The Mathematics of Diabetes

I have been trying to sleep for over an hour, and it’s just not happening. The problem is math. Or rather, I have a mathematical problem. Or rather, Meijer’s (where I fill my prescriptions) has the mathematical problem and thus I have a problem with Meijer’s.

Ok, so here’s the problem. I keep running out of insulin. Specifically, I kept running out of Lantus (one of the two types of insulin I take daily). This wasn’t such a problem when I could just go to the Allegiance Diabetes Center for another vial, which I have had to do more often than I like (blaming my own carelessness for any shortfall I experienced) but since the Diabetes Center is now closed, I am forced to rely on the Meijer’s pharmacist(s).

But being short (often way short) has been happening regularly, so for the last month I have carefully monitored my intake of insulin. What I found has not made me happy.

OK, this is where the boring math comes in, so please stay with me.

Lantus comes in 10 mL (milliliter) vials, and each mL equals 100 units per mL. I’m supposedly prescribed insulin for a 90-day period. They give me three vials at a time. 10 mL x 100 units per mL = 1,000 units per vial. With me so far?

My dosage is 36 units twice a day, or 72 units total per day. For one month I would need 72 x 30 units, or 2,160 units per month. For three months I would need 6,480 units.

I am given three vials, a total of 3,000 units.. Less than half of what I need.

Does anyone besides me see a problem with this?

In part, I am to blame. The print on the vials is too small to easily read even with my glasses, so I didn’t bother. Instead, I trusted the pharmacist(s) at Meijer’s (I’d be a bit surprised if they had more than one) to know what they’re about. But apparently they don’t.

My own damn fault for trusting a trained professional.

Tomorrow I hope to be able to get a ride to Meijer’s, where I will lay my case before them and ask for satisfaction. And if I don’t get it, I imagine they’ll hear me yelling all the way out to the Cascades.

Which, coincidentally, is very near where the Diabetes Center once served the needs of Jackson County’s growing number of diabetics—since closed for committing the unpardonable sin of not being profitable. (Heath care is, unfortunately, no longer about taking care of people’s health.)

It is to the memory of the Allegiance Diabetes Center and the service they provided that I dedicate this rant.

I’m going back to bed now.

The Blues Viking
The ideas here expressed are mine and if you don't like them you can get your own damn blog.