Insulin pens leaking on flights

[Pigeon]

Hi there, just got back from holiday (3 weeks in Canada, great!) and thought I'd let you know about a slight hiccup I had on the flight on the way there...

I left the needle in my Novorapid pen, and half of the cartridge leaked out - I think maybe due to the change in pressure as we took off. I don't want to re-start a debate about using needles more than once, but if you do then don't leave the needle in when you're flying! Thankfully I'd followed advice about carrying twice as much insulin as I thought I'd need. It seemed a bit wasteful to take so much when I was packing, but I was glad I did. What with wasting the 150 units that leaked on the plane, and with North American portion sizes, I actually needed all the cartridges I took in the end. Just need to sort out the half stone I've gained now....

 

[Munjeeta]

Wow 🙂 Hope you had a great holiday!

Now I have had issues with leaking novopens... Should I not leave the needle in between injections?! I am one of those naughty diabetics who doesn't change the needle every time... But I guess it makes sense that if there's not a needle in, it can't leak...

 

[mikep1979]

i always change my needle after every injection but it is out of personal choice. i meen it is safer as the risks of infection etc are reduced to but it is a personal choice i feel.

 

[NiVZ]

I'm just back from holiday in Spain and never had any problems leaving the needle tips in both of my Humapen Luxura pens.

My daughters packet of Quavers on the other hand expanded to near bursting point! 😛

NiVZ

 

[Einstein]

Leaving the needle in simply gives somewhere for the pressure to be released when you take off and at various points if the cabin pressure changes.

It is of course advised not to use the same needle multiple times, sometimes when out for the day, I put a needle on my pen the first time I inject and leave it on, for the next injection, but it isn't my preference.

Technically the plunger could be pushed back into the pen (perhaps more so on the NovoPen 4 where the plunger is simply pushed back to load a new cartridge, therefore in doing so, contamination could be drawn back through the needle and into the insulin.

Then you'd be injecting potential infections.

With the risk of infection being so high in this day and age I think the option for using a fresh, sterile needle is becoming a very wise option to adopt.

 

[Steff]

hi all you people back off hols hope you had a great time despite the mishap x

 

[Sugarbum]

Hi there, just got back from holiday (3 weeks in Canada, great!) and thought I'd let you know about a slight hiccup I had on the flight on the way there...

I left the needle in my Novorapid pen, and half of the cartridge leaked out - I think maybe due to the change in pressure as we took off. I don't want to re-start a debate about using needles more than once, but if you do then don't leave the needle in when you're flying! Thankfully I'd followed advice about carrying twice as much insulin as I thought I'd need. It seemed a bit wasteful to take so much when I was packing, but I was glad I did. What with wasting the 150 units that leaked on the plane, and with North American portion sizes, I actually needed all the cartridges I took in the end. Just need to sort out the half stone I've gained now....

Oh Pigeon! Exactly the same happened to me last year, going to Morrocco!

I thought I was going mad, I lost half the cartridge and my bag was soaked and I really couldnt believe it, or work it out at the time. Luckily I had enough with me (I go slightly overboard with my holiday supplies) but yes, like you, half of leaked- literally!

Its actually a good thing to let others know about, nice one! x