novorapid flexpen

peter lee

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hi all is anyone else like me suffering from faulty pens almost 2 out of every pack is either faulty or dosent work at all ,it gets me wondering if they are inferior copies if so how do we know if the insulin is the correct medication ?
 

Daibell

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Hi. I would change over to Novo pens with replaceable penfill cartridges. They are sturdy and avoid the waste from disposable pens.
 
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phdiabetic

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Is the pen itself not working for you (eg getting jammed) or is the insulin bad? I know that in America there was a big stink about insulin not being stored at the right temp and therefore not working right. I personally have had no issues.
 

Dixon1995

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Im using a flexpen and wish I was still on Penfills. I have requested it from my GP, still waiting.
 

donnellysdogs

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I got given a flextouch pen to try FIASP insulin and hate it.
Don’t know why but my consultant writes on my letters that I use flexpens... never have...
it only delivers one unit doses and I often need 1/2 unit.
Dosing for one unit using this pen does nothing at all. On my echo pen a one unit would make me low.... waiting for GP to change to refills for me.

Already told consultant previously and the educator that I do not use flex touch pens but every letter always states I do.

Hate the pen. Really think it’s useless.
 

Dixon1995

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@Dixon1995 can I ask why you'd prefer Penfills to Flexipen?

Sure. When I used to use the Novopen 4 I thought the build quality was far superior to the mass produced flexipens. The plunger was built better, there was no wastage in the end of the penfills compared to the flexipens, and I notice a lot of the time with my flexipens sometimes when I plunge all the insulin into my skin and wait 10 seconds then remove, insulin still drips out the end of the needle and makes me think well hang on is that supposed to have just been injected now it decides to come out:banghead:

Just my opinion anyway.
 

SueJB

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Sure. When I used to use the Novopen 4 I thought the build quality was far superior to the mass produced flexipens. The plunger was built better, there was no wastage in the end of the penfills compared to the flexipens, and I notice a lot of the time with my flexipens sometimes when I plunge all the insulin into my skin and wait 10 seconds then remove, insulin still drips out the end of the needle and makes me think well hang on is that supposed to have just been injected now it decides to come out:banghead:

Just my opinion anyway.
@Dixon1995 that's interesting and thanks for the reply. I also get a blob of insulin on my belly when I take out the flexipen. I wonder if I should try and get the others prescribed? Any thoughts anyone else?
 

Dixon1995

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Ive just been approved for a Novopen Echo. Looking forward to using it :). I just watched GPs behind closed doors I didnt realise your supposed to shake the insulin pen and rub it to loosen the insulin in the pen
 

Daibell

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Ive just been approved for a Novopen Echo. Looking forward to using it :). I just watched GPs behind closed doors I didnt realise your supposed to shake the insulin pen and rub it to loosen the insulin in the pen
I don't think Novo say to do this in their leaflet? It sounds like dated advice for the older vials of mixed insulin? I certainly don't do it.
 

Dixon1995

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I don't think Novo say to do this in their leaflet? It sounds like dated advice for the older vials of mixed insulin? I certainly don't do it.

Maybe it was a mixtard or something, it didn't state which insulin it was. Wonder if it makes any difference though
 

karen8967

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I use novopen echo i like the fact that it does half units also it tells you what your last does was were with the flex you can only give 1 units at a time which sometimes is too much/less
 

JAT1

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I use Novorapid FlexTouch and don't have any problems. It is the only kind of rapid insulin I have used.
 

donnellysdogs

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Sure. When I used to use the Novopen 4 I thought the build quality was far superior to the mass produced flexipens. The plunger was built better, there was no wastage in the end of the penfills compared to the flexipens, and I notice a lot of the time with my flexipens sometimes when I plunge all the insulin into my skin and wait 10 seconds then remove, insulin still drips out the end of the needle and makes me think well hang on is that supposed to have just been injected now it decides to come out:banghead:

Just my opinion anyway.

I found the same too, especially with small doses.

However, even with the penfills and fiasp the one unit dose still comes out as 5 single drops when doing an airship. It is still necessary to hold the needle in to get the drops out as there is no stream of insulin. The flextouch pen literally has no decent plunge at all with just a one unit dose and the insulin literally just minutely dribbles out. I think that’s why it leaks out of the skin. The pressure is no way equivalent from the flextouch pen compared to the echo.
 

donnellysdogs

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I don't think Novo say to do this in their leaflet? It sounds like dated advice for the older vials of mixed insulin? I certainly don't do it.

You have to shake and mix insulatard.

If you are using a fresh needle each time and using the newer insulin’s there should not be any need to shake the insulin up.
 

donnellysdogs

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@Dixon1995 that's interesting and thanks for the reply. I also get a blob of insulin on my belly when I take out the flexipen. I wonder if I should try and get the others prescribed? Any thoughts anyone else?

Please see my above post.. I agree with @Dixon1995