4/10 Leo PMPS 360 - defective Solostar pens

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Lacie

Lacie

Member Since 2010
Our last condo from 4/4: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=40458

Leo had a lovely all yellow surf yesterday. Today we started at 266 AMPS, +5 300, and a full blown bounce tonight for PMPS at 360.

I've used up 2 of my 5 pens in my 5-pack. When I started my third brand new pen, I immediately got a huge air bubble in my syringe. I squirted it out and tried again. Got about 2 units of Lantus and 4 units of air. Tried the fourth brand new pen and the same thing happened. By this time I was sweating bullets, but the fifth new pen worked normally and I gave him his shot.

Has anyone ever experienced this? I even pointed the needle up like I was drawing from a vial, although with a pen that's working properly, it's not necessary - the pressure in the pen takes care of any air bubbles that form. You can see the plunger in the pen moving and squeezing the air out of the syringe. I'm thinking they don't have enough pressure. They've been stored properly since they reached my house, and the insulin packs a good punch with Leo's numbers, so I don't think they were abused in transit. I sure hope I didn't get two defective cartridges, because I don't have time to wait for a Canadian shipment if we only have one cart left.

Please let me know if you've experienced this before, and whether there's a way to fix these two pens if they're duds.
 
Re: 4/10 Leo PMPS 360 - QUESTION: defective Solostar pens???

I'd call the pharmacy where you bought them and see if they'll swap them out for you.
 
Re: 4/10 Leo PMPS 360 - QUESTION: defective Solostar pens???

I ordered them from Canada, but I'm still going to call them tomorrow. At 15u per shot, that one good pen left isn't going to last us long. Crap.
 
Re: 4/10 Leo PMPS 360 - QUESTION: defective Solostar pens???

hi Lacie - I would call them too. I have had this happen to me with a couple of pens - could not get the pressure to equalize. I just over drew, very slowly, and eventually it leveled out enough where I could dispense the air bubble up into the needle by tapping the syringe, and pushing on the plunger, removing the bubble. It is annoying - the insulin was fine, the pen was not. I wish you luck. On that large of a dose I know it won't last long. :sad:
 
Re: 4/10 Leo PMPS 360 - QUESTION: defective Solostar pens???

Thanks Michelle. I briefly wondered if I was losing my mind. :roll:
 
Re: 4/10 Leo PMPS 360 - QUESTION: defective Solostar pens???

Hi there, I just wanted to stop by and say hi. I looked at Leo's SS and I can't believe what I see. I feel like such a crybaby when I see someone who obviously has it so much worse than me and my Champ, yet you're not panicked at all. I admire you and I pray for your Leo.
 
Re: 4/10 Leo PMPS 360 - QUESTION: defective Solostar pens???

Thanks for the kind support, Patty. It helps a lot that we didn't have to tackle it all at once. I learned as I went along, and so will you. The biggest takeaway from all this is that you can never have too much data on the spreadsheet, and your kitty doesn't know what you know - he just wants your love.

Champ is beautiful, BTW!
 
I had this happen, too, Lacie. Fortunately, I got my pens at Costco and they took the whole pkg back just based on two pens doing this.
 
Wow, I'm still on my 3rd pen of a 5-pack and just the small bubble problems everyone seems to have. This is good to know! Good luck with your Canadian source. Maybe they will express ship you a replacement? I would tell them it's an emergency at the dosage you're giving! I got mine at Walmart, and the 5-pack was $225, FYI.
 
Try removing the pluger from a syringe, insert the syringe's needle into the pen (pretend it's a Pen needle, in other words), then, use the pen's 'dial a dose' thing, set it for 2 units, and press the PEN plunger? repeat this until you expel all and any air form the pen??

Just an idea, I have no way to know if this will work...!
 
Thanks, everyone. I have a call in to PharmacyRX World in Manitoba and they said they would call me back today. I'm hoping for a replacement for the two pens (and maybe even the whole box) sent express, but we'll see. I paid $98 for the box of 5 pens and they arrived still cool in the ice pack, so if they warranty my shipment, then I'll keep doing business with them.

If they don't want to play ball, I'll have to try Perry's approach.
 
Lacie --

With Leo at a high dose, you may want to think about using a vial rather than a pen. I think a lot of the beans in the HD group switch over to a vial. They also tend to switch to Lev since Lantus, especially at a high dose, can sting. Must my 2 cents.
 
I've had the same problems with both the pens I've had. I've just started making sure the pressure thingy is always down all the way, and then I tap all bubbles to the top (rubber tip facing up) and then use a new syringe to draw out the air bubble. Just did it this morning, actually. Good to know that people have had success with returning the pens. Will keep that in mind for the next one!
 
I started having that problem with the last five pack i bought...

returned it and they exchanged all of them at walgreens...
 
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