Pep Pen aka insulin pen peptide pen information

[Lullabytreehugger]

Just an update, I checked the calibration on one of my pens today. I have several, both V1 and V2 models, and tested with a V1.

I loaded a spent cartridge with tap water, installed a used needle (nice not to have to worry about sterility), removed the air from the cart and primed it. I popped the top off of an empty 3ml vial and injected/squirted 10u, 40u, 50u dosages. I then sucked up each dosage of the water with a .5cc insulin syringe. All three measurements were spot on.

If anyone has a more accurate way to test pen dosage please offer upgrades on my process. I will probably test my other pens the next time they are empty.

Thanks for your reply. Can you post photos of your pens and cartridges please? I did exactly what you did and I am constantly getting under dosed by about 7+iU
Both my pens and cartridges are directly from china.
Maybe my cartridges are crap?

 

[exploitedworkerbee]

If anyone has a more accurate way to test pen dosage please offer upgrades on my process. I will probably test my other pens the next time they are empty.

the beauty of the metric system is you don't need that second syringe and an eyeball, you can just weigh them before and after expelling however much water provided you have access to a really good scale. Maybe one of the sciencey people on here do. One unit of water weighs 0.01 grams, so 50 units would be half a gram.

Anyone have a scale that can accurately measure fractions of a gram?

 

[stickfigure]

There are many cheap scales on amazon with 1mg step. They are not too accurate though. From my experience they lose calibration easily. I have three and when measuring something, I usually get accuracy of +/- 2-3 mg when I re-weight and cross check the sample between the scales.

 

[exploitedworkerbee]

There are many cheap scales on amazon with 1mg step. They are not too accurate though. From my experience they lose calibration easily. I have three and when measuring something, I usually get accuracy of +/- 2-3 mg when I re-weight and cross check the sample between the scales.

Would need to be accurate to 1/10 of a gram if we are measuring less than full 100 unit dosages.

 

[stickfigure]

1/10 of a gram is 100mg, so even cheap scales can easily measure it quite accurately. But volumetric measurements are usually more precise when going under 1 gram

 

[exploitedworkerbee]

1/10 of a gram is 10mg, so even cheap scales can easily measure it quite accurately. But volumetric measurements are usually more precise when going under 1 gram

My gram scale says it’ll do 10mg but I don’t trust it. I probably should have kept my comment about using weight to myself though, I’m not a scientist so don’t really know what i am talking about (eg i didn’t know volumetric is superior at mg levels) and @GimmeABreak’s method was just fine.

 

[penewbie]

I am not sure that 100 units of bac water + tirz + fillers will weight 100 mg. I think it might weight more?

Could be tested.

 

[exploitedworkerbee]

I am not sure that 100 units of bac water + tirz + fillers will weight 100 mg. I think it might weight more?

Could be tested.

No you’d test it with water, not reconstituted tirz.

 

[penewbie]

No you’d test it with water, not reconstituted tirz.

Ohh I just now realized what you're trying to do.

 

[mopo89]

the beauty of the metric system is you don't need that second syringe and an eyeball, you can just weigh them before and after expelling however much water provided you have access to a really good scale. Maybe one of the sciencey people on here do. One unit of water weighs 0.01 grams, so 50 units would be half a gram.

Anyone have a scale that can accurately measure fractions of a gram?

I do but only because my dad was a pharmacist and we found it when we were cleaning his stuff out after he passed. I'm not home for a few days but I can always check what brand it is, although I'm sure it's not a widely available brand.

 

[jas0441]

I don't think I have found all of the information in one place on using peptide pens aka insulin pens. I thought it might be useful for someone out there to have this.

Using an insulin cartridge pen you first need to fill the cartridge with your peptide. That then is inserted into the pen itself. After you load the cartridge, for each injection you will need to add a needle to the end. You then use the dial on the side of the pen to select how many units you want to give. When you are ready to give the injection you push the part of the pen where you dialed your dose.

Why I love this method:

• You are not injecting yourself with the same needle that you just used to draw up your dose - something I absolutely HATE doing and refuse to do if at all possible.
• Drawing up units has less room for error.

Instructions on filling the cartridge:
It is much easier to see than to try to describe. This is a great video.

Instructions on adding the filled cartridge to the pen:

Where I bought my pen:
AliExpress for about $17. There are numerous suppliers on AliExpress selling these. If you want to buy domestic there are people re-selling these. I am sure google can help you there or maybe others have suggestions.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807070917206.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.53.60d01802SbMzr5&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

Needles I bought:
You will also need needles - I preferred a 5mm length but there are also 4mm and 8 mm.

Amazon.com

Cartridges:
Are one time use. Current best price I could find for a pack of 10 or 20.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805971733507.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.17.15091802MW9LQY&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

Reconstituting syringe:
Also you will need syringes for reconstituting. I prefer 3 ml syringes - gauge and needle size does not matter very much imho. I get whatever my work has available I can find from other sources.

Thank you so much for posting this! Very helpful. I did exactly what he described and could not find the cartridge holder inside the pen because I screwed it instead of pulling the cap off! Complained to vendor, tried to find a replacement, etc. until I finally figured it out, doh!. Wish I had watched this first.

 

[GimmeABreak]

I feel the test I did with an empty vial and an insulin syringe is pretty accurate. If I push out .5ml and suck up .5ml where is the margin for error other than maybe a film water on the sides and bottom of the vial.

I (currently) don't own a mg scale and as others have said I think the accuracy is sus for any that are reasonably priced on Amazon.

 

[nonyabizznez]

1/10 of a gram is 10mg

Huh? I'm confused

 

[GimmeABreak]

Thanks for your reply. Can you post photos of your pens and cartridges please? I did exactly what you did and I am constantly getting under dosed by about 7+iU
Both my pens and cartridges are directly from china.
Maybe my cartridges are crap?

Are you sure there are no air bubbles in the cart? Even a small bubble will throw the dose off.

Make sure to prime the needle first by pushing through a unit or two, i don't do this when dosing but for this test I made sure it was primed.

Also, you have to wait after pressing the plunger, there is a lag from the time you finish pressing it to the time the cart plunger stops moving of about 5-15 seconds. This is important to remember while dosing too.

Maybe you just have a dud pen. It's not like these things are manufactured to highest standards, they are cheaply made to keep the cost down.

 

[exploitedworkerbee]

I feel the test I did with an empty vial and an insulin syringe is pretty accurate. If I push out .5ml and suck up .5ml where is the margin for error other than maybe a film water on the sides and bottom of the vial.

I (currently) don't own a mg scale and as others have said I think the accuracy is sus for any that are reasonably priced on Amazon.

Yeah I didn’t mean to question the accuracy of your method, was just overthinking it. Thanks for doing the test

 

[GimmeABreak]

Yeah I didn’t mean to question the accuracy of your method, was just overthinking it. Thanks for doing the test

No worries, I actually just learned the other day that 1ml of water weighs the same as 1mg of mass. How f-ing easy is that!

 

[ZakAP]

1/10 of a gram is 10mg, so even cheap scales can easily measure it quite accurately. But volumetric measurements are usually more precise when going under 1 gram

^is incorrect

Huh? I'm confused

1 gram = 1000 mg.
1/10 of 1 gram (1000mg) is 100mg.

 

[GimmeABreak]

^is incorrect

1 gram = 1000 mg.
1/10 of 1 gram (1000mg) is 100mg.

True American's will never understand the metric system. It's ingrained in our blood!

 

[stickfigure]

^is incorrect

1 gram = 1000 mg.
1/10 of 1 gram (1000mg) is 100mg.

Not correct, sorry, missed a zero, 1/10th is 100mg, 1/100th is 10 mg. Cheap scales do work, but volumetric is better. It's also better to type when fully awake

 

[ZakAP]

True American's will never understand the metric system. It's ingrained in our blood!

I absolutely love the metric system. It makes so much more sense. Fractions of an inch? Ugh. Give me mm/cm any day. But I use it - I can understand if you never need it and then have to figure something out.