No longer able to access 5th/bonus mounjaro dose

[oceangreeneyes]

For the past few pens I've not been able to access the 5th dose. Is it me or have the mechanics of the pens changed so you can't do this. If you turn too far it just breaks it. I thought with the first 2 pens it could be coincidence but it's happened again with a third pen. Very frustrating.

Because I wasn’t 100% on whether it was sterile as I’d ordered from Amazon. It was the needle end I held in boiling water. This is a personal choice of course, I’m ok. I’m alive and no infection or issues. Don’t do it yourself if you think it’s unnecessary.

It is not just the needle. The inside barrel of the syringe and the plunger need to be medical grade and sterile too. Anything that touches the medication you are injecting.

There are also coatings on the needles that could be disturbed by boiling.

It is really not a good idea.

Ah ok. Thanks.

I get pliers and put them really tightly around the bottom of the pen that you screw. Then turn hard with the pliers until it loosens. It does take force and sometimes it can take a good 5 minutes to work.

Like this -

Except us a flat nosed plier to grip the purple bit at the end if you don't have the hand strength. But a lot of the time now the mechanism breaks and it doesnt work so have some syringes ready from somewhere like UK Medi (not Amazon)

I use UK Medi for needles and luer lock syringes. I use one needle to extract into the syringe from the pen and then swop needles on the syringe to inject myself. The cost of the needles and syringes are really cheap in comparison to MJ. Just buy two needles with each syringe. UK Medi deliver quickly.

Thanks everyone! One more thing is that I've been looking at insulin syringes to buy and the needles are really long (8mm) which is fine to withdraw the fifth dose but would go too deep if you injected with that length as it's supposed to only go into the top layer of fat.

@oceangreeneyes 8mm is fine. Subcutaneous jabs can be done with needle lengths up to 12mm ish.

If you're worried, don't insert it all the way but I promise the 8mm is fine.

8mm is fine, Eli Lilly say to use a skin fold with 8mm which is perhaps only really relevant/import when you are a bit leaner - https://medical.lilly.com/us/diseases/assets/vaultpdf/en/2214b8ed7a8c7ed918b211a5708242a0ed5238b4a7a33578beff06da18d5f748/tips-for-under-the-skin-injection

If you want shorter needles UK Medi do separate syringes and needles - I am a wimp and use 6mm, same as my pen, and use a needle to extract and then change to another to inject.