Walmart Relion vs. Humulin N

[heinzle]

Was price shopping Humulin N prices and found quite the range! My neighborhood grocery store charges $78 for a vial of Humulin N. Walgreens only charges $63 and then Walmart charges $58. Walmart then informed me they have their own brand of Humulin N called Relion for on $25 bucks!!

I am a big believer in "if its too good to be true, it probably is" but I just have to know. Do any of you, currently or in the past, use Relion? If so, any problems or experiences?

Thank you so much in advance!

Karen (aka Sammie's mom)

[nikki]

Re: Walmart Relion vs. Humulin N

Yes alot of us use relion from walmart..Big savings

[Patty]

Re: Walmart Relion vs. Humulin N

Walmart contracted with Eli Lilly, the maker of Humulin N, so they can sell it under their Relion label for a fraction of the price.

It's the same product, but they can sell it cheaper due to the contract.

[heinzle]

Re: Walmart Relion vs. Humulin N

That is just amazing! Glad I did my shopping and only spent $78 twice!!

[Elokin6]

Re: Walmart Relion vs. Humulin N

Do you know if Walmart has small bottles of Relion? I'm trying to only buy 3ml bottles of Humulin since Gidget's dose is so low.

[Abby's Mom]

Re: Walmart Relion vs. Humulin N

Was price shopping Humulin N prices and found quite the range! My neighborhood grocery store charges $78 for a vial of Humulin N. Walgreens only charges $63 and then Walmart charges $58. Walmart then informed me they have their own brand of Humulin N called Relion for on $25 bucks!!

I am a big believer in "if its too good to be true, it probably is" but I just have to know. Do any of you, currently or in the past, use Relion? If so, any problems or experiences?

Thank you so much in advance!

Karen (aka Sammie's mom)

Hi Karen,

I use the Humilin N for Abby, and when you purchase the bottle from Walmart it is the exact one. No difference, and a whole lot cheaper.

[nikki]

Re: Walmart Relion vs. Humulin N

Just one size.

[Abby's Mom]

Re: Walmart Relion vs. Humulin N

I asked one vet, and they stated that insulin is good for 6 months after opening. From what I have read on this forum, it appears that it will lose it's potency after 30-60 days. Thoughts?

[CraigM]

Re: Walmart Relion vs. Humulin N

I asked one vet, and they stated that insulin is good for 6 months after opening. From what I have read on this forum, it appears that it will lose it's potency after 30-60 days. Thoughts?

I think it depends on which insulin you are talking about. I believe Lily, the makers of Humulin-N, state something like 28 days on the data sheet that comes packed with the vial (close enough to a month!). I usually use it for 6 weeks.

[Abby's Mom]

Re: Walmart Relion vs. Humulin N

We use Humulin N, so we were specifically talking about this brand of insulin. In fact I have had 2 vets tell me that it will last 6 months. I am only on my second bottle, but I found that the first bottle did lose its potency after 6 weeks. Started a new bottle and got better readings. Perhaps you truly get what you pay for

[Dog Mom]

Re: Walmart Relion vs. Humulin N

Buddy has been on Humulin N since he was first diagnosed in June 2009. I was originally paying $47.00 a bottle at my local pharmacy. Price went up to $66.00 not too long ago. If it wasn't for this board, I never would have read about Eli Lilly & their contract with Wal Mart. I bought my first bottle less than 2 weeks ago and it cost me $24.88. The only difference with the box is that it is a little smaller and the bottom of it says Reli On. What a pleasure to save over $40.00 a bottle. He usually goes through 1 bottle every 6 weeks so I have never had a problem with it losing it's potency.

[CarolW]

Re: Walmart Relion vs. Humulin N

It feels terrible to throw away a third or half a vial of insulin - or more, if your dog's dose is small. BUT.

So I used a vial for 35 days five weeks - could have used it 42 days - six weeks - if I'd been testing BGs a lot. But Kumbi was always stressed by testing, so I chose to discard - rather, retire - the vial after five weeks. I wrote purchase dates, opening dates (first puncture of the rubber stopper on the vial), and retiring dates (5 weeks after opening) directly on the vial (label), AND on the box the vial had come in. And - when I retired a vial - it went into my fridge. My fridge was JAMMED with retired vials of insulin!

Who would ever have guessed I'm a pack rat?

Here's the sort of thing my vet explained to me.

Insulin molecules are quite delicate, and break down easily if jolted too much - this would be NPH nsulins, also, Caninsulin/Vetsulin (same stuff). That's all "cloudy" insulin. Requires mixing before drawing the dose. GENTLE mixing - which is why people roll the vial between their palms, or some, it seems (hi, Craig - you, right?) roll it on a towel or something.

Mixing, I guess, can never be absolutely perfect, so as time goes on, the concentration of the insulin might change slightly. When we puncture the rubber stopper, there's no way to avoid a very slight contamination. When we inject air into the vial, as we need to do, we may contaminate things very slightly. Not enough to harm, really. But for five or six weeks, I think that's okay.

The molecules break down anyway, over time, and that, said my vets - is why we need to change to a new vial after five or six weeks. The effect is that the insulin loses its potency after that amount of time (approximately).

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 23:33:17 (PDT)

[heinzle]

Re: Walmart Relion vs. Humulin N

I believe, after reading the insert a few times, that the Humulin N will be good for up to 6 months *only* if refrigerated. It is good for 1 month if you leave it at room temp.

I also read the injections can be painful if they are not at room temp and since my girl uses a vial a month I just leave it at room temp.

[jesse girl]

Re: Walmart Relion vs. Humulin N

i have noticed when a bottle gets older it becomes less stable the suspension becomes erratic

for example jesse morning walk she will stay flat on her walk with a new bottle an older one she could drop a 100 points

she tends to need less insulin on a new bottle and i believe even after a couple weeks it really doesnt work as well and starting to loose its stability so i actually raise a bit on her dose after this time frame

I was doing 6 weeks but I think I may go to 4 and try to be more gentle with mixing

just opened a new bottle yesterday and it seems a pattern has developed it took some time to realize this the numbers dont get horrible just more erratic

[farrwf]

Re: Walmart Relion vs. Humulin N

This triggers something I've pondered from time to time ....

Would it be appropriate to increase a insulin dose as the open vial passes the 4 - 6 week period by a small amount to compensate for the perceived loss of potency?

Fervent testers would be able to detect small changes in the BG levels and adjust the dose to compensate for the potency loss.

Just seems as though there should be some way not to waste all that insulin.

Just thinking "out loud".