Forgot to take the needle off my pen!

[HamieandHave]

Urgh. Just went to take my Mounjaro and discovered that last week for some reason I didn’t take the needle off then pen and just out the lid back on it!

I have to bin it, right?

I wouldn't bin it. As long as it was in the fridge. Just take off the ild needle put a new one on and all good

I'd just remove the needle and replace if it was covered with a lid but ask your provider.

It doesn’t need to be kept in the fridge once opened!!

it’s fine, just take the needle off and clean the end like advised before you put a new needle on

Well i never knew that 😀 I'm obsessed keeping mine in the salad drawer 🤣

No.

I have never removed the needle until I next shoot up. Why on earth would you bin it because of this? Also why are people keeping it in the fridge once it's open?/

@Nevertrustacop why on earth would you leave the needle on the pen? It makes no sense when you would need to put a new needle on for the next injection anyway. And it leaves the medication more exposed to air and contamination, albeit to a very small degree.

I keep my pen in the fridge all the time because it’s at a controlled constant temp, and is out of the way and reach of my youngest child.

“Shoot up” dear God it’s hardly Trainspotting @Nevertrustacop

I think someone asked this before and then asked their provider and they were advised to bin the pen. The medication has not been stored in a sealed and sterile environment for a week. I would hold off using and ask your provider to check what you should do.

You don't remove the used needle after injecting?

That's very strange.. can I ask why??

I’m so confused. I forgot to take mine off once but I replaced it with the needle that was for the next dose anyway . What’s the issue??

The issue would be the medication vial has essentially been left lying open/unsealed for a week.

Air or bacteria could enter the vial, there is a non-sterile used needle attached to it, there could be leakage/backflow, the needle sitting in the medication could start corroding…. I don’t know, but it sounds enough of a potential risk a provider should be confirming it is safe before using again.

It can also leak if the pen is stored with the needle attached. Idk about you but I don't want to waste a drop of the stuff, it's expensive!

Not a chance I’d be throwing out £150ish worth of medication for that. Remove the used needle, clean the pen tip with an alcohol wipe, be mindful of an air bubble at your next injection time (and remove it), and go.

Thanks all, just to clarify I am not worried about discarding the remain meds for cost reasons. It’s unfortunate but realistically the risk of infection is more of a concern. I know people do all sorts with their meds but I’m very cautious generally and for all the reasons @WeAllHaveWings has mentioned I am concerned about using it.

And @Nevertrustacop- I keep mine in the fridge for no reason other than choice. You are asking why people keep it in the fridge as if you are not supposed to. It’s absolutely fine to do so, just as it’s fine not to.

To everyone saying bacteria can get in, yes there will be a small chance but if the lid and cap is attached this should be minimal and it was a one off situation. If there was no lid or cap on it that would be a different situation. I would worry about it being done regularly, the instructions say to remove the needle and bin it after use. I'm speaking as a registered NHS health professional. OP best ask your prescriber.

The small cap wasn’t on the needle but the lid was on the pen. The needle has been in my leg though so I think the infection risk is there regardless of the pen lid being on.

Just to add I did email the pharmacy, but it’s a bank holiday today hence posting last night to see if anyone else had done this.

I think it’s one thing to be relaxed about a one off lapse of forgetting to take the needle off. It’s a different thing to suggest it’s reasonable to always leave the needle on as a PP has said, when the very small risk is completely and easily avoidable by just taking the needle off!

Genuinely if it worries you and you aren't bothered about losing the rest of the pen, then don't use it. Peace of mind is more important. You might need to order your next pen ASAP if you don't have one already.

@Mysticmaiden As a registered NHS professional what is your NHS policy for using a vial of medication that has been left unsealed for a week with a used (almost certainly with bacteria on it) needle attached?

Well I don't work with patients so I wouldn't know what the current policy is. I work in pathology labs and you wouldn't want to know all the risks we take there to save money as the path labs are very unfunded as most people don't even know we exist! 😀 if an alcohol swab was used the bacteria risk should be same as a standard jab. Like I said the provider would advise and every person takes a risk when they go against the instructions, same as microdosing and taking the bonus dose. But then smoking and drinking alcohol is also a risk for causing cancer and many health diseases including heart diseases etc, yet millions do it daily.

You're leaving the medication open to the air via the needle and with small amounts of your bodily fluids on it. Why would you do this? You're potentially introducing bacteria from your plasma remaining on the needle into the medication directly. Look at the pen and you'll see a red seal - that is airtight until you attach the needle and then it's no longer airtight. By leaving the needle on all week you're highly likely to get an infection.

The path labs play a critical role in nearly every diagnosis in hospitals and modern medicine would not be able to operate without them.

That said I would respectfully say as your role is not involved in patient facing safety it would be worth reconsidering using your NHS registration to add weight to an opinion outside your area of expertise as it could give the wrong impression about your professional scope.

This thread is pointless because you’ve already decided what you are going to do anyway!