Anyone tried Novopen Echo

[KookyCat]

Hi everyone

Has anyone got or tried the Novopen Echo. I've been researching refillable pens because I find the novorapid disposable pens really hard to use, my hypermobile thumbs find the dials very stiff. The Echo seems to get good reviews on ease of use, and at this point anything that prevents my wrists becoming inflamed will be helpful. Ironically I find the Lantus solostar disposable pen easier to use I think because it's sturdier so I don't have to grip it quite so tightly, despite the fact that the dial is quite stiff 🙄

 

[Sally71]

Yes we have one but only as emergency back up in case of pump failure so it hardly gets used, and have never had any other so I can't compare it with anything else. So that doesn't really help you! To me it feels quite sturdy and easy to use. It delivers half units, which is great if you need more precise doses, but not so good if you need large doses as the maximum it can deliver at once is 30. It has an LCD display on the end which tells you what was the last dose you injected and when, good if you're a bit forgetful, but then the battery fails after about a year and there is no way take the thing apart to replace it!

 

[Northerner]

Yes, I've got an Echo and it is excellent 🙂 Really easy to change cartridges, has a simple timer to let you know when you last injected, you can 'rewind' doses if you go too far, and it's well-made. 🙂

 

[delb t]

Yep we have 1 and a spare- useful half units- the bit that shows you the last injection time went a bit hit and miss- I recall but H happy enough with it

 

[astbury1]

I use this pen when am not using my pump. It is very good. Excellent with the half units

 

[KookyCat]

Thanks everyone, I'm thinking of asking my DSN about it on Monday. Quite like idea of half units too because I seem to be very sensitive to the rapid, tried an extra half unit yesterday as a correction with my fastidiously carb counted tea and dropped from 11 to 4.4 😱

 

[trophywench]

Sure it was your bolus, Kooky?

I was going to say, if I was you Ishould ask to have a feel of them - the Novorapid (and Levemir) disposable pens are rather narrow, cheap and err, nasty. (says the woman who has a Cross ballpoint pen for writing with, before the Cross I had a Parker LOL) Whereas the refillable Novopens (which fit either/or so you have em in different colours) are better quality and fatter in girth, with a far less 'clicky' plunger.

With 'iffy' hands, you might find the 'fatter' pen is easier to use - but I don't think it delivers half units.

I have never handled an Echo so I can't compare that unfortunately.

 

[KookyCat]

Could have been the traumatic day I suppose, but I do seem to have issues in the evening with the rapid, mostly a predictable 1:15 ratio but occasionally it goes bonkers and wants less, and yesterday's quick and dirty tea was beans a wholemeal roll and a yoghurt so all carbs easy to assess. Hypo city today so no corrections needed thank goodness!

I have to use a heavy chunky pen to write with (a lovely green Cross as it happens) because I don't have to grip it so tightly as a standard disposable which is one reason I'm thinking I might find the refillable easier to handle, because I need to employ my vice like grip on the disposable pen just to keep it stable. I was going to ask if they had any at the clinic to handle, so we'll see what they say. I wish they'd hurry up with that magic pancreas replacement I ordered from amazon