accidentally stabbed myself with epipen

All health professionals concerned with the use of epinephrine autoinjectors should receive adequate instruction on their use. The Epipen can as a result of this increase in blood pressure cause quick heartbeat, and in the case that your heart is damaged or worsening cardiomegaly, this may lead to atrial flutter, which may lead to an atrial flutter which may lead to fibrillation that could collapse your heart. An ironic side note: An estimated 10% of accidental epinephrine injections occur when healthcare providers demonstrate how to use the injector to their patients! In preparation for this article, I tried to find data on the amount of Americans who currently have EpiPens a medical device used to self-inject an emergency dose of epinephrine to treat life . If you pierce or puncture your skin with a used needle, follow this first aid advice immediately: encourage the wound to bleed, ideally by holding it under running water. A delay in administering epinephrine can be life threatening. Swing and push the auto-injector firmly until it clicks. The click signals that the injection has started. If you don't follow correct procedure, you could end up hurting the person who needs the medication. Hello, my name is Elaina and Im 16 years old. Forcefully push the epinephrine injector into the outer-upper portion of the thigh in a stabbing motion, and hold it there for 10 seconds. Just found an old Epipen in my car. All are serious errors that can delay or prevent getting someone the epinephrine necessary to stop a reaction. J Med Case Reports 3, 7268 (2009). This however, is the worst-case scenario. You might think that would never happen, but it happens all the time and some people use their Epi a lot! What happens if you stab your finger with an EpiPen? No need to use antiseptics or disinfectants. Can you use an EpiPen if you have high blood pressure? Find everything you need to know about Epinephrine Injection (Auvi-Q), including what it is used for, warnings, reviews, side effects, and interactions. The only symptoms I experienced was: shock realizing what I had done, energy that lasted a few hours, slight shaking, some pain at the injection sight, and slight numbing of my leg. Maybe theyve watched you practice using your Epi or maybe theyve seen the picture instructions on the box. He . Very glad to hear that you were there to help, and that you had a backup injector! Please Introduce Yourself: 1, 888 : Travel: 1, 400 : Restaurants: 1, 210 : Recipes and Cooking: 826 . Springer Nature. A copy of the written consent is available for review by the Editor-in-Chief of this journal. The only difference was the real pen had a black tip and practice pen had a grey tip. Zucker G: Use of phentolamine to prevent necrosis due to levarterenol. Symptoms of an accidental injection are not usually so severe and may include: temporary numbness or tingling. Sellens C, Morrison L: Accidental injection of epinephrine by a child: a unique approach to treatment. Luckily, the doctors performed emergency procedures and were able to restart it. Philippe Staeger. 1997, 14: 379-380. Yang ended up being a liability because she didn't take the time to think. Terms and Conditions, How to save an ischemic finger. I have officially learned my lesson and will never do anything like this again. I don't recommend that anyone use epinephrine unless it's absolutely necessary, but I did take away some positive lessons. 2. If you accidentally stab the tip in your buttocks, the medication dosage will be less effective. Little electric shocks can cause injury or disease if you come into contact with them directly. spstarke. Hopefully, you can remain calm, notify people in the immediate vicinity, and seek medical advice quickly. Such wounds will generally . Required fields are marked *. The book states that: "Ink: ball-point pens, felt-tip pens, and fountain pens contain so little ink that there is not enough to cause poisoning if it is sucked from a pen. The rate of accidental injection of epinephrine from autoinjectors has increased worldwide. CAS Privacy The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Symptoms of an accidental injection are not usually so severe and may include temporary numbness or tingling, pain and swelling at the injection site, elevated heart rate and/or heart palpations. Answer (1 of 4): I just saw your comment that you stabbed yourself in the finger. But mistakes happen and you should be prepared. If youre at home, a friends house, or at a party, make sure you tell someone that youve injected yourself with an Epipen. Vascular surgeons, anesthetists, and a hand specialist were contacted by the treating general internist. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. volume3, Articlenumber:7268 (2009) An EpiPen or EpiPen Jr auto-injector that has been activated by accident cannot be used for a patient in an emergency and must be replaced. Fresh, clean water is best if there is no saline on-hand. It can be administered while wearing pants. What happens if you inject an EpiPen by accident? When it comes to allergies everyone experiences different types of symptoms and Ive rarely had respiratory symptoms that affected my breathing. My brother did something similar in middle school cause for some reason he though my epipen was the case for the thermometer. You'll feel a rush of energy. Should I go to the hospital if I stabbed my hand? The charge on your body will move through any water that comes into contact with it, allowing you to get shocked without being close to a person. I recently accidentally stabbed myself in the leg with my old and expired epipen. He's a bit younger than you so perhaps they weren't always that way. Its not pleasant to think about. Grip the barrel of the auto-injector in your dominant hand so the orange tip points downward. the wound is large or gaping and you cant gently push the edges together. What happens if I accidentally stab myself with an epipen? The epi-pen was expired, therefore, he thought the needle would not come out. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Or just take reactants. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. There will always be the chance of unknowingly scarfing down pecan-laced strawberry pie at a family gathering (stab No. What happens if you accidentally get stabbed with an EpiPen? EpiPen or EpiPen Jr should only be injected into the middle of your outer thigh (upper leg), through clothing if necessary. This is why I an paranoid when I take my humera tired. There might even be a bit of a dark spot from the graphite underneath the skin. PT comes in having stuck their thumb accidentally with an EpiPen while showing someone else how to use one. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. But what if you think you need it and you really dont. They're complaining of numbness in their thumb and say "it is turning white". Remind them to be careful! Topical nitroglycerin, oral vasodilators, and immersion in warm water were attempted unsuccessfully. Here are some additional tips to help you avoid self-injury while using your EpiPen: Always follow instructions printed on your medication bottle. Hi Geraldine, Hand. (Brands may instruct users to hold the pen in place for 3, 5 or 10 seconds. Research shows that parents who receivehands-on training are better able to properly demonstrate how to use their childs epinephrine shot[4]. Manage cookies/Do not sell my data we use in the preference centre. The accidental action caused Alex's heart to stop. Remove the device from your thigh . An accidental injection to the hands or feet can impair blood flow to these areas and can potentially cause tissue death. Department of Ambulatory Care and Community Medicine, University of Lausanne, Bugnon 44, 1011, Lausanne-CHUV, Switzerland, Christian Mathez,Bernard Favrat&Philippe Staeger, You can also search for this author in 2007, 18: 448-452. If you were playing around and happened to inject into your thumb (I have seen that one), you might need to have some emergency treatment due to fracture of or impaling the distal phalanx and concern about vasoconstriction of vessels in the thumb. If you get an artificially high dose (milligrams rather than tenths of a milligram) it can kill you. Symptoms of an accidental injection are not usually so severe and may include: temporary numbness or tingling. This may cause the real yellow EpiPen or real green EpiPen Jr auto-injector to accidentally activate. My wife accidentally stuck her finger and now its white, cold, numb and wrinkly like she just got out of the tub but refuses to seek medical attention. Ann Allergy. Yikes! You should take special care not to walk through puddles of water when out of doors, otherwise you might get hurt from the electrical current flowing through the ground. The Bottom Line. 3. Wear gloves when working with hazardous materials to prevent contamination. When I stabbed my thigh with the black tip one I guess I got the colors mixed up and thought the black tipped pen was the practice one. 1994, 3: 193-195. There was full recovery 2 months after the accident. But if you do this article can help make sure you know what to do. At the ER they usually only watch you for safety purposes and since I didnt need the ER my mom stayed up until 1am with me to make sure I was safe. In this article, Ill share what to do if youve used an Epipen without needing it. The students were thought to be given trainer versions of the EpiPens without any of the actual drug inside, but there was a mix-up in the case of May's son, WCVB reports. If you have expired epipens at your house you should take them to your pharmacy so they can be disposed of properly instead of just throwing them away. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 | Dust Mite Solutions is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Your blood pressure will rise. This however, is the worst-case scenario. The treatment consists of removing the needle from the device and replacing it with a new one. This is important to know if you normally have high blood pressure. Young people are also more likely to have their fingers near the injection site when they use drugs intramuscularly (in their muscles). The only way to prevent hypoglycemia is by avoiding injections into damaged skin, using a sterile needle, syringe, and vial every time you dose your insulin. Its use is limited by adverse side effects such as hypotension and tachycardia, requiring adequate pre-hydration. This however, is the worst-case scenario. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0 Symptoms of an unintentional injection are typically mild and may include: Injecting an EpiPen accidentally into your hands or feet may result in a lack of blood supply to those areas, resulting in numbness. 2 What common mistake can happen when using an EpiPen? These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Again, hold the thing in your clenched fist, fingers and thumbs away from either end. 1998, 160: 6531-6532. 4 What if I use an EpiPen and dont need it? Follow the instructions to remove the safety cap (s). Part of B12 injections or vaccinations), theres a sharp sting as the needle punctures the skin. (Needless to say I dumped that dose and got a fresh syringe for the cat :lol: :lol: ) 1. If your Epipen was used by you or a family member on accident make sure its stored in the correct place. You should always be checked out at the ER after using your EpiPen. Other possible injuries include redness, swelling, blistering, or peeling of the skin, bleeding under the skin, or scarring. Even though they are labeled I still get worried and have to look closely. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. At Dust Mite Solutions we try to answer the most important questions you have about allergies. 10.1016/0735-6757(90)90295-B. 2023 Nutricia North America. For best results, ask your childs healthcare team to demonstrate how to properly use an epinephrine shot[3]. What are various methods available for deploying a Windows application? Greene AK: Management of epinephrine injection injury to the digit. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. A medical student has gone viral by detailing the correct way to use an EpiPen - after watching a video of a clueless girl accidentally stabbing herself in the finger while trying to administer . 10 How do you know if an EpiPen has worked? Plast Reconstr Surg. Whether you are new to food allergies and want to get to know our products, or you need help with a lifestyle change, for new ideas to . Forcefully push the epinephrine injector into the outer-upper portion of the thigh in a stabbing motion, and hold it there for 10 seconds. If you alone call your local doctors office or allergist its never a bad idea to let them know the mistake. 10.1097/00006534-200107000-00017. In order for epinephrine to work properly, it must be injected into the thigh muscle. Immediate effects are: Local Vasoconstriction Loss of circulation/ adequate perfusion with a cap refill >4 seconds. What is the difference between EpiPen doses? We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Sorry there was an error savinig your comment. If you have sensitive skin, try using a less abrasive soap instead of hand sanitizer. This however, is the worst-case scenario. A 31-year-old physician in a Family Practice training program at an academic primary care center was handling an Epipen because he wanted to be familiar with it before prescribing it. Once injected epinephrine will: Enhance your breathing, quicken your heart, and raise blood pressure.

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