Novorapid and BD needles.

Status
Not open for further replies.
W

Whitevanman1441

Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi all,

Anyone having a problem with Novorapid and BD needles not working.

I had this problem no insulin coming out to inject.

The needle is not reaching the insulin.
I contacted novorapid and was told by them Novorapid is designed for Novofine 30g 8mm and 31g 6 mm needles which cost less than BD needles..
I ordered a pack of each from Amazon and both work.
 
Hi. I've been using Novorapid for many years with two types of BD and other brands - all 32G 4mm. I've not had any problems. The needle doesn't 'reach' the insulin if you are using the pen and cartridge. The plunger pushes the insulin out of the needle. BTW 4mm is now the most popular needle size.
 
DaveB said:
Hi. I've been using Novorapid for many years with two types of BD and other brands - all 32G 4mm. I've not had any problems. The needle doesn't 'reach' the insulin if you are using the pen and cartridge. The plunger pushes the insulin out of the needle. BTW 4mm is now the most popular needle size.
Click to expand...
The end of the needle which is inside the screw on needle does need to be long enough to penetrate the rubber seal in the pen or cartridge. I had one or two BD needles which didn't allow the transmission of insulin. Not sure if the needle was clogged or the other end wasn't long enough but I always do an air shot so it was obvious and I changed needles. It was just the odd one though out of hundreds.
 
I should add that I use 4mm 32guage needles but I am now on Fiasp and Levemir. Both are made by the same manufacturer as NovoRapid though... so should be a standard size.
My current needles are GlucoRx Carepoint Ultra and work fine
 
Used NR with BD Viva 4mm needles for 5 years now and never had an issue, as far as I'm aware the length of the needle doesn't effect it reaching the seal as I think it's only the end that penetrates the skin that is longer xx
 
Robert459 said:
Carepoint are the worst needles that we have been given. BD were great however I understand too expensive. I've since had Glucoject which were more painful but acceptable and are now given Carepoint, that I assume are super cheap as they don't even fit on the pen properly sometimes. I accept that the NHS needs to save money however there's no need to give us sub-standard needles, and I consider that Carepoint are sub-standard
Click to expand...
That surprises me as the Carepoint seem fine to me. Certainly not had any problems with them screwing onto the pen... I have Novopen Echos and so far I don't think I have had any that didn't pass the air shot and transport insulin. I find that some injections hurt when the needle goes in and some sting when the insulin is released and unfortunately some do both and occasionally when I am lucky they do neither. This was the same with the BD needles and I possibly had more frequent bruising with the BD but very little if anything in it. I certainly don't feel badly done to being prescribed the Carepoint or that they are any worse than the BD needles.
 
I have just checked my box and then googled the address and it is South Korea if that puts your mind at rest.
I tend not to push the needle onto the pen at all, just line it up and start gently screwing. Sometimes it takes a couple of turns before I feel it engage and start actually screwing on but never had it feel like it was cross threaded.
 
Always used BD needles, was using 4mm with novorapid before moving to pump, still use them now as back up on pen but use fiasp insulin instead.

Never had any issues, best needles out there its said.
 
My prescription was changed by the surgery from BD to Carepoint, but then the pharmacy is part of the GP surgery and under the management of the practice, so the saving is direct to the practice. I am OK with that. I have found my practice to be very good and I am not having a problem with the Carepoint needles so far.
Only just into my second box though and I am a bit naughty 😱 as I reuse my needles, so it takes me quite a while to get through a box.
 
Robert459 said:
Please, never reuse needles
Click to expand...
I have been reusing needles now for nearly 3 years with no problem at all. That is a lot of reused needles on MDI. I change needles Sundays and Wednesdays. It used to be once a week but I compromised. 🙄 I know it is not what is recommended, but as with reusing lancets, and many people do that, I experience no problems with it at all.
I'm afraid that I am yet to be given any information or evidence to dissuade me. My needles are safe and covered at all times except when I am injecting of course. I really don't personally see any need for it. My sites are all fine. No lumps or bumps and I know that other people get the odd bruise with new needles and for me a new needle is just as likely to bruise as a reused one, it comes down to being unlucky and hitting a blood vessel. I have new needles which cause pain and reused ones that don't, again it is more down to the site than anything else.
What is it you fear for me about reusing them?
I am not advocating for other people to reuse needles but see no appreciable risk in reusing them on myself. If they were going deeper into tissue it would be another matter but my skin gets breached by far worse things than a needle rather too often as I work out doors a lot, so really don't feel that there is any risk from a needle which has only ever been used on me and my 3 year experience backs that up. In some respects I feel it is a bit like bacteria. It is my opinion that many people are too obsessed with killing all germs but that can cause your immune system to get lazy and then can't cope when it is challenged.
Just my view and choice and I certainly don't recommend it to others.
 
Whitevanman1441 said:
Hi all,

Anyone having a problem with Novorapid and BD needles not working.

I had this problem no insulin coming out to inject.

The needle is not reaching the insulin.
I contacted novorapid and was told by them Novorapid is designed for Novofine 30g 8mm and 31g 6 mm needles which cost less than BD needles..
I ordered a pack of each from Amazon and both work.
Click to expand...
Oh yes the needle is not getting through the rubber at end of pen, took it to doctor to show him not intersted
 
Whitevanman1441 said:
Oh yes the needle is not getting through the rubber at end of pen, took it to doctor to show him not intersted
Click to expand...

You could just ask to have the needles changed. I used to have BD needles but they were swapped to a different brand because they were cheaper so the BD ones must be at the pricier end of the scale.
 
I wonder if perhaps you are not screwing them in far enough. I know my needles screw on easy at first and then get a bit stiffer to screw on for the last turn or two which I am guessing is when the needle is being forced through the rubber seal.
 
I get any old brand issued, my prescription is just for generic. Over the past couple of years since this thread started I’ve had some BD Microfine, 4mm, which have worked fine, as have the Nipro 4 sure and the GlucoRX. I’ve currently been issued with an obscure brand I've never heard of, made in Italy, not tried them yet!
I find some of them have a 'cleaner' thread and are easier to screw on without getting them cross threaded, BD Microfine being one of the easier ones.
 
Sorry to hear you are still having trouble all these years later @Whitevanman1441 😱

Have you not had the brand changed for ones that suit your pens better?
 
rebrascora said:
I have been reusing needles now for nearly 3 years with no problem at all. That is a lot of reused needles on MDI. I change needles Sundays and Wednesdays. It used to be once a week but I compromised. 🙄 I know it is not what is recommended, but as with reusing lancets, and many people do that, I experience no problems with it at all.
I'm afraid that I am yet to be given any information or evidence to dissuade me. My needles are safe and covered at all times except when I am injecting of course. I really don't personally see any need for it. My sites are all fine. No lumps or bumps and I know that other people get the odd bruise with new needles and for me a new needle is just as likely to bruise as a reused one, it comes down to being unlucky and hitting a blood vessel. I have new needles which cause pain and reused ones that don't, again it is more down to the site than anything else.
What is it you fear for me about reusing them?
I am not advocating for other people to reuse needles but see no appreciable risk in reusing them on myself. If they were going deeper into tissue it would be another matter but my skin gets breached by far worse things than a needle rather too often as I work out doors a lot, so really don't feel that there is any risk from a needle which has only ever been used on me and my 3 year experience backs that up. In some respects I feel it is a bit like bacteria. It is my opinion that many people are too obsessed with killing all germs but that can cause your immune system to get lazy and then can't cope when it is challenged.
Just my view and choice and I certainly don't recommend it to others.
Click to expand...
I've been reusing needles since I was diagnosed in 1994, and that was with 8mm long novo needles or 12mm! BD if memory serves. I only use each needle for up to four shots, and then change.

Regarding the OP point, I've used several different brands of needles over time, always with novo pens of one description or another, and never found the issue reported by them.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top