Air Bubbles

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MMM

MMM

Member Since 2015
Some days when I prepare the injection, I get an air bubble that just doesn't seem to want to go away. I tap the needle the way my vet showed me and while that sometimes gets rid of it, other times it just seems to bounce around but won't dissipate. I have had to empty the syringe back into the bottle and start over at times. Does anyone have any tricks or techniques to deal with this?
 
I often have the same issue, so I'd be interested in hearing what others have to say about this, too. Tapping the bubbles away seldom works for me, either, and I also end up emptying the syringe back into the bottle and starting over. I've found that I have less bubble problems with Terumo syringes, but they've now been discontinued, so I'm using UltiCares. Any tips from anyone out there?
 
A tiny bubble isn't likely to harm things. Just do the best you can measuring the insulin despite the small bubble.
Generally speaking, you don't want to empty a syringe of insulin back into the vial as it may have become contaminated with sryinge lubricant or be otherwise non-sterile, which could lead to an infection.
 
Oh terrific. Another thing to possibly go wrong. Sigh. I didn't realize there was syringe lubricant - of course my vet dispersed the bubble easily, as did I - in his presence - so maybe it never occurred to him to mention it. I've only done that twice, so I hope the odds aren't against me (though so far that hasn't been the case) but they weren't tiny bubbles so it felt like my only option.
 
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If the bubble is large enough, you may be able to suction much of it out with a clean syringe.
 
I flick the bubbles to the top center of the syringe (right below the needle), and then draw a little air into the syringe before I push the (now larger) bubble out--for some reason, that seems to always get it out for me.

And yes, don't shoot insulin back in to the vial/pen. Draw more insulin than you need into the syringe (I usually draw in about 2-3u--Bandit's current dose is 1.25), and then shoot the excess insulin into the sink, and then go back and draw a little more into your syringe if you accidentally shoot out past your dose getting the bubbles out. Don't worry about wasting the insulin--you'll never use it all before it goes bad anyway.

EDIT: My advice is what works for Lantus--I just realized you may be on a different insulin. I'm not sure if you can shoot the others back into the bottle, but I know you can't with Lantus.
 
I'll try that and ask about the insulin, which is caninsulin. Now that I know that I shouldn't, I won't empty the syringe back in and I hope I haven't done any harm. There is enough going on without needing to add an antibiotic to the mix. I don't think she is strong enough to take much more.
 
Wow, I hadn't heard about the syringe lubricant either. I normally draw out more than I need, then (without actually removing the needle from the vial), shoot back in the excess, though sometimes I shoot too much and need to draw back in a little more. I hope that's OK?
I have tiny bubble issues often and have just come to terms with it being hard to get rid of them all, and I am under the impression that at least the tiny ones aren't harmful, but that it could skew your measurement a little bit, so I try to account for them.
 
MeganN said:
Wow, I hadn't heard about the syringe lubricant either. I normally draw out more than I need, then (without actually removing the needle from the vial), shoot back in the excess, though sometimes I shoot too much and need to draw back in a little more. I hope that's OK?
I have tiny bubble issues often and have just come to terms with it being hard to get rid of them all, and I am under the impression that at least the tiny ones aren't harmful, but that it could skew your measurement a little bit, so I try to account for them.
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Crap, that's what I do too. The bleepity bleep syringes the dispensary gave me seem to practically breed bubbles that don't go away no matter how much I tap and flick. I never have this problem with my own (non-insulin) injections.
 
Julia & Bandit said:
I flick the bubbles to the top center of the syringe (right below the needle), and then draw a little air into the syringe before I push the (now larger) bubble out--for some reason, that seems to always get it out for me.

And yes, don't shoot insulin back in to the vial/pen. Draw more insulin than you need into the syringe (I usually draw in about 2-3u--Bandit's current dose is 1.25), and then shoot the excess insulin into the sink, and then go back and draw a little more into your syringe if you accidentally shoot out past your dose getting the bubbles out. Don't worry about wasting the insulin--you'll never use it all before it goes bad anyway.
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This sounds like really good advice to me... something that might actually work, even with UltiCare syringes. Tried it this AM and so far, so good! Thanks.
 
Julia & Bandit said:
I flick the bubbles to the top center of the syringe (right below the needle), and then draw a little air into the syringe before I push the (now larger) bubble out--for some reason, that seems to always get it out for me.
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Thanks, this worked for me last evening and this morning and so I will make it my practise from now on. Much appreciated.
 
While doing a little research about ProZinc, I came across this YouTube video. According to this, it's okay to shoot ProZinc back into the bottle and mentions nothing about syringe lubricant/contamination. Interesting, as this is the way our vet taught me and I've never had any adverse effects from doing it this way. However, I'd like to note that using this method, I don't have a lot of luck flicking bubbles to get rid of them. I usually end up shooting the insulin back into the vial and starting over again.
 
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Is the video put out by the ProZinc manufacturer or the syringe manufacturer? I grant, it may only be a trace of lubricant. Its just 1 less thing to put in the cat, though.
 
I asked my vet and his vet tech, and they both told me that it's absolutely ok to shoot back into the bottle (Lantus). They said that's exactly the way they do it in the office.
 
Well, I know we don't do that with Lantus because of its acidic pH. If the syringe manufacture says OK, I'd be OK with it.
Most of us draw only a bit extra and then discharge the excess in the sink or on a tissue.
 
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Injecting a lot of air into the vial may shorten the life of the insulin. The manufacturer says that Lantus, vial or pen, is only good for 28 days after first using the vial/pen.
That si why the pens are better since we can usually use up an enter pen (3 ml)before it loses effectiveness.
 
vexedgirl said:
I dunno. This instruction sheet from the manufacturer of Lantus actually instructs you to first inject air into the vial, and then while the syringe is still in the vial, tap the bubbles, shoot back into the vial, etc. I think I'm going to go with what the manufacturer says.
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If you only are looking to get 28 days of use from Lantus, then you can shoot back into the vial. Most of us try to stretch the vials or pens a bit longer because of the cost. I blew through two vials before I found out about extending the life of the insulin--wish I knew about not shooting back into the vial sooner!
 
This afternoon, I received a reply from Terumo. They do not recommend injecting back into the vial. They also state that there "is no test data to confirm the safety or contamination factors for the practice of injecting back in vial." Please read the attached file.
 

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