MakeNoPeaceWithEvil
Explorer
Looking for a good vendor for carts and tips? My wife just began reta, so I went ahead and ordered one, and once my KLOW shows up I plan to fill it too. Thanks everyone!
Convipen Tips and Carts
- Thread starter MakeNoPeaceWithEvil
- Start date
bay_area_schizo
Explorer
The person I bought my convipen from was also offering tips and carts on his TG page. Have you looked at your convipen seller? They might stock everything you need.
MakeNoPeaceWithEvil
Explorer
Yeah, but he even told me himself that buying them online in bulk would be cheaper, which is why I figured I'd check with people here. I did pick up a good amount from him, but since I'll be injecting the klow every day, I just want to find a reliable, inexpensive supplier.
bay_area_schizo
Explorer
Last week I picked up a few carts from Amazon. They're labeled sterile, but honestly, who can say for sure lol. I'm new to the pen thing too.
FlowerFairy
Explorer
For carts, I go through Alibaba. As for needles, Amazon, Costco, Sam’s, or an online diabetic supply warehouse are where I get them. 100 carts run me $50 or under, and my needles come from Amazon. I’ve been considering checking out other needle options, but so far the best prices I’ve found have been on Amazon.
FlowerFairy
Explorer
Each listing claims to be sterile. As a precaution against them not actually being sterile, I run them through a pressure cooker to sterilize them a second time. As for links — I'll take a look. I never went looking for these specifically; they popped up while I was hunting for insulin pens. Typing in “insulin cartridges bulk” should bring them up too.
20/50/100pcs 3ml Disposable Sterile Insulin Cartridges,Independent Packaging Cassette Bottle Insulin Injection Pen Sleeve
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mqhoDVp
| 200-500pcs Cassette Bottle Magic Pen Disposable Sterile Cartridge Bottle Insulin 3ml Sleeve Sterilization Independent Packaging
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mPTGBIx
100pcs 3ml Sterile Independent Packaging Insulin Cartridges Cassette Bottle,Disposable Insulin Injection Pen Sleeve
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mOXn3Aj
| 10-100Pack 3ml Peptide Insulin Pen Cartridge, 3cc Cartridges Compatible with Reusable Injection V1 and V2 Pens, Individually Pack
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mOlHLej
What's your actual process, step by step?
Aren't the cartridges sealed in a bag when they arrive? Once you open that, do you transfer them into fresh bags and run them through sterilization again — or is it fine to just put them back in the original packaging?
FlowerFairy
Explorer
I pull them out, take the rubber stopper off, and place them into fresh sterilization bags (you can get those on Amazon). Then I loosely wrap the new envelopes in foil, check that the rack sits well above the water level, and run them in my Instant Pot on high pressure manual for 30 minutes. It’s a pain in the patoot, but it guarantees sterility. When they’re cool enough to handle, I work the stopper back in before they fully cool down. After that, they stay in the envelope until I need them.
edit Also wash your hands, work on a clean surface, and wear gloves whenever you handle carts between envelopes.
No, I don’t do them all at once. I usually do 10-20 at a time so I’m not cooking carts all day.
FlowerFairy
Explorer
Regarding the stoppers, I don't really follow what you're asking—the carts do what they're supposed to do. Putting them back in can be a bit of a hassle, though I haven't found it to be unworkable yet. As for the rubber seals, they're designed to handle being pierced more than once—swapping out tips for every injection is the standard practice.tcpnomad said:
Are the stoppers reliable enough? I've been told they might be unreliable.
What about the rubber seals — do they hold up to being pierced several times without issue?
All I was saying is that some folks run into problems where the stoppers don't glide easily during injection. Sounds like that isn't your experience. I'll give it a shot.FlowerFairy said:
Regarding the stoppers, I don't really follow what you're asking—the carts do what they're supposed to do. Putting them back in can be a bit of a hassle, though I haven't found it to be unworkable yet. As for the rubber seals, they're designed to handle being pierced more than once—swapping out tips for every injection is the standard practice.tcpnomad said:
Are the stoppers reliable enough? I've been told they might be unreliable.
What about the rubber seals — do they hold up to being pierced several times without issue?
FlowerFairy
Explorer
Ah, I see. Prior to adopting sterilization, I used to nudge the plunger upward a touch to release the initial grip—since they tend to resist right from the start otherwise. I came across reports of users whose stoppers had been placed in reverse, and apparently those performed poorly, though I suspect I’ve avoided any like that.tcpnomad said:
All I was saying is that some folks run into problems where the stoppers don't glide easily during injection. Sounds like that isn't your experience. I'll give it a shot.FlowerFairy said:
Regarding the stoppers, I don't really follow what you're asking—the carts do what they're supposed to do. Putting them back in can be a bit of a hassle, though I haven't found it to be unworkable yet. As for the rubber seals, they're designed to handle being pierced more than once—swapping out tips for every injection is the standard practice.tcpnomad said:
Are the stoppers reliable enough? I've been told they might be unreliable.
What about the rubber seals — do they hold up to being pierced several times without issue?
Wait - what's the method for removing them at all?!FlowerFairy said:
Ah, I see. Prior to adopting sterilization, I used to nudge the plunger upward a touch to release the initial grip—since they tend to resist right from the start otherwise. I came across reports of users whose stoppers had been placed in reverse, and apparently those performed poorly, though I suspect I’ve avoided any like that.tcpnomad said:
All I was saying is that some folks run into problems where the stoppers don't glide easily during injection. Sounds like that isn't your experience. I'll give it a shot.FlowerFairy said:
Regarding the stoppers, I don't really follow what you're asking—the carts do what they're supposed to do. Putting them back in can be a bit of a hassle, though I haven't found it to be unworkable yet. As for the rubber seals, they're designed to handle being pierced more than once—swapping out tips for every injection is the standard practice.tcpnomad said:
Are the stoppers reliable enough? I've been told they might be unreliable.
What about the rubber seals — do they hold up to being pierced several times without issue?
FlowerFairy
Explorer
I push air in. Since they end up in the pressure cooker and I’ve got gloves on, it works the same as filling a cart when you skip venting — it just pops out.tcpnomad said:
Wait - what's the method for removing them at all?!FlowerFairy said:
Ah, I see. Prior to adopting sterilization, I used to nudge the plunger upward a touch to release the initial grip—since they tend to resist right from the start otherwise. I came across reports of users whose stoppers had been placed in reverse, and apparently those performed poorly, though I suspect I’ve avoided any like that.tcpnomad said:
All I was saying is that some folks run into problems where the stoppers don't glide easily during injection. Sounds like that isn't your experience. I'll give it a shot.FlowerFairy said:
Regarding the stoppers, I don't really follow what you're asking—the carts do what they're supposed to do. Putting them back in can be a bit of a hassle, though I haven't found it to be unworkable yet. As for the rubber seals, they're designed to handle being pierced more than once—swapping out tips for every injection is the standard practice.tcpnomad said:
Are the stoppers reliable enough? I've been told they might be unreliable.
What about the rubber seals — do they hold up to being pierced several times without issue?
FlowerFairy
Explorer
My approach mirrors what the researchers did. The most recent batch from the research group tested sterile. I don't chalk that up to luck.
RetCurious
Explorer
On the grey market, the carts that have been offered to us tend to be non-USP grade and below standard.tcpnomad said:
Are the stoppers reliable enough? I've been told they might be unreliable.
What about the rubber seals — do they hold up to being pierced several times without issue?
Spec compliance is frequently missing when it comes to the glass vials, seals and stoppers. The result is unpredictable at best, producing dosing problems and hangs.
Sterility leaves a lot to be desired; endotoxins along with production debris (glass shards, rubber, and who knows what else) get disregarded. Basically, they are
.Fortunately, a UK-based researcher has partnered with Linuo (Linuo), 1 of the biggest glass makers globally, to make USP grade carts available to the public — previously something only large pharmaceutical companies could get for things such as prescription insulin.
Around the start of the year, the initial 1000-unit batch landed in the UK; the first 1000-unit batch is expected in the US in August (all destined for private researchers), with additional batches to come. I'm aware of 1 US vendor that has put in an order, so they ought to appear on the open market before long.
Sandman1882
Explorer
convipen