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        New Message Board Archives >> 2006 General Board Posts >> Imitrex vials
        
(Message started by: chewy on Jun 7^th, 2006, 3:18pm)

Title: Imitrex vials
Post by chewy on Jun 7^th, 2006, 3:18pm

First time I've had the opportunity to use the vials. Haven't picked them up yet.

What do they hold? Is it half the regular injection amount , the same, more?

Title: Re: Imitrex vials
Post by Paul98 on Jun 7^th, 2006, 3:44pm

same as the autoinject. 6mg. (1/2 ml)

Keep the septum clean. Saran held with small rubber band works.

-P.

Title: Re: Imitrex vials
Post by Tom K on Jun 7^th, 2006, 3:46pm

They hold 6mg+. My needles are marked in insulin units, so 3mg is 25units. I get 7-25 unit fills and 1-35 unit fill out of 3 vials, where I should be getting 6 total fills. YMMV. You have to work at it and shake all the trex to the bottom, plus pull the needle out of the vial a little bit, but you can get all most every drop out of a vial. According to my Pharmisist(sp), the vials have no preservative, so I store my filled needles in the butter door of the fridge. Rub them between your hands for a minute to warm before injecting. Trust me on this! A cold injection sucks big time...stings like a MF'er! The capped vials store in the closet, out of sunlight and heat. The Pharm told me that you have 2 weeks to use a refrigerated needle, after that the "power" of the trex is halved. If you have any ?'s PM me and I will help you out! HTH!

Title: Re: Imitrex vials
Post by Gator on Jun 7^th, 2006, 3:47pm

They hold a full dose. In fact, there's usually a wee bit more.

Title: Re: Imitrex vials
Post by chewy on Jun 7^th, 2006, 3:48pm

Got it!

Thanks guys.

(Chewy using all restraint to not include "you suck" in his reply)

Title: Re: Imitrex vials
Post by Tom K on Jun 7^th, 2006, 3:51pm

on 06/07/06 at 15:48:57, chewy wrote:

Got it!

Thanks guys.

(Chewy using all restraint to not include "you suck" in his reply)

Go ahead...then I will instruct you to inject into your...never mind ;;D

Title: Re: Imitrex vials
Post by LeLimey on Jun 7^th, 2006, 3:53pm

on 06/07/06 at 15:48:57, chewy wrote:

Got it!

Thanks guys.

(Chewy using all restraint to not include "you suck" in his reply)

CHEWY SWALLOWS!!!!

Helen - who says big hairy bollocks to restraint! ;;D

Title: Re: Imitrex vials
Post by Jonny on Jun 7^th, 2006, 3:54pm

on 06/07/06 at 15:44:39, Paul98 wrote:

Keep the rectum clean.

Chewy always did have a problem with that, Paul....LMMFAO ;;D

Title: Re: Imitrex vials
Post by Paul98 on Jun 7^th, 2006, 4:06pm

Store the vials in the fridge.

Jonny, LMAO

-P.

Title: Re: Imitrex vials
Post by tpitts77 on Jun 7^th, 2006, 4:12pm

I get 20 kit refills per month. But if I could get 40 vials at 2 uses a piece that would be awesome. I didn't know that vial were available in the US.

I thought it was the Europeans talking abot vials on here.

I'll have to ask my Doc or Pharmacist about them.

Title: Re: Imitrex vials
Post by Paul98 on Jun 7^th, 2006, 4:13pm

Chew-

When you go to inject, before pushing the plunger, pull back on the plunger. If you see blood in the syringe choose another injection site!!!!

It is rare to nick a vein but it happens. not fun.

-P.

Title: Re: Imitrex vials
Post by tpitts77 on Jun 7^th, 2006, 4:16pm

Tom K-

So do the vials hold 6mg or more????????

Tony

Title: Re: Imitrex vials
Post by maffumatt on Jun 7^th, 2006, 4:30pm

on 06/07/06 at 07:49:13, chewy wrote:

Subject of CH came up at my annual review last week. Boss asked how I was doing with the headaches.

I told her that stress prevented CH attacks and I am now into my 4th year of remission.

How long have you been with us she asks.

Going into my 4th year I said.

She has a pretty good sense of humor. After a pensive pause she breaks into a big smile and says:

Well...........Glad we could help! I have a special project for you again.

LMAO!

Remission over? or just stocking up?

Title: Re: Imitrex vials
Post by Tom K on Jun 7^th, 2006, 5:22pm

on 06/07/06 at 16:16:35, tpitts77 wrote:

Tom K-

So do the vials hold 6mg or more????????

Tony

It's 6mg plus a little...I don't know how many mg, only in insulin units...if someone knows the conversion, it is between 5 and 7 insulin units.

HTH

Title: Re: Imitrex vials
Post by Tom K on Jun 7^th, 2006, 5:25pm

on 06/07/06 at 16:13:55, Paul98 wrote:

Or you can avoid most of that by shooting in the stomach. Stay away from a 4" circle of your belly button, just like someone shooting insulin. I stopped shooting in the leg after shooting in the stomach. You barely feel the needle and the trex works just as quick or quicker.

Title: Re: Imitrex vials
Post by chewy on Jun 7^th, 2006, 7:11pm

Quote:

Remission over? or just stocking up?

The remission has been a cycle remissiion. I still get hits here and there. AND I'm stocking up.

I've been self injecting with the kit needles for years so using the insulin needles isn't a problem.

Title: Re: Imitrex vials
Post by maffumatt on Jun 7^th, 2006, 11:07pm

Stocking up is good, I had my doc write my script for 12 refills so that I can stock up because of my crappy insurance will only cover 1 box a month. Every little bit helps....sorry you still get the random hits though.

Title: Re: Imitrex vials
Post by unsolved1 on Jun 7^th, 2006, 11:20pm

I believe the 'TB syringes' that I use for Trex are the same as insulin syringes. They are measured in ML not mg. Each 1mg is = 0.83ml ... so

6mg = 0.5 ml (full dose)

2mg = 0.167 ml (1/3 dose)

Sound right to you guys ?

UNsolved

Title: Re: Imitrex vials
Post by purpleydog on Jun 8^th, 2006, 12:38am

Sounds right to me. On my vials, it says 6 mg, and also .5 ml.

The first time, with each new syringe, (I now use 27 gauge insulin syringes), I would pull all the trex into the syringe, notice how much was in there, then release 2/3 of it back into the vial. I always keep a few loaded ones, because I can't deal with it when I'm getting hit. A shot right into my stomach works fine, i usually never even feel it, sometimes it burns a bit, but it works fast.

Also, I've noticed my insurance will pay for as many vials as I can get in one month, which is usually 30. I don't understand it, I can get 4 stat dose injections (2 cartridges) or 6 nasal sprays per month, but the vials are unlimited. So, I stock up, just in case... you know?

Title: Re: Imitrex vials
Post by KingOfPain on Jun 8^th, 2006, 10:20am

don,

Just thought I'd mention it's been discussed before that 1/2 dose [3mg] or even 1/3 dose [2mg] has been shown to provide relief.

So...in 1 vial you can treat 2-3 hits instead of using the whole 6mg dose on 1 attack.

Each person's results are different, use your own judgement.

Title: Re: Imitrex vials
Post by Redd715 on Jun 8^th, 2006, 11:33am

Here is my little tip for you too Chewy, everyone has their own methods and beliefs and superstitions about this liquid gold, but this is what I've learned from my HA specialist and Pharmasist, and how I managed.

Generic syringes work just as good as the BD brand name.

Purchase a box of BD alcohol swabs very reasonable in cost 2 bucks at the pharmacy. Purchase a cheap hard eyeglass case, the one with the hinges so it stays shut.

Store the vials in the fridge for long term, but don't worry about haveing a few syringes prefilled and in the case for take along. They don't need to be kept in the fridge. They keep potency in the syringe, and are just as sterile as before it came out of the vial as long as the syringe is sterile. You can leave a half full vial in the case too just in case, just use a BD swab to clean off the rubber stopper before filling another syringe.

Before I switched to the alternatives, I had 2 such kits, one that was always in my purse, one I kept in my desk drawer at the office.

Another trick I learned was to refill an empty vial with a stat pen. This is easy as long as you remember to take a syringe and draw out of few pulls of the air inside the vial between discharging each stat into it.. The pressure builds inside the vial as it is air tight. I found you can fit 3 to 4 stat doses into one vial so that you have plenty with you, and aren't carrying around a whole medicine chest with you.

Pegg

Title: Re: Imitrex vials
Post by chewy on Jun 8^th, 2006, 8:50pm

Quote:

I found you can fit 3 to 4 stat doses into one vial

How can you do that if one vial is equal to 1 stat dose?

Quote:

same as the autoinject. 6mg. (1/2 ml)

Title: Re: Imitrex vials
Post by Paul98 on Jun 8^th, 2006, 8:54pm

Chew-

The vials are only ~ 1/4 full. They contain 0.5 ml but can hold ~2 ml.

-P.

Title: Re: Imitrex vials
Post by Redd715 on Jun 8^th, 2006, 9:52pm

What Paul said is right, you'll see. I liked the vial and syringe method much better too, and I injected into the belly fat as a diabetic does as well. No bruising, and can't feel it all, very different from the stat pens. Then again when your head is raging like freight train, you don't really feel anything else much anyway. :-/