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Novopen 4

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Steve

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Does anyone know if the novopen 4 is available yet on prescription in this country ?
 
the novopen 4 is available on prescription. has been for about a month or so now. if your doctors wont give you one, then ask your dsn for them as they usually have a stock.
 
Forgive my lack of understanding, but what is so good about the Novopen 4?
 
Hi

I was put on insulin approx 2 weeks ago, i had to ring around a good number of chemists until i found one that was able to order a Novopen 4.

Chemists informed me that they are just the latest version of the Novopen.

Hope this helps
 
unlike other novopens the novopen 4 has a new system to dial the dose. you pull the end out and turn to required dose also if you make a mistake you can just dial back with no loss of insulin. also the dial end no longer rotates in your thumb as you inject. just a smooth injection. also the cartridge is now inserted differently. instead of screwing the holder in it just clicks into place. on the whole a very very good pen.
 
I've got to be honestI like the 'normal' Novorapid pens & the new Levemir ones are dead funky.
 
the novopen 4 is a normal novopen, just an updated version. if you cant get them off either you gp or dsn then try going to novonordisk direct and asking for a couple to sample. worked for my mate who had the novopen 3 and cos it wasnt broken he couldnt get the novopen 4.
 
Why get a new pen until you need it?!? Sure, keep a spare in reserve (which could be a "retired" pen), but why consign a perfectly decent pen to landfill - no-one else can use it.
 
Why get a new pen until you need it?!? Sure, keep a spare in reserve (which could be a "retired" pen), but why consign a perfectly decent pen to landfill - no-one else can use it.

Copepod, you have to bear in mind the male compulsion to get the latest gadget 🙂
 
The male I live with is still using a KIMM (ruck)sack dating from 1980s - the KIMM is now OMM, and sacks have moved on, so he has bought new ones, but prefers the old one as it's lighter. But while it's OK to buy your own gadgets, I'm not so sure about expecting the NHS to pay for them, especially before you actually need a new one, by which time there'll be an even newer version.
KIMM = Karrimor International Mountain Marathon, name from 1968 - 2005 inclusive; OMM = Original Mountain Marathon, name used for same event from 2006 onwards, before anyone asks!
 
the reason my mate got a new pen off novonordisk is that he had a novopen 3 and couldnt get a spare from any of his dsn's or his gp and dint feel it was right to lie and say his was broken so he called the novonordisk rep and got one off them.
 
The male I live with is still using a KIMM (ruck)sack dating from 1980s - the KIMM is now OMM, and sacks have moved on, so he has bought new ones, but prefers the old one as it's lighter. But while it's OK to buy your own gadgets, I'm not so sure about expecting the NHS to pay for them, especially before you actually need a new one, by which time there'll be an even newer version.
KIMM = Karrimor International Mountain Marathon, name from 1968 - 2005 inclusive; OMM = Original Mountain Marathon, name used for same event from 2006 onwards, before anyone asks!

Apologies for moving off-topic, but you have a good point that not everything new is better. My best ever running shoes were a pair of nike internationlist II - now completely disappeared. Running shoes change every year so it's virtually impossible to stick with a brand/model that suits. When I do buy new ones, I buy 2 pairs of last years model - usually at half price! And I gave away my KIMM to charity last year!

Moving back to the pens - if the pen has some practical improvements that make it easier for someone to use (for example, a partially sighted person), then I think it's valid to get a new one, but wouldn't personally get one just for the shiny newness 🙂
 
Agreement with Northerner on both running kit and pens. I also buy trail shoes, running shoes etc from last year / last season, usually at less than half the original price. Saving weight on mountain marathons is a whole new topic, best suited to other message boards (eg www.theomm.com or www.sleepmonsters.co.uk ), but it is rarely mentioned that the newer OMM sacks weigh several more grams than the original simple 1980s versions. Budget supermarket noodles are the cheapest and one of the most palatable sources of carbohydrate and salt, both of which are needed on such endurance events. Much cheaper than more expensive specialist backpacking food, that is much heavier - it might taste a bit better, but anything tastes good at an overnight camp!

Back to pens - sure get one if you need the added / improved features, but otherwise, I can't see that the NHS should be expected to pay simply for shiny new kit.
 
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