Faulty insulin injector - only of interest to diabetics, I guess

[Guest guest]

Hi guys!

The reason I'm still up at this late hour is because of a problem I

had this evening with my Humalog pen insulin injector. I've NEVER

had anything happen like this before, and wonder if anyone else that

uses the Humalog pen ever has, because this incident could have been

fatal if I hadn't been as attentive as I was.

Right before dinner with my family, I injected 15 units of Humalog

to cover for the meal we were going to have. The injector didn't

make the usual " click " sound that it usually does when I shot myself,

but I wasn't overly concerned because it doesn't " always " make that

sound. I also didn't feel any sting from the insulin, but I don't

always feel it sting, either.....so at that point everything seemed okay.

My after dinner BG test showed 384!!! Alarm bells go off in my head,

and I realized that the insulin must not have been released from the

cylinder. So now I have to inject again to cover the horrible BG,

which normally would have been in the 90-110 range. So I dial up 14

units of Humalog in the pen, and as a precaution, read the cylinder

on the side to see how much insulin still remains in the tube. It

looks like there's about 136-138 units left. So I shoot my 14 units,

then check the amount remaining in the cylinder....and it's gone down

to 120 units!!! That's 29 units of insulin injected, meaning that

somehow the insulin from the first, nonfunctioning injection remained

stuck in side there somehow and was then forced out with the second,

later injection. I absolutely freaked, knowing that if that was

what really happened, that I was set up for what could be a fatal

overdose.

So I told all the kids what had happened, got out my glucogon syringe

and instructed on how to use it. Fortunately, piped up

and told her not to worry, if she didn't want to inject me if I went

unconscious, he would, he used to have to do it all the time for his

aunt. After the instructions and telling the kids I'd try to avoid

that scenario by checking my BG's every 30 minutes, we went back to

our Scrabble game. Since I was 3rd in points, I knew I had to do

some fancy spelling to catch up! In less than an hour, my BG had

dropped 200 units, so we knew that what we feared had happened,

actually DID. I started checking every 15 minutes, because my sugar

was dropping fast, going from 150 to 70 in less than 20 minutes. At

70, I started sipping on orange juice. Fifteen minutes later it was

down to 54, I drank 8 ounces of Mountain Dew, and within 15 minutes

it was down at 52. So I drank another 6 ounces of orange juice,

then it was 56. One more glass of orange juice, and the next check

was 70, thank goodness.

and wouldn't go to bed until I'd done another check 15

minutes later to make sure it was going up, and it had gone to 74.

I assured them that I'd get some more to bring it up a good bit over

100, since mine always drops during the night....well, morning,

now....to cover that drop. If I go to bed with it around 130, it

will be down around 90 when I wake in the morning.

We averted what could have been a fatal overdose, and I'm angry as

&*## that this could have happened. If I hadn't been as alert and

attentive as I was, something horrible could have happened, and I

know there are many times when people just aren't that alert to

things like this. There should be some sort of safety system with

those pens so that a double dose wouldn't be released. I just wonder

if anything like this has ever happened to anyone else who uses the

pen injectors?

Going to bed now, finally, after a bad scare. It took me a while

to think about it and get it off my chest. If anyone's still awake

to read this, hope you get some sleep and have a better day tomorrow.

That means YOU, Jerry!

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

SC State & SE Regional Representative

Pancreatitis Association, International

Note: All comments or advice are personal opinion only, and should

not be substituted for professional medical consultation.

[Guest guest]

I had to look over my shoulder after I read that. Thank you Heidi.

Jerry/NC

***************************************

>

> Hi guys!

>

>

> Going to bed now, finally, after a bad scare. It took me a while

> to think about it and get it off my chest. If anyone's still awake

> to read this, hope you get some sleep and have a better day tomorrow.

> That means YOU, Jerry!

>

> With love, hope and prayers,

> Heidi

>

[Guest guest]

I hope this finds you well and happy this morning. Thank goodness you

discovered the error and have such loving and loyal family as to watch

over you with such concern.

Theresa

> Hi guys!

>

[Guest guest]

Heidi,

OH MY GOSH! SO sorry to hear this but am glad you are better. I have no words

of advice for you as I don't use insulin, but I just had to write to tell you I

can't believe what happened. I'd be calling the manufacturer of the pen to see

what they have to say.

Take care of yourself.

Sandy in Ca

-------------- Original message --------------

Hi guys!

The reason I'm still up at this late hour is because of a problem I

had this evening with my Humalog pen insulin injector. I've NEVER

had anything happen like this before,

[Guest guest]

Heidi,

that is certainly a very scary thing to have happen. I don't use the

pens, just regular syringes, but that's mainly because that's all that

was available when I was diagnosed in 1981 and now I'm so used to doing

it, I haven't thought to change to the pens. I'm glad you were aware of

this and were able to avert a disaster. Hope you don't have any more

problems with the pens. You might want to contact the manufacturer of

that particular type of pen and warn them that this can happen.

Kimber

--

Kimber

Vallejo, CA

hominid2@...

Note: All advice given is personal opinion, not equal to that of a licensed

physician or health care professional.