The original poster reports a v1 pen that worked for months but now fails to release liquid until set to 10 units and then dispenses very slowly. Others suggest possible weak springs, needle gauge, or general mechanical wear in pens. Several users prefer syringes for reliability and precision while others highlight time savings and convenience with quality pens for daily use. Quality differences between pens are noted along with calibration checks and practical advantages like reduced waste.
What this discussion establishesWhether pens are worth the added complexity versus the reliability of syringes
Still openExact cause of the slow release on the reported v1 pen
Nothing here is advice.
I'm wondering what might be off with this version one. It worked without issues for a month or two. I tried using it for five units daily but nothing comes out until I set it to ten, and even then the liquid comes out extremely slowly. Sorry if this has come up before.
Maybe the spring that pushes the plunger is a bit weak. What size needle are you using? If it's 34 or 32 gauge you might try a 31 instead. The tiny opening on the finer needles could be making it hard for the liquid to exit.
I've mentioned this before. Pens have more moving parts so they will eventually stop working right. It's not if but when. That alone makes me avoid them. A syringe is straightforward and stays accurate.
I shared a video earlier showing a way to check a pen. The cheap one I got was unreliable and often delivered less than the dial showed. I sent it back and tried others instead. I haven't finished checking the new ones yet.
Pens look appealing since many seem to like them. Still I'm with you on this. Adding extra parts just creates more chances for problems so a basic syringe feels safer.
Pens aren't only about ease. For daily injections they save a lot of time, maybe twenty seconds total. Syringes take me two or three minutes. They also help when reaching awkward spots like the glute. I switched after struggling with syringe angles there. Quality still differs a lot between models though.
If those work well for you, an autoinjector model might surprise you even more. It changed how I do things completely.
Yeah I expected it would eventually act up. I need a replacement anyway. The suggestions are helpful so I'll try another pen since it's interesting to test. I also got some shorter 30 unit syringes and they reduced pain noticeably while being easier to manage.
I haven't used a version one so I didn't realize they use a spring. I thought the manual ones were just direct push. The autoinjector I got recently keeps stopping partway through the shot about half the time. I've tried more dilution, different needles, new carts and letting it warm up but nothing helps much. People say they are picky about which carts work but no one knows exactly what to check for. Only two of my first five worked so I'm trying another batch.
I get my weekly syringes ready ahead of time so the speed difference doesn't matter to me. Not sure why glute shots are needed when abdomen works fine, but that might explain preferring a pen. This is just how I like to do it. No single way is correct for everyone.
Haven't used pens but thirty gauge moves much better than thirty one or finer.
Some pens are poorly made but the ones I rely on most were built for insulin and stay accurate. I've tested each one many times with precise scales and they match the settings. I use them for several reasons. Filtering is easier and carts cost less than vials. Less waste means sharps containers last much longer. Needles that go through vials hurt more after a while. The numbers on the pen are easier to read with my eyesight. Side indicators show remaining amount clearly. It's simpler to avoid air bubbles or running out. They're portable and I like the gadget feel. The fridge stays neater too.
A similar model comes in blue and costs quite a bit less.
The holders for the carts are not exactly the same. The one design seems more likely to break over time.
A lot of reviews I saw suggested the opposite.
It's possible I have the details reversed. I know some people make replacement holders with a printer.
Really? I hadn't come across that. I did wonder why someone made a printed holder for that model, now it makes sense.
Five units is a small amount and accuracy can suffer. I aim for at least ten. My version one skips the first click but stays within one unit after that, though I still don't rely on it. Check it against a syringe if you haven't. Autoinjectors can be sensitive to needles finer than thirty gauge because the spring moves slowly. It sounds like you're aiming for a quarter milligram from a ten milligram two milliliter cart. Splitting the powder across two carts when mixing would let you hit ten units per shot while keeping the same total use time and lowering contamination risk on the unused one. Adding more liquid to an already used cart might also lower the concentration if you track the amounts. Watch for a noticeable air bubble in the cart as it can delay flow while the bubble compresses first.
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