bolus and basal...

[Stuboy]

Just a quick question, and sorry to say probably such a newbie question too lol.

when you bolus and basal, can you still use the novopens?

I use novopen3 with my mixtard and i like the way it works.. if and when i move only bolus and basal i'd like to think i can still use the pen.

[JediSkipdogg]

If they make the insulin in a pen, yeah. I think there is one insulin not in a pen at all, so as long as you aren't on that one, you'll fine (heck, I may be out of times and it may be in a pen now, but I can't remember which one.)

You would simply have two pens and just have to remember not to mix them up and give the wrong one.

[DeusXM]

Most PCTs tend to use insulin made by Novo Nordisk, so yeah, you'll be able to keep your Novopens. The cartridges for all Novo insulins are a standard size, so Novorapid and Levemir (the bolus and basal insulins made by Novo) will fit in a pen that you use for Mixtard. You can also get different coloured Novopens too to make it easier to tell them apart.

The only exception to this is if you get put on Lantus, which is made by Sanofi Aventis. This won't fit in a Novopen and you'll either be offered the disposible Optiset (which you should refuse, because it's ****) or Lantus carts and an Autopen. Novo make the best pens by far but Lantus is possibly a better insulin than Levemir so it's win some, lose some.

The good news is that your pen needles will fit ANY insulin pen, so you don't need to worry about those, at least.

[Cyborg]

They make pens for both bolus and basal insulin.

[Stuboy]

that's good then, I have silver pens, but i know you can get different colours, so i'll just get another colour and use one for basal and one for bolus.

Now i just gotta work on gettin B&B!

Thanks for answering my question :)

[DeusXM]

Go for the blue Novopen. The red one looks horrible.

Currently, I use a silver Novopen3 for my Novorapid (bolus) and a blue Autopen 24 for my Lantus (basal).

[sofaraway]

I use the disposable flexpens for novorapid and the blue autopen24 for Lantus. i think i prefer the autopen as it's a bit more sturdy. thinking that I will request a non disposable pen for my novorapid, and i assume it'll be cheaper

[DeusXM]

Shouldn't your pens be free?

[Miss Jade]

I checked with my insurance and it doesn't matter what form (flexpen or cartridge) the insulin is in - it all costs the same $ for the same amount. You should be able to get the pen free from Novo.

[tyrice]

Free pens? You guys are lucky..Pharmacy just called me last night..the needles for me were like $10. The pen was like $35 and the cartridges weren't even covered..Total was around $300+ :(...Living comfortably is getting a bit expensive :(

Needless to say I'm still using regular syringes..lol.

[Stuboy]

my pens are free... good ol' NHS does have it's uses lol. I have 5 pens currently. only using 2 though. 4 silver pens and 1 stupid blue/greeny yellow one.

i consider myself very lucky that i dont live in the US now...

[sofaraway]

Shouldn't your pens be free?

yeah free to me, but i was just thinking of the cost to NHS. but looked it up today at work and getting 5x 3ml cartridges is about £1 cheaper than 5x3 disposable pens.

[RLK]

...the cartridges weren't even covered...

I used to use the pens (before pumping) and my cartridges had some ridiculous co-pay, way more than vials. So I saved up about 7 or 8, and refilled them from a vial using a syringe. I made sure to wipe the tops with alcohol and sucked out any air bubbles with the syringe before using a cartridge. It worked great!

[DeusXM]

yeah free to me, but i was just thinking of the cost to NHS.

Crikey, you're a very public-spirited person.

If only everyone who used the NHS thought ahead like that.

[Stuboy]

i think we pay enough national insurance and taxes to be allowed to claim free prescriptions off the NHS... I dont think it's fair at all that you should almost "pay" to stay alive (where a medical supplys are concerned)

[Cyborg]

At least we have the option to pay and stay... :saint: