Pen or syringe?

[miffy]

I just received my pen supplies, but a question from my partner has me a bit spooked. If I happen to hit a small blood vessel during an injection, is there a real risk of blood being drawn back into the pen’s vial? I’m worried about contaminating the whole vial and having to waste the medication. Is this a common issue/has this happened to any of you before with pens, and would I be safer sticking to a syringe and vial as to not risk contaminating the whole thing?

 

[deluge]

I just received my pen supplies, but a question from my partner has me a bit spooked. If I happen to hit a small blood vessel during an injection, is there a real risk of blood being drawn back into the pen’s vial? I’m worried about contaminating the whole vial and having to waste the medication. Is this a common issue/has this happened to any of you before with pens, and would I be safer sticking to a syringe and vial as to not risk contaminating the whole thing?

The tiniest bit that might draw back would be in the pens' needle, it wouldn't make it into the vial. There's nothing to worry about in this regard.

I would like to bring up the knock-off pens that don't dispense correctly, however. I had an Amazborg knock-off pen (that cost $62! Ripoff!) that dispensed between 3.5 and 4 units instead of the 10 it was set for. Get a reputable pen, test it with a diabetic syringe, and pin away!

 

[miffy]

The tiniest bit that might draw back would be in the pens' needle, it wouldn't make it into the vial. There's nothing to worry about in this regard.

I would like to bring up the knock-off pens that don't dispense correctly, however. I had an Amazborg knock-off pen (that cost $62! Ripoff!) that dispensed between 3.5 and 4 units instead of the 10 it was set for. Get a reputable pen, test it with a diabetic syringe, and pin away!

Thank you for the insight this all has been very new and slightly scary to me haha. How do you test it with a syringe? Do I just poke it in the end where the pen needle would go and press as normal?

 

[Slogger]

I just received my pen supplies, but a question from my partner has me a bit spooked. If I happen to hit a small blood vessel during an injection, is there a real risk of blood being drawn back into the pen’s vial? I’m worried about contaminating the whole vial and having to waste the medication. Is this a common issue/has this happened to any of you before with pens, and would I be safer sticking to a syringe and vial as to not risk contaminating the whole thing?

This did happen to me. Hit a blood vessel and blood did get into the vial so it was contaminated and I had to throw it away. I have gone back to syringes. I’m sure I probably did something wrong on my end and I won’t completely blame the pen but for me, I’ll stick with syringes going forward for the time being-

 

[miffy]

This did happen to me. Hit a blood vessel and blood did get into the vial so it was contaminated and I had to throw it away. I have gone back to syringes. I’m sure I probably did something wrong on my end and I won’t completely blame the pen but for me, I’ll stick with syringes going forward for the time being-

Im really of two minds now...

 

[deluge]

Thank you for the insight this all has been very new and slightly scary to me haha. How do you test it with a syringe? Do I just poke it in the end where the pen needle would go and press as normal?

Pretty much. Pre lube the insulin syringe with BAC water first, to reduce the stiction.

Here's the video that clued me in to the problem; he shows the technique.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJdzUaAEC4o

Re: your concern about drawing blood back into the pen; Sloggers report above is the first I've ever heard of this as a possibility. It's got to be exceedingly rare.

 

[BNLFL]

Sorry, I'm old school. Syringe, you can't even feel the 31g needles. Only takes a short time to fill my the time you wipe off the vials.

 

[Winnifer]

I’ve stuck with syringes, the pens seem expensive and a lot of faff to fill, even if it saves you a bit of time each time you pin. Each week you probably spend the same amount of time reconning and pinning whether you use syringes or pens ?

Any die hard pen users might have a different opinion? Are we missing out?

 

[Mewgenic]

Syringe for me. Easy enough and I know what dose I am getting. I've seen issues with the pens and dosing sizes.

 

[Turbo-Farmer]

I’ve stuck with syringes, the pens seem expensive and a lot of faff to fill, even if it saves you a bit of time each time you pin. Each week you probably spend the same amount of time reconning and pinning whether you use syringes or pens ?

Any die hard pen users might have a different opinion? Are we missing out?

if you filter, it's as easy to fill a pen as a sterile vial.

It was difficult to hit my right shoulder (right handed) with my left hand with the Bcp157.

You only have to purge the air out once with a cartridge.

A good pen seems more consistent than a syringe; although this point may be mute if I went to 30u from 100u, especially when you are doing 17 units or a non- multiple of 10

I think there's less waste as I don't lose that little drop each purge, and I squeeze every out of the pen cartridge and think I always leave some in the vial.

These are just my thoughts on my I do some things with a pen, and stick to the traditional for others

 

[Slogger]

Pretty much. Pre lube the insulin syringe with BAC water first, to reduce the stiction.

Here's the video that clued me in to the problem; he shows the technique.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJdzUaAEC4o

Re: your concern about drawing blood back into the pen; Sloggers report above is the first I've ever heard of this as a possibility. It's got to be exceedingly rare.

I agree it has to be a rare thing that happened. In hindsight I know I was trying to inject in a not ideal location on my thigh so that’s my bad. I have since watched YouTube videos so I’m doing it correctly. But it did in fact happen so I guess it’s possible…

 

[Romulusguy]

I started off using the standard insulin syringes until I moved on to pens and I have no reason to go back. The pens shroud the needle and are 100% painless. Many people have a psychosomatic response to seeing the insulin needle go inside their flesh and they feel it more.

If you use multiple peptides and travel, pens are much easier to travel with as one pen can be used for multiple peptide use, basically switching out vials as needed. The medical waste, a small pen needle, takes up much less space for travel purposes as well.

Injecting into the back of the arm or in harder to reach locations is a lot easier.

Assuming you have done your due diligence and purchased a quality pen, the dosing is precise, especially at uneven/odd dose (i.e. 16units, 28units, 32units).

If you filter your peptides, there are no extra steps needed (save for adding a vent needle) when filtering into a 3ml pen vial, as opposed to filling a standard/round 3ml vial.

Finally, some folks have terrible vision and reading the lines on an insulin needle might be difficult if next to impossible, while pens have large Arabic numerals.

 

[Enyola]

Old studies on insulin pens showed that human cells and/or hemoglobin can be found in used pens. From this came the rule for the medical field that pens should never be used for more than 1 person, just changing needles is not enough. But that's only about the risk of transmission of diseases. It doesn't necessarily ruin the content.