EpiPen...

magdusia

Assuming this forum is staying..

Can we do a monthly EpiPen expiration check in?  Who ever remembers posts at end of month or beginning of the month..

One of my yahoo groups did this and thankfully b/c my epipen expired and i had no clue. 

I think it's important to remember to check the epipen expiration date from time to time.. have you checked it recently? 

Another suggestion is.. can we all put the allergies on the bottom as a signature? I'm always curious what everyone is allergic to and sometimes go back to the intro page but not everyone is in there.

I tried adding it to my ticker on  bottom but i'm getting an error so i'll try tonight.

 

DS: milk, soy, egg, peanut
outgrew: sesame (yay) 

Miller238

I actually remembered just yesterday that my daughter's epi-pen exires May 2011, so I had to swap the one she has at daycare for a new one.  I need to get her script refilled so we have two at home instead of only one.

That is a good idea about the ticker.  I may try to get one up later!

EssBe

I think mine is up in July.  Always check it when you first get it, because I've gotten one that's already expired from the pharmacy before.

Does anyone else have the Twinject?  I like that it's two doses in one, but I know there are concerns for kids that some teachers/DCP can not give the second dose (manual injection).

Miller238

EssBe:

I think mine is up in July.  Always check it when you first get it, because I've gotten one that's already expired from the pharmacy before.

Does anyone else have the Twinject?  I like that it's two doses in one, but I know there are concerns for kids that some teachers/DCP can not give the second dose (manual injection).

Never heard of Twinject.  I wonder if that isn't an option for the Epi Junior? 

magdusia

EssBe:

I think mine is up in July.  Always check it when you first get it, because I've gotten one that's already expired from the pharmacy before.

Does anyone else have the Twinject?  I like that it's two doses in one, but I know there are concerns for kids that some teachers/DCP can not give the second dose (manual injection).

my first one expired 2 months after receiving it. 

does the twinject have two doses in one epipen? or is it the one with two epipens?  we have 2 epipens that we have to carry.

EssBe

Twinject is two doses in one pen.  The first one works pretty much like the epipen I think.  If you need a second dose before you can get medical help, you take the cap off and take the needle out, and actually manually use the needle.  There's a second dose pre-loaded in there.

It may not be available in the dose for smaller kids, though.

CareBear0607

magdusia:

EssBe:

I think mine is up in July.  Always check it when you first get it, because I've gotten one that's already expired from the pharmacy before.

Does anyone else have the Twinject?  I like that it's two doses in one, but I know there are concerns for kids that some teachers/DCP can not give the second dose (manual injection).

my first one expired 2 months after receiving it. 

does the twinject have two doses in one epipen? or is it the one with two epipens?  we have 2 epipens that we have to carry.

The same thing happened to me and I made the pharmacy give me new ones with a year experation date.  The pharmacy didn't understand what the big deal was...it wasn't expired.  I compared it to a fire extinguisher...it is used in case of emergencies.  Would you buy a fire extinguisher that was 2 months from expiring.  NO!  They called the company, and got new ones to me right away.

 

DD--allergic to peanut and avoiding all nuts

magdusia

CareBear0607:

magdusia:

EssBe:

I think mine is up in July.  Always check it when you first get it, because I've gotten one that's already expired from the pharmacy before.

Does anyone else have the Twinject?  I like that it's two doses in one, but I know there are concerns for kids that some teachers/DCP can not give the second dose (manual injection).

my first one expired 2 months after receiving it. 

does the twinject have two doses in one epipen? or is it the one with two epipens?  we have 2 epipens that we have to carry.

The same thing happened to me and I made the pharmacy give me new ones with a year experation date.  The pharmacy didn't understand what the big deal was...it wasn't expired.  I compared it to a fire extinguisher...it is used in case of emergencies.  Would you buy a fire extinguisher that was 2 months from expiring.  NO!  They called the company, and got new ones to me right away.

 

DD--allergic to peanut and avoiding all nuts

i probably should have argued it like you! 

CareBear0607

magdusia:

CareBear0607:

magdusia:

EssBe:

I think mine is up in July.  Always check it when you first get it, because I've gotten one that's already expired from the pharmacy before.

Does anyone else have the Twinject?  I like that it's two doses in one, but I know there are concerns for kids that some teachers/DCP can not give the second dose (manual injection).

my first one expired 2 months after receiving it. 

does the twinject have two doses in one epipen? or is it the one with two epipens?  we have 2 epipens that we have to carry.

The same thing happened to me and I made the pharmacy give me new ones with a year experation date.  The pharmacy didn't understand what the big deal was...it wasn't expired.  I compared it to a fire extinguisher...it is used in case of emergencies.  Would you buy a fire extinguisher that was 2 months from expiring.  NO!  They called the company, and got new ones to me right away.

 

DD--allergic to peanut and avoiding all nuts

i probably should have argued it like you! 

The only reason I even thought about it was because I read about the same thing happening to another family and the dad used that argument. 

macaroni1979

Oh my, I haven't thought to check our epi. I better go look now! I hope it isn't too soon, as it costs $150 for another set!

mrs_kelly1014

Every allergist we have ever seen (both in and out of the hospital) are adamant about not giving out rx's for Twinject because there can be user error in piecing it together. And honestly, when we had to use our Epi Pens on DS while we waited for paramedics, it was all I could do to get the grey cap off and push it into his thigh. Had I needed to think and do more steps, it would have been horrible.

As others have said, make sure you request Epis that are a year out when you drop off the rx.

magdusia

macaroni1979:

Oh my, I haven't thought to check our epi. I better go look now! I hope it isn't too soon, as it costs $150 for another set!

Your insurance doesn't cover it? yayks! 

EssBe

mrs_kelly1014:

Every allergist we have ever seen (both in and out of the hospital) are adamant about not giving out rx's for Twinject because there can be user error in piecing it together. And honestly, when we had to use our Epi Pens on DS while we waited for paramedics, it was all I could do to get the grey cap off and push it into his thigh. Had I needed to think and do more steps, it would have been horrible.

The first injection works just like an epipen (I think, I have not used an epipen).  Pop off the cap, put it on your leg, press it down hard. You don't have to put anything together.

There is just a spare one in there that you can take 10 minutes later if your symptoms haven't completely subsided, not to use in an emergency situation.  That's the one that's a little more complicated.  But I imagine by that point I'd either be at the ER, in the ambulance, or relatively calmed down.  You unscrew a second cap, pull out the needle, remove a stopper from the plunger, and inject it in your leg.  I have a practice one and it's way less complicated than it sounds. 

I know for little ones it's probably a lot scarier than for me.  Definitely do what makes you feel the most comfortable.  I like the thought of having that second dose in case I need it.

AndLyn

I think it's a great idea! I'm terrible about remembering to take his EpiPen with us everywhere we go as it is (we just have one right now because of the cost).

mrs_kelly1014

EssBe:

mrs_kelly1014:

Every allergist we have ever seen (both in and out of the hospital) are adamant about not giving out rx's for Twinject because there can be user error in piecing it together. And honestly, when we had to use our Epi Pens on DS while we waited for paramedics, it was all I could do to get the grey cap off and push it into his thigh. Had I needed to think and do more steps, it would have been horrible.

The first injection works just like an epipen (I think, I have not used an epipen).  Pop off the cap, put it on your leg, press it down hard. You don't have to put anything together.

There is just a spare one in there that you can take 10 minutes later if your symptoms haven't completely subsided, not to use in an emergency situation.  That's the one that's a little more complicated.  But I imagine by that point I'd either be at the ER, in the ambulance, or relatively calmed down.  You unscrew a second cap, pull out the needle, remove a stopper from the plunger, and inject it in your leg.  I have a practice one and it's way less complicated than it sounds. 

I know for little ones it's probably a lot scarier than for me.  Definitely do what makes you feel the most comfortable.  I like the thought of having that second dose in case I need it.

I think I'm extra paranoid now, because when DS had his ana reaction earlier this year we had to use both of his Epi-Pens because the first one didn't deploy correctly. Having the second one as an immediate backup is likely what saved him in that situation. I can't imagine having to fiddle with anything in that type of situation. I think I was shaking for at least the next 30 minutes, so having to do anything during that time to put it together would be just about more than I could take.

Oh, and we always carry 2 Epis to make sure we have a back-up or enough for a second dose. I wouldn't rely on just one ever!