Getting cut with opening Cayston

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kgfrompa

Guest
I get Cayston every other month and cut my hands opening the tiny metal tops on the Vials,They sent me out a new months supply last month and I am cut again bleeding on my finger trying to open my meds Is any one else having this happen I will be calling Cayston today i wish they would sit around the board room and attempt to open A much life saving drug!I just would love to hear if others are having as much trouble as I am !Thanks hoping they can do a different kind of package that will not make me get a knife out to try and pry the vial open!
 
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triples15

Super Moderator
kgfrompa said:
I get Cayston every other month and cut my hands opening the tiny metal tops on the Vials,They sent me out a new months supply last month and I am cut again bleeding on my finger trying to open my meds Is any one else having this happen I will be calling Cayston today i wish they would sit around the board room and attempt to open A much life saving drug!I just would love to hear if others are having as much trouble as I am !Thanks hoping they can do a different kind of package that will not make me get a knife out to try and pry the vial open!
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Hi Kg,

I have cut myself on the Cayston vials a few times. They are painful little buggers. Ugh.

I know that they are aware of it because I'm on research panel that does CF related surveys, and have taken several surveys regarding Cayston. Many of the questions are directly about the packaging, and ease of opening/mixing etc. I have stated on the online surveys that I cut myself on the metal top. I also did a phone interview and told them specifically about the problems with the metal cutting my thumb.

I have a friend who is also on the panel and she has also told them about cutting herself. So my guess is they are hearing quite a lot about it. I'm just not sure they can find a better way to do it? Time will tell, but in the meantime I guess we grin and bear it!? :)

If you would be interested in joining the panel to take these surveys so you can let them know too, send me a PM and I can give you the details.

Take Care,

Autumn 33 w/CF
 
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stephen

Guest
Believe it or not, these Cayston vial caps are an improvement from what they used to be.

I've been on Cayston for over six years, from before it was FDA approved. The original vials were even more difficult to open. I always used a pair of pliers to open them.

It seems the caps are not scored enough along where they are meant to be torn open. Occasionally I still use a pliers. The older caps were scored even less, and the tabs on the top needed to be pried up.

I have spoken to Gilead a few times about this.
 
M

mindy515

New member
Oh My Goodness - I'm so glad someone else spoke up about this. I know it sounds trivial but it is a little ridiculous! I cut myself constantly or break off the little tabs trying not to and then have to pull out the darn plyers to open the vial. I really hope they do something about this!
 
K

kgfrompa

Guest
I am hoping for a change as many of my meds never make me cut myself.Thank you
 
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hammerpocket

Guest
I have to agree with stephen that the original Cayston vial caps were even worse. I can offer one tip: When I get a vial with a tab that doesn't stick up enough to get a hold of it, I have found that twisting the entire cap - as if I am trying to open it like a screw-top bottle - will sometimes pop the tab up.
 
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Patti Rowland

Guest
I finally bought my daughter a small pair of pliers that are usually used for jewelry making to open the Cayston. I would think eventually using a knife to open will have a bad outcome...
 
K

keefer11

New member
Yup, I have definitely cut my thumb a few times on the cayston vials. Like hammer pocket said I, too twist the whole top and most of the time that works if it doesn't I use one of my insulin needles to open it. You could try a normal sterilized needle, too.

Hard to to believe the vials used to be worse!!
 
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cfgf28

Guest
When my fiancé first started this the first bottle I opened sliced my thumb so bad it was bleeding all over!!! Now if I open them for him I usually grip the tab with a dishtowel so I don't cut my thumb...
 
J

Jellybaby

New member
Ahhh! I thought I was the only one! I have the exact same problem every single time, it's a health hazard at this stage! I wrote to them and they said they were working on a new packaging design but that was last year at this stage! Hope it's sorted soon! Glad I'm not the only one!
 
2

2005CFmom

Super Moderator
We don't use cayston, so I don't know if these would work.
https://www.vialcrimper.com/Vial_Decapper_Pliers_20mm.html

I use this type of plier to remove the metal ring off of vanco bottles. But the vanco bottles have a solid ring, what you guys seems to be describing is a metal ring with a pull tab. Like I said, don't know if they would work and don't know what size of bottle cayson comes in. The 20mm works perfectly for vanco. I was able to find them for about $45 on the internet.
 
K

kgfrompa

Guest
I am glad I am not alone to,I am so happy I did not have to deal with the Original Cayston ! I have to say I pick the easier ones in the morning when I am least alert then go for the knife to open up the others so many are not even cut at all I will try twisting and pliers But This would be the first Medicine I ever had to use pliers!Maybe they should send us some with the meds just having a little fun now!!hahaha
 
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stephen

Guest
As has been mentioned, the "newer" vials are much easier to open than the original vials. However, several times a month the tab breaks off before the metal ring is freed. I then revert to using a pair of diagonal wire cutting pliers to remove the ring. A little care needs to be taken so that the points on the ends or the pliers do not chip the glass rim on the vial.

With the older vials, I always used a diagonal wire cutting pliers to open them.
 
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nmatthews

New member
I am surprised that your doc hasn't give you the premixed Cayston which is called Aztreonam. Same stuff, just premixed in little plastic containers for you.. just like Pulmozyme and Hypertonic Saline is. Ask your doc to call your pharmacy and have it switched to premixed. This was a blessing to me b/c who has the time to mix the meds and what a waste to have to use needles!
 
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stephen

Guest
nmatthews,

Are you sure you talking about Cayston for a nebulizer, (Aztreonam for inhalation solution)? I don't think it comes pre-mixed.

It's supplied in a small vial cotaning 0.75 mG of Cayston powder along with a 1 mL ampule of 0.17% saline. I've told to mix it just before use.

I am aware that Colistin for inhalation is available pre-mixed, and Aztreonam for injection or IV may be available pre-mixed.
 
A

amber682

New member
thank you!

hammerpocket said:
I have to agree with stephen that the original Cayston vial caps were even worse. I can offer one tip: When I get a vial with a tab that doesn't stick up enough to get a hold of it, I have found that twisting the entire cap - as if I am trying to open it like a screw-top bottle - will sometimes pop the tab up.
Click to expand...


Thanks for this! I have been prying them open with a knife, and have slipped a few times and sliced my finger. I never thought to twist the cap! It makes the tab pop up just enough for me to grab it. No more slicing my knuckle :)
 
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triples15

Super Moderator
amber682 said:
Thanks for this! I have been prying them open with a knife, and have slipped a few times and sliced my finger. I never thought to twist the cap! It makes the tab pop up just enough for me to grab it. No more slicing my knuckle :)
Click to expand...

I second that!

Thanks Hammerpocket, that advice was golden! I've already used that tip twice since reading it yesterday. ;) Twisting the cap has popped the tab right up on a couple that weren't up at all!

Autumn 33 w/CF
 
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MissAlexsBP

Guest
Hi! You are certainly not alone! In the past I had cut my fingers open too. As others have mentioned in the post I use a pair of pliers to open up the metal parts. I usually peel off the metal parts for the entire week supply just so I don't need to worry about it for the week :) Good luck!
 
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