Question about insulin prices

[quote user="DDrumminMan"]I never throw insulin away after 28 days.  I use every last drop in the vial.  I've never noticed any drop off of effectiveness or anything.  What, does it go bad and stop working on the 29th day?  It's a sin to waste insulin.  This what I've always wondered, why don't they make 5000 unit vials instead 10000 unit vials.  Then this wouldn't even be an issue.  I once asked a representative from Eli Lilly or some other insulin company about this at a seminar at their booth.  She said it really didn't go bad after 28 days.    Take that for whatever it's worth.  Maybe she just didn't know what she was talking about.[/quote]

Agree, I've used old insulin, like pretty old and it was sitting in my car. Don't do that. Really don't, but I was in a pinch and without anything and about 45 min's away from my house. I think of the expiration as a sell-by date. It's still good, and yes I agree a sin to throw out.

[quote user="Kathie"]

Vegan,

I am DEFINATLY going to look into this!  If I can get it cheaper than my insurance can get it for then I am all over that!  Thanks for letting us know, this is truly a big help!

[/quote]

No problem. I couldn't imagine paying that much for insulin when I did not have insurance. I don't know what I would have done without the generic.

 

has any one else noticed that insulin was soooooo much cheaper when mom and dad were buying it...

idk if it's cuz their insurance was better, or if the prices have gone up, or if it's just cuz they were paying for it....

diabetes is really freaking expensive!!!

and we have to pay for health insurance, and co-payments at the endo, primary, eye doc, dentist, gyn.... argh! now i know why i'm poor!

Hi everyone. I went to the Endo yesterday and found out a few things about "generic"insulin. First off I need to tell you that I was wrong and was mislead about the peak hours of this insulin. It  DOES NOT have the same peak time. and is not safe to use in pumps. Second it is not generic at all. It is the made by the same people Novo Nordisk / Eli Lilly and is sold under different names Humulin/ Novolin. This insulin can be bought at Wal Mart and various other drug stores for a lower cost.I'm sorry to have given you all false information.

On a personal note...I was very upset yesterday to find out that for while now I was being prescribed the wrong insulin for my pump. I am not the kind of person that does as there told, or doesn't ask questions...usually. When I got my insurance back in 2006 I was just so happy to have insurance again I never thought for a second to question what was going on. I thought yeah these docs and there team are here to help. I know longer feel that way. Even after  I switched insurance my regular MD didn't catch any of this thanks to my new Endo all this was caught and I can correct the problem and move on. I seem to encounter more problems from going to the doctor than if I never went at all. Don't get me wrong I am still going to to see my Endo but other than that I am staying the hell away from doctors for awhile.

Ok... I feel better now.  I just had my endo appt and she looked at me like I was crazy when I started asking about "generic" insulin... I am actually relieved to know that you were wrong rather than my doctor being wrong...

I am sorry to hear about your mix up with insulin... I wish you luck with your new endo!  It is true... One must keep constant vigilance over their doctors, they are after all human...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For kate who reponded about the vials and the cost being about them being close 100 dollars or more is correct . The pens are about double that without insurance.  I have been without insurance before it's not goof when it comes to prescriptions. I currently work at Walgreens in the pharmacy soI know the cash price I also have gotten the walmart brand before  cause like they said it's about 24 dolars a bottle right now. The downside to that is the forms are just the basic regular and nph insulins so you  would have to take more shots of the NPH to compensate for the Lantus shot and the regular is not fast acting.  I would say that if you have to use the Walmart ( specify to them Reli-On) that you keep up with the blood sugar checks especially if you  are used the fast acting and the Lantus. Hope this helps best of luck.