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Anyone re-used cartridge before?

weeezer

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bristol
My mum is currently on holiday abroad with a new accu chek combo pump, she thought she had taken more than enough supplies, and spares. However she thought the cartridges were in packs of 10 and has only just realised there is only 5...she changes cartridge every 2.5 days so will run out. She is going to re-use the last cartridge, I just wanted to see what everyone thinks??

She does have her pens so could go back to mdi for last few days, but seems like a faff. I think I would probably re-use.


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Is she able to get to a local pharmacy or someone on her behalf as they may stock them.
 
I tend to refill my combo cartridges about 3 times and then give them to OH to make use of in the garage with his racing bikes as he fills them up with oil to lubricate the chains. Tell your mum not to worry, she'll be ok as long as she remembers to screw in the blue plunger device and slide the seals up and down a bit to make sure that nothing sticks.

I hate wasting expensive stuff even though I dont have to pay.
 
Thank you both. She is in a far flung place so doubt they are available, they are usually ordered and delivered not obtained through prescription. A rare item I suppose.

iHs -excellent, thanks! She'll be relieved to hear its not unheard of. I never thought of reusing them, I have always reused other items we aren't supposed to (needles & lancets oops).




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Glad you got the re-use advice. I'm accu-chek so don't know about re-using. Just a thought, but she is due back fairly soon, would missing a few days be dangerous for her. I'm think T2 here, so this is probably a silly thing to think of.
 
Yup, I've reused when run out before and didn't even have the screw out plunger so had to use a screw/bolt to draw up the insulin! In fact, I had my pens, put a penfill cartridge in the pen, screwed on a needle and put the needle into the pump cartridge and drew up the insulin that way. Needs must and all that!
 
Gezzathorpe, she's type 1 and on an insulin pump so relies on insulin to stay alive! So she couldn't go without unfortunately. A type 1 produces no insulin so without it can run into trouble fairly quickly. Thank you for your concern though & time to reply, it's appreciated. No worries, she will just refill the cartridges with fresh insulin, usually she'd use a brand new cartridge. If all fails she has her pens & insulin penfill cartridges so she's covered.

Vans, good to hear. What a palaver tho! Like you say, when needs must!


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Good to hear .... and I now know a bit more about T1s so that's a good thing too! :***:
 
Too late to make a useful comment, but I re-use my cartridges as I HATE the drug companies 'chuck-away' practices. When I got T1, almost 40 years ago, we used an enormous metal needle over and over. This mentality stuck with me, and I will re-use anything, if it seems safe and healthy to do so!!!!
 
hi,

I have a medtronic pump and i refill the cartidges until the marking start to wear off which is usually after 3 times. I never had any leakage or issue with refills.
 
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