Unbelievable! :)
One of the coolest posts yet on TuD!!! Next-door neighbors united on TuD!!
For future reference (and for anyone who stumbles across this post), here are a few options if you ever find yourself in this bind:
1. Go to the ER and they will write an Rx right there and you can get it filled. Bad part is that this can take some time and will be expensive.
2. Find the nearest emergency clinic. Most communities have these (sometimes referred to as urgent care centers and are for minor emergencies). I've had to go to one before to get an Rx for insulin because my last bottle broke. Much faster and cheaper than a regular ER.
3. Walmart carries Regular and NPH insulins for $25/bottle retail. In most states, you do not need a prescription. You've gotta shoot up old-school style, and if you're not familiar with dosing NPH, you may not feel too hot, but it will keep you going until your doctor's office opens back up.
4. Make sure your doctor's office writes "back up" scripts for everything you need. That way, in a pinch, you can get what you need. Even though I get my insulin via Liberty, I always make sure to have a back up prescription on file at CVS. That way, wherever I am in the U.S., I can get insulin in a pinch.
I've had several "emergencies" over the years and I'm a sold believer in always having a back-up plan. I recommend the same to others with T1D. Part of this back up plan includes (IMO) knowing how to use both Regular and NPH insulins. They are the most widely available types of insulin and if you know how to use them, they are great in an emergency. I have even used Regular insulin in my pump before and it worked like a charm. All you have to do is extend your IOB time to about 6-8 hours and it will work.
Well, you can OTC NPH and R Insulins, about $25 each
and make sure you read the Instructions.. Odds are? It has a Peak of 2-3 hrs on the NPH and about 1/2-1 hr on the R.. so I'd be taking about -50% less than you were with the Lantus vs the NPH and If have them, test every couple of hrs.. and not to be too concerned if go into the 200 range, but if go higher, may want to take a Couple of more Units
Assuming you have some Syringes, can pre load them up full ( 30 or 50 units per) and use multiple times till it's used up.. I've used my Syringes as a Insulin Pen for yrs..
Ans I would suggest, you get the Book> THINK LIKE A PANCREASE to get yourself Educated alot faster than waiting for Dr.'s to do it and trhu trial and error..
Holy crap, that's astonishing. Another TuD miracle.
Hey, who lives next door to ME?? LOL
Actually, I would advise against prefilling syringes, reusing them and keeping them around. Studies that I looked at pre-filled syringes found that the ones that contained NPH or mix went bad within 24 hours. It is ok to pre-fill a syringe before you go out, but you should probably use it only once and within about 6 hrs.