Can someone help me with using calipers?

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Martha and Lolly (GA)

Martha and Lolly (GA)

Member Since 2015
Hi, I just bought my shiny new calipers, and I'm measuring units on needles (BD u-100) right now. I did watch your vid Marje, it was great. I'm just nervous.

I seem to be getting a consistent unit length measurement of 1.09mm - not much variation. (am I doing something wrong? everyone else talks about a lot of variation) I'm not quite sure what to do about the top, where the plastic circle is -- Do I hold the calipers so the top caliper is at the plastic circle, and the bottom where the dose should start?

I've noticed that most of the BD syringes seem to come to rest so that the bottom of the plunger is right above the 0 unit line. (Don't know if this is helpful or not)

I am trying to mark syringes with a fine sharpie so that my DH can more easily fill them. So far it looks like it might work if I can just figure out where to put the calipers. Neither he (nor I) really has time to do the caliper thing before work, or during my drive home on lunch.
 
Hi Martha...
I've found the BD syringes to be more consistent with that '0' mark than several other brands.

It's not the 1+ unit lines that are usually off, it's the zero line against that little round circle inside the BD syringe (others look different there). That first unit can vary greatly by where that line falls to begin measuring. I'm not sure what any written pieces are, I measure my doses with the top right at the bottom of that plastic circle inside the BD. Others may do it differently, that just works for me.

Suggestion - after you learn where your dose is and start measuring, turn the marks on the syringe to the side so you don't see them. It's less confusing - you're adjusting the dose by the number on your calipers.

HUGS!
 
I too use the BD syringes. I find that sometimes the zero line is further up the barrel than other times and there could be as much as .33U difference from syringe to syringe. I see Lyresa just said the same thing. I use the top edge of the barrel that is under the plastic circle as my zero line. Again, sometimes there's a gap from that top of the barrel to the plastic circle but it seems to me that the plunger goes to a consistent place in relation to the barrel top.

There are two parts to most digital calipers. The way that Marje's uses them, she uses the "fat" arms to measure the outside of things. On the other side of my calipers are "skinny" arms that can measure the inside of things. I use those arms, and put one arm just down from the plastic ring and in line with the barrel top.

Once you've measured what you've been doing for 1.0U (looks like it's 1.09mm for you), then you can use that to calculate the smaller doses. .54 for 0.5U and .77 for .75U. Remember, you don't have to be the same as anyone else, just consistent with what you measure.
 
I understand what you are doing now. I got about 1.63mm for the inside calipers. Is that close to what you found with BD? When I dialed it down to .82mm, I am just so disheartened at having to get that. There is no way he will be able to do this, and it's just too small for me to mark with a fine sharpie. I don't even feel confident about getting the top of the caliper at the right place, the barrel is not easily distinguished. I think I'm going to have to come up with another way to get the dose.
 
Has anyone explained drop dosing to you?

Using a colored liquid, so you can see it more easily, fill a syringe to 0.5 units.
Slowly squeeze out equal-sized drops, maybe by twisting the plunger, until you can get the same number of drops per 0.5 units every time.

Now, you can draw up more than the amount you need, and squeeze out drops to the dose you want.
You discharge the excess into the sink.

Decreases may be done a drop at a time.
 
Ok, I've been playing with the caliper dosing for about 2 hours now, and while I can JUST ABOUT do it (and that's only at .75u which is .82mm outside calipers), my DH will not be able to do this. He's stepped up to the plate, but this just isn't his strong point. I'm the obsessive detail person in this partnership. So please let me know what you think of this:

There is a sterility issue here, I know-- so:
Each night I go through syringes, find 2 whose plunger lines up with the 0 line, throw out any that don't. I recap the two that are standard, place them in the fridge with the lantus.

I have prepared a sample with yellow dye that shows where the plunger needs to be for .75u. DH can compare the sample against the draw-- using the standing magnifying glass.

I know there may be an issue with recapping two syringes for use the next day. Does anyone see a big problem with this if I've washed my hands, and put them in the fridge?

I'm at my wits end on how to do this microdosing with my husband.
 
I use 1.6mm per unit on the BD syringes so you are pretty close. :) I mostly use 1.6 because it's close enough, and makes the math really easy. :smuggrin: I'll often go up or down by .125U which is .2mm.

As long as the needle part of the syringe hasn't touched anything but the cap, I think your method should work. When my DH does PM shots, I usually pick a couple of good syringes out for him, but I can check what I need to without taking off the cap.
 
I'm sorry if the caliper method isn't working for you Martha. I used BDs a very long time ago but prior to me starting to use the calipers. I was new at the time and had a difficult time with the bubbles so I switched to Monojects and then Terumos. Since they've stopped making the Terumos, I'm going to probably have to go to BDs at some time but I have quite a supply of Terumos. It's really great that you got a number for 1u so close to Wendy's. That means you were doing it correctly.

Here's the thing about the calipers....it takes time to get used to it. I messed with them for several days and kept thinking it wouldn't work, couldn't do it, etc. But in reality, it has allowed me to microdose in a way I never could have before.....down to 0.1u which is really necessary for Gracie as she seems sensitive to small dose changes. AND, my DH took a lot of time to learn it, too, so we can shoot interchangeably and not worry that we are shooting a different dose. So just know that the learning curve on it is kinda steep but it will allow you to really get to those smaller doses if you should need to and do it consistently.
 
Making the yellow colored syringe and having him dose to those will work too. I'd suggest him measuring from the side of the barrel so he can't see the lines for this also. For me, it makes lining them up easier. It does get easier the longer you mess with them.
 
I'll keep trying. I just need to have something in place for DH this week. How high magnification do you use? Also, I'm having a lot of trouble getting the syringe to release one or two drops at a time. I know to push and pull the syringe to spread the lubricant. But once the plunger is stopped, it's really hard to get it started without it jerking forward.
 
As you notice in the videos, I have a lightbox. I also have a 3X LED magnifying glass so I have light underneath and light from above. It really helps....alot.
 
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