Left over insulin

judyvalentine512

I use an insulin pen for mealtime insulin and long acting insulin. They have to be replaced every 28 days and 42 days respectively.
Sometimes, there is still insulin in the pen. I hate to throw it in the garbage, but I was told not to put it in my sharps container.
What do you guys/gals do with the leftover insulin in your pen?

maureenkhilde

Maybe it is different where you are. But I am here in Florida in the USA. I use two different types of Insulin Pens daily. And they do not expire that quickly. I know that people who use vials have said that they must use the vials in a certain amount of time.

Example: I use Lantus daily in the evening is the long actiing I take once every 24 hours.
I had been taking quite a bit of Humalog but have been cutting way back on that. So I knew that the pens I had were going to expire before I could use them all. So I literally took them in to the Dr. I see and said give them to someone who needs them but has trouble paying for them. These were ones that were not opened/used yet.

maureenkhilde

judyvalentine512 wrote: »

I use an insulin pen for mealtime insulin and long acting insulin. They have to be replaced every 28 days and 42 days respectively.
Sometimes, there is still insulin in the pen. I hate to throw it in the garbage, but I was told not to put it in my sharps container.
What do you guys/gals do with the leftover insulin in your pen?

Sorry about that, I answered wrong. Actually there is a way to get rid of it. This is going to sound odd. I have a number of cats, therefore lots of cat litter always in my house. One of my cats had been sick, then the Vet changed her medication. I asked the Vet what/where I could dispose of the other liquid medication. And her answer was whether for animals or humans if we have liquid medication we need to get rid of. Can mix with a small amount of cat litter it will absorb it. And then can be thrown out in a bag in the garbage. So for my humalog as that is the one, I have the exact same issue you describe above that is what I do, I put a few cups in a plastic bag and shoot the remaining insulin in there, and throw it out. Then put the pen in my sharps container.

judyvalentine512

Thanks Maureen. I don't have kitty litter, and my pharmacist said not to put the pens in my sharps container. When it comes to other meds, like pills, I can take them to my pharmacist to be disposed of safely.
Maybe a different pharmacist will have a better solution.