Are the cartridges for a Novolog Echo also usable in a Medronics InPen (one that take Novolog insulin)?
My daugher is newly diagnosed (January). During her followup with the Endocrinologst from the hospital he prescribed an InPen (Medtronics) which our local pharmacy couldn’t fill. Somehow the 'scrip for the insulin cartridges got lost somewhere in the transfer to the new pharmacy.
So… her new Endocrinologist sent a 'scrip to the pharmacy for a Novolog ‘Penfil’ which my friend Google has informed me is actually for the Novolog Echo. Before we bother picking it up, trying to figure out what’s what (and also wondering if we need to look for a new Endocrinologist!). Thanks!
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Sorry, I don’t have an answer for you. I haven’t used insulin pens for a long time. I would speak to either your endocrine’s office or the pharmacist to find out if the right thing has been ordered.
~Pam K.
I wish I could help with your question but only use pens add a backup to I’m not very familiar with them. Your pharmacist can be a great resource - and if the original order got lost in transfer they should be able to reach out to your doctor to get it.
I was just looking at the InPen ad a couple of days ago and tried using an Echo several months back. They both use the same Novolog cartridges; the ones I had come in packs of 5. The pens “break” or attach in the middle (mine used a twist motion with an audible click); you take them apart, load the cartridge, re-attach, then the differences appear because of the apps they use/are compatible with.
Thanks. One of the pharmacies actually screwed up and gave us her old prescription for the disposable pen instead of filling the InPen scrip (even though we ‘confirmed’ over the phone and then again while picking up the scrip (we should have looked in the bag)), so now I’m a little gun shy about relying on a pharmacy for advice.
Thomas: it sounds like you didn’t stick with the Echo. Curious why. My daughter would like to try a pump at some point, but for now she’s wanting to get a good feel for how her sugars respond to diet choices and exercise. Thx! Sue
Also, this is another reason I was hesitant to pick up an “Echo” cartridge for a “InPen”:
Pharmacies, vendors, etc all can make mistakes:
@zwickers Sue, I was relatively new to T1 at the time (less than a year since dx). I was struggling with dosing for meals trying to get it dialed in. My insulin needs were relatively light then and I wanted to try 1/2 unit dosing (Echo allows this, I don’t believe InPen does). My Endo didn’t have clue which pen did 1/2 unit dosing so I did my own research and advised her. Shortly after getting the script, my ICR needs changed, needed more insulin for same carb load (from 1:14 to 1:9, now at 1:7), apparently my honeymoon period ended over a few months. So, the 1/2 unit dosing went the way of the dodo. In addition, in doing my own my research on pens, I discovered Loop and found out they were working on Omnipod Dash without the need for a Riley or Orange Link (just seemed like one MORE thing to carry around). Loop with Dash and no link became a reality and I was sold on trying it. I’ve been a Looper for a year now. I use Novolog Flex pens still and fill the Dash pods from them directly; if anything goes wrong, I have a built in back up MDI means with minimal “junk” I have to carry with me when traveling.
I wish you and your daughter the best in this sometimes crazy adventure. If you decide to try a pump (its worked pretty well for me, greatly improved my quality of life), I highly recommend the Loop/Dash combo, its compatible with Dexcom G6 and G7 and there’s even a way to use Libre. It’s a DIY build and requires some learning, but you just need to be able to follow instructions; no longer requires a Mac to build, you can use any computer/browser combo to build it with straightforward instructions available. Again, my best to you!
Sue:
In the US the penfill vials are a standard size and work in all the insulin pens that are reusable. Using vials and syringes, disposable pens or reusable pens is a personal choice. I like my Echo pen because I’m throwing away less plastic.
The InPen can log doses and times via bluetooth to your daughter’s phone. The app also has a carb counting “wizard” that may help a new type one diabetic with the black magic that is determining an insulin dose based on carbs.
Personally when the battery dies in my Echo pen I’ll buy an Echo Plus. I don’t need the dose calculation help. The Echo Plus records doses like the InPen but uses other apps, like the Dexcom G6 CGM app, to store the data.