My insulin delivery system is a prefilled pen. Basically it is a syringe and vial all in one. All you do is spin this cap(holds the needle) on the top of the pen, expose the needle, dial up the amount of insulin you need, and press down on the plunger.
Sounds like a great idea and it is. The problem comes when you get near the end you cannot dial up anymore even though there is plenty left.
With the vial and syringe you can get almost every single drop out of the vial.
The pen you use up all you can and in order to get the remainder you have to use a syringe to draw out the rest.
So how much insulin is wasted if you just throw away the pen when you cannot dial up anymore insulin? At least 15 units. That is quite a bit. Could be anywhere from 1/2 dose to 2 doses or more depending on the type of insulin and how much you use per dose.
Does it really ruin my day? No. It is just annoying that I have to use more than one tool to take my insulin.
Yeah, I know what you mean. I use a pre-filled pen (well, refillable pen w/ cartridges) for my bolus, and syringe+vial for my basal. So I don't mind using a syringe when I have to, but only because I'd rather do that than see insulin go to waste. It's not even a money thing, I just place a lot of value on something that literally keeps me alive. Also, it can be hard to get that last bit out without a lot of air bubbles. Takes practice.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comment. It is a little surprising that a lot of insulin is wasted. I have found old vials with quite a bit left in them stored away in drawers.
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