Epipen vs AuviQ vs Twinject

[ajasfolks2]

Do I have the 3 most often prescribed epinephrine injection devices correct, first of all?  Are there others that need to be added and discussed here too?  Generics?  (Perhaps with country-specific notes, as needed?)

Have been seeing lots of traffic and discussions, esp on Facebook, as to the exact HOWs of injection (specific to the device) AND the techniques and positioning of the person receiving . . .

So, questions:

1.  WHAT device do you have for epinephrine?
2.  For self or child?
3.  If for child, what age and size is child?  (Boy? Girl?)
4.  How were you taught to administer epi (not WHEN, but exactly HOW)
    -- Position of the patient
    -- Position of the person injecting
    -- Other "technique" tips and info
5.  How do you administer based on own epi-admin experiences?  OR
6.  Have you NEVER had to admin the epinephrine (yet)?
7.  Misfire or repeat injections due to mistake in administering the first?  What was mistake / problem?
8.  What were you taught by medical professional that you now know is WRONG so far as the HOW of administering.
9.  How many times have you had to administer epi to someone else?  To yourself?

What else would help so far as questions?

~ ~ ~

Personal note:  I'm dealing with epi vs auvi for our family.  We've only had AuviQ for less than 1 year, plus we still have Epipens too (kind of in overlap on this, due to insurance and long expiry date on the epipens) . . . so everybody needs to know how to admin BOTH kinds of devices.

Epi = hard, firm inject and Auvi = press to thigh

Diff "hold" times too.

Yes, the Auvi talks to you, but still . . .

Please feel free to discuss and add anything helpful.


NOTE:  This is not intended to be an anaphylaxis-recognition thread and the "when" to administer.  Trying to stick with just the HOW.  Thanks!!

[ajasfolks2]

Oh yeah.  Best links to the "how to" -- print instructions, power point, video, whatever . . . please share.

[spacecanada]

1.  WHAT device do you have for epinephrine?
EpiPens and Allerject (AuviQ)
2.  For self or child?
Self
3.  If for child, what age and size is child?  (Boy? Girl?)
N/A
4.  How were you taught to administer epi (not WHEN, but exactly HOW)
    -- Position of the patient
    -- Position of the person injecting
    -- Other "technique" tips and info
Get the Epi in whatever position is comfortable, then place in a position laying on the ground with feet elevated to increase circulation to organs and prevent/manage shock.
5.  How do you administer based on own epi-admin experiences?  OR
It was pretty much exactly as the instruction poster/video directed.  I definitely needed help to do so on myself, though.  With lethargy kicking in quickly, my husband got the Epi ready and gave it to me to inject.  (He would have done it himself if needed.)
6.  Have you NEVER had to admin the epinephrine (yet)?
See 5.
7.  Misfire or repeat injections due to mistake in administering the first?  What was mistake / problem?
Worked as it should.
8.  What were you taught by medical professional that you now know is WRONG so far as the HOW of administering.
Nothing that I know of.  They showed me the poster and went through it step by step, and gave me the video to watch at home.
9.  How many times have you had to administer epi to someone else?  To yourself?
once, for myself

What else would help so far as questions?
Cannot think of any at the moment.

[SilverLining]

I thought twinject was discontinued.

[SilverLining]

1.  WHAT device do you have for epinephrine?

Epi-pen

2.  For self or child?

We share. (we both carry)

3.  If for child, what age and size is child?  (Boy? Girl?)

Teen, so not really a child anymore.

4.  How were you taught to administer epi (not WHEN, but exactly HOW)
    -- Position of the patient
    -- Position of the person injecting
    -- Other "technique" tips and info

Taught? You're so cute when talk like that.

5.  How do you administer based on own epi-admin experiences?  OR
6.  Have you NEVER had to admin the epinephrine (yet)?

Didn't carry when I should have administered.  Haven't needed it since I do.

8.  What were you taught by medical professional that you now know is WRONG so far as the HOW of administering.

Way back when, they said to administer in the stomach.  I'm pretty sure the instructions said that at first.  I'm pretty sure when that instruction changed my GP actually told me (although I knew because I'm friends with everyone here. ) I'm very fortunate to have a great GP.


9.  How many times have you had to administer epi to someone else?  To yourself?

I received epi in the hospital.  I have never administered to myself or anyone else.

[ajasfolks2]

I just don't know what is in Canada and perhaps England / Great Britain as well as Australia.  Just trying to cover the majority of the English-speaking areas first. . . . and gotta say, no clue what is being used routinely in most of non-English-speaking Europe!

[SilverLining]

I think Canada and US have the same....you may have one other that we don 't have.  A generic?

UK does have a different one, or a different name. Can't remember though.

[rebekahc]

1.  WHAT device do you have for epinephrine?
EpiPen

2.  For self or child?
Both

3.  If for child, what age and size is child?  (Boy? Girl?)
Teens now - preschool and early elementary when last given - both boy and girl

4.  How were you taught to administer epi (not WHEN, but exactly HOW)
    -- Position of the patient
    -- Position of the person injecting
    -- Other "technique" tips and info
See SL's response 

5.  How do you administer based on own epi-admin experiences?  OR
Just push onto outer thigh - no swing and jab needed

6.  Have you NEVER had to admin the epinephrine (yet)?
N/A

7.  Misfire or repeat injections due to mistake in administering the first?  What was mistake / problem?
No, but once the needle exited the pen at an angle (noticed when removed from thigh) . At the time I thought we might have hit bone since DS was so skinny and knocked the needle askew.

8.  What were you taught by medical professional that you now know is WRONG so far as the HOW of administering.
N/A

9.  How many times have you had to administer epi to someone else?  To yourself?
3 between the two kids. Didn't carry for myself when I would have epi'd.

[daisy madness]

My friend is a sales rep for Sanofi Pasteur (maker of the AuviQ).  Last weekend he was telling me that they have 3% of the market.  We've used the Epipen on DS in the past.  So there's a level of comfort there for me.  Honestly, the talking of the AuviQ would probably stress me out during a reaction, although it would provide some comfort when he's in the care of someone else.

1.  WHAT device do you have for epinephrine? Epipen

2.  For self or child?  Child

3.  If for child, what age and size is child?  (Boy? Girl?)  6yo Boy.  50 lbs

4.  How were you taught to administer epi (not WHEN, but exactly HOW)  I wasn't taught anything about positioning.  When we used it, DS was sitting in one person's lap facing outward, and the other person knelt in front facing DS.
    -- Position of the patient
    -- Position of the person injecting
    -- Other "technique" tips and info

5.  How do you administer based on own epi-admin experiences?  See above.

6.  Have you NEVER had to admin the epinephrine (yet)? We've administered once.  There were a few other times where we probably should have administered and held off. 

7.  Misfire or repeat injections due to mistake in administering the first?  What was mistake / problem?  No, except for the time my husband got the real pen instead of the trainer pen and gave it to me to show the babysitter and I injected myself in the thigh.  Yup.  Really happened.  And we were on our way out to go to marriage counseling.  I refused to go to the ER, so we went to our appointment.  I was so jittery.

8.  What were you taught by medical professional that you now know is WRONG so far as the HOW of administering.  Not sure.

9.  How many times have you had to administer epi to someone else?  To yourself?  Just once to DS.

[SilverLining]

Daisy, please tell your sales rep friend, if they do not get this covered by insurance they will never take off.  And in Canada (if they even care which I do not believe they do) the way to the market is by getting it covered under provincial plans.  If it gets covered there, most private plans will then cover it.  But that means getting it covered under each individual provincial plan.

[Jessica]

I've already heard reports of people going to buy auvi qs and the expiration date is only about 4 mos away and the pharmacy can't get anything in with a longer date. If I can't get at least a year, I guess we'll be going back to epis.

[daisy madness]

Thanks, Silver.  I didn't realize insurance doesn't cover it.  I'll mention it.  He said they're really trying to appeal to the people who already have Epipens.  His opinion is that they need to appeal to the newly diagnosed.  I also mentioned that they can appeal to teen boys and men who need something that fits into their pocket. 

[ajasfolks2]

I need to answer this my-own-self!  <snort>  Will get back in here tonite, I hope.

Have to say that carrying the AuviQ -- both kids -- in pockets, purse has been HUGE so far as kids' acceptance of the responsibility.

"Cool factor" of the AuviQ important, yes, too (for my kids). 

[spacecanada]

Instructions for use:

EpiPen
USA: https://www.epipen.com/en/about-epipen/how-to-use-epipen
UK: http://www.epipen.co.uk/patient/what-is-epipen/using-your-epipen/
(The Canadian website was down, and I couldn't find the printable poster on the American and UK sites.)

Allerject/Auvi-Q
Canada: http://www.allerject.ca/Common/docs/en/allerject-instruction.pdf
Canada: http://www.allerject.ca/Common/docs/en/allerject-anaphylaxis-symptoms-treatment-8x11-poster.pdf
USA: http://www.auvi-q.com/auvi-q-demo (no English step-by-step printable was on their site, at least not easy to find)