? Insulin cartridges

I bought a pack of 5 cartridges today for the first time. I usually use a vial. I tho k I messed up the first cartridge as I took off the purple top thinking it was meant to come off? Can I still use it or do I have to throw it out?

Also I get a tonne of air bubbles and I never got any using the vial. Any tips?

 

I’m not sure about the cartridge that had its top off. Can you get the top back on very securely? It might interfere with the plunger mechanism inside that’s supposed to advance toward the seal end whenever a dose is drawn.

Re bubbles: do you mean in the syringe after you’ve drawn a dose? You don’t inject air into a cartridge before drawing insulin as you would a vial. The plunger thing will advance as mentioned above. Yes, you might get a small bubble occasionally in the syringe. I do and I just flick it several times with my finger before I expel the drop or two extra from the syringe. You’ll figure out what works best over time.

 

I usually just buy the pens not just the cartridges. Helps me hold it.

You don't have to inject air into the cartridge like you do a vial.

I am trying to picture the purple piece you are talking about. Is it the piece with spongy part?

 

I actually didn't know you were supposed to inject air into a vial. Oops. I never have. @Kris & Teasel. I usually draw up a dose a little more then I want and squeeze the excess back into the vial as I get to the required number. Getting big air bubble each time that I never got with the vial.

@Tracey&Jones yea I pulled off the stopper. I've since turned up the cartridge and if I'm careful I can still draw up a dose. I don't want to waste a whole cartridge. May use the vial again when these are done unless I get better at it.

 

I avoid injecting any excess back into the cartridge. I can usually draw up only a drop or two extra, pull the needle out of the cartridge and expel the excess drop or two onto a tissue. My hope is that by doing this I'm avoiding (possibly) contaminating the insulin with syringe lubricant. Just before I push the needle through the seal I put firm pressure on it to drive out as much air from the hollow needle as possible. That helps to limit the size of any air bubble I get in the syringe. Beyond these precautions I try not to worry about it.

 

Do you hold directly upright or at an angle?

 

I'm holding the syringe at an upward angle (above horizontal) when inserting the needle into the cartridge. I shift position so the cartridge is close to vertical above the syringe while drawing up the insulin, I pull out the needle and then hold the syringe on an angle above horizontal while I expel the excess to to get the dose I want. I do all this over a white tissue with a bright desk lamp nearby so I can see the insulin level relative to the syringe marks as clearly as possible. I also wear a pair or drugstore reading glasses in a higher magnification than I'd need just for reading.