Tresiba Issue

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AceFace

AceFace

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Is anyone having an issue getting Tresiba insulin, my pharmacist says there is a shortage, and contact your doctor for a pen and cartridges, has anyone experienced this.
 
AceFace said:
Is anyone having an issue getting Tresiba insulin, my pharmacist says there is a shortage, and contact your doctor for a pen and cartridges, has anyone experienced this.
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For the last month, there have been reports of a shortage of pre-filled, single use Tresiba pens.
But, as you mentioned, there seems to be no issue with the cartridges for the (much better) re-usable pens.
When you speak to your doc about getting these, more robust pens that come in half units for people more sensitive to insulin and include a reminder on the top of when you last took your insulin, I recommend asking for two pens in case one breaks. This is rare but they don’t last for ever.
If you are still using single use pens for your bolus, I recommend requesting to change them too. As well as the reasons above, they produce far less waste and take up less space in your fridge.

Unless you have a dexterity issue, I am surprised anyone bothers with the single use pens.
 
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@Josh DUK, there are now several posts about the Tresiba supply issue. Would it be worth merging them into a sticky thread at the top so that it is easy to find for anyone looking for information?
 
helli said:
For the last month, there have been reports of a shortage of pre-filled, single use Tresiba pens.
But, as you mentioned, there seems to be no issue with the cartridges for the (much better) re-usable pens.
When you speak to your doc about getting these, more robust pens that come in half units for people more sensitive to insulin and include a reminder on the top of when you last took your insulin, I recommend asking for two pens in case one breaks. This is rare but they don’t last for ever.
If you are still using single use pens for your bolus, I recommend requesting to change them too. As well as the reasons above, they produce far less waste and take up less space in your fridge.

Unless you have a dexter issue, I am surprised anyone bothers with the single use pens.
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Thanks Helli I didn't even know they existed, every day is a school day
 
AceFace said:
Thanks Helli I didn't even know they existed, every day is a school day
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You need to ask for a NovoPen 6 or a NovoPen Echo Plus depending on your dose sizes. The Echo is the half unit pen which has a max dose of 30 units whereas I believe the NovoPen 6 dispenses a max. of 60 units in whole units.
The NovoPens are great quality, the last dose memory feature is such a bonus and better for the environment and the cartridges take up less space in your fridge, so lots of benefits to changing.
 
rebrascora said:
You need to ask for a NovoPen 6 or a NovoPen Echo Plus depending on your dose sizes. The Echo is the half unit pen which has a max dose of 30 units whereas I believe the NovoPen 6 dispenses a max. of 60 units in whole units.
The NovoPens are great quality, the last dose memory feature is such a bonus and better for the environment and the cartridges take up less space in your fridge, so lots of benefits to changing.
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Thanks Barbara, do you know how many cartridges comes in a pack as I take 52 units a day.
 
AceFace said:
Thanks Barbara, do you know how many cartridges comes in a pack as I take 52 units a day.
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I imagine they are 5 cartridge packs same as the disposable pens unless there are 2 sizes and they have 10 cartridge boxes for larger users. Certainly my Levemir and Fiasp (and NovoRapid) all come in packs of 5, so no reason to think Tresiba will be different.
 
rebrascora said:
I imagine they are 5 cartridge packs same as the disposable pens unless there are 2 sizes and they have 10 cartridge boxes for larger users. Certainly my Levemir and Fiasp (and NovoRapid) all come in packs of 5, so no reason to think Tresiba will be different.
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When I was using Tresiba it came in packs of five vials.
 
The vials are usually individual bottles. It’s the cartridges that are needed for a pen and they come in a pack containing of 5 cartridges. You can be prescribed the number of boxes that you need each month.

Vials are usually used for filling pumps or using a syringe. Pens take cartridges.
 
I'm pretty much down to my last pen, I didn't realise there was an issue until I went to collect it, I wonder what are the consequences of running out, I have been on to my surgery.
 
5 cartridges is standard for all u100 insulin. Each cartridge contains 3ml, so that is 300 units hence you'd need to swap to a new cartridge every 5 days, bearing in mind the air shot on top of the actual daily dose. Nothing to stop you having whatever's left in the old one, then changing the cartridge and doing the rest from a new one, except = 2 needles and having 2 jabs instead of just the one - BUT! nobody will criticise you for chucking the ol cartridge away before it's actually empty - you must have to chuck the whole re-usable pen away on Day5 at the moment!
 
Blimey @AceFace ! NEVER again run that low again! Get your repeat prescription changed not only to separate cartridges, but also to 2 boxes of them per month!! - and order a repeat as soon as you finish the first box. You'll only need to order the repeat earlier than 30 days the very first month assuming you stay on that dose.
 
trophywench said:
Blimey @AceFace ! NEVER again run that low again! Get your repeat prescription changed not only to separate cartridges, but also to 2 boxes of them per month!! - and order a repeat as soon as you finish the first box. You'll only need to order the repeat earlier than 30 days the very first month assuming you stay on that dose.
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I know Jenny thanks mum lol
 
Inka said:
The vials are usually individual bottles. It’s the cartridges that are needed for a pen and they come in a pack containing of 5 cartridges. You can be prescribed the number of boxes that you need each month.

Vials are usually used for filling pumps or using a syringe. Pens take cartridges.
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Sorry, professional deformation in the terminology. You are of course correct, and it may even be that insulin is no longer available in vials in this country at least.
 
Carlos said:
Sorry, professional deformation in the terminology. You are of course correct, and it may even be that insulin is no longer available in vials in this country at least.
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Tresiba comes in a vial. Most insulins do 🙂 But it’s the cartridges @AceFace will need for his re-useable pen.
 
Inka said:
Tresiba comes in a vial. Most insulins do 🙂 But it’s the cartridges @AceFace will need for his re-useable pen.
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I'm confused now. As far as I can tell from the information available, tresiba is only available to patients in cartridges, either as part of a disposable pen or to be used with a reusable pen. A cartridge in this context is a vial with a "rubber" plunger at one end and a "rubber" stopper and threaded collar at the other.

There doesn't seem to be any other authorised presentations.
 
Yes, we seem to be talking at cross purposes :D A cartridge isn’t a type of vial really. Here’s a vial of Tresiba:

80E0D067-CC75-4B01-9D7A-E693C31E2C95.jpeg

It’s a little bottle.

Here’s a pack of 5 cartridges to fit a pen:



392EE479-5EF7-4A83-AF42-B10DF31E1EA6.jpeg
 
No idea. Those aren’t pics of my insulins. I posted them to illustrate the difference between a vial and a cartridge. It’s a sore point of mine, having endured more than a year of idiocy from my GP and having to explain over and over again that a vial and a cartridge are two separate, different things.
 
Imagine the difficulty I had getting Novorapid PUMP cartridges (aka Pumpcarts, 1.3ml) on prescription from my GP when I swapped my Roche Accu Chek Combo pump for a Roche Accu Chek Insight pump - I was gobsmacked when they easily swapped back to 10ml vials when I had another Combo. We're both perfectly used to them not reading what our hospital tell them thoroughly though, by now. Just read the bits that suit them and ignore the rest ........
 
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