[Diabetes-talk] Insulin pens
Mike Freeman
k7uij at panix.com
Sat Jan 24 20:37:55 UTC 2009
OK. Guess I live dangerously! (huge grin)
Mike
----- Original Message -----
From: "cheryl echevarria" <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, January 24, 2009 9:36 AM
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Insulin pens
to put the platic caps of the needles, and then there is a smaller
covering
over the needle itself, that is what the second hole is for.
Cheryl Echevarria
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com>
To: <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 10:13 PM
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Insulin pens
> I get the purpose of the second hole. But why the first?
>
> The only times I've stuck myself were when Mr. Coordination here poked
> himself in the hand on the way to giving an injection! (grin)
>
> Mike
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "cheryl echevarria" <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
> To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind" <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Date: Monday, Jan 19, 2009 3:10:07
> Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Insulin pens
>
> >
> >
> > There are also disposable recepticles that I get from the pharmacy
> > which
> > is safer than just uncrewing the top of the pen, it is put out b-d
> > and
> > on the top of the contained are 2 holes one is to get rip of the
> > screw
> > top of the pen and the part that covered the needles the other hole
> > is
> > to stick the pen it self at a 45 degress angle and insert the
> > needles,
> > which has the threads that match the needle and you twist to uncrew
> > the
> > needle and it falls into the container without sticking yourself.
> >
> > Cheryl Echevarria
> > Treasurer
> > National Federation of the Blind Greater Long Island Chapter
> > Member NAGDU, NYAGDU and DAN
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Mike Freeman<mailto:k7uij at panix.com>
> > To: Diabetes Talk for the Blind<mailto:diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
> > Sent: Monday, January 19, 2009 12:56 AM
> > Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Insulin pens
> >
> >
> > Diane:
> >
> > I can give you a generic answer but to be truly helpful, it might
> > be
> > nice to know what aspects of insulin pens and pen use you are
> > wondering
> > about.
> >
> > In general, insulin pens look like and are about the size of an
> > old-fashioned fountain pen. You take the cap half off and the
> > exposed
> > end has threads upon which you screw an insulin pen needle
> > assembly.
> > You
> > then tug on this assembly a bit and the needle cap comes off,
> > leaving
> > only a slim plastic cylinder covering the needle. You pull this
> > off
> > exposing the needle.
> >
> > On the other end of the pen is a dial which you turn to set the
> > dose.
> > Usually, there's one click per unit of insulin although some pens
> > click
> > in half-units and some in two-unit steps.
> >
> > To give yourself a shot, manufacturers tell you to dial in 2 units
> > and
> > then push the plunger (usually part of the dial apparatus) and
> > insulin
> > will squirt into the air. This is to get rid of air in the needle.
> > However, if one is giving oneself a dose over 5 units, it is
> > possible
> > to
> > dispense with the air shot even though manufacturers don't
> > recommend
> > it
> > (yet some engineers working for manufacturers will say this also).
> >
> > You then dial up the dose, pinch up your skin, insert the needle
> > and
> > push down the plunger just as you do with a syringe. You then put
> > the
> > larger needle cap on, unscrew the needle, put the pen cap back on
> > and
> > voila, it looks like a fountain pen again.
> >
> > Pens come in two flavors -- disposable and refillable. The
> > refillable
> > pens have cartridges which you put in the pens and use until the
> > insulin
> > in the cartridge has been used, whereupon you throw the used
> > cartridges
> > away and insert new full ones. The exact mechanism of cartridge
> > insertion depends upon which pen you're using.
> >
> > Disposable pens are pre-filled; you use them until all the insulin
> > is
> > gone and throw them away.
> >
> > Pens can have rapid-acting, intermediate-acting and long-acting or
> > basal
> > insulins; exactly what insulins are available in what pens can be
> > garnered from the manufacturer. I'm pretty certain that Novo
> > Nordisk's
> > Novolog comes in both disposable pens and cartridges for the
> > NovoPen
> > III; one can get a Novolin 70/30 mix for the NovoPen III "Penfill"
> > cartridges also.
> >
> > Lilly has Humalog in disposable pens and Sonophie Aventis has
> > lantus
> > available in a cartridge pen (the OptiClik) and in a disposable
> > (the
> > SoloStar).
> >
> > In the beginning, I think many Americans were worried that insulin
> > pens
> > might be inaccurate; in truth, they are ininv* accurate and are
> > extremely convenient to use. Diabetics in Europe have been using
> > them
> > for years; they're just now really catching on over here in the
> > States.
> >
> > That's a general overview. I highly recommend pens. I own a
> > Count-a-dose
> > so could use syringes if I had to but I'm quite content with pens.
> >
> > Let me know what I haven't answered.
> >
> > HTH!
> >
> > Mike
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Diane"
> > <dianefilipe at peoplepc.com<mailto:dianefilipe at peoplepc.com>>
> > To: "Diabetes Talk for the Blind"
> > <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org<mailto:diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>>
> > Sent: Sunday, January 18, 2009 5:33 PM
> > Subject: [Diabetes-talk] Insulin pens
> >
> >
> > I know we have discussed this subject many times, but often you
> > don't
> > pay attention until it begins to impact your life. My Dad is
> > looking
> > into the pens, and I was just wondering what y'all can tell me
> > about
> > them.
> > Thank you!
> > Diane
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
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> >
> >
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