Question about drawing your dose into syringe, hard to title

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Sieden

Sieden

Member Since 2016
This has happened to me a few times and I've just started over because I didn't know what to do so I'm going to ask you guys what you think.

I always pump the syringe a few times to make it slide really smooth before I draw.
Today I was drawing up a dose for 1.75u and I drew to about 2.25u or somewhere around there, then I tapped out the air bubbles, drew it back and then pushed it forward. I was almost to the 1.75u mark (going really, really slowly) and for some reason it just skipped forward and passed it up, even though I prepped it to be smooth.
So my question is since I've already put that syringe into the Lantus SoloSTAR Pen should I just toss it and start over or is it okay to put it back into the pen and draw up just a little bit more?

Thanks,
Erika
 
Ditto to Chris' response. It's happened to me pretty frequently, depending on which brand of syringes I am using. Walmart's Relion syringes are the worst for sticking then "jumping" like that, I think; I have wasted a lot of insulin using them!:facepalm::)
 
Squalliesmom said:
Ditto to Chris' response. It's happened to me pretty frequently, depending on which brand of syringes I am using. Walmart's Relion syringes are the worst for sticking then "jumping" like that, I think; I have wasted a lot of insulin using them!:facepalm::)
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That's the kind that I use. I love the half marks and their prices are great but man do they skip. Seems like a few of you feel that way. Did you guys find another brand of syringes with half marks or even quarter marks at a good price?
 
Sieden said:
That's the kind that I use. I love the half marks and their prices are great but man do they skip. Seems like a few of you feel that way. Did you guys find another brand of syringes with half marks or even quarter marks at a good price?
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I've been using Monojects. They don't stick but it's virtually impossible to get all the bubbles out of them. Again, lots of wasted insulin! When this box is gone I will be looking for another brand.

ETA: ADWdiabetes.com has at lot of syringes to choose from, you might want to check them out.
 
The Sure Comfort's moved very well... but the markings are wildly inconsistent =( (i measure with digital calipers, so I noticed it). I currently use Monojects as well.. dont have a ton of isses with bubbles, but they skip for me. Ive gotten better at the control of it. The more you use a specific brand, the easier it gets too.
 
I use CarePoint ones too, just U-40 because of Prozinc. Maybe 1 per bag will be a little "stickier" but otherwise they've been working just as good as the kit I first got.
 
Bronx's dad said:
I like these: https://www.adwdiabetes.com//produc...-5-16-with-half-unit-markings-100bx_16367.htm
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Too bad that you can't see a picture of these things before you buy them. And does anyone happen to know if the 5/16 is that much longer than the 8mm or is that the regular long needle? I've only ever used short needle, I'm going to try to see if I can find that one in 8mm.

I understand about the inconsistent lines on the syringe, everyone now and then I get one of the Relion ones that is just really ridiculous. Once I had 5 syringes in one bag that were all totally different.
 
5/16 inch is 7.9375mm. Close enough :)
I did have 1 or 2 that the plunger wasn't level with the lines. I probably could've just taken it all the way out and tried to line it up but I didn't :D.
 
Squalliesmom said:
Walmart's Relion syringes are the worst for sticking then "jumping" like that, I think;
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All syringes seem to have one problem or another....I've never had a problem with the Relion's sticking, but I always pull the plunger in/out several times before I put the syringe into the pen to pull out the insulin so I spread the lubricant around really good first.
 
Chris & China said:
All syringes seem to have one problem or another....I've never had a problem with the Relion's sticking, but I always pull the plunger in/out several times before I put the syringe into the pen to pull out the insulin so I spread the lubricant around really good first.
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Yes, I do, too, I don't know why I have such a problem with them sticking. The Monojects don't stick at all, but the bubbles make me crazy!
 
Sieden said:
has anyone tried BD brand? I like their other stuff. I was browsing that site and found some syringes, they are a bit more expensive but they might be worth it. I'm so tempted to get a box.
https://www.adwdiabetes.com/product/bd-ultra-fine-insulin-syringes_6941_178.htm
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I personally do not like the BD brand. I got some, and realized they have a strange "lip" near the zero line, and it made it hard for me to measure with the calipers.

Others here use them a lot and seem to really like them.

Choosing a needle is definitely like "picking your poison."
 
Squalliesmom said:
I have used those, as well. I can't remember having any specific issues with them so maybe I will try them again, next time! :):):)
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That's the ones I'm using. They have that initial stickiness you're talking about, but once you prime it's fine after that. I haven't had any bubble issues... yet. :nailbiting:
 
I've noticed I get air bubbles in my BD brand syringe when drawing from the lantus pen. Is there a way to avoid this or is it just what is in the needle before putting it in the cartridge? It drives me nuts.
Also what is the reason behind not putting any extra back into cartridge? Just a contamination thing? I already drew up a tiny fraction past 8 units and just leveled it out before pulling the needle out. It was like a "fat" 8 units to a normal 8. Should I be worried about my pen being compromised? At 16 units a day (for now) it's only going to last about 18 days right?
 
StephG said:
I've noticed I get air bubbles in my BD brand syringe when drawing from the lantus pen. Is there a way to avoid this or is it just what is in the needle before putting it in the cartridge? It drives me nuts.
Also what is the reason behind not putting any extra back into cartridge? Just a contamination thing? I already drew up a tiny fraction past 8 units and just leveled it out before pulling the needle out. It was like a "fat" 8 units to a normal 8. Should I be worried about my pen being compromised? At 16 units a day (for now) it's only going to last about 18 days right?
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The Lantus pens shouldn't have air added back in because of its design (and contamination). The plunger inside the pen moves as you draw out of it, unlike a traditonal vial. (Vials get the air so a vacuum isnt created.)
 
I didn't have any bubbles the time I evened it out so as far as I know, no air went in. I draw a fat 8 (more if there's a big bubble) to compensate for the air, pull it out of the pen then tap and squeeze out the air.
 
You could accidentally put air in the pen if the syringe isn't at 0 when you insert it into the pen and then push the plunger all the way in before drawing insulin. Most syringes are not at 0 when you take them out of the package, just make sure to have that plunger fully seated before inserting.
 
Chris & China said:
All syringes seem to have one problem or another....I've never had a problem with the Relion's sticking, but I always pull the plunger in/out several times before I put the syringe into the pen to pull out the insulin so I spread the lubricant around really good first.
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I do this too, that's what I meant by pumping it or prepping it and I still have problems with it.
 
The air bubbles actually don't bother me, I have my own method of dealing with them so I might just give all of these brands a try by buying a box of each and seeing which one I like best.
 
StephG said:
I've noticed I get air bubbles in my BD brand syringe when drawing from the lantus pen. Is there a way to avoid this or is it just what is in the needle before putting it in the cartridge? It drives me nuts.
Also what is the reason behind not putting any extra back into cartridge? Just a contamination thing? I already drew up a tiny fraction past 8 units and just leveled it out before pulling the needle out. It was like a "fat" 8 units to a normal 8. Should I be worried about my pen being compromised? At 16 units a day (for now) it's only going to last about 18 days right?
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The insides of the syringes have a thin coating of silicone or some type of lubricant to help the plunger glide smoothly. When you inject any overage back into the vial/pen it gets contaminated with the silicone/lubricant.
 
Squalliesmom said:
The insides of the syringes have a thin coating of silicone or some type of lubricant to help the plunger glide smoothly. When you inject any overage back into the vial/pen it gets contaminated with the silicone/lubricant.
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My 1st vet told me to always pull more and inject some back into the pen. So glad I found this board early on to learn I was doing it wrong.
 
Sieden said:
The air bubbles actually don't bother me, I have my own method of dealing with them so I might just give all of these brands a try by buying a box of each and seeing which one I like best.
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Any hints you'd like to share? Those darn bubbles drive me crazy!!!
 
Djamila said:
I understand the reasoning behind not pushing anything back into the pen, but I've read a few things that say when drawing from a vial you can draw up extra, tap bubbles, and push back into the vial.

http://www.bd.com/us/diabetes/page.aspx?cat=7001&id=7264

https://www.diabeteseducator.org/do...pdf/general/Insulin_Injection_How_To_AADE.pdf (page 4 on this one)

There are a few youtube videos that show this as well.
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Yes you can push back into the vial because it works differently than the pen, there is air inside of the vial but there is no air inside of the pen. It's still not a good idea to inject it back in simply because of the lubricant that is inside of the syringe, some of that can always get back into the vial but that's up to you to decide.
 
Djamila said:
I understand the reasoning behind not pushing anything back into the pen, but I've read a few things that say when drawing from a vial you can draw up extra, tap bubbles, and push back into the vial.
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Sieden said:
Yes you can push back into the vial because it works differently than the pen, there is air inside of the vial but there is no air inside of the pen. It's still not a good idea to inject it back in simply because of the lubricant that is inside of the syringe, some of that can always get back into the vial but that's up to you to decide.
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Pens and vials work differently, so are handled differently; however, you should not re-inject any insulin back into either of them. You should not push anything, air or insulin, back into the insulin pens. You do need to inject some air into the vial before drawing up your dose, but never inject insulin back into the vial, for the same reason of contamination from the lubricant.
 
Djamila said:
Any hints you'd like to share? Those darn bubbles drive me crazy!!!
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Maybe I should make a video on it, actually I probably will. I push the plunger down as hard as I can and hold it there while I put the needle into the pen and then I let go. I draw back about a half of a unit more than I need. While holding the syringe needle facing toward the sky, I tap the sides of the syringe a few times to get the bubbles to rise toward the needle and all of this should sound familiar. Where I learned to get all of the bubbles out is that at this point, I draw the syringe back a good bit, say if I was drawing to 2u then I would draw back to 4u with just air at the top and then slowly push that one big air bubble out and pay close attention when it gets to the top making sure that all of the air goes out evenly and then I push the plunger to my dose marker. If the air doesn't go out evenly then just draw it back a little and then push forward again and it should be fine. Getting used to this might take a few tries. Using this method is the fastest and most effective way that I've found to get all of the air out, I don't struggle with air bubbles anymore at all. I also use magnifying reading glasses when I do this because my eyes are shitty and I hold the syringe up to a light and that helps a lot.
 
Squalliesmom said:
Pens and vials work differently, so are handled differently; however, you should not re-inject any insulin back into either of them. You should not push anything, air or insulin, back into the insulin pens. You do need to inject some air into the vial before drawing up your dose, but never inject insulin back into the vial, for the same reason of contamination from the lubricant.
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oh maybe that's what I was thinking about the vials because some people push air into them, I never did that. I know that I've read that we're supposed to push air into the vials but I just never did, I also never pushed insulin back in. Sorry that I got it confused.
 
Sieden said:
oh maybe that's what I was thinking about the vials because some people push air into them, I never did that. I know that I've read that we're supposed to push air into the vials but I just never did, I also never pushed insulin back in. Sorry that I got it confused.
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Lol, it happens to all of us! :):):)
 
Tonight there were a lot of tiny little bubbles on the surface of the plunger that wouldn't come off. I got all of the others off and I would normally measure a 1.75u at 1.5 and then just past it where I could see some light coming through but since those bubbles were there I measured up to the bottom of the 2.0 line, I think that will make up for it. I hate it when those bubbles happen but it's not very often that I have to deal with that.
 
Sieden said:
Tonight there were a lot of tiny little bubbles on the surface of the plunger that wouldn't come off.
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I know I am late to discussion, but I did a search to find info on this problem, and this thread came up. The comment above sounds a lot like what I experience with both the Carepoint Vet 1/2U syringes and the 1U ones my vet gave me from VetOne. I don't think they are air bubbles. I think it is the coating from the syringe. After moving the plunger a couple of times to avoid the dreaded "stick" I think some of the coating comes off onto the top of the plunger and around the top rubber ring, sometimes oozing under the top ring. Tapping does nothing to dislodge it. Has anyone experienced this phenomenon? It sounds like all syringe brands have this coating. Do some have less than others? I am desperate to find one that works better.
 
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