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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2003 >> lost injector...help!!!!!!!
        
(Message started by: Kevin_D on Dec 2^nd, 2002, 8:10pm)

Title: lost injector...help!!!!!!!
Post by Kevin_D on Dec 2^nd, 2002, 8:10pm

Does anyone know what to do if you lose your injector? One pharmacy said to call the manufacturer and the other said I need a prescription??? Can that be correct? I always get hit on Tuesday and I have a big meeting tomorrow! If worse comes to worse, can I take some old Stadol or percs?

Title: Re: lost injector...help!!!!!!!
Post by Not4Hire on Dec 2^nd, 2002, 11:51pm

hey kevin....not sure if your talking about your Imitrex injector...( the fonky little kit deal that automatically gives ya a shot ....if you can read the directions......) but if you CAREFULLY pry the injector out of the blue plastic box....you will be rewarded with the *works* ....a teeny little syringe that can be injected with a Qtip or a golf tee....and if yer careful, you can give yerself a half (or third) dose and the MOFO will go away for awhile......don't ask me how I know this, but a lotta us DO........the REAL details are on one of them buttons on the left.........Good Luck!

Title: Re: lost injector...help!!!!!!!
Post by Ted on Dec 3^rd, 2002, 12:37am

If you lost your injector, divorce Lorena Bobbit. If you have a big meeting tomorrow I wouldn't recommend Stadol, percs, morphine, ludes, smack or a bottle of bourbon. What about O2 or a new prescription of Imitrex? After the meeting I recommend mixing stadol, percs, morphine, ludes, smack and a bottle of bourbon.

Title: Re: lost injector...help!!!!!!!
Post by Drk^Angel on Dec 3^rd, 2002, 1:08pm

If you're talkin' about the Imitrex StatDose injector, just get your doc to write up a script.

PFDAN.............................. Drk^Angel

Title: Re: lost injector...help!!!!!!!
Post by cbolony on Dec 3^rd, 2002, 3:38pm

read down the post list there is a post that reads
extra injection kits he can help you or do what i do
take the injections apart and give myself 1/3 or 1/2
injection using a Qtip to push the imitrex into my arm.
Its easy and you will save a lot of injection for your
next ch.

Title: Re: lost injector...help!!!!!!!
Post by echo on Dec 3^rd, 2002, 4:08pm

I've tried to do the 1/2 or 1/3rd trick with a que tip but when push comes to shove there is no way I can do it. Can't see a damn thing, can't seem to sit still enough to do it. I know it takes practice, or maybe I shouldn't wait so damn long to abort. I always think it'll be over in a few minutes and I can handle it. NOT!!

Title: Re: lost injector...help!!!!!!!
Post by Mark C on Dec 5^th, 2002, 8:37pm

on 11/23/02 at 18:33:26, KarynG wrote:

The military purchases Imitrex in full kits at a discount price so because of that all my refills come with the full injector kit. I have been tossing the hardware in the trash but wondered (finally-sorry!) if anyone could use them. I have eleven from last week and a refill for four more to pick up on Monday. This is not the medicine, just the pen and cartridge. Can anyone use these or does anyone have any suggestions for these and the future ones? The military pharmacy doesn't want them. Thanks!

I know this won't help at the moment, but for future reference.

Title: Re: lost injector...help!!!!!!!
Post by cluster0557 on Dec 18^th, 2002, 1:02am

I have a couple of spare injectors. Email me and I can send one or two out for those in real need.

Other suggestions:
They cost little when part of Imitrex script.

My Neuro hands them to his patients when ever he gives samples.
Stop by your Neuro's office and they probably could give sample in emergency or part of next follow-up just ask for samples.

Title: Re: lost injector...help!!!!!!!
Post by jmorgan52 on Dec 19^th, 2002, 7:15am

Hey echo

I also could not bring myself to use a qtip for a smaller dose so I used info from a good post here long ago.

I got another injector pen and cut the firing pin down by about 8mm. This makes the imjector use only 1/2 the shot. I marked the pen shot 1 and used the full length pen marked shot 2 to give the 2nd shot later.

You need to be carefull and unscrew the vial rahter than just push back into the cartridge to avoid needle bending (same advice as for qtip method). Also mark the vial 1st/2nd shot.

I found this to be a good way to save on imigran without risk of using qtip or golf tee method. As painless as a normal imigran injection.

J

Title: Re: lost injector...help!!!!!!!
Post by ClusterQueen on Dec 22^nd, 2002, 10:52pm

I can't thank you enough for the advice on trimming the injector down. :D My husband and I just now finished cutting one down with the ole hack saw and now I'm actually quite anxious to see how it works tonight at exactly 1:30 AM (I'm an 18 year suffer who has been 'looking for relief in all the wrong places'. I'm so grateful for this advice cuz I just hated when he would have to give me the first half of the shot without the injector because sometimes it would not go in my skin and as if I wasn't already in enough pain, he would just shove it harder to make it go in. Relief came, nonetheless, but man, this sounds so much more tolerable. Merry Christmas to you and a Happy New Cluster Year to me (thanks to you, of course).

Title: Re: lost injector...help!!!!!!!
Post by jmorgan52 on Dec 24^th, 2002, 4:06am

Welcome queen to the board

Hope the 1st half shot went well for you, or maybe you were lucky and didn't get the 1:30am pain for a change. Let me know how you got on with it. I reiterate be carefull removing and reinserting the vial back into the cartridge by hand. It took me a while to figure out how to unscre it and do it all without bending the needle. I also wipe the needle with surgical spirit before reinserting to try and keep it sterile.

Love J

Title: Re: lost injector...help!!!!!!!
Post by NotH20 on Jan 7^th, 2003, 11:29am

Hey Kevin - did you ever get your injector?

Mia

Title: Re: lost injector...help!!!!!!!
Post by LisaP on Jan 12^th, 2003, 2:31pm

I have been following this website for many years but have never added anything to it. My husband has had CH for 25 years. We only found imitrex about 9 years ago. One of the greatest things I found on this website was the imitrex tip... never thought of cutting down the pen to deliver 1/2 shot but thought I would share how we do it. I don't load the shot into the injector at all.. I pry the syring out of the case itself, scrape the label off on one side and give him 1/2 shot. Then I put the remaining 1/2 back into the case, put the cap back on and mark it. He takes the half shots with him and can use that in the injector when I am not around to give him a 1/2 shot. Our insurance only allows 4 boxes every 34 days. I mark the calender and order a refill every 34 days even if he is not in a cycle. It is the only way we can get through a whole cycle and not run out of shots.

Title: Re: lost injector...help!!!!!!!
Post by NotH20 on Jan 13^th, 2003, 9:29am

Welcome to the board Lisa.....sounds like you've gotten the Imitrez down to a science. :) Sorry that your hubby is one of "us"....but you've found a wonderful place for both of you.

Stick around and keep posting....

Mia