Pen behaving badly

[JJay]

I’ve previously sung the praises of my two Humapen Luxura HD pens (5 yo and counting), but this morning I’ve been bamboozled by one of them. Dialled up my pre-breakfast dose of 5 units, pressed plunger all the way, dial still says 2 units to go. So after some thought, decided it was me and early morning befuddlement, and pressed the plunger again. Same result. So I’ve either given myself 2 units too much, 2 too little, or it’s actually correct. Time and Libre will tell, but so far no problem. I will move on to the spare pen and change the cartridge in the dodgy one for the time being.

My issue is a separate one. With the pens maybe showing their age, it’s time to be thinking about an alternative. My research tells me that there is now NO half-unit reusable pen available that will accommodate Humalog cartridges. Does anyone know different?

I absolutely will not consider pre-filled pens due to environmental factors and the storage space required, so does that mean a change of insulin? I’m also getting to the age when I’m having a few “did I or didn’t I?” moments as regards bolusing. (My basal is Levemir so the Novopen takes care of that) - so would a move to Novorapid help matters all round?

All opinions gratefully received!

 

[helli]

NovoRapid would certainly give you reusable half unit pens and the reminder.
I think only you will be able to decide whether these benefits are worth the change of insulin.

I used NovoRapid for over 10 years and only changed because of the sluggishness in the morning.
Like many, my first attempt at Fiasp was not great so I tried Humalog. My dose was the same as NovoRapid and, for me, the profile was similar. However, I found the Humalog spike was later than NovoRapid so it took longer to start working. Ultimately, I decided to stick it out with Fiasp but the learning curve was much greater.

As has been said many times, we are all different but, based on my experience, I would not expect a change from Humalog to NovoRapid to be be significant and worth the benefits.
But I am only a small sample of one.

 

[SimonP]

I’m also getting to the age when I’m having a few “did I or didn’t I?”

fwiw I have a piece of paper in the pen case which I without fail scribble on to note the fact I've taken my basal - it has a grid for days of the week, morning/evening doses, etc. Before this I would also sometimes wonder whether I had taken a dose (autopilot in the morning or evening). I do also log the dose on my phone and have a reminder set, but I find that when I pick up my phone I may get distracted by something else and forget to the add it to the log immediately. Doing my injection and filling out the the piece of paper is now an "atomic process" (i.e. the two are never separated), helped by having pens/pencils scattered around wherever I may be doing it - I should probably put one in the case just to be sure.

Sorry, not sure about the other things, but thought I should add the above and say you're not alone in wondering sometimes! 🙂

 

[JJay]

fwiw I have a piece of paper in the pen case which I without fail scribble on to note the fact I've taken my basal - it has a grid for days of the week, morning/evening doses, etc. Before this I would also sometimes wonder whether I had taken a dose (autopilot in the morning or evening). I do also log the dose on my phone and have a reminder set, but I find that when I pick up my phone I may get distracted by something else and forget to the add it to the log immediately. Doing my injection and filling out the the piece of paper is now an "atomic process" (i.e. the two are never separated), helped by having pens/pencils scattered around wherever I may be doing it - I should probably put one in the case just to be sure.

Sorry, not sure about the other things, but thought I should add the above and say you're not alone in wondering sometimes! 🙂

I had to do a paper log for 2 weeks when I was doing a DAFNE-type course a couple of years ago - drove me mad! I'd been so used to recording in Librelink and it just all seemed so much faff. Trouble is, recording the dose anywhere still does not convince me that I have actually injected it!

 

[SimonP]

lol, I know that feeling, however if it's written down on the piece of paper I accept that it's been done 🙂

I know what you mean about extra faff, as I will be logging it electronically, but pen/pencil and paper has been my "failsafe" method since I started on MDI.

 

[JJay]

NovoRapid would certainly give you reusable half unit pens and the reminder.
I think only you will be able to decide whether these benefits are worth the change of insulin.

I used NovoRapid for over 10 years and only changed because of the sluggishness in the morning.
Like many, my first attempt at Fiasp was not great so I tried Humalog. My dose was the same as NovoRapid and, for me, the profile was similar. However, I found the Humalog spike was later than NovoRapid so it took longer to start working. Ultimately, I decided to stick it out with Fiasp but the learning curve was much greater.

As has been said many times, we are all different but, based on my experience, I would not expect a change from Humalog to NovoRapid to be be significant and worth the benefits.
But I am only a small sample of one.

Thanks. For me Humalog has been, um, mostly OK, but I have often been frustrated by it being slow to get going and/or the sting in the tail. But sometimes the complete opposite happens and the Humalog gets going before I've had time to open the curtains, feed the cat and get breakfast!

Suppose there's only one way to find out...

 

[helli]

I am not sure if the same is true for you and Humalog but I found the biggest challenge with Fiasp is that the speed at which it starts working depends on my current BG. It feel like water if I am above 10 but if I am in the low 5s or 4s, it works very fast.

 

[JJay]

I am not sure if the same is true for you and Humalog but I found the biggest challenge with Fiasp is that the speed at which it starts working depends on my current BG. It feel like water if I am above 10 but if I am in the low 5s or 4s, it works very fast.

Yes, to a certain extent. But there have been times when I’ve started at 10 and still had a low warning before I managed to sit down and eat, and times when a low 5 hasn’t moved at all in the same timeframe. All part of the great unpredictability!

 

[Inka]

I’ve previously sung the praises of my two Humapen Luxura HD pens (5 yo and counting), but this morning I’ve been bamboozled by one of them. Dialled up my pre-breakfast dose of 5 units, pressed plunger all the way, dial still says 2 units to go. So after some thought, decided it was me and early morning befuddlement, and pressed the plunger again. Same result. So I’ve either given myself 2 units too much, 2 too little, or it’s actually correct. Time and Libre will tell, but so far no problem. I will move on to the spare pen and change the cartridge in the dodgy one for the time being.

My issue is a separate one. With the pens maybe showing their age, it’s time to be thinking about an alternative. My research tells me that there is now NO half-unit reusable pen available that will accommodate Humalog cartridges. Does anyone know different?

I absolutely will not consider pre-filled pens due to environmental factors and the storage space required, so does that mean a change of insulin? I’m also getting to the age when I’m having a few “did I or didn’t I?” moments as regards bolusing. (My basal is Levemir so the Novopen takes care of that) - so would a move to Novorapid help matters all round?

All opinions gratefully received!

The bit about your pen saying it had 2 units to go sounds like the cartridge ran out. I have the Luxura HD too and that’s what happens to me. I then look at the ‘missing’ insulin (2 units in your case), change the cartridge and inject that amount. It sounds like you did this?

Yes, the Luxura HD has been discontinued. I’m holding on to mine because it’s fab. At the moment, the only Humalog pen is the Savvio, which doesn’t do half units, but as Lily have had a number of comments about that, I think that might change. As you say, the only alternative is the Humalog Junior Kwikpen which does half units but is a disposable pen. Im sticking with my Luxura HD until they wake up and produce a new re-useable half unit pen.

I like Humalog and it works great so I don’t feel like changing to Novorapid. Humalog is generally quicker (for most people).

 

[JJay]

The bit about your pen saying it had 2 units to go sounds like the cartridge ran out. I have the Luxura HD too and that’s what happens to me. I then look at the ‘missing’ insulin (2 units in your case), change the cartridge and inject that amount. It sounds like you did this?

Yes, the Luxura HD has been discontinued. I’m holding on to mine because it’s fab. At the moment, the only Humalog pen is the Savvio, which doesn’t do half units, but as Lily have had a number of comments about that, I think that might change. As you say, the only alternative is the Humalog Junior Kwikpen which does half units but is a disposable pen. Im sticking with my Luxura HD until they wake up and produce a new re-useable half unit pen.

I like Humalog and it works great so I don’t feel like changing to Novorapid. Humalog is generally quicker (for most people).

Cartridge was 3/4 full! I’ve subsequently dismantled it all, extending plunger to full length (ie. dialling maximum dose) and pressing again. Five times, the screw didn’t move and I thought yeah, that’s a goner, one more for luck and it freed itself! So, a few more experimental air shots and it seems to be working again. Don’t feel I can rely on it though.

I might soldier on and get a Savvio to keep as a spare

 

[Inka]

I got a Savvio as a spare @JJay It’s ok and comes in a nice choice of colours (important, right? ) Just watch out if you use it as I’ve had a few goes with it and it initially felt weird being in increments of 1 unit. So I always double-checked the dose.

I did have a Luxura screw get stuck once. It wouldn’t inject my dose and I could feel tension, almost like a pressure in it. I thought the pen had broken but I put a new cartridge in and it sorted itself out. I’m still using it and it seems fine and just like it was before.

Do email Lilly U.K. if you have time and tell them you miss the ability to do half units in a re-useable pen. I did and put in a load about waste, climate change, etc, etc, and how disappointed I was. I know I wasn’t the first email they received along those lines