Novolog, yes is available as well as Humalog in the US in cartridges, Lantus was not and I believe still is not available in the US in cartridges but easily available by mail order from Canada.
This is great information and love this forum for constant learning. Iām in a similar situation. On Humalog and use a Junior pen with half unit dose increments because Iām sensitive to insulin ~ 1:30 insulin to carb ratio. 11 units Toujeo every morning. Iāve often wondered if 0.5 or 1 unit being such a tiny volume really makes itās way through even the nano needle and into me or if most remains in the needle. Priming a unit or two to the air is wise and will now be routine. I had asked my endo and pharmacist about that when diagnosed a few years ago and they acted like I was crazy. I donāt see it at wasteful bc the pen expires before all used up anyway. Thank you!
Iāve used both the Novo and Lilly kidsā pens for the half-unit increments, depending on which manufacturer Kaiser is stocking at the moment. What I want is a Toujeo pen with half units. At the moment, 12U is not enough and 13U is too much. I donāt think there is such a thing.
Wow. Iām in the same boat with Toujeo too. I have liked it much better than Lantus but would love a half unit option. I guess that helps the pump argument. Also would like different basal insulin rates for weekends when I need much less. But I donāt want to be tethered just yet.
I do not understand why the [Pendiq] pen is limited to 2,000 shots. What am I missing? With a full insulin cartridge and a recharged battery, what prevents it from working forever? But like you and Kathtyn41 I could only use a pen if it delivered less than the usual 0.5U. Thanks for the info.
Please, I did not say that the Pendiq pen was limited to 2000 shots. I was only giving my 15+ years of experience using Pendiq pens, from their initial models to their latest 2.0 models. At 5-8 shots a day they no longer work after about 1 year of use, not a limitation, they just break like any other mechanical/digital piece of equipment eventually breaks. They are quite light and not that rugged. Sometimes I only get 10 1/2 - 11 months and sometimes I get 16 - 18 months out of a Pendiq pen. The difference in time always appears to be related to the number of shots I take each day. During the Summer months, I get more exercise so fewer shots per day and during the couch potato Winter days, I need more shots. The pens are totally awesome, so I would not use anything else. Several doctors have commented that my regiment is so fine-tuned that it is really equivalent to using a pump without all the downsides that come with being on a pump.
Thank you.
Just want to mention that syringes can dose a single unit reliably every time. Equally easy to dose a half unit (choose a syringe marked in half units) or smaller fraction depending on how closely you look at it and how good your vision is - quarter unit is definitely possible if you need that precision.
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