Lilly Humapen Memoir Problem

[owlyn]

I've had my Lilly Humapen Memoir for about two weeks now, and I already have a problem with it. The display is not working properly. The instructions say not to put it in the refrigerator (which I did not do), as condensation may form. Okay- I understand the concept. And I think I know how this happened. When it's hot out, I keep my supplies in a Frio pouch in a cooler in my car with an ice block. So it probably got cold enough to cause a problem. Great, so tell me how to avoid that problem... I called Lilly, and the rather abrupt person told me that the pen must be kept at room temperature.

The instructions (and marketing materials) do not say that it needs to be kept at room temperature. All it says is to not put it in the refrigerator. I tried asking the customer service rep how am I supposed to keep it at room temperature when I am out and around. Suppose I am at the zoo on a hot day, or out in the cold in the winter? The rep said, get this, "leave it at home". Well, that makes the product useless. I tried explaining that insulin pumps seem to be able to handle these extremes without shorting out. She says that insulin pump instructions say that you need to change the insulin more frequently if it's been exposed to heat. Yeah, but what about cold? It's the electronics that's the problem. Anyway, her response was that, "Then maybe this product isn't for you." Then who is it for? She is sending me a voucher for a new pen. Oh boy. After I use up the rest of my cartridges, I guess I'm back to disposable pens. :(

I had first thought very highly of this product, but it is just too fussy about temperature to be practical. Stay away.

[palefacegirl03]

Somedays you just want to reach through the phone and slap them dont ya.

[Olidus]

That sucks - when you 1st posted on this product I was really interested - thought was a great idea. Still do. I do not like how you may need to keep it at room temp though - that will simply not work.
Some of us live in cold climats.

[owlyn]

That sucks - when you 1st posted on this product I was really interested - thought was a great idea. Still do. I do not like how you may need to keep it at room temp though - that will simply not work.
Some of us live in cold climats.

Yep. I called them back to try to speak to someone nicer. The next person basically said the same thing but in a nicer way. They more-or-less know it's a problem (they didn't say that, but she did mention that in training they kept emphasizing that the pen can't be refrigerated due to the condensation problem), but that's the way the pen is right now. She is putting in my suggestion that they make it less temperature sensitive. She suggested using a vial and syringe when the weather conditions are such that the Humapen will be too cold. I responded that I have been using disposable pens instead of a vial and syringe, and they work fine for me. She said that even those should not be refrigerated (once opened I guess), but I told her it's not been a problem for me. I think what I may do is use the Humapen during the week, as this is when I most need the ability to check to see if I took a shot- and use disposables on weekends when I'm out and around. Don't know if I'll be able to use up a pen in 28 days, but I'll see. Being that it's getting to be Fall, I may not have the extreme temps, so I may be okay for now anyway.

I would still be inclined to suggest avoiding this device for now, unless you can control the temperature.

BUT- here's a question- what do pumpers do in the summer (or winter) to keep the insulin and device at a proper temperature?

[owlyn]

Somedays you just want to reach through the phone and slap them dont ya.

Today was certainly one of them.

[Scratch]

You just need to get yourself encased in a bubble that'll always maintain you and your immediate surroundings at room temperature. Then you can be shown on the news for the newest greatest advancement in diabetes care. Porta Bubbles Give Diabetics New Freedom With Their Lives!

[Olidus]

You just need to get yourself encased in a bubble that'll always maintain you and your immediate surroundings at room temperature. Then you can be shown on the news for the newest greatest advancement in diabetes care. Porta Bubbles Give Diabetics New Freedom With Their Lives!

Patten Pending?

[RLK]

Geez, what's the point if you can't leave the house with it?!?



BUT- here's a question- what do pumpers do in the summer (or winter) to keep the insulin and device at a proper temperature?

Summer: nothing. Wait for the insulin to go south from the heat, and then change it out. I think that's happened once in 8 years.

Winter: Stick the pump in a jacket pocket, or under a sweater. (My custom fleece jacket has a "pump pocket" built in!) Wait for the insulin to go south from the cold, and then change it out. Never happened in 8 years of hiking, biking and skiing in cold weather.

[owlyn]

You just need to get yourself encased in a bubble that'll always maintain you and your immediate surroundings at room temperature. Then you can be shown on the news for the newest greatest advancement in diabetes care. Porta Bubbles Give Diabetics New Freedom With Their Lives!

As long as Lilly isn't the manufacturer, we should be okay :) They'd probably tell us that you can't get it wet, so leave it home when it's raining.

[owlyn]

Summer: nothing. Wait for the insulin to go south from the heat, and then change it out. I think that's happened once in 8 years.

Winter: Stick the pump in a jacket pocket, or under a sweater. (My custom fleece jacket has a "pump pocket" built in!) Wait for the insulin to go south from the cold, and then change it out. Never happened in 8 years of hiking, biking and skiing in cold weather.

Thanks. That's all very good news.

[QDHHQ]

stupid service and bad! In China, DM suggest that you could keep the pen in the water that put the pen in tube and seal,you could put the tube into one bottle with water. the temperature of water is low enough even in hot weather.try!
If we have such service in China , we will complaint and not use their products.

[Wite Liun]

Hello folks.
I was surfing away for info on this pen. Eye catching for a concern is this temp. management. I have been using the "throw aways" for a while now. #1 reason is travel. I love my bike and the old multi tool shot days are simply undesired on a motorcycle tour.
When I first took notice of the disposable pens it was for the "room temp" thought. My understanding is that the amount of insulin in the pen is much less than in the bottles. Sooo you will probably (Ok should definately) finish the pen long before any one ever used a complete bottle. This works in favor for me so that the pen is used up before it is able to go bad.
In several years I believe I have had 1 pen go bad. Example: 2 week road trip to Canada. Stay in hotel nightly with fridge in some but not all. Pen stayed with me in vest pocket thru days and on counter thru sleep. Also true with my Lantis device (Opti click) but it was kept in storage till needed in AM. Spare pen was stored in mid pack of clothes to avoid direct heat yada. No issues to report there.
Even in working evrironment, I run Waste Water plants and keep my insulin in the truck (no one wants it near where I do my job LOL) during summer I used just a cold soda can in lunch box and keep pen in there so as to avoid sunshine and high heat as well. In winter I keep in lunch box where at that time of year I dont ice it but do place box on desk if I will not return to vehicle before cold temps can effect whats in side.
Not saying what I do is the best way to do things. But based on the results there is some additional liberty you can take in your adventures thru life and ease some of the concern.
Im 39 work alone all day and love to ride... been doing well with this system for a while now hope it can stay that way for a few more years :)

[owlyn]

UPDATE: My 2nd Humapen Memoir has also bitten the dust. I was more careful with this one in terms of trying to keep it in a reasonable climate. The problem with this one was slightly different, but 2 out of 2 failures is enough for me. Lilly's first question was, "Where do you keep the pen?" I answered, "In a shrine, isn't that what you require of this supposedly portable device?" Well, I that's what I was thinking. The lady then went on to explain about the temperature, yada yada. I told her I know all about it, was more careful, blah blah blah... Anyway, upon my request, Lilly supplied me with a Luxura pen to replace the Humapen Memoir. The Luxura is 100% mechanical, and does 1/2 unit doses as well. So far, I like it, but I miss having the memory feature. Why they would build a pen that needs to be kept at room temperature is just inscrutable to me. I may go back to dispoasables once my cartridges run out- but I am experimenting with the 1/2 unit doses now so I'll see...