Hi All: Do any of you ever find a cartridge that just seems too hard to work with?
I mean the little blue thing keeps falling out, because the cartridge wont move. Trying to push the thing back and forth three times before filling and it seems like it is very resistant and hard to push,
So hard, the blue thing keeps dropping out or something?
I wonder if I should call them or am I losing my mind?
In general, I have problems with the blue thing falling out. I don’t usually have a problem pushing the plunger in the cartridge, though sometimes it feels “tight” when I’m trying to pull it out. Sometimes, I will get it started with the blue thing in place, just until I can get the plunger out enough to grab hold of the edge of it, if need be. If you call, let us know what Animas says.
The little blue handles for the plunger do come loose frequently. However the plunger being hard to move is not normal. I just had one like that myself. All syringes and cartridges have a lubricant so it is easy to move the plunger in and out. I called Animas tech support because it appears the one I had was not lubricated. They replaced the cartridge and asked me to send the bad one back to them for investigation. The bad one I got came from lot number B201623. I used several others from the same lot with no problem. Seems like they may have a manufacturing problem. I would recommend that you call them.
Yeah, I mean even if I ditch the blue thing and pull the plunger is really really hard to work.
It might be worth a call.
I’m having odd highs lately when I dont usually have them, however, I have a very stressful dentist appt on Monday so that could explain that! :-(.
Thanks Phil, I do know this has happened to me with the last two.
So, yeah, I had better call them. B201613 on this box.
When I first started following the instructions it said to never wiggle the blue thing side to side when inserting, but it kept falling out. I’ve learned that if I do a little side to side turn than it’s securely in the cartridge and never comes out.
I’ve never had a problem with the plunger being hard to push, at least not in my limited time of experience.
Never had a problem pushing or pulling (I have a different lot #). If the blue extension isn’t seated properly, it comes out fairly easily.
I just did a quick read-over of the instructions. I think they meant don’t wiggle or twist the plunger or it will damage the seal. You should be able to wiggle the plunger handle to get it seated into the plunger, as long as it doesn’t move the plunger in a twisting or side-to-side manner.
Yeah there has been many times when the BLUE thing comes apart from the cartridge, I wish the thing had more teeth, but now I just hold them both when I am drawing insulin, I sometimes just let the bottle dangle so I can hold onto the blue thingy!
Thanks all. Well, per what Phil said, I am going to call.
I know the blue thing does fall out, but I guess what I’m saying is this batch…the plunger is really hard to push either way.
Barely budges, worse when you have no grip on it.
Ah, that makes sense, Scott. I started ignoring the instruction when I discovered that it was necessary to wiggle the blue thing in order to get it to stay in. When I do that first it catches and never falls out.
On the topic of carts are they re-usable? I’ve heard due to them being plastic it degrades the insulin. Should we refill and reuse to save money?
The cartridges come in a sealed package, and after they’ve been opened and insulin is placed in the them, it’s still sterile. After insulin’s been sitting in it for 2 or 3 days, adding more insulin to it causes a potential microbial problem, and whatever insulin is remaining in there loses its effectiveness the longer it sits in the cartridge. Better to be safe and change the cartridge and insulin every 2 to 3 days.
I insert the blue thing, then give it a quarter turn. This seems to lock it and it doesn’t come out when you move the plunger.