Air Bubbles in Apidra Solostar?

[Nicci]

I know insulin has the one main air bubble in the cartridge, however, when I went to use my Solostar yesterday, I noticed a few little air bubbles stuck to the side of the cartridge. I was too scared to use it, so I opened a new one, and used that one twice yesterday, however, today when I went to use it, I noticed the new one had the same little bubbles.

I've only been on Apidra (and the Solostar) since Saturday, so I've never had this before, and I can't say I've ever noticed it in my Mix25 either.

So is this normal? Do you think I can still use the insulin? I'd hate to waste it! I've tried tapping them up, some move to the top, but then they just sit there, which makes my fear of injecting air even higher.

Any suggestions please? I'm probably worrying over nothing!

(Apologies if this isn't the right place to post)

[howdysf]

I regularly have bubbles in my Novolog pen cartridges, I've never worried about them and never had any ill effects...

[A_Darling]

Yes, you are worrying over nothing.

One bubble can become more than one bubble. Hold your pen and count the bubbles. Now shake your pen. Now count the bubbles.

Bubbles are simply gas contained in a liquid where the pressure exerted by the gas equalizes with the surface tension of the liquid. If you disturb that surface tension, then parts of the bubble can collapse and create new bubbles.

Next time just prime your pen in with the needle pointing down, and you're good to go.

[Nicci]

Thanks guys, I had a feeling I was worrying over nothing. I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed with this new insulin + my life style changes, and I've started panicking over everything!

Good to know I can still use it!

[fa4960]

I regulary sees this in my Lantus Solostar and so far I have thrown the pen out when there where a few units left in order not to inject air.

However since I inject into fat and not into the blood stream I guess there would be no risk injecting a little air in case I want to use up every unit in my pen - only downside could be that I inject less insulin that I am expecting or is the click system on the pen actually clever enough only to take insulin into consideration and not count air as units also?

This might seem a small issue but as a self payer I obviously want to throw out as little medicine as possible.

[A_Darling]

you can also purge these air bubbles by pointing the pen straight up (to get the bubble on the needle) and injecting a few units at a time until insulin starts coming out.

[Nicci]

I tried pointing it straight up when I noticed it, but it didn't do anything, but today I did it facing downwards, and it seemed to get rid of most of it. Now I'm not freaking haha. :)

[TNT]

Air bubbles are no big deal. As explained earlier, if you shake your vial/cartridge/pen a bit, you're bound to get little bubbles. I'm not recommending you go tape your cartridges to a paint mixer, but they can handle some jostling about. The primary concern you should have with regards to insulin integrity is age and heat.
Most cartridges/vials/pens are good for only 28 days after being opened and left at room temp.
Do not let your insulin sit in the sun and heat for extended periods of time. Anything over 80F or so is generally not good for insulin. I think around 86F or so the insulin will denature and become ineffective. I recommend getting one or more Frio pouches. They are filled with some kind of beads that react with water to keep the pouch cool. I keep the insulin I carry with me in the pouch and keep the pouch damp. I guess it's usually around 50-60F.
Warning: I left a wet Frio pouch in my car in the sun one afternoon - the pouch cooling capabilities will be overcome by the baking heat of a closed up vehicle in direct sunlight. I'm pretty sure my insulin got messed up after sitting in the car like this for a few hours as it was hot when I got back and felt it. Unfortunately this vial is the only one I have until tomorrow. So far I've had to dose a few extra units - I think because some/most of it denatured.

[genie86333]

However since I inject into fat and not into the blood stream I guess there would be no risk injecting a little air

Bingo! Also, I'm a former EMT & one of the things we learned about this is that it actually takes a significant amount of air entering the bloodstream (enough to fill at least a couple feet of tubing) to cause an air embolysm, not just a tiny bubble as most of us have probably heard.