Please Help w/Ordering Levemir

[Tanya and Ducia]

Hello everyone,

I was wondering if anyone uses Levimir Penfill and can help me understanding how to use it. Or if I should buy it all.

It turns out that Mark Marine's Pharmacy no longer sells Levemir flex pens which we were using for the past couple of years. I talked to someone in their customer service and they told me that I won't be able to draw insulin from the Penfill with syringe as I used to do from the old pen(Levemir flex pen). As the most of you do I alter the doses by 0.25U (BD syringe). The Penfill dispenses doses by whole unit. Our new Vet never used Levemir before and couldn't help. He never heard of 1/4U doses.

The current pen I use expired in Aug 2023. Ducia needs fresh insulin.
Are there any other places I can order Lev in Flex Pens from?

Or does anyone know how to draw a dose from the Penfill (v. Flex Pen) using BD half unit marked syringe?

Thank you for your advice.

Very best wishes to all.

 

[Deborah & Muffy(GA) & Wendall]

I just got some Levemir from Marks Marine a couple months ago. The Penfill is a cartridge and insulin can be drawn from it just like with the Flexpen or a vial. However, you should also receive a pen with the box of 5 cartridges and the cartridge slips right in if you prefer it that way. Be sure to mention that you'll need a pen when you order. Several years ago a friend went to Canada and brought back Levemir cartridges (no pen) and I used them like a mini-vial.

I've use Levemir well past the expiration date and found it to be just as effective. One of the nice things about it.

 

[Tanya and Ducia]

Be sure to mention that you'll need a pen when you order.

I have some pens (unused) in my fridge (all expired) all of which were manufactures prior to 2020, dark blue or navy color plastic pens.
Are the new cartridges sold as Penfills going to fit in?
Thank you very much for your reply.

 

[Deborah & Muffy(GA) & Wendall]

No, the old pens were designed to be a single unit and then disposed of. I tried to get the cartridge out of an old pen just to see if I could and there was no budging it. The new pens are made of metal vs plastic and will last a very long time. I'm rather impressed that Canada is being environmentally responsible about plastic. Anyway, it's real easy to insert the cartridge - unscrew the bottom half of the pen, drop the cartridge in, screw it back together - and there was no extra charge for the pen. I said to mention that you'd need one because the cartridges are intended to be refills for the pen and I don't know if they automatically send a new pen with every order.

 

[Tanya and Ducia]

Thank you !

 

[Wendy&Neko]

I used the Penfills - I am in Canada. Just think of them like mini vials in shape, but you still withdraw the insulin with the same process as you do the pen. Unlike a vial, you don't put air in first. The pen is just extra packaging you don't need.

The picture is a Lantus cartridge, but it works the same, only the Lev one is green:

 

[Larry and Kitties]

It appears that the FDA is prohibiting cartridges for human insulin pens. When Lantus was first introduced in the US t was available in three forms: vials, disposable pens, and pen cartridges for reusable pens. Some of the reusable pens had an LCD screen to indicate dose and total insulin used. The cartridges were a little less expensive than the disposable pens. Then shortly afterwards the cartridges were no longer available