[grace girl]

I've always done this because that was what I was taught to do...but why??? Is it really neccesary? Does it serve some purpose?

[notme]

Yes grace girl, it is to stop the bottles from creating a vaccuum. If you didn't inject air to replace the insulin after awhile you would not be able to get the insulin out as the bottle would have a vaccuum effect and the plunger would not pull.

[Cyborg]

I would think one reason is to keep the pressure constant after you withdraw your insulin. Also, you are putting air into the vial to replace the insulin you are about to withdraw. The air should be clean as possible. Pulling air through the seal on the vial may not be as clean due to contamination.

[grace girl]

Interesting. You learn something new every day! Thanks!

[2high]

that's why I use penfills. even when I go through my "syringe stages"... no need to worry, the plunger takes the place of the air!!

[BriOnH]

instead of pumping air in you can also just stick a syringe in the vial with the plunger out. It releases the pressure.

[LantusFiend]

My CDE says with vacuum she's seen the needles pulled right off syringes!

[Starlight]

Its to equalise the air/insulin ratio I think. So you pull out 22 units, you have to insert 22 of air. If not, you'll be left with more air than insulin and so your syringe will end up with a nice amount of airbubbles or the vacuum effect.

[KickStart101]

For 25 yrs., while putting air in the Insulin bottle/vial, I had a heck
of a time getting rid of the bubbles in the Insulin, I had drawn. Lots
of times, I finally gave up and squirted the Insulin out. A waste I
couldn't afford back then.

Twenty yrs. ago I stopped putting air in the vial and have had Very
few problems since, including the vacuum affect.(I can count those
on one hand)The few times it happened, *I just pulled the plunger out.
*I then pulled the needle out of the vial put the plunger back in the
syringe and *expelled all the air. *I drew 10 units into the syringe and
squirt it back into the vial(twice), and then *draw the amount I need.
It takes a matter of seconds instead of wasting many minutes fighting
with the bubbles then wasting the Insulin in many cases.

I have found some things they tell you to do or not to do way back when
have turned around. I won't forget the time I read in the Diabetes
Dialogue magazine that said ,"Diabetics can now eat a small amount of sugar.
I said to my Hubby, "Look Dear the researchers have legalized
sugar for Diabetics."
He laughed and rolled his eyes since he knew I only ate small portions of normal
foods which always included some sugar and I took enough Insulin to counteract
it in most cases. And I'm still doing fine.
That was the day I decided to stop getting the magazine since they were way
behind the times. (I think I still have those magazines somewhere).

I started my first bottle of Lantus on Nov. 19. I have 10 units left in it and it's
still working fine. That's airless and no vacuum about 43 days later.

It could be, putting common air(which is dirty)in the vial degrades the
Insulin quicker.

This is of course, the way I do things because it works Good for me. If it
didn't, I wouldn't do it. Each to his own. We are here to question, share
experiences, accept or reject ideas, learn and have Fun, etc.

(JMO)

[Cyborg]

Originally Posted by KickStart101

For 25 yrs., while putting air in the Insulin bottle/vial, I had a heck
of a time getting rid of the bubbles in the Insulin, I had drawn. Lots
of times, I finally gave up and squirted the Insulin out. A waste I
couldn't afford back then.

Were you keeping the vial of insulin upright so the injected air entered the air in the vial? If so, no bubbles...

[grace girl]

Originally Posted by KickStart101

I started my first bottle of Lantus on Nov. 19. I have 10 units left in it and it's
still working fine. That's airless and no vacuum about 43 days later.

It could be, putting common air(which is dirty)in the vial degrades the
Insulin quicker.

I find that really interesting, as I haven't been able to get more than 36 days out of a bottle of Lantus yet, and I haven't used it all up by then and it really grates me throwing away insulin that I pay for out of my own pocket. Right around the 36 day mark my b/s starts creeping up and just gets worse until I give in and throw out the bottle. Within 4 hours of injecting from a new bottle my b/s magically settles down. I can see where the common air theory makes good sense. Where exactly is anyone going to find pure air these days?

[duck]

I can't remember why I used to do it, but I would "pre-inject" air into my vials waaaaay before my next shot. Well, of course, one day I forgot I did that, and injected air before my shot as well, and ended up ejecting the plunger all the way across the room. Too bad there were other people in the room when it happened...

[KickStart101]

Originally Posted by Cyborg

Were you keeping the vial of insulin upright so the injected air entered the air in the vial? If so, no bubbles...

When I was injecting air into the vial yrs. ago, I injected it into
the Insulin, with the rubber part facing down. That's the way I
was shown.

[KickStart101]

Originally Posted by grace girl

I can see where the common air theory makes good sense. Where exactly is anyone going to find pure air these days?

Oxygen tank???? You'd have to buy a gauge however. Two lbs. of air
would do it. It has to be low enough not to blow the bottle. But there
again is more cost and work.