Pen users help !

[totorothecat]

Hello everyone,

We were using syringes to inject the shots but we wanted to try pens so it would be easier to administer the shots, the question is, we inject with the pen and try to stay more than 5 seconds and if possible up to 10 seconds, but when we take out the pen, the needle has very little goblet of insulin, I am worried that Totoro is not getting his full shots.

For the syringes we were using 29g-12mm needles, but for the pen we only found in stock 30g-8mm pen needles, the vet said that it should be fine but there may be a risk that the needle is not long enough, I found online 29g-12mm pen needles, should I go for those?

Any advise from pen users? syringes? pens?

Thanks.

 

[Wendy&Neko]

Syringes are best. I used 31g 8mm ones which Neko (and I) preferred over the 29g ones we started with. From the Sticky Note Insulin Care & Syringe Info: Proper Handling, Drawing, Fine Dosing in the Lantus forum:

• When dosing cats, there can be more negatives to using pen needles with an insulin pen than positives:
  • Inability to administer doses in increments of 0.25 - 0.50 units with pens.
  • Forgetting to "prime" the pen prior to each use will result in a smaller dose than intended. Priming the pen involves wasting 2 units of insulin for every shot.
  • One must keep the pen needle in for 5 - 10 seconds after the shot or you'll run the risk of not administering a full dose (can be tough with some cats).
  • Manufacturers do not recommend refrigerating an in-use pen. Therefore, shelf life may be shortened to 28 days (Lantus & Basaglar) and 42 days (Levemir).
  • Some FDMB members have reported shots administered from insulin pens are more uncomfortable than from a syringe (?)

 

[totorothecat]

Syringes are best. I used 31g 8mm ones which Neko (and I) preferred over the 29g ones we started with. From the Sticky Note Insulin Care & Syringe Info: Proper Handling, Drawing, Fine Dosing in the Lantus forum:

• When dosing cats, there can be more negatives to using pen needles with an insulin pen than positives:
  • Inability to administer doses in increments of 0.25 - 0.50 units with pens.
  • Forgetting to "prime" the pen prior to each use will result in a smaller dose than intended. Priming the pen involves wasting 2 units of insulin for every shot.
  • One must keep the pen needle in for 5 - 10 seconds after the shot or you'll run the risk of not administering a full dose (can be tough with some cats).
  • Manufacturers do not recommend refrigerating an in-use pen. Therefore, shelf life may be shortened to 28 days (Lantus & Basaglar) and 42 days (Levemir).
  • Some FDMB members have reported shots administered from insulin pens are more uncomfortable than from a syringe (?)

Thanks for the reply, the idea of using pens is that I cant handle syringes and it may be easier for me to give shots with a pen, I think we follow all the rules of the pens but still after 10 seconds there's that small droplet.
Another confusing thing about Lantus is that the vet said it must be refrigerated but then the pharmacist said that it is not recommended and I should be following manufacturer guidelines and that is not refrigerate after opening, so many opposite advise.

 

[Wendy&Neko]

If you read the Sticky Note I linked, you'll see that we recommend putting Lantus in the fridge, when it is unopened. If you are using syringes, you can also leave opened pens in the fridge. However, if you are using pen needles, the pen mechanism doesn't work well when cold so you have to keep an opened pen outside the fridge. Which limits it's life to 28 days. If left in the fridge and used with syringes, pens can be used to the last drop. So you'll be tossing out partly used pens if you use the pen needles.

 

[Chuckington]

Thanks for the reply, the idea of using pens is that I cant handle syringes and it may be easier for me to give shots with a pen, I think we follow all the rules of the pens but still after 10 seconds there's that small droplet.
Another confusing thing about Lantus is that the vet said it must be refrigerated but then the pharmacist said that it is not recommended and I should be following manufacturer guidelines and that is not refrigerate after opening, so many opposite advise.

When you say that you can't handle syringes, do you mean that there is a physical limitation that keeps you from comfortably using the syringes?

 

[totorothecat]

When you say that you can't handle syringes, do you mean that there is a physical limitation that keeps you from comfortably using the syringes?

I should have been more specific, not physical, I have some phobia to syringes so I thought it may be better for me to use a pen to be able to give shots, I tried using a syringe but honestly I cant do it at the moment, my wife is the one doing the syringe shots.