My pen supplies just arrived, but something my partner asked has left me feeling uneasy. Suppose the needle nicks a small blood vessel while I'm injecting — could blood actually get pulled back inside the pen's vial? My concern is that the entire vial could become contaminated and the medication would be wasted. Do pens commonly have this problem, or has anyone here experienced it? Would using a syringe and vial instead be the safer route, so the whole batch isn't put at risk?
Pen or syringe?
- Thread starter miffy
- Start date
If any amount were to be pulled back, it would only reach the needle of the pen—it would never get as far as the vial. So there is no cause for concern on that point.
However, I do want to mention counterfeit pens that fail to deliver the correct dose. I once owned an Amazborg knock-off pen (price: $62! What a ripoff!) that, when set to 10 units, actually released somewhere between 3.5 and 4 units. So buy a trustworthy pen, verify it using a diabetic syringe, and inject with confidence!
I appreciate the explanation — this whole thing is still really new to me and honestly a little intimidating haha. With a syringe, how do you go about testing it? Do I simply insert it into the end where the pen needle normally attaches and then push like usual?
I’ve had that happen to me before. I nicked a blood vessel, and some blood ended up in the vial—meaning it was no longer usable, so I tossed it. Since then, I’ve switched back to syringes. I’m sure the issue was likely my own mistake, so I’m not putting all the blame on the pen, but as far as I’m concerned, I’ll be using syringes for now.
Yeah, basically. To cut down on the stiction, first apply some BAC water as a lubricant to the insulin syringe.
The video below is what made me realize the issue; the technique is demonstrated in it.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJdzUaAEC4o
As for your worry about blood being pulled back into the pen, Sloggers' report above is the first time I've ever come across that as a possibility. It must be extremely uncommon.
BNLFL
Explorer
Afraid I'm old school. Syringes for me — with 31g needles you feel nothing at all. Filling them is quick, about as long as it takes to wipe the vials down.
I’ve kept using syringes — pens look pricey and like a hassle to load up, even if they shave off some time per injection. Over the course of a week, don’t you end up putting in roughly the same effort for reconstituting and injecting either way?
Maybe someone who swears by pens sees it differently? Is there something we’re not getting?
Maybe someone who swears by pens sees it differently? Is there something we’re not getting?
Turbo-Farmer
Explorer
If you use a filter, filling a pen is just as simple as a sterile vial.
Using my left hand to reach my right shoulder (I'm right handed) while working with the Bcp157 was tough.
With a cartridge, you only need to clear the air a single time.
A decent pen tends to be more consistent than a syringe; though that might not matter if I switched from 100u to 30u, particularly when injecting 17 units or some amount that isn't a multiple of 10
I figure there's less loss since I'm not losing that tiny droplet with every purge, and I draw everything out of the pen cartridge, whereas I suspect I always leave some behind in the vial.
These are just my own thoughts on why I use a pen for certain things, and keep to the traditional approach for others
Yeah, I figure that was probably a one-off. Looking back, the spot I picked on my thigh wasn't great for injecting, so that one's on me. I've watched some YouTube clips since then, so my technique is better now. Still, it did happen, so I suppose it can happen…
Romulusguy
Explorer
I began with standard insulin syringes, then switched to pens, and I see no reason to return to syringes. With pens, the needle is covered, and they are 100% painless. A lot of people experience a psychosomatic reaction when they watch the insulin needle pierce their skin, which makes them perceive more pain.
For those using several peptides and traveling, pens are far more convenient to bring along, since a single pen can serve multiple peptide uses by essentially swapping vials when necessary. The medical waste—a small pen needle—also occupies much less space when traveling.
Shots into the back of the arm or other hard-to-reach spots become much simpler.
If you have done your due diligence and bought a quality pen, dosing remains precise, particularly for uneven/odd doses (i.e. 16units, 28units, 32units).
When you filter your peptides, no additional steps are required (except for adding a vent needle) to filter into a 3ml pen vial, unlike filling a standard/round 3ml vial.
Lastly, some individuals have very poor eyesight and may find reading the markings on an insulin needle difficult or even impossible, whereas pens feature large Arabic numerals.
For those using several peptides and traveling, pens are far more convenient to bring along, since a single pen can serve multiple peptide uses by essentially swapping vials when necessary. The medical waste—a small pen needle—also occupies much less space when traveling.
Shots into the back of the arm or other hard-to-reach spots become much simpler.
If you have done your due diligence and bought a quality pen, dosing remains precise, particularly for uneven/odd doses (i.e. 16units, 28units, 32units).
When you filter your peptides, no additional steps are required (except for adding a vent needle) to filter into a 3ml pen vial, unlike filling a standard/round 3ml vial.
Lastly, some individuals have very poor eyesight and may find reading the markings on an insulin needle difficult or even impossible, whereas pens feature large Arabic numerals.
Research from the past on insulin pens found that human cells and/or hemoglobin can turn up in pens after use. That led to a healthcare guideline: a pen must never be shared between more than 1 person, and swapping out the needle alone doesn't fix the problem. However, this is strictly about passing diseases along. It doesn't automatically mean the medication inside is spoiled.