Half unit pens

Seems I got pretty insulin sensitive to bolus, I'm on a 0.5u : 1CP ratio for QA insulin right now.

After doing some basal testing to work out why a few hypos were happening, it turns out that 1u of QA for 1CP really is in fact too much for me!

I've read that half unit pens are available, anyone using them? I'd expect using a half unit pen is more cost effective for the NHS than me ending up having to eat more carbs to balance the books?

I've had 1/2 unit pens for several years - I was more sensitive to insulin then than now but still use 1/2 units for QA. BI is now much higher so don't use 1/2 increments. One of mine is a child's version (only one the nurse had) with a patterned finish, and I'm not embarrased to use it...

Hi Dunk,
I'm also insulin sensitive and on the same ratio as you, myself and another member of the class were given half unit pens by the nurse running our course.
The pen I was given is called the NovoPen Echo, it's for quick acting insulin, I remain on a standard unit pen for my BI.
It really does make a difference, looking back through my diary I can see plenty of occasions where my CP's were 9, 5 and 3, so with a standard pen I'd have had to eat a little extra or less.
The DAFNE course is all about giving you the freedom to eat what you want and a half unit pen has definitely benefited me.
It's worth getting in contact with your diabetes team, especially if using a full unit pen is causing you to hypo.

Lilly do one - I use it with my Humalog - can't remember the name they give the pen, but they look like expensive fountain pens.

My ratios are 1.5 - 1 for lunch and evening, which often means I get a dose of ?.5 units, so the 1/2 unit pen is great.

Like alturn for several years I used a "child's" pen that delivers in half-units - quite a snazzy pattern! More recently I've got a NovoPen Echo via my GP. It too delivers in half-units, but has an excellent feature which lets you check a display on the top of the pen which tells you what your last dose was and (in increments of 15 minutes) when you took it. This has been invaluable, because with a busy lifestyle I've several times found myself pen-in-hand wondering whether or not I have injected!

I would not want to go back to pens which deliver only in single-units, as others have said it's a great help when you get into more complex ratios.

Thanks for the replies all.

I don't have a bad word to say about the kiddie pens, they seem to last. I still have one which delivered full units which I just keep as backup, must be about 15 years old, used it frequently for a long time and it still works!

The Lilly pen is the HumaPen Luxura HD. I would imagine the HD stands for "half dose" because there is also a HumaPen Luxura that delivers only whole units/doses.

Been using the HumaPen Luxura HD pen with my Humalog for @ 6 months now as I am very insulin sensitive. Works a treat for me & has improved by BG. I got mine from my hospital diabetic clinic.

I have the Novopen Echo - I just put it on my repeat prescription request slip and my GP prescribed it no problem. Certainly sounds like you'd benefit from one dunkers

oh and it fits any of the standard Novopen size cartridges so it can be used for QA and BI doses if needed.

We received the half unit pens mentioned above at our dafne course named novo pen echo. The half unit delivery was a big help and the time display since last delivery is a useful featute of the pens. I am now on a pump after 25 years of pens. I don't know how available these are in your area but they deliver 0.05 units so could be worth thinking about if you have access to one. Andy