How Many EpiPens Do I Need?

The most common question I get from people who are newly diagnosed is how many EpiPens I have. The short answer is I have five (I think. Two EpiPens and three Auvi-Qs?), but it's more complicated than that. Let's start with a base number: four. You're supposed to carry two auto-injectors with you at all times, so most allergists recommend getting two two-packs.*
Side note: Both the EpiPen and Auvi-Q zero copay coupons cover up to three two-packs at a time.

But, there are other factors that could change your number.

Usage: If you have four and use one, you'll have three. Then you would get another two-pack and have five. This could also happen if you leave one in your glove box and it becomes ineffective while the other remains good.
Variety: A lot of people (like me) have both EpiPens and Auvi-Qs. I prefer the Auvi-Q because it seems less scary and painful, but other people are more familiar with the EpiPen. One of my friends who is trained on the Auvi-Q said she'd still use an EpiPen on me because she felt she could get a better grip. You may want both devices, which means you need at least two two-packs.*

School: Especially for younger children, EpiPens should be left in the nurse's office or with the teacher rather than in a backpack. Unfortunately, this means you might need an extra pack because you can't take these to carry in other situations. On the other hand, if you're in college, you don't need these. You can use the same ones as you would for out-of-school.

Locations: Like school, there are some locations where you might want to leave an EpiPen or two long-term. Your kitchen, with a parent, in sports bags, etc. This isn't as relevant if you carry the EpiPens on your body, but I keep mine in a purse most of the time (and I don't want to have to take my purse to the gym... or dinner in my own kitchen). Divorce may also increase your number.

Expiration: EpiPens expire relatively quickly (and Auvi-Qs seem to expire sooner), but studies have shown that expired EpiPens are still effective to a certain degree. I save these as a last resort (and for blog photography), but I don't count on them as being functional. After the next set expires, I keep the older ones to train people (aka stab fruit).

Some of you probably read this and decided you need a bunch of EpiPens. If you've been following me for a while now, you know that I like everything organized. My motto is "as much predictability as someone with a chronic illness can have." One of my readers from the start suggested adding a location label to my Soapbox Epi Kits, such as "purse," "backpack," etc. This is helpful if you have six or more kits to keep track of. Another option is to number them or color code them and keep a whiteboard with each location listed. Doing it this way, you could have a tub by the door to keep them in when you aren't using them. For me, this defeats the point of pre-setting them in multiple locations, but it would work well for families with multiple people using EpiPens. 

*You have to talk to your doctor or allergist about this when they write a prescription. Some write it for a set number of EpiPens (if you want more, you have to get a new prescriptions), some write it so that it is able to be refilled "as needed," and some do a specific number of refills. It's a weird system that could limit how many you get (or make you get an appointment to refill). In addition, you need to discuss whether you want an EpiPen or Auvi-Q. Sometimes the prescription is substitutable, but sometimes it is not. If you want both, you may need two prescriptions.