I just received my Medtronic Pump in the mail last week, and am curious to know if anyone has used their insulin pens to fill the pump resevoir? I don’t want to start pump therapy unless I can use the three months supply of Apidra I currently have in pens. The Medtronic rep said no, that you can’t do that, but I don’t see why not, if you take the insulin out of a vial with a syringe to use in the pump, why can’t you take the insulin out of a pen with a syringe?
I am really anxious to get started on my pump, but don’t want to waste all my pens- not to mention the expense of them!I am awaiting a response from my Endo, but thought I would check here as well, to see if anyone has done this, or has heard of this.
Medtronic does not know what they’re talking about I have a 530 G and I used to use my pen to fill the reservoirs.
It may take you some time because the reservoirs hold up to 300 units. And I think the pens max out at 50 units? It make it difficult to keep sticking the same small needle in that in the top of the reservoir you don’t want to have too many holes in the reservoir as it could possibly leak out. Just keep an ion it and see how it goes.
The other option is to go to the pharmacy and get a 3 mL needle until the pharmacist why you wanted to cost you $.25 you be able to withdraw all of the pens into the needle and then injected directly into the reservoir.
I agree with everything Scott and Marelizabeth said. However, I’d also consider keeping at least one pen as an emergency backup. I started using my pump in November and still keep a pen in my bag, just in case.
Always have a back-up. I have a bottle of Lantus and Apidra in the Frig and insulin needles. I travel often, sometimes for work and long weekedns and I always carry a back-up. You MD should gbe able to give you a sample of Lantus or if you go online and have a script you can get it free at the pharmacy. Well it used to be free!
Thank you everyone! Great tip on the larger 3 ml needle to fill more at once! I really appreciate the feedback. Now I can schedule my pump training- I am very excited!
My training with the Medtronic people for my pump is tomorrow- I let her know a couple weeks ago when you all told me it was fine to use insulin from my pens, and she agreed that it would work. Today she called me and said she doesn’t think it will work, because she was under the impression that my Apridra pens use a refillable vile, and were not disposable??? I thought all the pens were disposable. At any rate, can you confirm that you have used disposable pens to fill your insulin resevior in your pump? I’m frustrated now, because I really didn’t want to start on the pump untill al my pens were used, and like I mentioned prior, I have a three month supply that I don’t want to waste.
