How do I get a replacement insulin pen?

If you have lost your insulin or insulin pen whilst away from home but in the UK, contact your own health centre or out of hours service and ask for their advice first. Once you get hold of an emergency prescription, you should be able to take it any pharmacy or, if pharmacies are closed, to a nearby hospital.

Can you share insulin pens?

Insulin pens are designed to be used multiple times, for a single person, using a new needle for each injection. Insulin pens must never be used for more than one person.

Can you just replace the needle and use the insulin pen?

You can use a disposable insulin pen (one you throw away when the pen is empty), or a refillable pen with a replaceable insulin cartridge. Whether you use a disposable or reusable pen, you will need to replace the insulin pen needle with each use.

Are insulin pen needles universal?

Pen needles are universal fit. This means that all needles sold in the USA will fit all insulin pens available in USA. Health care providers can help check that a pen needle is compatible with the pen. Most pen needles attach onto the insulin pen by screwing on the tip.

Where can I get insulin in an emergency?

Insulin Access Emergency Resources

• Lilly Cares: (800) 545-6962.
• Novo’s Cornerstones 4 Care: (866) 441-4190.
• Sanofi’s Patient Assistance Connection: (888) 847-4877.

Do you need to refrigerate insulin pens?

Insulin pens only require refrigeration before their first use. After its initial use, simply keep your insulin pen out of direct sunlight and in room temperature. Insulin pens typically stay good for 7 to 28 days after the initial use, depending on the type of insulin they contain.

Can I take someone elses insulin?

Backflow of blood and other biologic material into the insulin cartridge or reservoir can occur after injection (1). For this reason, insulin pens, like other injection devices, must never be used by more than one person. Reports of insulin pen sharing have come from a variety of U.S. health care settings.

Which of the following are possible in regard to insulin pen misuse?

DERBY >> Griffin Hospital is warning that insulin pens used on more than 3,000 diabetes patients hospitalized there during the past six years may have been misused, exposing the patients to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.

Do insulin pens need to be primed?

Prime the insulin pen. Priming means removing air bubbles from the needle, and ensures that the needle is open and working. The pen must be primed before each injection. To prime the insulin pen, turn the dosage knob to the 2 units indicator.

Do you need to pinch the skin when using an insulin pen?

Insulin shots should go into a fatty layer of your skin (called “subcutaneous” or “SC” tissue). Put the needle straight in at a 90-degree angle. You do not have to pinch up the skin unless you are using a longer needle (6.8 to 12.7 mm). Small children or very thin adults may need to inject at a 45-degree angle.

What size needle should I use for insulin?

Traditionally, needles used in insulin therapy were 12.7 millimeters (mm) in length. Recent research shows that smaller 8 mm, 6 mm, and 4 mm needles are just as effective, regardless of body mass. This means insulin injection is less painful than it was in the past.

When should insulin pen needles be replaced?

How often to change the needle. Insulin syringes need to be changed after two injections. For those using twice daily injections at breakfast and dinner, this means changing the syringe each day. Insulin pen device needles need to be changed after 3-4 injections.