Type 1 NovoPen Echo

[No1DeadlyPoison]

Hey Everyone, Hope you are all keeping safe and well. Just some questions if you have this pen. I recently noticed that when I press the bottom of the pen down to check when I last did my insulin, it just shows end. Does anyone else's do this? Does it have changeable batteries? Do I need to get a new one and this one is faulty?

 

[Antje77]

No changeable batteries.
If i remember correctly it's guaranteed to work for a year, after that it still works fine but without the display function.
Very annoying.

 

[urbanracer]

@No1DeadlyPoison

Take a look at this old thread, I think you may find it interesting.
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/novopen-echo-broke.113188/

The pen can still be used for insulin delivery, it just means the memory cannot be used.

I have just been given a new one. The user guide states that the pen should last 4 to 5 years. The Echo I have, has a 3 year guarantee which includes the dose monitor.

 

[UK T1]

Interesting, have they shortened the guarantee? My boxes also say 5yrs like the one in the linked post. Coming up to that in Aug but have been using 2 for that time (for both basal and bolus) and luckily no issues yet. As others say it should function correctly, just no longer be able to tell you the previous dose or how long ago it was administered.
I'm hoping they last until the echo plus is released here, apparently being rolled out in some countries in Europe already...

 

[chrisbug]

Hi, from the user guide of my NovoPen Echo that is about 1 month old.

 

[Jaylee]

Hi,

The online instruction user manual is here. https://www.novo-pi.com/novopenecho.pdf

On page 24 it says it's a low battery warning level. Which makes sense, you're need some sort of power to register on the LCD readout? It's a sealed unit. Cold temps can adversely affect some battery power distribution too..
Maybe if you had it in a fridge?
Oddly, it also suggests in the manual on this page the battery lasts "4 to5 years..?" I have to admit. I've yet to see this warning crop up on my "dashboard" yet.

But I do keep many spares.

Hope this helps?

 

[kvetiny]

I got mine from the hospital. Had it for 3 years and it's still going strong. I will contact the hospital once it dies to get a new one.

 

[Jaylee]

I got mine from the hospital. Had it for 3 years and it's still going strong. I will contact the hospital once it dies to get a new one.

Hi,

They should technically be on your repeat prescription.
When needed, I order mine from the surgery & pick up from pharmacy.
But they do seem to keep going..

 

[Antje77]

I got mine from the hospital. Had it for 3 years and it's still going strong. I will contact the hospital once it dies to get a new one.

Do you have an extra pen in case something happens to this one? Pens get lost or break, and they tend to do so during bank holidays in the middle of the night when you were high already, and visiting relatives on the other side of the country...

 

[kvetiny]

No spare they wouldn't give me one. The day I got my libre the GP removed my script for my accuk check mobile. Feels like I'm asking for too much sometimes.

 

[Jaylee]

No spare they wouldn't give me one. The day I got my libre the GP removed my script for my accuk check mobile. Feels like I'm asking for too much sometimes.

Wow,

Even my doc agrees I would need spare. Incase anything went wrong.
I'm in possession of 4 of them. Same with the basal pens too.

 

[kvetiny]

Miss my old GP surgery and pharmacy. I was treated much better. Have always having to go to the pharmacy to collect more supplies as they won't give me an adequate amount of supplies. The GP owns the pharmacy that's the problem! Lol

 

[UK T1]

My clinic gave me one echo and GP let me order another via prescription. As my old novopen 3 and junior (for the half units) novopens hadn't broken when I upgraded to the echo I've kept them as backups. I was told the echos were £90 so that I could get a replacement when needed but as I already had two plus old pens as back up, the GP couldn't justify prescribing any more there and then. This was about 4 1/2 yrs ago. I expect they'd let me have another now if needed, but am also prepared to swap my 'levemir colour' echo pen to novorapid in an emergency as it is usually the novorapid I need half units for more than the levemir. Just hope the echo plus comes here soon!

I'd be tempted to say it's playing up and request a replacement from your GP if you don't have any form of spare pen at all.

 

[No1DeadlyPoison]

Thank you all for your comments, you have all been very helpful! Sorry it has taken me so long to reply! It is a shame they don't have a battery that can be changed, seems a waste getting a new one every 4-5 years.

 

[ColinHiggins]

Following up - I encountered this problem and found all your comments very helpful.

I enjoy fixing things, so carefully took the pen apart and replaced the batteries. The 'end' message still showed, even with fully-charged, new batteries. Looks like once the batteries go low enough, the 'end' message is triggered, then stays there permanently.

These pens are well built and replacing the batteries isn't too complicated. All of your pens could last for many years more, but NN would prefer that the NHS continue purchasing tens/hundreds of thousand of new pens each year, at a cost of millions. Shame they've built in this planned obsolence. Big business!

 

[Jaylee]

Following up - I encountered this problem and found all your comments very helpful.

I enjoy fixing things, so carefully took the pen apart and replaced the batteries. The 'end' message still showed, even with fully-charged, new batteries. Looks like once the batteries go low enough, the 'end' message is triggered, then stays there permanently.

These pens are well built and replacing the batteries isn't too complicated. All of your pens could last for many years more, but NN would prefer that the NHS continue purchasing tens/hundreds of thousand of new pens each year, at a cost of millions. Shame they've built in this planned obsolence. Big business!

Sounds a little like error codes on a car’s ECU? These codes can be cleared on a car after the issue is resolved.. (a lot of brake pedal pushing & ignition key turning pending on model. With the amateur.)
Hi,

Welcome to the forum.

Or built in obsoletion with Nordisk. I enjoy the self satisfaction of a resilution to a problem, too..