Getting off the pump?

Ok so I want to go on a maybe permanent pump vacation and im looking at different insulins, keep in mind I’m in Canada. I do NOT want a pen. I have a needle phobia and I only want to use the inject ease(button automatic applicaltor) with syringes. Lantus looks good but it only appears to come in a pen. Anybody know of a good long acting insulin that isnt in pen form and able to be injected the old school way? I want to be on the least amount of shots i can be. Thanks you!! This forum has been a life saver for me. Also,If you have any other tips about going back to shots that would be appreciated.

I’m in the US. I get Lantus in a vial and take it with a syringe the old fashioned way. I do a split dose and take half in the morning and half before dinner.

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Lantus does come in a vial in Canada: https://www.diabetesexpress.ca/advanced_search_result.php?manufacturers_id=&keywords=Lantus+Insulin+10ml+Vial+(INLT-001)&osCsid=1602a0677a2e30a7d89f01e8239fde6e.

Levemir and Tresiba do not far as I know, however.

I tried MDI for a few months after pumping for 11 years and almost my entire diabetes life. I found I needed to take a lot of shots to maintain a similar level of control to the pump, so I’m not sure if it will suit you if you are needle-phobic. Lantus doesn’t last 24-hours for most people and many split the dose, adding another shot. I didn’t change my diet though, I just pulled out my pen every time I wanted to eat something, correct, had a spike caused by a variety of factors or needed to take more for slow-digesting food. I found I usually needed to inject NovoRapid the minute I woke up to counteract the dawn/“feet on the floor” phenomenon.

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I use Tresiba in a pen, but I have used Lantus in a vial. If you’re looking for only 1 shot per day, Tresiba is the better bet (even though it only comes in pen form).

In order to maintain a more even basal for 24 hours, you’ll likely want to split your daily Lantus dose into 2 shots at different times of the day.

I also used the Lantus pens for awhile, and I really, really liked them. They’re my favorite pen type I’ve used. As you twist the end to indicate the number of units you want, the plunger actually lengthens with each unit. It feels more like a syringe when you push the button to inject the insulin because you’re literally pushing the plunger.

image

The dark gray piece is flush with the lighter gray piece once the insulin has been ejected.

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I second Cinderfella comment about how it is possible to split a Lantus dose. I’ve had much better luck with two doses than one - one before bed and one upon waking.

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You can use syringes with pens if you wish. Draw insulin from a pen as you would do from a vial, except do not inject air first, otherwise the seal inside the cartridge will fall off.

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Ahhhh thank you!! I thought about that and was wondering if you could.

Thanks! I’ll look into tresiba

I fill my pump cartridges that way - though I use the pen mechanism to push the insulin into the cartridge. I almost never get air bubbles that way (other than one big one at the top). I don’t know if that would work for syringes.

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