Tips for preparing 1 week's worth of pre-filled insulin syringes?

[Willyt]

I have been injecting daily (propionate) for some time now using 31 gauge .3cc 5/16 insulin syringes. I want to start preparing a week's worth of prefilled insulin syringes at one time for sake of convenience. My main concern is how to keep the process sterile.

I am assuming that backfilling the insulin syringes with larger draw needle would be the most efficient way to do this, but feel free to correct me on that point.

For those of you who backfill regularly:

1. What needle do you use for drawing?
2. Do you draw up 1 week's worth of T at one time in the draw syringe?
3. Do you use a rack to hold all of the insulin syringes in upright position for backfilling?
4. When backfilling, how do you keep the plunger sterile once you pull it out of insulin syringe?
5. Do you travel with the prefilled syringes? If yes, do you use any special case for carrying them?

Any other tips you can offer would be much appreciated.

 

[MarkM]

I inject daily and I do not use the backfill method. I just don't like it. I draw using the same syringe I inject with which is an EasyTouch 29ga 1/2". I wipe the rubber stopper each time before inserting the needle into the vial. Taking 24mg per day I can almost always get 9 days out of a 1ML vial. 24 times 9 is 216 which is more than the stated 200mg that is supposed to be in the vial but I find that there is always more than 200mg in a vial.

By doing this I use a complete vial at one time and get a 9 days out of it. Yes, I travel with pre-filled syringes. You can buy cased for pre-filled syringes that normally hold one pre-filled syringe. I have a large plastic bottle that prescriptions come in. It will hold all nine syringes I fill up (it will actually hold more). I saw them at the pharmacist on day and ask if I could have one and they gave it to me.

 

[Willyt]

I inject daily and I do not use the backfill method. I just don't like it. I draw using the same syringe I inject with which is an EasyTouch 29ga 1/2". I wipe the rubber stopper each time before inserting the needle into the vial. Taking 24mg per day I can almost always get 9 days out of a 1ML vial. 24 times 9 is 216 which is more than the stated 200mg that is supposed to be in the vial but I find that there is always more than 200mg in a vial.

Thanks for replying. I was hoping to avoid using the injection syringe to draw since I prefer 31g for subq. It's a slow draw.

I figured backfilling could be more efficient if others have figured out a way to make it less clumsy than some of the videos I've seen.

 

[MarkM]

Thanks for replying. I was hoping to avoid using the injection syringe to draw since I prefer 31g for subq. It's a slow draw.

I figured backfilling could be more efficient if others have figured out a way to make it less clumsy than some of the videos I've seen.

I did it for several months with a 31 ga but it was slow. I ended up going back to 29 ga. But is is possible with 31 ga, you just have to be patient.

 

[tcmi]

I used 29g. Daily injections take me literally 2-3 minutes. I travel a lot and have never pre-filled for travel. I take what I need with me in my carryon. Not a big deal. Keep it simple.

 

[Willyt]

I used 29g. Daily injections take me literally 2-3 minutes. I travel a lot and have never pre-filled for travel. I take what I need with me in my carryon. Not a big deal. Keep it simple.

I am well versed in daily injections having done hundreds of them. Just exploring the prefill / backfill alternative.

 

[Cataceous]

... I was hoping to avoid using the injection syringe to draw since I prefer 31g for subq. It's a slow draw.
...

I only use 31 gauge. You need an auto-loader. You can do other things during the slow draw. You can do at least two or three at once with this method if desired. Lately I use the syringe's plunger cap as the spacer to hold the plunger, since the size is right for the dose.

 

[madman]

Thanks for replying. I was hoping to avoid using the injection syringe to draw since I prefer 31g for subq. It's a slow draw.

I figured backfilling could be more efficient if others have figured out a way to make it less clumsy than some of the videos I've seen.

If you are injecting daily your best bet would be to do as Mark suggested.

Even when using a 31G drawing should still be quick as the volume of oily solution will be minimal when injecting daily.

Takes next to nothing to draw 5-15 IU.....even then how many on dailies are injecting 15 IU (210 mg T/week) not many!

Hard to believe anyone would complain about drawing such a low volume.

I could see if one was drawing 50-100 IU then it would be much slower when using 31G.

 

[madman]

Thanks for replying. I was hoping to avoid using the injection syringe to draw since I prefer 31g for subq. It's a slow draw.

I figured backfilling could be more efficient if others have figured out a way to make it less clumsy than some of the videos I've seen.

Not sure what insulin syringes you are using but I always use BD as I find that they are way faster to draw than Easy Touch.

 

[Willyt]

I only use 31 gauge. You need an auto-loader. You can do other things during the slow draw. You can do at least two or three at once with this method if desired. Lately I use the syringe's plunger cap as the spacer to hold the plunger, since the size is right for the dose.

Thanks Cat. I should have known you would have devised a solution considering the amount of daily injections you've done.

How do you store the prefilled syringe to avoid leakage? On its side?

Do you fight with the air bubbles when drawing from vial as per usual? Or at time of injection with the prefilled syringe?

 

[Cataceous]

...
How do you store the prefilled syringe to avoid leakage? On its side?
...

Even with water-based medications I don't see any leakage with these small gauge needles, regardless of orientation. I've gone on vigorous bike rides with the syringe stored in a toothbrush holder, needle-down, resting on the cap, with no effect on the contents.

Do you fight with the air bubbles when drawing from vial as per usual? Or at time of injection with the prefilled syringe?

I get rid of air bubbles during the draws. Even though they're usually small enough not to worry about, I've become a bit obsessive about them, to the point where from practice it's now a simple maneuver to be rid of them. First, if a bubble is stuck to the syringe wall then I pull back the plunger to expand and free it. Next, through inversion I send the bubbles on an upwards trajectory towards the needle. Just as they reach the needle a quick flick of the wrist and push on the plunger respectively center and expel the bubbles.