# filling up the cartridges?



## SilentAssassin1642 (Aug 10, 2010)

I'm currentlu arguing with my grandad about the following:

he fills my nans insulin pump catridges up with PENS  and he's now trying to tell me that I'm wrong to fill them up using vials and he's never had bubbles etc etc. Now then, I have NEVER heard of anyone bar him using pens to fill the cartridges up...and when I told the roche rep her face was a picture!

So here's my question - which one of us is in the right here? Pens or Vials? It's starting to both confuse me AND really annoy me!!!


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## novorapidboi26 (Aug 10, 2010)

I have no clue about but pumps but surely there are vials specifically made for each brand of pump.........

How does he use a pen to fill it, wind up the units and skoosh.......how?


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## SilentAssassin1642 (Aug 10, 2010)

novorapidboi26 said:


> I have no clue about but pumps but surely there are vials specifically made for each brand of pump.........
> 
> How does he use a pen to fill it, wind up the units and skoosh.......how?



no, a vial is a vial. They're all the same, 10ml vials of novorapid or whatever insulin you use.

I don't know. Connects the pen somehow to the cartridge, dials the units up and squirits it in...

it seems very odd


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## randomange (Aug 10, 2010)

I've always been told to use vials, and I think they're probably better in terms of recycling etc, since 1 vial is 10 ml, and a box of five cartridges gives you 15 ml total, and it's also less to carry around.

However, I'm not sure how it is with other pump cartridges, but I know it's totally possible to fill up an animas reservoir using a pen cartridge...  The animas reservoirs are pretty much just big syringes that you use to draw up the insulin, so when I found myself in work with no insulin in my pump, and no vial in my bag, I took some insulin from the pen I carry for emergencies.  Completely doable, and was no different really from taking it from a vial.


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## novorapidboi26 (Aug 10, 2010)

SilentAssassin1642 said:


> no, a vial is a vial. They're all the same, 10ml vials of novorapid or whatever insulin you use.
> 
> I don't know. Connects the pen somehow to the cartridge, dials the units up and squirits it in...
> 
> it seems very odd



Thats just wrong.......get him told........what a pain it must be.......


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## SilentAssassin1642 (Aug 10, 2010)

novorapidboi26 said:


> Thats just wrong.......get him told........what a pain it must be.......



NRBoi, you're not a pumper, so how do you know it's wrong? The reason I asked is because I've never heard of it being done that way before...so please don't tell me that my gradfather is in the wrong for doing it the way he has been told.


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## SilentAssassin1642 (Aug 10, 2010)

randomange said:


> I've always been told to use vials, and I think they're probably better in terms of recycling etc, since 1 vial is 10 ml, and a box of five cartridges gives you 15 ml total, and it's also less to carry around.
> 
> However, I'm not sure how it is with other pump cartridges, but I know it's totally possible to fill up an animas reservoir using a pen cartridge...  The animas reservoirs are pretty much just big syringes that you use to draw up the insulin, so when I found myself in work with no insulin in my pump, and no vial in my bag, I took some insulin from the pen I carry for emergencies.  Completely doable, and was no different really from taking it from a vial.



that's for the ange!! Good to know. I'm thinkng maybe they're taught a bit differently over in france because I was looked at like I was crazy when i mentioned it at pump training 

nice to know the old pen cartridges may still get a bit of use other than super duper hyper emergencies


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## novorapidboi26 (Aug 10, 2010)

SilentAssassin1642 said:


> NRBoi, you're not a pumper, so how do you know it's wrong? The reason I asked is because I've never heard of it being done that way before...so please don't tell me that my gradfather is in the wrong for doing it the way he has been told.



I would say its wrong............dont get upset............it seems unhygienic to do it that way.......would you not agree..............dont bite ma head off this time........


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## SilentAssassin1642 (Aug 10, 2010)

novorapidboi26 said:


> I would say its wrong............dont get upset............it seems unhygienic to do it that way.......would you not agree..............dont bite ma head off this time........



I will get upset because you're telling me its wrong and unhygenic? They have been doing it that way since my grandmother started on a pump 18 months ago and have had NO issues at all. And as ange said, it CAN be done that way and is pretty much JUST the same as using a vial. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE so don't start telling me my grandad is wrong, because that is just the right way to get me riled up!

I had a question after a family discussion and now you're telling me my grandad is wrong? Not on Sir, not on AT ALL!


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## novorapidboi26 (Aug 10, 2010)

SilentAssassin1642 said:


> I will get upset because you're telling me its wrong and unhygenic? They have been doing it that way since my grandmother started on a pump 18 months ago and have had NO issues at all. And as ange said, it CAN be done that way and is pretty much JUST the same as using a vial. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE so don't start telling me my grandad is wrong, because that is just the right way to get me riled up!
> 
> I had a question after a family discussion and now you're telling me my grandad is wrong? Not on Sir, not on AT ALL!




I am not trying to offend anyone personally, just give my opinion.....

I think its wrong, not that it is wrong..........


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## SilentAssassin1642 (Aug 10, 2010)

novorapidboi26 said:


> I am not trying to offend anyone personally, just give my opinion.....
> 
> I think its wrong, not that it is wrong..........



well you HAVE offended me!


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## novorapidboi26 (Aug 10, 2010)

SilentAssassin1642 said:


> well you HAVE offended me!



I think that my failed attempt at some humour by saying "get him told" is what has offended you............

Lets put it to bed shall we........


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## SilentAssassin1642 (Aug 10, 2010)

novorapidboi26 said:


> I think that my failed attempt at some humour by saying "get him told" is what has offended you............
> 
> Lets put it to bed shall we........



well don't start when it involves family! I am seriously offended by what you have said!

I'm going to work anyway. Hopefully it will help me to calm down


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## novorapidboi26 (Aug 10, 2010)

SilentAssassin1642 said:


> well don't start when it involves family! I am seriously offended by what you have said!
> 
> I'm going to work anyway. Hopefully it will help me to calm down



It an opinion on squirting insulin into a vial that should be prefilled, thats all, not an attack on you poor wee grandad........can you see the difference, you have to be able to see that......


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## SilentAssassin1642 (Aug 10, 2010)

novorapidboi26 said:


> It an opinion on squirting insulin into a vial that should be prefilled, thats all, not an attack on you poor wee grandad........can you see the difference, you have to be able to see that......



NOT INTO A VIAL! INTO A CATRIDGE! 

just STOP! You have SERIOUSLY offended me, and I would like an applogy!


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## novorapidboi26 (Aug 10, 2010)

Your missing the point...........you have rubbed yourself up the wrong way..........I am ready to stop if you are.............


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## SacredHeart (Aug 10, 2010)

Guys, I am going to close this thread, as it is no longer really a discussion on the topic.


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## Northerner (Aug 10, 2010)

novorapidboi26 said:


> It an opinion on squirting insulin into a vial that should be prefilled, thats all, not an attack on you poor wee grandad........can you see the difference, you have to be able to see that......



NRB, I think you don't understand that a pump reservoir needs to be regularly filled from a source of insulin, like a vial or possibly, (it seems!) a cartridge. The reservoirs aren't just something pre-filled that you click into the pump. Filling from a pen seemed unusual so SA just wanted to know if anyone else had heard of this method.


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