Insulin Contamination

purplesunsets · Sep 3, 2018

I was injecting insulin Novolog before dinner and when I took the pen out it bled and there was streak of blood in the cartridge. I've been googling the heck out of it but can't find much that says it happens or why. It weirded me out first time it happened.

Now few hours later the site has a bruise. Can I still use the pen or discard it? Any thoughts? Should I contact our local Novodisk or my doctor?

DCUKMod · Sep 3, 2018

purplesunsets said:
I was injecting insulin Novolog before dinner and when I took the pen out it bled and there was streak of blood in the cartridge. I've been googling the heck out of it but can't find much that says it happens or why. It weirded me out first time it happened.

Now few hours later the site has a bruise. Can I still use the pen or discard it? Any thoughts? Should I contact our local Novodisk or my doctor?

Hi there - I'm not an insulin user, so have no personal experience to offer you. I wonder if my colleague @Jaylee would have a moment to comment.

michita · Sep 3, 2018

Hi ! This happened to me also once before. I wasn't too concerned and just continued to use it

It seems it happens sometimes.

https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/blood-in-lantus-pen.108001/

Jaylee · Sep 3, 2018

purplesunsets said:
I was injecting insulin Novolog before dinner and when I took the pen out it bled and there was streak of blood in the cartridge. I've been googling the heck out of it but can't find much that says it happens or why. It weirded me out first time it happened.

Now few hours later the site has a bruise. Can I still use the pen or discard it? Any thoughts? Should I contact our local Novodisk or my doctor?

Hi @purplesunsets ,

Though it is your blood & souly for your use. I would discard the pen. (Assuming it's pre filled.)

I use reusable pens which take cartridges. Though I've not had blood draw back, I have bled a little from time to time.
You may have hit a vein?

I'm going to ask some silly questions.
New needle?
Did you perform an airshot?

This is just speculation. But there is a possibility you hit a vein & the "bung" that drives the insulin dose pinched back, drawing blood with it? Which may mean the ram mechanism that pushes it may have had a fault.??

I've read about simalar with disposables..
Ask your doc for a reusable pen...? Pretty sturdier ram mechanism & pen build.

Hope this helps!

purplesunsets · Sep 10, 2018

Jaylee said:
Hi @purplesunsets ,

Though it is your blood & souly for your use. I would discard the pen. (Assuming it's pre filled.)

I use reusable pens which take cartridges. Though I've not had blood draw back, I have bled a little from time to time.
You may have hit a vein?

I'm going to ask some silly questions.
New needle?
Did you perform an airshot?

This is just speculation. But there is a possibility you hit a vein & the "bung" that drives the insulin dose pinched back, drawing blood with it? Which may mean the ram mechanism that pushes it may have had a fault.??

I've read about simalar with disposables..
Ask your doc for a reusable pen...? Pretty sturdier ram mechanism & pen build.

Hope this helps!

I asked my doctor he thinks I may hit a blood vessel. I wanted to contact the company but he said it happens. I assume not a vein since my BS was ok the next day.

New needle. Pen was halfway. Yes I did an airshot. Not sure what I did wrong.

Thanks for the reply!

purplesunsets · Sep 10, 2018

Jaylee said:
Hi @purplesunsets ,

Though it is your blood & souly for your use. I would discard the pen. (Assuming it's pre filled.)

I use reusable pens which take cartridges. Though I've not had blood draw back, I have bled a little from time to time.
You may have hit a vein?

I'm going to ask some silly questions.
New needle?
Did you perform an airshot?

This is just speculation. But there is a possibility you hit a vein & the "bung" that drives the insulin dose pinched back, drawing blood with it? Which may mean the ram mechanism that pushes it may have had a fault.??

I've read about simalar with disposables..
Ask your doc for a reusable pen...? Pretty sturdier ram mechanism & pen build.

Hope this helps!

Forgot to add yes this is a prefilled pen. I think it may have been a vein but I didn't get the sudden low sugar so I'm not sure. Or I pulled out too fast? Any thoughts on that?

Jaylee · Sep 10, 2018

purplesunsets said:
Forgot to add yes this is a prefilled pen. I think it may have been a vein but I didn't get the sudden low sugar so I'm not sure. Or I pulled out too fast? Any thoughts on that?

Hi again,

Well that might depend on what you were bolusing for?
If it was a low fat meal with more rapid acting digested carbs, that may have suited the working insulin conditions if you had hit a vein..? (That's discounting another factor of under bolusing due to error or insulin resistance a little higher at that point in the day.?)

Of course, I'm only guessing from personal experience..

purplesunsets · Sep 11, 2018

Jaylee said:
Hi again,

Well that might depend on what you were bolusing for?
If it was a low fat meal with more rapid acting digested carbs, that may have suited the working insulin conditions if you had hit a vein..? (That's discounting another factor of under bolusing due to error or insulin resistance a little higher at that point in the day.?)

Of course, I'm only guessing from personal experience..

I don't quite recall what I ate but it was before a meal, usually low carb more protein what I go for. The earlier bolus was fine just this night one which I had a late dinner is all I could explain.

Makes sense though. Or conditions weren't right

Insulin Contamination

purplesunsets

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purplesunsets

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purplesunsets

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purplesunsets

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Insulin Contamination

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