Been with my current Endo 7 years. Last week’s 3-month visit he prescribed Lantus Pens, Pen needles, and Syringes, for if my 3-year old tslim X2 fails. Don’t know why now? But I will get them. I also have older Medtronic Pump & Supplies (expired). Never used. Both Medtronic and Tandem will (and have) overnighted replacement pumps to me when issues. However, going out of state to visit my Sister, comforting to take the Lantus too, in case there is a problem.
I had a box of 5 pens. I’ve been on a fairly high dose of prednisone and rather than change my pump basal have use Lantus. I have 2 pens left and am using an out dated vial of Lantus that seems to be working as well as the pens. Since I’m in a taper off, I’ve reduced the Lantus to about 1/3 of peak prednisone.
I think that 2 pens could tide me over if my pump fails.
I always travel with lantus and my last trip I needed it since I lost my pump
I was just on a comparatively small boat in Hawaii when my pump failed … probably due to a splash during a skiff ride.
I made do with Humalog only for 6 days. Small additional injections every few hours to simulate a faux basal rate. Worked well enough that I don’t plan to ask for a Lantus prescription. And, similar to a pump, I could modulate that rate depending on BG levels.
However, Murphy’s Law was clearly at work: pump failure at a time when I was NOT in range for an overnight replacement shipment.
Happy pumping!
John
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The only think I need to be safe is the “Lantus” pen and some pen needles to screw onto it. Any medium to long acting insulin would work just as well.
I’ve been doing this long enough to know I have to be incredibly careful on straight “long acting”; that is how I was treated when I was 12 and I did not die (nope, sorry, I really didn’t!)
It would be nice to have a short acting insulin too; that’s what I spent most of my life so far with.
If I have to I can last on regular, no problem (though I may insist on waking up in the middle of the night to shoot up.)
None of these options are workable long term; the way I was treated at 12 was not workable long term and I knew it. So I have a 90 day stock of Omnipods and, guess what, Omnipods work just fine with regular. At least they do for me YDMMV.
I one time found myself with no humalog while on a trip.
I had to buy some regular that I could get at Walmart and tried that I my pump. It almost killed me as I fell asleep and woke up super low and confused, too low to read ona meter and I will never do that again.