a full vial needs to go to school 

Do ask for 4 vials though then when down to last 2 ask for a repeat. This way you always have spare in case of supply problems etc.


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## Freddie99

One in the fridge, two out as I'm off to spend a week with family this evening. I normally have three or four in the fridge as I get four per prescription.


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## gail1

One vial in fridge
TomH hope you enjoy your break hun


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## Monica

Pumper_Sue said:


> Must admit am very curious to know why a full vial needs to go to school



Just in case Carol runs out. She also has 2 insets and 2 syringes spare at school. I know she has an alarm on pump, but you never know. We already had this problem on Friday and she had no insulin in school. The nurse kindly brought her home in the car, did a set change, went back to school.


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## trophywench

Could you not send a filled reservoir?  I carry my spare round inside a - new, supplied by DSN for the purpose! - pee sample bottle - ideal because it protects the vial and stops me losing it in the inner recesses of my bag.  The only snag with that is of course you shouldn't fridge filled reservoirs but if they agreed to keep it, she could swap the res and get on with it.  You would have to swap it for a new one though before the magic 30 days out of fridge ran out.


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## vince13

I get 5 humalogue 25/75 mix each new prescription - I know, someone on here said it's not proper insulin but it is so far as I'm concerned !    Although I'm now having to "up" my injections night and morning those 5 last me quite a long time at the present injection level.


Sorry I've just realised I shouldn't have posted on this message page for pumpers - seemed to have jumped away from the general messages !  I'll butt out now ......................


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## Monica

vince13 said:


> I get 5 humalogue 25/75 mix each new prescription - I know, someone on here said it's not proper insulin but it is so far as I'm concerned !    Although I'm now having to "up" my injections night and morning those 5 last me quite a long time at the present injection level.
> 
> 
> Sorry I've just realised I shouldn't have posted on this message page for pumpers - seemed to have jumped away from the general messages !  I'll butt out now ......................



LOL Faith. It's proper insulin, just a different one
I appreciate your answer regardless, as it was a question about vials. You use vials......How you then administrate it doesn't matter


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## Monica

trophywench said:


> Could you not send a filled reservoir?  I carry my spare round inside a - new, supplied by DSN for the purpose! - pee sample bottle - ideal because it protects the vial and stops me losing it in the inner recesses of my bag.  The only snag with that is of course you shouldn't fridge filled reservoirs but if they agreed to keep it, she could swap the res and get on with it.  You would have to swap it for a new one though before the magic 30 days out of fridge ran out.



Hmmm, I have to give this a thought. Might have to discuss this idea with the DSN


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## Pumper_Sue

trophywench said:


> Could you not send a filled reservoir?  I carry my spare round inside a - new, supplied by DSN for the purpose! - pee sample bottle - ideal because it protects the vial and stops me losing it in the inner recesses of my bag.  The only snag with that is of course you shouldn't fridge filled reservoirs but if they agreed to keep it, she could swap the res and get on with it.  You would have to swap it for a new one though before the magic 30 days out of fridge ran out.



Hiya,
insulin should not be stored in cartridges unless they are going to be used that day.
There is a lubricant in the cartridge so it would precipitate after a while. This is why everyone is told not to use insulin in the cartridge for more than 6 days.
Even though many of us do  But at least the plunger is being moved whilst in use.
Hopefully Carol will manage to get brain in gear soon and start to think ahead.
Tis all a tad confusing to start with.
Monica at what level is her alarm set for a refill reminder?
If it's been left at 20 units then she shoul be ok for more than her time at school. If there are any worries about running out, then Carol has the option to have a lower carb count for her lunch. 
May I also suggest you look into using some tape to hold the tubing in place during PE/sports? This will stop the cannula being dislodged by accident.
As Carol will also have spare pen's for injecting as well at school, there is no need for Carol to skip out of school. She will have to inject for missing insulin and keep account of it so it can be sorted once home.
Sounds mean I know, but it will teach her right from the word go she has to be responsible for herself and pump. 
Make a check list and just run through it in a matter of fact way each morning to make sure all supplies are present and correct.


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## Monica

I can't remember at what level the alarm is set. 
This problem on Friday wasn't Carol's fault, she did tell me she had 26u left at breakfast and I decided that it was enough for the school day, but she got a bit worried when at 10am she only had 16u left (maybe she didn't look properly and it was 16 at breakfast). She never mentioned hearing the alarm either. Being new to all this, we didn't really know what to do for the best.
It has been agreed that Carol will remove her pump for PE. She has a plastic box, which the teacher will look after, to put it in.

We'll do another set change tonight, so that she won't have the same problem again and it won't be a morning change. She hasn't got time in the morning. And we'll check again at what level it will alarm.


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## Pumper_Sue

Monica said:


> I can't remember at what level the alarm is set.
> This problem on Friday wasn't Carol's fault, she did tell me she had 26u left at breakfast and I decided that it was enough for the school day, but she got a bit worried when at 10am she only had 16u left (maybe she didn't look properly and it was 16 at breakfast). She never mentioned hearing the alarm either. Being new to all this, we didn't really know what to do for the best.
> It has been agreed that Carol will remove her pump for PE. She has a plastic box, which the teacher will look after, to put it in.
> 
> We'll do another set change tonight, so that she won't have the same problem again and it won't be a morning change. She hasn't got time in the morning. And we'll check again at what level it will alarm.



Hi Monica, sounds like good thinking re the PE.
Has it been explained to you that there is no need to change the cartridge as well as the cannula at the same time?
IE if the cartridge holds enough for 6 days don't replace at the 3 day cannula change.
It's also always best to change the cannula before a meal as well then the meal bolus will flush though insulin and make sure everything is working ok.
Another tip is to leave the old cannula in for a few hours so that any residue insulin is absorbed from the cannula, Carol will also have a back up in case for any reason the new cannula doesn't work.


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## Monica

Pumper_Sue said:


> Hi Monica, sounds like good thinking re the PE.
> Has it been explained to you that there is no need to change the cartridge as well as the cannula at the same time?
> IE if the cartridge holds enough for 6 days don't replace at the 3 day cannula change.
> It's also always best to change the cannula before a meal as well then the meal bolus will flush though insulin and make sure everything is working ok.
> Another tip is to leave the old cannula in for a few hours so that any residue insulin is absorbed from the cannula, Carol will also have a back up in case for any reason the new cannula doesn't work.



Actually no, they didn't, but so far the insulin has run out at about the same time as the cannula change.
Yes, she does change the cannula before tea.
We were not told to leave the old cannula in.

The alarm was set at 20u. Carol has now changed that to 30u.


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## Monica

Thanks you guys and gals

I went to the Prescription office on Monday to ask them personally, if they could change the quantity on the prescription without me seeing the GP. They have now changed the prescription to 4 vials.


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## Pumper_Sue

Monica said:


> Thanks you guys and gals
> 
> I went to the Prescription office on Monday to ask them personally, if they could change the quantity on the prescription without me seeing the GP. They have now changed the prescription to 4 vials.



That's good one less thing to worry about


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## Ellie Jones

I don't use a lot of insulin, so I have 2 vials a time, ordering up when I just before I start on the last one in the fridge...

As to her school delemia, she's got spare insulin and pens there, so she doesn't need to take spare for pump..

What you can do, is work out how much insulin her basal needs to get her through the school day, time slot it so at break, dinner time etc she know that to requires xxxx amount of insulin to cover her until she gets home..

Then if she's low on insulin, she can see whether she will have enough insulin to cover her basal needs, and do a bolus if she hasn't she can inject the bolus with her insulin pen instead..

I'm surpised that she didn't hear/feel the alarm go off, on my pump if a alarm is set off, it doesn't shut up or stop until you tell the pump to...


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## tracey w

Monica said:


> At the moment I have 2 full ones and 1 started one. But 1 of the full ones will go to school tomorrow.
> I think I will have to ask the GP to up the prescription and give me more than just 1 every time, otherwise I'll be asking for a new one every week!!



i get three vials on script at once, always like to have two spare in the fridge not opened.

1 vial last me 18 days (3 reservoirs 6 days each)


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## tracey w

Monica said:


> Hmmm, I have to give this a thought. Might have to discuss this idea with the DSN



Can they not keep a vial in the fridge at school?


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## Monica

tracey w said:


> Can they not keep a vial in the fridge at school?



Yes, that's what they are doing it was only because Pumper_sue questioned it and trophy... suggested the reservoir, I said that.


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