Help with extra dose in pen

[Noodle2222]

Hi, quite new to weight loss injections, doing it together with my partner. Both still on 2.5mg dose, I now have 4 pens in the fridge with the extra dose in.
If I extract this completely is this a full weeks dose of 2.5mg in each pen? Or do I use this to top up a new pens 2.5mg dose to say 3.5mg? If so how much do I extract? Hope this makes sense. Thank you

Each pen has about 3ml of liquid in. 0.6ml is a full dose. You extract the extra dose with a syringe and inject 0.6ml.
You shouldn't be leaving multiple pens in the fridge to use before opening a new one, the pens should be used within 6 weeks of opening ideally.
You can take the chance on the 4 extra doses you have saved but there is a chance the medication could have degraded. If they have been kept in the fridge it's probably low risk for bacteria growth but it's not no risk, since they have been open for a long time.

Edited to add I think your 4 pens are from 2 of you so wouldn't have been open that long - the longest would be 8 weeks presumably? That should be fine. Use those pens for your next 2 doses each then open a new one.

There tends to be about 0.9ml left in the pen.

One dose is 0.6ml (60 clicks)

So about 1.5 doses left in the pen (approx, it depends how much you use when priming)

... Or, if you were to buy a 5mg pen and take 2.5mg doses from it (30 clicks) - three doses left in the pen.

... Or, if you were to buy a 7.5mg pen and take 2.5mg doses from it (20 clicks) - 4.5 doses left in the pen.

... and so on.

Thank you @AmandaBrotzman that’s very helpful! Yes the pens are from the two of us do should be ok.

Thank you @AmberLimethats great info too!

Most pens will stop you clicking beyond a maximum number of clicks per pen so as you twist the pen, you’ll probably find that it won’t go all the way and you’ll only be able to extract about half the dose.

Most of us buy the small diabetic 1ml syringes online or from the pharmacy which you use to extract the ‘golden dose’ and then inject it.

Each full pen dose is 60 clicks or 0.6ml, no matter what the pen strength is.

Follow the video below as it shows how to use an insulin syringe. It’s actually very easy.

https://youtube.com/shorts/7Rsg_lY7SdI?is=dl9nAAdVM0CLHRJb

Thank you @SparklyTwinkleGlittervery helpful
video.

Going forward, use the remaining liquid as the 5th week, you should be able to get a bit more than a full dose out so you can have a stronger week, if you want to stay at 2.5 then just draw out 0.6ml .

@SparklyTwinkleGlitter @Noodle2222 That is a terrible "how to" video (ex-clinician here) for a few reasons:

1. The syringes he recommends are from Amazon where a lot are not sterile or suitable for clinical use. Always buy from a pharmacy or medical supplier
2. He doesn't swab the end of the pen with an alcohol wipe before use as recommended by the manufacturer before using any needle with it.
3. He lays them down and draws back when horizontal. This will leave a fair amount of liquid in the pen below the needle and will pull in air or cause a vacuum. There's a reason why clinical staff always hold a vial up above the syringe when drawing out as gravity pulls the liquid to the bottom making it easier to extract it.

Other than that all good though .

Thank you @QueenOfHiraeth I will use your method !

@QueenOfHiraeth

All good points.

Yes, there are other videos but this was the first one I found that demos how to use the syringe method to extract the golden dose.

Having a bit of air in the syringe isn’t really a problem as you’re injecting into the fatty layer below the skin, not a vein.

Yes, there’s some disagreement about using syringes from Amazon although I’ve used them without any issues so far.

Jeeze please take advice re: something you’re injecting into your body!