Gonal-f pen question - extra meds inside

Serendipitie · June 2011

My nurse showed me how to get the extra out of the follistim pen, but didn't show me with the Gonal-f pen. I can't seem to reset the pen, so is that extra med just lost? Or does someone have a trick? I'd hate to throw it away.

IVF meds are so wasteful. I have so many saline bottles, q-caps, needles etc. that I'm not going to use

DeputiesWife · June 2011

I have never had to reset my GonalF pen -- but wanted to jump on and wish you GOOD LUCK!

I agree -- they are so wasteful - I have a TON of stuff left over this cycle.

gervaisj6 · June 2011

How do you get the extra out of the follistim pen?

naybird · June 2011

I never had to use the extra left over either. I checked my fridge to see if I still had one in there, but no luck.

Can you try priming the pen to the lowest dose? Or using a syringe to get the extra meds out?

Sorry, I wish I could be more help. Good luck.

Proud adoptive mom 6.11.09 · June 2011

i just got done with using my Gonal-F and all my pens had a little left over and there is no way to get it out, I was given enough pens to get me through my cycle so i didnt have to worry getting out the rest of it. I have tons of medicine left over but luckly my clinic takes it back and donates to someone who can not afford them

DesiraeSunshine · June 2011

You can insert a needle into the spot where you twist the disposable tip into and draw it out a little at a time. its tedious but there is alot left in there hope thi helps

Mrkyrain · June 2011

Do you mean that there's a smaller dosage left in each pen than your full dosage? If that's what you mean then there's no way to get it out short of injecting yourself with each left over pen to make a whole dosage. Like I have 75 left in many of my pens and I save them (not sure if I will ever be brave enough to use it). The nurse said I would have to inject 4x75 to equal my dosage of 300. Does this make sense? I agree it is very wasteful and for all the money spent, it drives me crazy but I also can't bring myself to stick myself more than I already need to.

Mrkyrain · June 2011

DesiraeSunshine:
You can insert a needle into the spot where you twist the disposable tip into and draw it out a little at a time. its tedious but there is alot left in there hope thi helps

Really? I didn't know this. That is awesome!

JennPierog · June 2011

Proud adoptive mom 6.11.09:
i just got done with using my Gonal-F and all my pens had a little left over and there is no way to get it out, I was given enough pens to get me through my cycle so i didn't have to worry getting out the rest of it. I have tons of medicine left over but luckily my clinic takes it back and donates to someone who can not afford them

There is a way to get it out!!!!!!!!!!

Okay you need an Insulin syringe if you don't have one go to your pharmacy and they should be able to give you one. Then with the needle off you can carefully draw up the remaining med.

Its 6 iu of gonal-f per 1unit on the insulin syringe. So take your dose/6 to see how many units on the insulin syringe you need.

so it may be off just a little for example heres how it would go:

37.5 gonal = (6.25 units but thats impossible to draw up so round up) 7 units on insulin syringe

75 gonal = 12.5 units on insulin syringe so draw up to 13 etc. etc

The issue with the gonal-F VS Follisim is theres no way to reset the pen. You can loss a ton of med with gonal-f. I had two left over pens and got a 225iu gonal-f dose out of them!

Good luck send me a message if you have any questions!

KaliChick · June 2011

I haven't used the pen form (I'm on vials this time), but with the follistim, I just dialed up to the dosage I needed and injected. If there wasn't enough in the pen, it gave me what was, then I carefully twisted off, took the vial out, put a new one in and then continued injecting. Does Gonal work the same way?? It may require 2 injections.

Otherwise, I'd say you might be able to draw it out with a needle/syringe. It just takes doing some math to figure out how much more you'll need.

Serendipitie · June 2011

Thank you Jenn! I did end up drawing it up into a normal 3cc syringe to save it, but the measurements for the gonal-f versus the insulin syringe is perfect! Thank you! Especially since my RE apparently prescribed a quantity based on me using the leftovers, so I think I'm going to need it Indifferent

For the record, re: follistim, my nurse had me use a new needle, dial up higher than what was left in the vial and inject it into another leftover vial until it was about the same fullness as a new vial (if that makes any sense). That way you only have to inject yourself once (rather that doing a partial dose, inserting a new vial, and then administering the rest in a second injection). Hope that made sense!

manu1 · June 2011

the trick my nurse showed me was to use an insulin needle and draw out the meds then do the conversion for the amount you need. that way you get to use all the extra meds in the pen.

blueberries8 · June 2011

JennPierog:

There is a way to get it out!!!!!!!!!!

Okay you need an Insulin syringe if you don't have one go to your pharmacy and they should be able to give you one. Then with the needle off you can carefully draw up the remaining med.

Its 6 iu of gonal-f per 1unit on the insulin syringe. So take your dose/6 to see how many units on the insulin syringe you need.

so it may be off just a little for example heres how it would go:

37.5 gonal = (6.25 units but thats impossible to draw up so round up) 7 units on insulin syringe

75 gonal = 12.5 units on insulin syringe so draw up to 13 etc. etc

The issue with the gonal-F VS Follisim is theres no way to reset the pen. You can loss a ton of med with gonal-f. I had two left over pens and got a 225iu gonal-f dose out of them!

Good luck send me a message if you have any questions!

:::butting in:::

Thanks, Jenn! That's super helpful!

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