• Please Remember: Members are only permitted to share their own experiences. Members are not qualified to give medical advice. Additionally, everyone manages their health differently. Please be respectful of other people's opinions about their own diabetes management.
  • We seem to be having technical difficulties with new user accounts. If you are trying to register please check your Spam or Junk folder for your confirmation email. If you still haven't received a confirmation email, please reach out to our support inbox: support.forum@diabetes.org.uk

New prescription

Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
A

Arlene Dunn

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hello, I saw diabetes nurse last week and she said I would go on to novarapid instead of humulin, when I collected from chemist I was given vials of novorapid and lantus,,,,I was expecting a flexipen, does this sound right?
 
Yes you do get both meaning flexipens and cartridges although if you were given cartridges you should have been prescribed a couple of pens to use them if you don't already have these? If you don't get in touch with nurse as obviously you need them x
 
As Kayiz says contact your nurse or surgery and find out which method of injecting you should be on. I assume you have been injecting Humilin via flexipen?
 
Arlene Dunn said:
Hello, I saw diabetes nurse last week and she said I would go on to novarapid instead of humulin, when I collected from chemist I was given vials of novorapid and lantus,,,,I was expecting a flexipen, does this sound right?
Click to expand...
Hello, Arlene. Have you got an appointment where the nurse is going to explain how to use your new insulins? It's quite usual, if you are put into Novorapid, (which is for use at mealtimes) to have a background insulin as well, which you take once a day, (to mop up the glucose that is constantly put out by your liver). Lantus is one of this type of insulin.
Kaylz is right, cartridges are no use without pens to put them in ( I prefer this system, it's more environmentally friendly, and takes up less fridge space) Sometimes nurses hand out the pens when you go for an appointment, so maybe this is what she is intending to do when you see her. Otherwise, they get prescribed for your pharmacist to obtain.
 
Hello, thanks for that,I am seeing my diabetes nurse on Monday,I just got a surprise when the chemist gave me this big bag full of insulin.hopefully I'll know more on Monday 🙂
 
Davein said:
As Kayiz says contact your nurse or surgery and find out which method of injecting you should be on. I assume you have been injecting Humilin via flexipen?
Click to expand...
Yes,I have been using pen, seeing nurse Monday, thank you🙂
 
They're even different pens depending on which make of insulin it is - Novo cartridges don't fit Humalog pens and vice-versa. The pens are much more robust and less 'clicky' in use than the completely disposable ones, hence they cost more initially but they are nicer to use.
 
You use these pens in exactly the same way as the disposable ones, but they are a lot more robust and reusable so much more environmentally friendly and the cartridges take up a lot less space in the fridge. No need to draw up any insulin. Yo just prime the pen and then dial up what you need to deliver.

You will haev one pen for the Novorapid,which you will use to match any carbohydraets that you eat, and another for the Lantus that is your background insulin which deals with the glucose released automatically by your liver. If you are on small doses of Novorapid (or meals with a low amount of carbs) it can be useful to get a junior oen for you Novorapid as this will enable you to deliver insuiln in half units, so you can be a lot more accurate. Ask your nurse when you see him/her.

Let us know how you get on on Monday
 
I will let you know, it sounds very complex though after being used to just sticking in a flexible twice a day 🙂
 
It is slightly more complex, but it is a far better method of keeping our blood glucose in good control for longer periods every day of our lives and thus trying to avoid later complications - and that's why we are happy to do it.

It is us that gain!
 
Arlene Dunn said:
I will let you know, it sounds very complex though after being used to just sticking in a flexible twice a day 🙂
Click to expand...
Don’t worry you’ll soon get used to it. Inserting and removing the cartridges when needed is easy, it only takes a few seconds every so often, The reusable pens are much nicer and more robust than the disposable ones plus their is less waste so they’re more environmentally friendly.

I have no idea what pens are suitable for Lantus, I use The Novo Echo pen for my Novo Rapid, it can deliver half doses of insulin, has a simple timer that tells how many hours ago we last injected and how much, this helps with those did I or didn’t I moments lol

My advise is to use different coloured pens for your basal and bolus insulin’s and if they allow it , a spare pen incase one breaks or develops a fault.
 
The Lantus pen or pens are totally different to a Novopen - the Lantus one I had was completely straight sided and pale grey whereas I had a blue Novopen for the Novorapid I used which was slightly 'fatter' and actually more comfy to hold and use. When I later swapped the Lantus for Levemir using a similar Novopen I requested a different colour so it was instantly obvious which was which. I chose a red one and then swapped the two Novopens so the faster, Novorapid was in the red one and the slower Levemir in the blue one, which makes sense to me with my simple brain!
 
trophywench said:
The Lantus pen or pens are totally different to a Novopen - the Lantus one I had was completely straight sided and pale grey whereas I had a blue Novopen for the Novorapid I used which was slightly 'fatter' and actually more comfy to hold and use. When I later swapped the Lantus for Levemir using a similar Novopen I requested a different colour so it was instantly obvious which was which. I chose a red one and then swapped the two Novopens so the faster, Novorapid was in the red one and the slower Levemir in the blue one, which makes sense to me with my simple brain!
Click to expand...
I also have blue for my Levemir, blue for background, and red for my NovoRapid, red for “ready to eat”! I too have a simple brain. :D
 
eggyg said:
I also have blue for my Levemir, blue for background, and red for my NovoRapid, red for “ready to eat”! I too have a simple brain. :D
Click to expand...
Why is it that the ladies are putting themselves down today by stating they are idiots and simple brained. What happened to girl power and feminism🙂🙂
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ljc
Davein said:
Why is it that the ladies are putting themselves down today by stating they are idiots and simple brained. What happened to girl power and feminism🙂🙂
Click to expand...
When you get to a certain age @Davein you don’t really care what people think of you and about all that tosh, I truly believe men and women will never be equal, women will always be far superior to men! 😉
 
Agree 100% with you......well that was what 'she who must be obeyed' told me I must tell you
eggyg said:
When you get to a certain age @Davein you don’t really care what people think of you and about all that tosh, I truly believe men and women will never be equal, women will always be far superior to men! 😉
Click to expand...
And I absolutely agree with you 100%.........at least that's what 'she who must be obeyed' told me to say🙂(otherwise I will have to get my own tea):(
 
Status
This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Back
Top