As previously posted, I am a new 75 year old T1D. Over the last month have had hypoglycemic events. Doctor advised me to get a Glucagon kit.
My wife is >73. Feels very uncomfortable able using kit and needs to practice to get more at ease. Unfortunately Lilly does not have practice kits at this time and doesn’t know when they will get them in. I’ve contacted doctor and kit trainer, and sales representatives with no success.
Last resort is to look for an expired kit which I can neuter and let my wife use it
@hhrosen hi Harvey, glucagon is given subcutaneously the same way insulin is given. Can she do an insulin shot? If that’s the issue let her practice giving you insulin.
There might be a glucagon “pen” premix now. I am not sure you can ask a doctor or pharmacist.
If it’s the mixing, maybe you can get saline from a doctor and have her mix bicarbonate or something to pretend with but (I hope this is obvious) don’t inject it.
Are there welcome kits from JDRF for adults? When we reached out for the Rufus bear we received a backpack with lots of materials, samples, and a mock glucagon kit for practicing. It had a fake stringe, vial and powder for mixing.
There are also several YouTube video tutorials.
I know it’s unlikely it will ever be necessary but it’s a source of anxiety for me too, that anyone watching my child needs to know how to use it. The YouTube videos are very helpful.
I don’t know, they still show as included with the bag of hope for children. My chapter would be New England, out of NH.
I did just google Glucagon practice kits and they seem to be sold. This like is about $15 Practi-Glucagon Kit™ (for training) - simulates glucagon - Wallcur
Also you could consider asking your endo’s office, ours has several expired ones on hand for training.
I second the suggestion about asking your doctor. That was how I test ran wearing a CGM for the first time. We took an expired one and just pasted it on without actually inserting the sensor. They might have expired glucagon kits that your wife could practice with.
Alternatively, she could practice with any syringe and an empty insulin vial. My glucagon syringes are much bigger than my insulin syringes, so maybe you could ask your doctor for a larger syringe to practice with.
First off - she needs to become comfortable with giving you an injection. Then with handling a syringe and finally working with vials. If you use vials then you have everything necessary for practice runs while actually giving you your insulin.
If you still need an expired kit I can send this one I should have discarded in 2015. Email me: my username at sbcglobal dot net