Extra tirz for bubbles?

[Leanxo]

Hey guys, I always see a little air in the rig before I inject, plus a bit of med left over after. Do you guys draw up a smidge more than your actual dose to make up for all that, or do you just ignore it?

 

[LongGameLarry]

Any excuse to bump up the dose a hair, amirite?

 

[Metabolic_Mindy]

I don't bother. The tiny bit of air and leftover, I imagine, is negligible.

 

[Seattle_Sleeper]

Why not just tap the syringe until the bubbles go to the top and then push 'em out?

 

[Metabolic_Mindy]

I still end up seeing a tiny bit of air even after doing that, although it's less than with the Zepbound pens. The bubbles I have left after tapping are just too small for adjusting the dose.

 

[Heartxx]

If you're really worried about it, you could switch to using a pen. No air in those.

 

[Metabolic_Mindy]

I didn't know that about pens. Eh, I'm still not going to switch. A little air doesn't bother me, and I'm fine with using needles.

 

[Heartxx]

I agree, Metabolic_Mindy. The bubble doesn’t annoy me enough to use multiple pens. If someone is really concerned about it though, it’s the only solution I can think of that avoids air altogether.

 

[ShrinkingSheila]

Tapping never works for me, the bubble just hangs in there. So I squirt it back into the vial and redraw, and the second draw is usually just a tiny bubble.

 

[FastingFred]

A pen still uses a needle, doesn't it? I heard they're really fine needles, though. Like, you can't even feel the injection?

 

[Drew_19]

Nah, I don't add extra. I use EasyTouch 1ml syringes and haven't seen any leftover. I use 3ml syringes for drawing, but not injecting.

I use a scale (accurate to +/- 1mg) and tested, but the difference between a fresh and used syringe was within the margin of error (0.2 units). Unless your brand is poorly made, I don't think the 'leftover' is significant.

If you're injecting only 10 units, 1 unit leftover *might* be a 10% difference, so maybe add a unit. I inject 45-50 units (per the manufacturer's directions).

I'm more concerned about my eyes being able to tell the difference between 47 and 48 units on the syringe. Leanxo, are you maybe drawing too fast and creating microbubbles? It takes practice, but I get the bubbles out without pushing it back into the vial (which isn't recommended).

 

[LongGameLarry]

Speaking of pens... anybody else feel like there's always a little left in the pen after it 'runs out'? Like you can't dial another full dose, but there's still some liquid visible? I've been thinking about trying to suck it out with a regular syringe, since this stuff ain't cheap.

 

[Drew_19]

Speaking of pens... anybody else feel like there's always a little left in the pen after it 'runs out'? Like you can't dial another full dose, but there's still some liquid visible?

Yep, there's usually a bit extra in those pens. Some folks will use an insulin syringe to get the last little bit out. I tried once, and it didn't work for me, but it is an option if you don't want to waste it.

 

[Heartxx]

To add to the pen talk, remember to refrigerate unused pens between 36-46°F (2-8°C). If you travel, you will need a refrigerated container to keep the meds cool.

 

[Leanxo]

Thanks for the tips, everyone! I think I'll try drawing slower and tapping more carefully to get rid of the bubbles. And maybe I'll look into those pen needles FastingFred mentioned.