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Lantus
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Northerner
Admin (Retired)
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- Type 1
This was my big bugbear with lantus newbs, especially when I was down to just 3 or 4 units a day. As far as I know, no such thing exists and the only options are to change to levemir or use a syringe
The cartridge design doesn't fit the half-unit novopens.
newbs
Well-Known Member
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- Type 1
This was my big bugbear with lantus newbs, especially when I was down to just 3 or 4 units a day. As far as I know, no such thing exists and the only options are to change to levemir or use a syringe
That's a shame
. I was on Levemir before, Lantus seems to work better for me. Stuck between a rock and a hard place then I guess!
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
That's a shame
It's a stupid, simple little difference too - with lantus you screw the needle onto the pen, but with novo/levemir you screw it onto the cartridge!
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
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- Type 1
Actually, that would probably work - the lantus cartridge just needs a little 'collar' with a screw thread! Doubt I could make one with my laser printer though. Where are all those design students who keep asking us what would improve things for us?
I'll ask my son-in-law (a rocket scientist, yes really!) what would be involved. Has anyone approached the company that makes Lantus? Surely they wouldn't want their customers going over to Levemir just because they don't have the appropriate delivery mechanism.
Northerner
Admin (Retired)
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- Type 1
Actually, I think they do distinguish them deliberately so the cartridges aren't interchangeable with rival pens. I don't think Sanofi actually make the pens, but they do make the cartridges. Perhaps since they are medical devices it wouldn't be possible to provide something that could adapt a pen without license and lots of tests and approvals. I imagine that the number of people actually needing half-unit pens is pretty small (most lantus users are Type 2 on large doses) so the whole thing may not be commercially viable
DeusXM
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Who needs a design student? All you need is a Novo Nordisk cart, a Lantus cart and a Novopen 3.
Get your carts.
Remove the plastic cap off the Novo cart. You can do this by getting your fingernails under the rim and pulling.
Put it on your Lantus cart.
The issue isn't the plastic cap, it's the cart size. Lantus carts WON'T fit in a Novopen 4 but they WILL fit in a Novopen 3 (although this doesn't do half units so this doesn't solve your problem!). I have no idea if they fit the half unit pens. Also, it is vitally important to note that I'm not sure the dosing will work the same. The distance the plunger needs to travel to deliver 10u from a Novo cart may be different to that required for a Lantus cart - so simply put, even if you dial up 10u on a Novo pen fitted with a Lantus cart, you might not actually get 10u of Lantus out of it.
However, this is a great temporary bodge for when you are stuck halfway up a mountain in Thailand, have fallen over and managed to break your Lantus pen's plunger, but still have a Novopen 3 with you!
Get your carts.
Remove the plastic cap off the Novo cart. You can do this by getting your fingernails under the rim and pulling.
Put it on your Lantus cart.
The issue isn't the plastic cap, it's the cart size. Lantus carts WON'T fit in a Novopen 4 but they WILL fit in a Novopen 3 (although this doesn't do half units so this doesn't solve your problem!). I have no idea if they fit the half unit pens. Also, it is vitally important to note that I'm not sure the dosing will work the same. The distance the plunger needs to travel to deliver 10u from a Novo cart may be different to that required for a Lantus cart - so simply put, even if you dial up 10u on a Novo pen fitted with a Lantus cart, you might not actually get 10u of Lantus out of it.
However, this is a great temporary bodge for when you are stuck halfway up a mountain in Thailand, have fallen over and managed to break your Lantus pen's plunger, but still have a Novopen 3 with you!
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trophywench
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
Tell you what Deus, I think I'll just pass, on Thailand .......
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