Insulin Pens with insulin cartridges

4 posts, 4 contributors

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mum2westiesGill 502 posts

For QA / Bolus - I use the Humapen Luxura which goes up in 1 units - this is the one
https://www.mylillypen.com/luxura.aspx

For BI / Basal - I use the Autopen 24, the blue one which goes up in 2 units - it's the 2nd one down
http://www.owenmumford.com/en/range/6/autopen.html

Please can anyone tell me
1. what would happen with either of these pens if the device wasn't delivering correctly
and
2. how often do you think you should start using a new one

Thanks in advance for any replies Smile

Garry DAFNE Graduate
North Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust
328 posts

With both pens you are able to sight the plunger moving the glass phial through the viewing port. So you are able to see that you are getting a dose. Humalog insulin phials have a rough scale on the side of them. Line the scale up with the window so you can check.
If you have doubts about the pen delivering the correct dose just tot up all doses delivered over the life of one phial...and it should add up to 300 u....near enough.
Regards
Garry

Alan 49 DAFNE Graduate
Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
284 posts

If I had doubts about either of my pens, I would contact the manufacturer (preferably by phone) and explain the situation. It's more than likely that they would send you an immediate replacement pen and also ask you to return the old pen so that they can check it. Lilly did this for me when I had a problem with mine.

HelenP DAFNE Graduate
Queensland Diabetes Centre, Brisbane, QLD
218 posts

i have had no trouble with pens but on two occasions over many years i did have a vial that had a very fine crack along the side. When the insulin was under pressure, just prior to injecting and during injecting, some insulin would leak out. Not enough to see but enough to smell. I also had no trouble getting replacement pens. It only happened twice over many vials but it did happen!
Helen