Tubing and syringe sizes

[Mizagorn]

Hello everyone,

I found this site a few weeks ago and have been very much appreciating all the wonderful information and advice contained within. It's also very nice to know there is a community of people that have been going through the same types of things. Much love to you all!

After two trips to the emergency room two nights in a row about 5 weeks ago, I was referred to a neurologist. It took about a month to get the appointment and I was prescribed sumatriptan injections (6mg/0.5ml per injection), oxygen and I was switched back to verapamil 120/mg 3x per day after having been on propranolol a while and verapamil 80mg 3x per day before that by my nurse practitioner.

Anyway, I'm trying to get myself set up with both. I'm normally pretty good at finding information, but I can't seem to find any reference to either of these questions. I'm willing to bet they have been answered, but my head right now just won't let me investigate and much as normal.

Sumatriptan
When I finally got enough money to get a partial fill of my prescription, I was expecting to get the auto-injector form like what was on my GoodRX coupon. When I got home, I found that I had simply received 5 vials each containing 0.5ml. Apparently enough for one dose each. And that was $122.00 haha. Wow. (No insurance, but the coupon sure helped!)

I've seen on this site where most people say that 3mg is enough for an injection treatment, so I have two questions:

1) Is it OK to use each vial for two doses?

2) Is there a certain size/gauge syringe that I need to be looking for?

 

Tubing size for welding (CGA-540) regulator adapter
I have ordered the Cluster O2 kit from clusterheadaches.com.  However, I don't see in the description what the inside diameter of the tubing is. I'm going to guess 1/4"?

I'm going the welding oxygen tank route, because even here in Dallas, TX I'm having a hard time finding large medical oxygen tanks. I can get what's probably an M size tank for $250 with $25 refills.

But I need to know what size adapter I need to get so that the tubing will connect to the regulator. 

Does this one look OK? (Dixon OA61 Oxygen Hose Brass Fitting, Coupler, 9/16"-18 UNF Right Hand Female, 1/4" Hose ID Barbed ) https://www.amazon.com/Dixon-OA61-Oxygen-Fitting-Coupler/dp/B007D5KS2A/

The regulator I am looking at is this one (Victor Technologies 0781-9400 G250-150-540 Medium Duty Single Stage Oxygen Regulator, 150 psig Delivery Range, CGA 540 Inlet Connection) https://www.amazon.com/Technologies-0781-9400-G250-150-540-Regulator-Connection/dp/B00BZFB2TC/

Thanks!
Thanks to everyone for all the long-distance support even when you didn't know it. Super glad I found this site.

Best regards,
Terry

[Mizagorn]

By the way, this is what kind of vials I received, if it helps any.

 

[johncluster]

For Welding  M-tank 02 I use this     Oxygen Regulator Standard Body-CGA540, 0-25 LPM , you can search amazon , because I had hard time finding a correct fitting for 1/4" tubing.   

SOme people are suggesting as far as going to 40lpm, but 25lpm works for me.

Edited May 2, 2019 by johncluster

[CHfather]

Miza', I'm not sure you really need that expensive of a regulator.  There are a bunch at amazon that already come with the adapter (or at least it appears that way from the pictures).  This one, for example, makes sense to me: https://www.amazon.com/PSI-KING-Welding-Oxygen-Regulator/dp/B01DAYCJWO/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2DOJUIMBLZXIH&keywords=welding+oxygen+regulator&qid=1556763640&s=industrial&sprefix=welding+oxygen+%2Cindustrial%2C156&sr=1-5.  I also feel very confident that the ClusterO2 Kit tubing is standard size and will fit on that adapter.  But you might want to be sure this is confirmed by someone else.  If you are going to get the regulator you mentioned, it does look like that Dixon adapter will be fine.  Less expensive plastic ones are available at amazon and at many hardware stores.

As for the syringes, someone once posted this here: "1ml "insulin" syringes with thin 33-gauge needles work great.  Don't let your doc or pharmacist try to convince you that you need a larger gauge for "draw up.""  That's the only thing I remember seeing about syringe size, and I don't know anything about your other question regarding using a vial more than once.  A lot of people get aborts from 2ml.

Suggest you also consider getting a smaller O2 tank for portability. 40 or 60 cu ft.  And you might want some kind of rolling stand for that big tank.

[jon019]

you got LUCKY...ea vial is 6 mg suma in 0.5 ml solution....potential for 15 aborts vs 1 or 2 for a statdose (as many get by with 2-3 mg of suma) ...so just draw up partial amount (found by trial and error) and save the rest for "next time". I used 1/2 ml 30 gauge insulin syringes....BUT much prefer 5 mg Zomig nasal spray...as it had nunna the ooky side effects of suma (for me)...

[Mizagorn]

Thanks so much for all the tips! I'm looking at the 2 suggested regulators right now.

@jon019 I guess I am fortunate! It appears that I can just use the insulin syringes and draw out exactly what I want the good old-fashioned way without having to tear anything apart like I've seen in other posts. Surely the Walmart where I got the vials will also have the syringes.

This has been so helpful. I very much appreciate all the great feedback.

[johncluster]

Let us know please if those nozzles were correct size.  I once had a welding regulator but I count find small enough nozzle , so I returned it,,,

 I went to a supply store with it and an oxygen hose but all the fittings were just too big.

If it works for a 1/4" hose  that's gonna be really cool , because those medical regulators are more expensive and mine has a minor leak already.  Welding regulator might be more durable.

 

Edited May 2, 2019 by johncluster

[Mizagorn]

Hey @johncluster, I will certainly keep this post updated (as appropriate), but I do need to let y'all know that I went with a different regulator than one of the two mentioned in this post.

It's the AGPtek Welding Gas Welder Oxygen Regulator CGA 540 for victor torch cutting kits
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JJGL7LW/

I did that for a couple of reasons (which hopefully I won't regret haha)

1. The price
2. Availability of Prime delivery (I've already waited so long for even just a neurologist appointment). Others would have been at least a week in delivery.

The description does not specify the barbed nipple size, but I'm assuming (hoping) it will be 1/4" because a lot of oxyacetylene hoses are also 1/4".

Since I am a freelance work-at-home type of person, I don't have PTO or even insurance, so since I've not worked in almost 3 months I'm pretty low in my nest egg.

We'll see how it goes, and as I said, I will keep this post updated with my results. Even if only one other "new" person reads this, it will be worth taking the time to present information that might not be available somewhere else. Plus, Google does actually crawl these posts for search engine results.

 

[Freud]

Sorry I didn’t see this thread it may be a little late but amazon has returns if you like this option better. I have recently bought two regulators from this CO WTFarley one 540 25lpm and a regulator for Etanks that goes to 25LPM. The first I bought direct. The second one I searched the product code in prime and it came up. Price was a dollar different but I had amazon points to use so all I payed for was shipping. I went with this company bc if the quality of their products. I could have bought a 25$ Etank regulator but even the product description sounded cheaply made.  I haven’t included the amazon links but I think you got that covered it’s late and I’m mid hit. A lot of my posts are mid hit and I try to chime in here when I’m down for the count so to speak. Given that 9-18hr of my day are during a hit. The rest of the time I try to sleep and do something that make me feel good or study. Hope this helps. 

 

Brian

 

if you can’t find them using product codes from the Farley site on amazon let me know. I didn’t search the 540 reg there but I’m assuming it’s available. The E tank one was. 

[Freud]

Just checked amazon and the 540 regulator doesn’t come up. Sorry

[Mizagorn]

Thanks for the tips @Freud! I really appreciate the effort even when you are mid hit. That means a lot.  Take care of yourself! 

I just opened the AGPteck regulator I mentioned above. It does come with the correct size 1/4" barbed connector for the ClusterO2 kit I received a couple of days ago. I will take a look at what you shared and let y'all know what my further thoughts are.

I've been out the last couple of days with a toothache from a split. Glad I finally got it pulled today! Hopefully that will lessen the toothaches that come with the attacks.