Taking Insulin

[fergiedee]

I remember May years ago reading about and seeing on television a feature on a gismoes which blasted the insulin thru’ the skin which was the new way to get rid of needles!
Seems to have died a death, so what stopped the progression of such a gismo to replace the needle which frankly is so out of date?
Anyone know anything, as I may have to move to insulin as I am on steroids for an unrelated long term condition (Myasthenia Gravis).

Thanks

Derek

 

[urbanracer]

I've read somewhere (don't ask where) that the Jet Injection system has not been widely adopted for insulin delivery because it can't cope with the large variation in dosing requirements between one diabetic and another.

The Jet Injection concept is suited to vaccines where large numbers of people get the same size shot from a single use cartridge and has been used for innoculations in some 3rd world countries. The W.H.O no longer recommends using Jet Injections in this scenario because of the risk of infections and disease transmission.

 

[fergiedee]

I've read somewhere (don't ask where) that the Jet Injection system has not been widely adopted for insulin delivery because it can't cope with the large variation in dosing requirements between one diabetic and another.

The Jet Injection concept is suited to vaccines where large numbers of people get the same size shot from a single use cartridge and has been used for innoculations in some 3rd world countries. The W.H.O no longer recommends using Jet Injections because of the risk of infections and disease transmission.

Very interesting... thank you...

 

[In Response]

Bear in mind that insulin injection is not done with a huge syringe. Insulin pens are pretty discrete (they don't look like syringes), easy to use and dose and needles are only 4mm long.
Maybe this is why there has not been much advancement in insulin delivery - because for those of us who have been doing it for quite a few years, there has been advancement and it's not a big deal.

 

[Hopeful34]

Years ago a group of us from my diabetes clinic tried this, and all bar a young boy found it unsuitable and worse than an injection. Some ended up with huge bruises from the force of the insulin penetrating the skin or raised lumps of pooled insulin beneath the skin. Others found it too painful and if I remember correctly everyone's blood sugar control was worse.

 

[Jaylee]

I remember May years ago reading about and seeing on television a feature on a gismoes which blasted the insulin thru’ the skin which was the new way to get rid of needles!
Seems to have died a death, so what stopped the progression of such a gismo to replace the needle which frankly is so out of date?
Anyone know anything, as I may have to move to insulin as I am on steroids for an unrelated long term condition (Myasthenia Gravis).

Thanks

Derek

Hi Derek,

This was pretty much a device developed from the concept featured on the fictional "hypo-spray" used in the sci fi series Star Trek..
I think there has been more luck engineering other star trek ideas like "flip phones" & wireless in ear monitoring than any thing else..

Oddly, I've seen stuff online about the develpment of the real thing a fair while back.. Lol, it looks closer to something you'd attach to a hose to water the grass? Or some kind of "paint ball" pistol??