How long before replacing your pen?

[LaughingHyena]

How long should you use a pen before replacing it. I ask because I have a novopen 4 which I've been using for around 9 months. I've wondered for a couple of weeks it it feels looser than my spare. I felt it was still clicking OK but the joint between the 2 halves seemed loose.

Mu numbers recently have not been that great, however will a couple of ilnesses and holiday meaning routine was all over the place I just assumed that was the problem. I did change the insulin in the time so I don;t think that was the problem.

This week I decided to swap to the spare pen, numbers have been great, could it really be the pen?

How long do you use a pen for and what signs of wear should I look out for before ditching the pen?

 

[Jen&Khaleb]

I think the pens are meant to last a lot longer than they actually do. I've made a habit of replacing my son's every year. I had kept my first lot of pens a lot longer and when I changed it my son had a massive hypo. I do think there are times that I am a little rough on the pens. They have been dropped on occassion Since making a point of changing them every year or when they seem dodgy things so a lot more smoothly. I think you have done the right thing by replacing.

 

[Snodger]

some pens are better made than others. I have a humalog pen which I've had for years (at least 7 years) and it still looks new - it's a beautifully made device. I have a drawer full of rubbish pens for my lantus which have all broken or become unusable within about 6 months. the things that are most likely to go wrong are the pen top/lid becoming loose, and the dial-up numbers wearing away. I have never experienced problems with insulin delivery from old pens - I can usually see where they are breaking and throw them away before there are problems - but I haven't used the novopen 4 so I don't know if there's a possibility of it delivering wrong amounts.

 

[Tracey167]

Hi Laughingheyena

I recently gor a new insulin pen and when i read the leaflet it said that they should last or be changed every 6 years which is not to bad. I have now got a insulin pen that has half units which i find alot better cos your not injecting to much or to little especially if you are carb counting.

Tracey167

 

[noblehead]

About every 2 years I'll replace my insulin pen, the exception to this is when I suspect that it may be giving a wrong dose.

Nigel

 

[jopar]

When I used pens when they needed changing..

But if you are concerned at all about whether your pen is delivering the correct dose or not it's pretty easy to check..

All you need to do is dial up 20 units of insulin, and inject this into the outer cover of the needle, if it's delivering correct then it will fill only the bottom part of the cover.. If you look at the outer cover you will see ridges that stop halfway down (at the top of the bottom bit) this is where you want your insulin to be..

 

[LaughingHyena]

All you need to do is dial up 20 units of insulin, and inject this into the outer cover of the needle, if it's delivering correct then it will fill only the bottom part of the cover.. If you look at the outer cover you will see ridges that stop halfway down (at the top of the bottom bit) this is where you want your insulin to be..

Sounds like a handy test, I'll have to remember that.