Smart Insulin Pens - how do I avoid the priming dose being included in the actual dosing injection?

[BadaBing]

Hello

I have another question about smart insulin pens, specifically the Novo Nordisk smart insulin pens (the NovoPen 6 and NovoPen Echo Plus) that allow users to transfer insulin dosing information to compatible glucose monitoring apps, like the Freestyle LibreLink.

As you know, when you first put a new penfill cartridge in an insulin pen immediately before taking an injection it is often necessary to dial several units and deploy the piston of the pen before one begins to see any insulin appear at the tip of the needle, so you know the penfill is ready to dispense a full dose of insulin.

Novo Nordisk also recommend that before one takes every insulin injection, one should always dial two units of insulin and deploy the piston to execute an "air shot" to prime the pen and ensure insulin is flowing properly before taking the injection proper.

So my question is: with these smartpens, is there any way to avoid the "air shot" dose or priming doses being counted as part of the dosage proper when the data is transferred from the pen to the Freestyle LibreLink?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

So my question is: with these smartpens, is there any way to avoid the "air shot" dose or priming doses being counted as part of the dosage proper when the data is transferred from the pen to the Freestyle LibreLink?

Not that I can see. Which seems like a shame.

 

[BadaBing]

Not that I can see. Which seems like a shame.

Thank you.

 

[gillrogers]

So it doesnt transfer just the last dialled and used dose ? Does that mean then it will transfer the priming dose at the same time as you tap the phone to send up the actual dose information?

 

[Bruce Stephens]

So it doesnt transfer just the last dialled and used dose ? Does that mean then it will transfer the priming dose at the same time as you tap the phone to send up the actual dose information?

It seems to transfer all the doses it hasn't already seen. When I first scanned my pens I got doses from when I started using the things (a couple of months ago). I presume the app keeps the last timestamp it scanned the pens and requests all doses since then or something like that. So yes, it'll get the priming dose and the real dose.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I presume the app keeps the last timestamp it scanned the pens

Or, come to think of it, just uses the timestamp from the last dose it read. (Or perhaps the pen does that restricting, but I'd guess the app does it.)

 

[gillrogers]

Or, come to think of it, just uses the timestamp from the last dose it read. (Or perhaps the pen does that restricting, but I'd guess the app does it.)

Thanks Bruce. Ive got one of those pens but dont use it with the app as im on an iphone but I have wondered if its sending the priming dose as well.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I have wondered if its sending the priming dose as well.

And it definitely is. Which is a shame.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Are you able to flag these in the app? Or delete them there?

This does seem a peculiarly obvious oversight / error. It’s not as if air shots are some crazy new idea?!

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Are you able to flag these in the app? Or delete them there?

This does seem a peculiarly obvious oversight / error. It’s not as if air shots are some crazy new idea?!

Ah, you can. In the Logbook if you select such a dose and edit the note it gives an option to mark it as Dose or Prime.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Ah, you can. In the Logbook if you select such a dose and edit the note it gives an option to mark it as Dose or Prime.

Phew!

 

[barrym]

Ah, you can. In the Logbook if you select such a dose and edit the note it gives an option to mark it as Dose or Prime.

Does it then get ignored in the LibreView totals? I suppose so or presumably they wouldn't have come up with the value option.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Does it then get ignored in the LibreView totals? I suppose so or presumably they wouldn't have come up with the value option.

I presume it's then not counted, but I'm just assuming that.