I just opened a new box. When it originally came, I looked, and the caps looked grey. *sigh* i tucked the box away for use. I pulled out the first needle last night, and noticed when I was preparing it, that the cap was not the same color as the stopper inside. it was just darker. The plastic white cap that covers the rubber cap, makes it hard to tell grey/black and so on. I spun the color around, and compared it to the stopper inside, and yep! its darker! I opened an old one that was laying around, and yep! its smaller. didnt look a whole lot smaller, but you could still tell.

I held it against my skin, and pushed. I normally have to punch on it a bit, as I have very tough skin. I was impressed! it slid right in! wooo hooo!

It took a few seconds longer to unload the syringe, but WORTH IT! I will take the extra few seconds, over that hard punch from the old needle anyday!

So, YES! they do exist. I did get mine. I hope you do too.

Oh man Dej, maybe I'll take one of the new ones out and let it get room temp. for tomorrow (injection time in a few here, 2 of the old ones left still).

Then I'll do a comparison

I still think I'll be brutally disappointed!

I told Shared Solutions I thought my needles were dull. Their answer? "Oh, your skin is probably getting tougher from injecting." ... What? That's why I rotate. Yeah, that makes perfect sense, thanks friends.

Btw, had my LEEP. It wasn't as bad as the Colposcopy (I found at least). Sure they did an injection down there and said "You may feel your heart beat really fast and a bad taste in your mouth" (I was chewing gum, sorry, but us IVSM vets know the gum trick!) and neither happened! No fast heartbeat, no nasty taste. Was pretty easy compared with the other procedure. Minimal cramping too. In fact, I think I'll go for a walk later on today (going to be up to 16-17 celcius which is BEAUTIFUL weather for us at this time of the year).

The bad news? In 4 months time, I don't have a PAP (I was expecting and praying for a PAP). Nope! I get to go for yet another Colposcopy!

I too swear that some needles were just plain old DULL! I have been a nurse for a looooong time, and given ten of thousands of injections, and these are the strangest needles ever. some are dull, some are sharp, even within the same batch number! makes me crazy! I do have tough skin, and it HURTS!

yea for the new needle! slid right in. feels like an insulin needle. woo hoo!

Yeah, my significant other is diabetic, and I asked him about the gauge of his needles and 29 does sound like insulin needles (he wasn't 100% sure).

I have 1 new one out of the box for tomorrow, and the one from today I didn't toss in the sharps container. Going to see if the caps are different at all first. So far from looking really close in the light, it appears they're not however.

Even if they're 27 gauge, I'm ok with that for another month or 2, provided I don't continue to have the problem of the needles being hard to push through my skin. That's been awful with the current box as I said, unlike any of the others I've had

will the new needles be usable with the autoject??

I stared at my needle last night and CONSIDERED manually injecting...but couldn't do it.

Also, I was prescribed vit B-12 shots (twice weekly) - and despite my searching, I can't find a pen-inject type system for it - so I am going to have to fnd someone to come give me that shot....

~Keri

Ooops - answered my own question.
I just went thru 24 replacement needles sent to me by Shared Solutions (b/c of dull needles)....and tonight I just did my last one from that batch - and lo and behold...black cap!

(I checked other box that I had - and they are grey)

Not sure I noticed any difference the last three weeks with these - but I guess I will see tomorrow when I go back to the greys.

In the meantime, I still have huge welts and bruises that take at least a week to go away. Ugg.

~Keri

yes, its fine to use the old AI with the new needles.

Its REALLY hard to tell what color that cap actually is without opening the package, and really looking at it. Compare it to the stopper inside the syringe, and then against the black stripe that runs around the syringe. I couldnt tell the difference until I opened the package and really looked.

I hope you got new ones!

After a week of injecting with the smaller gague Copaxone needle I don't notice any significant differences. Maybe the med comes out a little slower and it seems they are sharper. Lumps and bumps are about the same.
Any improvement is welcome.

Started a new box of Copaxone last night. I didn't notice anything different with the needle. Guess I didn't get the new smaller needles yet.

I got the new needles in my last shipment, and I see a big difference. The old grey capped needles where just so dull. The new needles go in so much easier,although it does take a little longer to inject. Good improvement for me!!