Symlin Pen

[lelggren]

Hi,

I use symlin, and I have been using it in the vials for over a year now. But, as I know you all understand, It can be a lot of stuff to carry, especially when you are on a pump, plus another injectible med....So, I want to try out the pen. I just think it would be so much easier to not have to carry around a ton of syringes all day plus vials plus everything else.

I called the doctor's office today to have them send an rx to my pharmacy for it (plus an rx for syringes so that I can use up my vials), and they only sent the rx for the syringes.....Didn't call me to say if it was a problem or anything, and hopefully it is not a problem. I assume it would be fine just because it is the same medicine, just better delivery system. I called them back again, but they were gone for the day already, so hopefully they will get that out tomorrow. I can't imagine why it would be a problem.....

But, my question is have any of you used symlin in the pen, or made the switch from vial to pen on symlin? Is there much differences in the dosing? I have never used a pen for anything, so I am kindof not sure what the difference would be other than better portability.

Thanks

[RobiJo]

I'm terrible about actually using symlin. Being on a pump, I find the vials highly annoying. I do plan to try it again this summer, while I'm not working so that I can be more cautious regarding lows. Next time around I will get the pens. Unit to unit it should be the same as using a syringe, just more convenient. Insulin is that way as well. I already carry backup pens of humalog and levemir in case of pump issues, so one more won't be that hard and I'll have the needle tips available.

[lelggren]

So this is turning out to be more trouble that I think it is worth! I have been trying to get an rx for this symlin pen. Monday, pharmacy didn't get the rx for symlin because they didn't include it on the rx renewal that they sent to my doctor's office. I called the dr's office after hours and left a message that rx request would be coming. Today, Doctor's office got new request, but they sent the rx back to the pharmacy without specifying whether it is supposed to be pen or vial, and the pharmacy didn't put it on the request either, which would have been the right thing to do.....I had spoken to my dr's nurses and they knew it was for the pen, and I spoke to the pharmacy and they knew it was for the pen, both providers were spoken to by me both yesterday and today.....BUT, the pharmacy says that they can't give out anything until the rx specifies that it is indeed supposed to be a pen......grrrrrrr I love my doctor's office and they do such a great job of going above and beyond for me on several occasions. But this pharmacy that I deal with is filled with such stupid people! We have problems with them all the time! And I would order this through the mail order pharmacy, but I just want to try it out first in pen form before I am stuck with 3 months worth of pen, you know?

Thanks for letting me vent

[camjen1]

Please let us know how it goes and when you get the pen in hand.

I knew of the pen but for some reason wasn't thinking it was available yet through the pharmacy. I'm curious to know if that's something they have to order.

[solox316]

I use Symlin in a pen, when I use it. I forget to use it, and it is hard while working, coz it takes a while to get used to it without going low.

I tried it in vials with a syringe once, and that was too annoying, too much to carry around. When you are used to a pump, it is hard to carry around and get used to syringes and vials again, imo.

The dosing is in micrograms, instead of units, but are equivalent. There are two pens, one equiavelent to a 10 unit pen, with 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 unit doages. There is also the equivalent to a 20 unit pen, assuming it is 12.5, 15, 17.5, and 20. That's bout it. It is super easy to use. I change the needle only once a day, or every other day. Probably not a good practice, but I'm OK with it.

[lelggren]

So this is turning out to be more trouble that I think it is worth! I have been trying to get an rx for this symlin pen. Monday, pharmacy didn't get the rx for symlin because they didn't include it on the rx renewal that they sent to my doctor's office. I called the dr's office after hours and left a message that rx request would be coming. Today, Doctor's office got new request, but they sent the rx back to the pharmacy without specifying whether it is supposed to be pen or vial, and the pharmacy didn't put it on the request either, which would have been the right thing to do.....I had spoken to my dr's nurses and they knew it was for the pen, and I spoke to the pharmacy and they knew it was for the pen, both providers were spoken to by me both yesterday and today.....BUT, the pharmacy says that they can't give out anything until the rx specifies that it is indeed supposed to be a pen......grrrrrrr I love my doctor's office and they do such a great job of going above and beyond for me on several occasions. But this pharmacy that I deal with is filled with such stupid people! We have problems with them all the time! And I would order this through the mail order pharmacy, but I just want to try it out first in pen form before I am stuck with 3 months worth of pen, you know?

Thanks for letting me vent

And the story continues.....Are you ready for story time? Got the blanky? lol

Ok, so Wednesday rolls around, and my doctor is out of the office and they didn't send a new rx to the pharmacy specifying "pen" on the rx because they were already out of the office on Tuesday night when I called them from the pharmacy. So, nothing I could do on that day....

Thursday, I called the pharmacy at about 11:30 am and asked them if they had the new rx yet. They said that they didn't, and so I gave them my work number and asked them to just let me know if they didn't get it by the afternoon so that I could take care of it if needed. Well, Got a call a couple of hours later saying it was ready for me to pick up...Naturally, I was really really excited! After dealing with this for a freaking week, I was ready to just be done with it....

Well, Today rolls around. I go to the pharmacy after I got off work at about 1:00. Asked the tech for my symlin pen. She first says she knows nothing about it. Then I was like, the girl that called me yesterday said that it was ready for pickup. So, she goes and looks in the fridge and lo and behold, there it be! So, we go to ring it up, and there are only 2 pens in this one package, and I usually get 4 vials on a one month copay, so I asked him how many vials those 2 pens would be equivilent to because it didn't look like 4 vials would be shoved in those pens. So, he being a not so smart pharmacist had to take it back to his computer to figure out the equivilency. Then, he also had another lightning strike to the brain....I take 10 units of symlin per dose and I can do anywhere from 3-5 doses per day, just depends on the day and the circumstances at the time. Well, after explaining that to him literally 4 times, he looked down at the label on the pen box and saw that 10 units = 30 micrograms on the pen. The pens that they had filled and would have given to me if I had not asked about the equivilency thing, had 60 as the lowest dose....!!!! So, he tells me that they will have to order the smaller dosed pens and they should be there on MONDAY!!!! I was pretty angry by this point, and yet continued to ask about the equivilency because I wanted my 4 vials worth of symlin pens. But, they were like, "well, it didn't say a frequency of dosage on your rx, so we can't give you more without knowing the frequence of dosage...." GRRRR!!!!! I am so angry. I had explained to them that there was no change in dosage. Just wanting to try out the symlin pen to see if I like it better than syringe/vial methods. So basically, I am getting screwed out of 2 vials worth of symlin on my copay.....And all to just try it out! Really......

Problems like this are the reason that we switched over to our Mail Order Pharmacy which has not messed up anything yet, bless their hearts So, really I should have just gone that route in the first place, but lesson is freaking learned.

[RobiJo]

That is really annoying. I'm sorry to hear about your string of bad luck this week.

I've learned to be very clear what I want on the script. Pharmacies get tied up in the details if they are not on the script--3 month supply, delivery method, if generics are permitted etc. Even still my Humalog says on the pharmacy label: "Do not exceed the maximum dose of 80 units a day." Or what? I'll be high that's what. The pharmacy needed an average daily dose from my doc, she said 80, so they write "maximum of 80" on the label. I think insulin/symlin like products are so difficult b/c the dosing changes and is done by the patient. It's not like an anitboitic where there's 15 pills in a bottle, take 1 pill 2x a day.

[lelggren]

And I am usually pretty careful on being exact on the rx's too. And, I had told the pharmacy when this whole thing started on Monday that it was the same dosing and frequency, but it was just the delivery manner that I wanted to switch and try for a little bit. I think It was both my doctor's office fault, and the pharmacy, but I really think that if the pharmacy would have just filled in what I told them to fill in on the request, this wouldn't have happened. It is almost like they don't trust me to know what I am doing enough to have it be the source from what they write on the request.....Maybe I am just still angry about it. Really, I am just wanting to try it and it is just taking a lot of hassle for just a try....But, Monday, it will all be over hopefully Unless the pharmacy tries to screw it up again....lol Thanks for letting me vent, it is really saving my sanity lol

I just get so frustrated because I really don't think that suppliers understand how much diabetics really have to fight with the pharmacy for their meds to be taken care of correctly. For such important medicines, it should be a priority at least to some degree. I am not saying that diabetes is the only condition out there and that we are the royalty of the medical world, but it is a relatively serious one......I am really just frustrated. I will be better tomorrow lol

[owlyn]

Sorry to hear of your bad luck. I don't take Symlin, but I have been using insulin pens since they were first available. Pens are the only way to go! Extermely convenient and portable. BTW, you didn't mention getting the pen needle tips. You can't use a pen without them. They come in different sizes and guages as syringes do, so you need to tell your doc what you want ordered. They come 100 in a box, or 90 in a box via mail order (no, I don't know why).

[lelggren]

Oh, I already have 2 boxes of pen tips. A friend of mine gave them to me when she went off her insulin. Which is another funny thing. I didn't even order pentips, and the pharmacy filled them for me anyway. But, I made them return them because I didn't order them and they wanted $25.00 for another copay on it. Wasn't going to do that since I can get it paid at 80% at my supplier where I get my pump supplies.....Hopefully monday goes well, and I will post once I get the pen in hand

Thanks for the reminder though!

[lelggren]

Ok, I have my pens! I love them! I love the feel of them, I love the non-complication of them, they are just great I am officially switching to them on my mail order pharmacy.

I did however find out that my dr did write the rx for the wrong amount of micrograms this past week. I looked on the symlin website, and it turns out that 10 units is equal to 60 micrograms, not 30. So, It was, in a greater percentage than I originally thought, his fault for the dosage discrepancy. So, I called and left a message for him tonight regarding the new rx for the mail order pharmacy. I said like 3 or 4 times in the message for him to write the rx for 60 micrograms, which is equal to 10 units, and for him to write it for a frequency of up to 5 times a day at that dosage amount. And, when I pick up the rx tomorrow, I am going to make sure that the amount is right before I leave his office.

Wow, this was just such a mess......But, glad to have the pen in hand now! Whoo Hoo!!!!

[RobiJo]

Glad you finally got them!!! I'll be at the doc and will definately be asking for a script for pens. Summer is here and I have more time/ability to watch for those symlin lows.

"The best things in life are worth waiting for..."
okay, a bit cheesy I know, but sometimes D supplies remind me of Christmas, especially when it's something new.