Golden dose / travelling

[mounjarotravel]

I have my summer hols booked and was looking at dates so I could work out if I needed a refrigerated pen for travel. On the whole I'm OK but have a very specific question as I am only taking hand luggage.

I'd like to use the 'golden dose' first so I don't have to travel with an extra syringe. Will that cause any problems with the pen and remaining 4 doses? Thanks.

I wouldn't do it. I think there's a small risk of contamination when you put the syringe in for the golden dose. So I would definitely only be happy doing that as the 5th dose.
Also, I'd be worried that taking the bonus dose first might effect the way the pen works. However, I might be overthinking it.

Those are all the thoughts in my mind too, hence why I asked the question, @IsItSnowing! It's a tricky thing. I'd love to hear what others think too.

As far as I know it changes how the pen works - if you’re removing liquid without pressing the plunger you create a void and then the clicks don’t work properly.

How long are you away for? Could you move your injection day to be a better fit for your holiday? I’ve done that so I didn’t have to take my pen away with me.

It won't work the way you are proposing. The plunger on the new pens only goes down so far, so if you take the first dose out with a syringe, you'll only be able to "plunge" a further 3 doses not 4 and will still need to extract the 5th dose with an insulin syringe.

Won't work. When you extract the liquid from the pen using a syringe the black plunger/seal inside the vial is pulled away from the screw (that normally pushes the black plunger/seal) due to the vacuum. So when you go to do your next dose normally the screw will have nothing to push as the plunger is already away from it.

I’ve done whole pens with syringes so no, not a problem taking it first at all! You’ll still need a syringe for the last shot though as the plunger will no longer reach the bottom of the pen to get the last dose out.

Easier simply to take a syringe tbh!

Hello can I ask how you get the last amount out the pens please.

this is all helpful. Thanks. I assume I can’t take a syringe with me in hand luggage though, can I? Or should I try and buy one in Majorca?

@mounjarotravel yes you can. I have taken them in hand luggage the last few times I have flown. In fact, the last time I flew home I had a couple of syringes for my MJ and half a dozen for painkillers my dentist had given me! 😂