Using a 5mg pen for 8x2.5mg doses??

[Mumof4rugrats]

Iv been using mounjaro for 3 weeks now and due to order my next pen, my husbands wanting to try it and it’s going to work out pricey for us both, I’m happy to stay on 2.5mg as it’s working great for me, I was wondering could I get away with ordering a 5mg pen and splitting it into 8x2.5mg doses, 4weeks for my husband and 4weeks for me… (obviously I’d order extra needles), or would the pen lock after 4 doses? TIA 😊

It would lock after 4 doses. You would need to buy insulin syringes to draw out the doses after the 4th one.

Yes, the pen does lock. You could buy insulin syringes and extract the Mounjaro that way - I do that for the fifth dose anyway, this is no different really.

Yes, you definitely could if he is confident he meets the criteria. It wouldn't lock at all.

Your husband needs his own. It is a prescription only medication. Ignoring that, what would happen if/when you or your husband need different doses moving forward?

It wouldn’t lock after 4 doses, because each dose would only be 30 clicks. The pen locks after 4 x 60 clicks plus about 8 or so for priming.

Even if you change needles there’s a risk of cross contamination, even if it’s very very small. Also, your DH needs to complete his own consultation and have his own review into the suitability of Mounjaro for him. And for someone to have some oversight of that, and for his GP to be informed. And it’s against the law to pass on prescription medication to someone else.

The pen locks after roughly 256 clicks (not the number of doses). So in theory you could get the 8 doses out. I also wouldn’t use pen needles as there is a risk of contamination from backflow.

But your dh should have his own prescription and access to support from a pharmacist, this is classed as a high risk medication and you could get yourself into a pickle if he needs support and there is no way to access it.

Thankyou for your concern but we wouldn’t risk him taking it without having a consultation or been reviewed for suitability, his heart specialist has already agreed he’s fine to take it along with his gp but neither are able to prescribe on the nhs as yet, so he would do a consultation with our chosen provider as I have, but with it been so expensive we wondered if we could get away with purchasing 1 5mg pen rather than a 2.5mg pen each

An online consultation is completed by paying for a pen, and then it’s reviewed, then approved/rejected. Are there any online pharmacies where you can apply, be reviewed and approved but then not purchase a pen?

I doubt a pharmacy can legal prescribe in this way. They would need to prescribe you each your own pen.

Thanks all, we wouldn’t risk him taking it without having a consultation or been reviewed for suitability, his heart specialist has already agreed he’s fine to take it along with his gp but neither are able to prescribe on the nhs as yet, so he would do a consultation with our chosen provider as I have, but with it been so expensive we wondered if we could get away with purchasing 1 5mg pen rather than a 2.5mg pen each for the short term to see if it works for him
and regarding the cross contamination of using the same pen we could maybe purchase insulin syringes draw and inject the medication that way?

This…
I don’t know of any where you pay after the consultation

He would complete an online consultation and purchase a 2.5mg pen, then if if worked for him and he was happy to stay at the starter dose as I am, THEN we could consider doing what I asked! Again Thankyou for your concern

Technically you’d be fine. Buy syringes and each dose is 0.6.

Ok, sounds like you’ve decided what you’re doing. Good luck.

No I haven’t decided, I was simply asking for advice, I’m not careless and my intention would never be to risk anyone’s health…..never mind my own husbands! Also didn’t realise I’d offend so many by trying to save a few pounds where we could, but there’s 2 kinds of people in this world the problem solvers and the problem creators, Thankyou for your input it’s been appreciated 😊

Cool.

I would personally buy your own pens. It needs to be on both your health records in case anything happens.

It feels a bit icky sharing pens!….even if you do share other bodily fluids.

Moving up to the higher dose and taking less is definitely an option. I’ve been taking 6.25 out of my 7.5 pen. It will lock after the total amount of clicks (approx 248) not 4 uses.

You would be penetrating the seal twice as many times as it's designed for so that would increase the risk of it becomi g unsterile. I.
What will happen next month?

So say you then get the 5mg prescribed to you and both of you use from that pen. What happens in week 8 when he starts getting some side effects and wants advice? Normally that would be from his provider, but they would not be able to advise him with his medical history as they are not prescribing to him (or vice versa if he continues the prescription).

Also didn’t realise I’d offend so many by trying to save a few pounds where we could, but there’s 2 kinds of people in this world the problem solvers and the problem creators

Where have you experienced people seeming offended? Not on this thread. Only people highlighting the potential issues you might face and how you might end up being the problem creator. You need to risk assess for yourself saving a few quid vs having no support for one of you. Side effects can start at any time on any dose. Something to be aware of.

Purely on a practical level this will work, the pen will not lock.
I bought a 2.5mg and a 5mg pen at the beginning, decided to stick in 2.5mg for another 8 weeks and I've been using my 5mg pen to give myself 2.5mg injections.

I’m sorry, I don’t understand what you mean. You used the same pen for 8 weeks?

Yes, I had a 2.5mg I used for 4 weeks, then decided I didn't want to take the full dose of the 5mg I had already ordered because I'm happy with my loss and suppression. I've used half the dose of the 5mg one for 8 weeks (2.5mg a week).

No it wouldn't.
It locks after 4 x60 clicks (plus the priming clicks)

I've done this but I'm worried by the pen saying it's out of date after 30 days.
I ordered the 5 pen thinking I should move up but I've had such strong suppression on 2.5 I decided against doing the full 5 dose and just counted the clicks for a half dose.
Obviously if I use it for 2.5ml doses it's going to last 8 weeks instead of 4...
So much longer than 30 days.
Have you had any issue with this?

I have used a 5mg pen for 8 weeks too, taking 8 x 2.5mg doses out. I am at goal, so using my last two 5mg pens to maintain. I have had no problems and I am willing to take the risk rather than throw medicine away.