A pen injector is a device that holds a small vial of insulin and a disposable needle, and injects an amount measured with a dial.
Advantages:
It is compact
Convenient and easy to use circumspectly in public
Accurate measurement.
The pen device clicks for each unit (or two depending on the and simple in dose manufacturer) dialed; this can help those with impaired vision.
Disadvantages:
The primary disadvantage is cost. The special vials may be difficult to obtain in remote areas, and widespread shortages have occurred occasionally. Falling back to a standard syringe is always an option.
Some pen units only allow setting a multiple of two units of insulin, which many find inadequate. Get a model which measure a multiple of one unit, which should be easy to find among current models.
Also, the special vial can be refilled from a standard vial using a syringe, making sure the rubber stopper is not damaged, though the manufacturer will not recommend this.
If you do refill, make sure to use the same concentration of insulin. This is not a problem in the US, where only U100 concentration is used. In some parts of the world, U40 concentration is common, but pen refills are always U100. Make sure to match the concentration.
This site is educative not prescriptive. Always consult doctor before treatment.
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