Pens & air shots

[trophywench]

Huh? - I could never find out how to get new needles at all in those days, nor re-sharpen them!

Hedgestakes.

But it's pen needles that caused the bad areas in my tummy and midriff as I always injected insulin in my legs throughout syringe days (first glass then disposable, which I paid for myself before they were free purely because of the needle problem), where I have craters in the fat instead of lumps!

 

[Vicsetter]

I'm puzzled, why re-use a needle. When you fit a needle it punctures the rubber bung in the pen. If you leave it on mine has sometimes leaked slightly and I would also be worried that you are leaving a means for bacteria to enter the pen (especially as it has passed through your skin).I also sometimes bend the needle and it must get blunt. It's just not worth it the needles are cheap compared to test strips.

 

[lauraw1983]

I'm confused here.

When I put a new cartridge on a pen, I do the air shots to get the insulin to come through.

Thereafter I do no test shots, unless I am worried the pen is blocked or something of course. Are some people saying they do a test shot with each new needle!?

I use a new needle almost every time, sometimes I might use it twice but not often! I was told to use a new one and try not to leave it on the pen when not in use...although I often do.

On my DAFNE course there was a guy who used needles for AGES, like months and months, the latest box he had in his house expired in 2008!

 

[Northerner]

I always do an airshot to ensure the needle/pen are delivering insulin. We once had a member who tried to use a needle that had no hole in it! (I wrote a poem about that: The Lament of the Lonely Lancet)

 

[lauraw1983]

I always do an airshot to ensure the needle/pen are delivering insulin. We once had a member who tried to use a needle that had no hole in it! (I wrote a poem about that: The Lament of the Lonely Lancet)

For every injection!? The stuff stinks, I hate getting it on me if I do it cos I can smell it if any lands on my hand etc!

I have never been told to do an air shot every time, is it not a waste of insulin?

 

[Northerner]

For every injection!? The stuff stinks, I hate getting it on me if I do it cos I can smell it if any lands on my hand etc!

I have never been told to do an air shot every time, is it not a waste of insulin?

It's not really a waste as the main aim of injecting is to ensure you receive the correct dose and all your equipment is working to achieve that. We also had a member once who was told by their doctor not to do an airshot as it was costing the NHS too much in insulin, which is baloney (in my opinion!).

When I was on lantus, I was on such tiny amounts that by the time the month was up where it was safe to have the cartridge at room temp, I still had over half a cartridge left but had to throw it away in case it had lost its potency.

 

[Austin Mini]

As I don't change my needle each time I inject, more likely just when I chenge cartridges, or sometimes a bit more often, I find that priming a new needle takes several units, while priming before an injection takes as little as 0.5 units (with my half unit pen) or 1 unit (with my whole unit pen).

So, in my case, not changing needles saves not just needle costs, including manufacture and disposal, environmental and financial to NHS, but also insulin. But that's not to say that others shouldn't do what they choose, just that I can justify what I do to my own satisfaction.

Dear Copepod, I was given a severe telling off by my DSN for doing what you did here. I was shown pictures of needles severely damaged by continual use and not being changed every time. I now use a new needle every injection. I dont want to incur the wrath of the DSN again. I now get through 120 needles a month. I thought, same as you, that I was being economic just by using one per cartridge.

 

[mum2westiesGill]

I also can confirm that my DSN told me to use a new needle for every injection.

Also as Northerner said when you do an air shot you can make sure that the needle & pen are delivering insulin.

 

[lauraw1983]

It's not really a waste as the main aim of injecting is to ensure you receive the correct dose and all your equipment is working to achieve that. We also had a member once who was told by their doctor not to do an airshot as it was costing the NHS too much in insulin, which is baloney (in my opinion!).

When I was on lantus, I was on such tiny amounts that by the time the month was up where it was safe to have the cartridge at room temp, I still had over half a cartridge left but had to throw it away in case it had lost its potency.

Yes but that's not typical of most type 1's to need such little basal. Except children.

Why would you not receive the correct dose if you have primed the pen at the start of each new cartridge? I genuinely don't understand.

 

[Vicsetter]

Yes but that's not typical of most type 1's to need such little basal. Except children.

Why would you not receive the correct dose if you have primed the pen at the start of each new cartridge? I genuinely don't understand.

Certainly with Levemir You do not always get insulin coming out of a new needle, I dial up 2 units and fire. Sometimes it takes 2 shots before I get more than a dribble. You should also check that there is no air in the pen and if there is tap the pen until the air bubble is at the top and then do a 2 unit shot to expel it.

 

[lauraw1983]

Certainly with Levemir You do not always get insulin coming out of a new needle, I dial up 2 units and fire. Sometimes it takes 2 shots before I get more than a dribble. You should also check that there is no air in the pen and if there is tap the pen until the air bubble is at the top and then do a 2 unit shot to expel it.

I tried this morning - 2 units definitely came out of mine. The pen is aimed down when you inject so insulin will come out - if you aim the pen into the air then yes, less might come out but I don't inject up the way....

This says you should though too http://www.bd.com/resource.aspx?IDX=10256 I honestly had no idea and no-one has ever told me this!

 

[Northerner]

I tried this morning - 2 units definitely came out of mine. The pen is aimed down when you inject so insulin will come out - if you aim the pen into the air then yes, less might come out but I don't inject up the way....

This says you should though too http://www.bd.com/resource.aspx?IDX=10256 I honestly had no idea and no-one has ever told me this!

Gravity is less important where pen needles are concerned since the needle cavity is so very narrow, so you have to force the insulin out with the airshot to make sure it is coming through correctly. Otherwise the insulin would just dribble out when you hold the pen down if gravity was a major factor. I'm really surprised you weren't told to do an airshot when being taught how to use the pens! 😱 Your DSN must have been poorly on the day they taught airshots 😉

 

[lauraw1983]

Gravity is less important where pen needles are concerned since the needle cavity is so very narrow, so you have to force the insulin out with the airshot to make sure it is coming through correctly. Otherwise the insulin would just dribble out when you hold the pen down if gravity was a major factor. I'm really surprised you weren't told to do an airshot when being taught how to use the pens! 😱 Your DSN must have been poorly on the day they taught airshots 😉

Lol, must have been. I was certainly told to do it at the start of the cartridge but not after, infact I'm sure it was covered on DAFNE too and they also said there was no need these days! Bah.

 

[trophywench]

Hmmm. Well it probably takes less insulin than you think to actually 'prime' a new needle because of how fine they are and I suppose, bearing in mind the pen IS upside down when you actually inject, then air bubbles in the cartirdge - which there are bound to be some when it's in use, because who actually removes the needle immediately? - no - you leave it on the dining table or wherever or at work, I'd deliberately leave it on and remove/lob it in the sharps bin later at tea-time at home, you know where the needle is, on the pen with the cap firmly on SAFELY at the bottom of your handbag and won't stab you when you rummage for Rennies or a tissue LOL - should rise to the top of the insulin ie the bottom of the cartridge - which is now uppermost.

Big bubbles usually do. However teeny tiny ones, of which you might have shedloads - DON'T. They stick to the inside of the cartridge like (sorry, this is a local expression but says it all !) proverbial sheet to a blanket. Then when you depress the plunger the flipping things decide to move and you have no idea whatever where they will decide to go.

If you is experience in using hypodermic syringes like what us old uns were/are - then you would know this. And I'm bound to add - they stick to plastic far worse than they ever ever stuck to glass. But are still utterly unreliable in movement. Worse probably.

I had a deja vu moment when I filled my second pump cartridge, LOL

 

[Northerner]

I always take the needle off immediately after injecting 🙂

 

[trophywench]

And put it where exactly Alan? LOL

 

[Northerner]

And put it where exactly Alan? LOL

If I'm in, I chuck it in the sharps bin, if I'm out I put the plastic cap back on and stick it in my bag 🙂 I used to always put the cap back on until I realised how much extra room it was taking up in the sharps bin - only problem now is that it's taken me so long to fill my sharps bin that I have to get referred again before the council will pick it up! 🙄

 

[trophywench]

Yeah but no but, the little needle that goes in the cartridge is still exposed and that end of the plastic needle casing is just big enough for any of my fingertips esp my little fingers, to fit in EASILY ........

Owwwww.

 

[Northerner]

Yeah but no but, the little needle that goes in the cartridge is still exposed and that end of the plastic needle casing is just big enough for any of my fingertips esp my little fingers, to fit in EASILY ........

Owwwww.

You're just careless! 😉 😱

 

[Vicsetter]

If I'm in, I chuck it in the sharps bin, if I'm out I put the plastic cap back on and stick it in my bag 🙂 I used to always put the cap back on until I realised how much extra room it was taking up in the sharps bin - only problem now is that it's taken me so long to fill my sharps bin that I have to get referred again before the council will pick it up! 🙄

I keep an old test strip bottle with my meter, that takes the strips when I'm out and any used needles. Indoors I have a pair of side cutters which I snip the use bit of the needle and drop into a 1Ltr sharps bin, had it for a couple of years now.