Trurapi and Compatible Injectors

[Don H]

Good day,

New to the forum and miles away in Canada.
T1 Diabetics across my country have recently been mandated to switch over to biosimilars which I believe happened some time ago in Great Britian. Little information has surfaced over here regarding "goods and bads" associated with the forced switch. I thought I would canvass the forum for any feedback from across the pond.

I have been a type1 since 1967 so I have a few years of self management under my belt and I believe I've done a good job of it. Since beginning Trurapi in Feb. 2024 using both the Solostar and the AllStar Pro injectors, I have found my control to be slipping. A1C May 2024 was 7.1, up from 6.8 in Nov 2023. prior to the switch over, my daily freestyle readings bounced between 12 and 4. Now between 18 and 2.9. Problem is I have not yet determined whether the problem lies within the biosimilar, or the delivery system. The two Sanofi injectors have to be the worst examples of engineering I have ever personally encountered as far as these devices go. Seriously, 57 years self injecting and now I"m not sure whether my insulin is going in when I inject. I plan on taking this matter up with not only my physician but with the folks at Sanofi, so I thought I would get some feedback from this group prior to doing so. I thought it might be helpful to find out if any non-sanofi-made injectors exist that I could use with their insulin cartridges to perhaps rule out the delivery half of my problem.

Cheers,
Don

 

[Melgar]

Hi there @Don H , I just wanted to welcome you to the forum. It’s night time in the UK right now, but I am sure there will be members who will be able to answer any questions you have when they are around.

 

[EllieM]

I can't believe I'm writing this but have you considered asking for vials and doing old style injections with a syringe? In theory this would be less accurate than using a pen but thirty years ago that's what we all used (well, maybe 40 years ago).

edited to add : and welcome to the forums @Don H

 

[Don H]

Hello Ellie,

The fact that I may be a suffering a bit longer than most type 1 members does not make me eligible for living in the past.

I have been using injectors for a considerable length of time. I suppose the last syringe/vial combination was Lente and Toronto, and that was a long time ago. Since then I have used numerous injectors and insulins, with no concerns as to the quality of the insulin/injectors. As stated in my initial post, I am seeking some feedback from Trurapi/Allstar users since my experience to date is short and less than satisfactory.

If you feel my only solution is to move back twenty years in time, I thank you for your advice.

 

[In Response]

Hello Ellie,

The fact that I may be a suffering a bit longer than most type 1 members does not make me eligible for living in the past.

I have been using injectors for a considerable length of time. I suppose the last syringe/vial combination was Lente and Toronto, and that was a long time ago. Since then I have used numerous injectors and insulins, with no concerns as to the quality of the insulin/injectors. As stated in my initial post, I am seeking some feedback from Trurapi/Allstar users since my experience to date is short and less than satisfactory.

If you feel my only solution is to move back twenty years in time, I thank you for your advice.

I interpreted the suggestion from @EllieM as a method to take one variable out of the equation to understand the root of the problem rather than permanently reverting to syringes and vials.
If you inject using syringe for a few days and your BG is still high, this proves the problem is that Trurapi does not suit you rather than poor quality pens affecting the dosage.
If the syringe results in better BG, the problem is the pens and you have stronger evidence to take to your physician and Sanofi.
This would only be a temporary “experiment“. Not a suggest to live in the past.

 

[Don H]

Interesting solution. Perhaps I will give it a go.
Its been so long since I used syringes that hopefully I can get them from my pharmacist, although, for all I see on daily newscasts every "safe injection site" in the country gives those disposable diabetic syringes to every suffering drug addict in need, so I should be able to get some.

I am still curious whether any other present Sanofi injector users are finding the Solostar and AllStar models to be inferior in construction and function to injectors such as the Triseba Flextouch disposable and the Novorapid Novopen 4 reusable Any feedback would be appreciated. I find it difficult to believe that I am the only user noticing problems , and if this is as good as they get I will never be comfortable using these devices.