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What happens if you inject EpiPen by accident? What should you do?
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Okesemilore Mary
What happens if you inject EpiPen by accident? What should you do?
It depends entirely where the injection site is.
In major muscle? Not an issue. You will feel like your heart is racing for a while. But if you have used the auto injector because of anaphalaxis, you must go to hospital.
In the thumb?
Go directly to ED. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200.
This is because adrenaline is a vasoconstrictor. That is, it stops or vastly reduces the blood flow in surrounding tissue.
This means such an injury compromises the thumb, finger or toe that got the injection.
Why did I mention the thumb?
Because one type of adrenaline auto injector, called an anapen, makes no attempt at shielding the needle once used, nor does it have clear directions for those in a hurry as to which way is up.
On picking it up both ends have black caps. The longer one is the needle end.. but in the heat of the moment they can get mixed up, and many will have their thumb on the end… then get accidentally stabbed with it.
You hold it in the middle of your clenched fist, with your thumb out if the way. Look into the device to see which end has the needle. Then use it.
The Epi Pen on the other hand has a sort of truncated flat ORANGE cone at the needle end, while the safety catch is the BLUE end.
The idea is “blue to the sky”. Again, hold the thing in your clenched fist, fingers and thumbs away from either end.
Once used, the orange end acts as a needle shield, so no one can get a needlestick injury.
But, after using the adrenaline auto injector, you must go to hospital, preferably by ambulance as you may need more adrenaline to save your life.
A patient I had last week stated she needs THREE when stung by a bee, but she only had one. Needless to say, she got a ride to ED.
In major muscle? Not an issue. You will feel like your heart is racing for a while. But if you have used the auto injector because of anaphalaxis, you must go to hospital.
In the thumb?
Go directly to ED. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200.
This is because adrenaline is a vasoconstrictor. That is, it stops or vastly reduces the blood flow in surrounding tissue.
This means such an injury compromises the thumb, finger or toe that got the injection.
Why did I mention the thumb?
Because one type of adrenaline auto injector, called an anapen, makes no attempt at shielding the needle once used, nor does it have clear directions for those in a hurry as to which way is up.
On picking it up both ends have black caps. The longer one is the needle end.. but in the heat of the moment they can get mixed up, and many will have their thumb on the end… then get accidentally stabbed with it.
You hold it in the middle of your clenched fist, with your thumb out if the way. Look into the device to see which end has the needle. Then use it.
The Epi Pen on the other hand has a sort of truncated flat ORANGE cone at the needle end, while the safety catch is the BLUE end.
The idea is “blue to the sky”. Again, hold the thing in your clenched fist, fingers and thumbs away from either end.
Once used, the orange end acts as a needle shield, so no one can get a needlestick injury.
But, after using the adrenaline auto injector, you must go to hospital, preferably by ambulance as you may need more adrenaline to save your life.
A patient I had last week stated she needs THREE when stung by a bee, but she only had one. Needless to say, she got a ride to ED.
It depends entirely where the injection site is.
In major muscle? Not an issue. You will feel like your heart is racing for a while. But if you have used the auto injector because of anaphalaxis, you must go to hospital.
In the thumb?
Go directly to ED. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200.
This is because adrenaline is a vasoconstrictor. That is, it stops or vastly reduces the blood flow in surrounding tissue.
This means such an injury compromises the thumb, finger or toe that got the injection.
Why did I mention the thumb?
Because one type of adrenaline auto injector, called an anapen, makes no attempt at shielding the needle once used, nor does it have clear directions for those in a hurry as to which way is up.
On picking it up both ends have black caps. The longer one is the needle end.. but in the heat of the moment they can get mixed up, and many will have their thumb on the end… then get accidentally stabbed with it.
You hold it in the middle of your clenched fist, with your thumb out if the way. Look into the device to see which end has the needle. Then use it.
The Epi Pen on the other hand has a sort of truncated flat ORANGE cone at the needle end, while the safety catch is the BLUE end.
The idea is “blue to the sky”. Again, hold the thing in your clenched fist, fingers and thumbs away from either end.
Once used, the orange end acts as a needle shield, so no one can get a needlestick injury.
But, after using the adrenaline auto injector, you must go to hospital, preferably by ambulance as you may need more adrenaline to save your life.
A patient I had last week stated she needs THREE when stung by a bee, but she only had one. Needless to say, she got a ride to ED.
It depends entirely where the injection site is.
In major muscle? Not an issue. You will feel like your heart is racing for a while. But if you have used the auto injector because of anaphalaxis, you must go to hospital.
In the thumb?
Go directly to ED. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200.
This is because adrenaline is a vasoconstrictor. That is, it stops or vastly reduces the blood flow in surrounding tissue.
This means such an injury compromises the thumb, finger or toe that got the injection.
Why did I mention the thumb?
Because one type of adrenaline auto injector, called an anapen, makes no attempt at shielding the needle once used, nor does it have clear directions for those in a hurry as to which way is up.
On picking it up both ends have black caps. The longer one is the needle end.. but in the heat of the moment they can get mixed up, and many will have their thumb on the end… then get accidentally stabbed with it.
You hold it in the middle of your clenched fist, with your thumb out if the way. Look into the device to see which end has the needle. Then use it.
The Epi Pen on the other hand has a sort of truncated flat ORANGE cone at the needle end, while the safety catch is the BLUE end.
The idea is “blue to the sky”. Again, hold the thing in your clenched fist, fingers and thumbs away from either end.
Once used, the orange end acts as a needle shield, so no one can get a needlestick injury.
But, after using the adrenaline auto injector, you must go to hospital, preferably by ambulance as you may need more adrenaline to save your life.
A patient I had last week stated she needs THREE when stung by a bee, but she only had one. Needless to say, she got a ride to ED.
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