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Penny pinching????? Gripe not personal

H

hanadr

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I have just realised, by reading some of the posts here that insulin users are being prescribed non-refillable pens. these are MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE than the refil cartridge ones my T1 husband has. We once had to buy some in Spain. Is this the budget that isn't used to provide strips for the T2s?
 
I use the novopens... i get insulin cartridges that go in the pens. Good pens they are, nice and sterdy, got a good feel to them!
 
i did use lantus refills then recently was given the disposable, i asked why? thats all our chemist now do :?
 
If cartridges are cheaper to the NHS than pens, then you have a valid point Hana. I checked the cost on a pharmacy cost comparison site http://www.pharmacychecker.com/Strength.asp?drugId=53671andthe cost for Novolog (novorapid) flexpens and cartridges is , in Canada, fairly similar (pens $85-$85.67 each, cartridges $83-$86) the costs vary according to number in pack .

edit I've just found some NHS prices, again similar, for some insulins,the prefill is slightly more, for others the cost is the same.http://formulary.wolvespct.nhs.uk/Formulary/section-6.asp
 
My husband forgot to take enough insulin to Spain last September and we had to get some . They only had the disposables
When we got back, he asked the local pharmacy for the price difference. He uses the cartridges usually, .
The pharmacist said that the price difference was about £1 more for a pen than a cartridge. that can mount up. I bought 2 packs of 50 strips from eBay, for £20, how much do they cost the NHS?
I couldn't work out any reason why disposable pens should be medically necessary. The needles are still put on by the patient. They aren't any easier to read
 
When I used Glargine I had trouble using the refillable pen. It had a fancy digital dose display on a bulky end section. Hard to press the button and be sure it was pressed right in, and the end being very bulky, together with small hands made it very awkward to hold it to inject in the recommended place "behind me". I wasn't confident I was getting a consisent dose. When I mentioned this to the nurse she said many others found the same. Would be very awkward for or anyone with small or arthritic hands. The disposable pens were far easier to handle. Converseley with Levemir I find the refillable pens better as they aren't bulky and the disposable ones don't do half units.

So sometimes there are practical reasons why disposables are better, though I agree if there's no particular reason the default should be cartridges and refillable pen.
 
When you considering cost factor, have you actuall included the cost of the refillable pen as this is about £26, sometimes the pens last for ages, and other times no time at all... Most people get refill pens and those that have te prefilled pen there normally a reason why..

Would changing as many as you could to the refill pen free up some money for test strips for T2'ers I sadly think not... It can be a night-mare for T1'ers to get a good supply of strips off there doctors as some doctors are so unaware that when you are using an insulin pump. that you need to test a mimium of 6 times a day, and on adverage you really looking at 10+ a day...
 
There are other factors in our overall 'running costs' besides pens and strips. E.g. whether you use a new needle/lancet every time, or once a week. Some need ketostix or glucagon pens frequently, others rarely. Some take 10 times more insulin than others.

Swings & roundabouts.
 
jopar said:
Would changing as many as you could to the refill pen free up some money for test strips for T2'ers I sadly think not... It can be a night-mare for T1'ers to get a good supply of strips off there doctors as some doctors are so unaware that when you are using an insulin pump. that you need to test a mimium of 6 times a day, and on adverage you really looking at 10+ a day...
Click to expand...

"Now you're on levemir you only need to test once a week"

That was a Canadian endo, so we are not alone
 
Sue do you have a favourite supplier on eBay?
 
Usually depends on who has the best value,Hana.Quite often they are a one-off .I always check for expiry dates etc before I buy and ,of course , the sellers reputation.
 
I have the disposable pen for my levimir...being "careful" with money, I asked whether it would be cheaperto have the refills, as they are just as good for me personally. I was told that they cost the same amount for the NHS to purchase??

It certainly doesn't seem that they should. Does anyone have levimir cartridges?? Do they exist? :?:
 
I use the replacement cartridges with novopens. I like the heavy chunky feel of the novopen. Also I like being able to dose half units.

My dad gets the prefilled pens - I have borrowed his once or twice and I didn't like the way the plunger injected. Also I'm sure they are worse for the envronment with masses more plastic than the glass refill cartridges.

I was under the impression they cost the same to the NHS.
 
Cartridges and pens cost the same. To quote from the BNF (prescribing book/website for doctors):
"Levemir®(Novo Nordisk)
Injection, insulin detemir (recombinant human insulin analogue) 100 units/mL, net price 5 × 3-mL cartridge (for NovoPen® devices) = £39.00; 5 × 3-mL FlexPen® prefilled disposable injection device (range 1–60 units, allowing 1-unit dosage adjustment) = £39.00. "
 
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