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Anyone one had a broken novorapid cartridge?

debsugs

Well-Known Member
Messages
70
Type of diabetes
Type 1
My insulin needs have doubled today, I do feel quite **** and have an increasing bm despite all the extra insulin. I have changed my cartridge and found a crack in it and this morning I had s synacthen test for Addisons. Has anyone had either?? Would the crack make the insulin ineffective?

Any thoughts welcome
 

Hey @debsugs It depends how long the crack has been there and if air has gotten to the insulin which would make it ineffective, see how your levels are once you've changed the cartridge and keep monitoring over the next 24 hours, I don't know what effect a synacthen test would have on your levels so can't comment on that, but there could be the possibility you may be coming down with something also. Let us know how you get on but hopefully a new cartridge will bring your levels down.
 
something went wrong with mine this afternoon/evening, please see The Scream thread.
I hope all is well with you now, take care.
 
I've had cracks before. It makes the insulin under-dose because rather than all coming out of the needle, some takes the path of least resistance and leaves via the crack instead.

When pushing the cartridge out of the wrapper never push on the end with the rubber stopper, only the bit with the screw end as I've found this to be a cause of cracking.

Glad you figured out what the problem was.
 
I have had both!
I think I've had a bad crack that actually effected the delivery of insulin so wasn't sure if I got all of my units but that was a very bad crack.
The test for Addisons simulates stress to see if your adrenal glands respond. If you find stress raises your blood sugar generally then this might be the cause although I'm guessing and have not looked this up. Hope the test goes ok for you. I had a phone call the next day asking me to come in immediately as I had no response and they wondered how I was still standing let alone working. I was also 17weeks pregnant!
X
 
Dear all thank for kind responses, I changed the cartridge last night so will do normal doses today. My sugars have no pattern and no reason s for why they are as they are at the moment. My dsn couldn't work them out so maybe this was why!! I will let you know
 
In answer to the title question..

Yes. A couple of times many years ago with the first generation Novopen..
The cartridge cracked out a chunk just behind where the "bung" was already halfway down the cartrige. The original NP was prone to jamming too..

The other time was back in 1989 when a dancer from Hastings accidentally sat on my pen...
 
 
the crack may not render the pen ineffective but it will not be sterile.
 
jinatki said:
the crack may not render the pen ineffective but it will not be sterile.
Click to expand...
I'd disagree with this. Always change a cracked cartridge. You can't guarantee the dose you are getting is correct if a cartridge is cracked.
 
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