• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Supply of needles etc.

W

Wee eck

Member
Messages
12
Just been informed by my chemist that there is a supply problem with single-use needles for insulin injection.
I still have about 2 weeks supply but my question is do we really need to make them single use?
Long-term diabetic friends laughed at me using needles as single use, but I was just going by clinic advice.
Can I use one needle for the life of a pen for example (about 2 weeks)?
 
Wee eck said:
Can I use one needle for the life of a pen for example (about 2 weeks)?
Click to expand...

Can you - yes
should you - no

ive been know to used the same needle many times.. however a few years back the were made a little better and didn't blunt so quickly... sharpness aside there is the hygiene/infection risk....

if you don't get them from your current source try another pharmacy
 
I use same needle for probly 10 jabs, just can’t be bothered to change it. But that’s not advice :)
 
I confess to being an infrequent changer of my pen needle, but it can lead to issues (bruising of site). It's a bad habit.
 
Wee eck said:
Just been informed by my chemist that there is a supply problem with single-use needles for insulin injection.
Click to expand...

Wait a minute. There is more than one brand of needles for pens. Are they not able to get any? What did they suggest you do? Maybe they have some disposable single use syringes instead? (I use them direct with the insulin cartridge when a pen either fails or I can't find it). Reusing needles may be better than going without insulin but this is a supply issue that is potentially life threatening...
 
Got to admit I do use needles more than once . I know it’s not advised but ach I don’t listen sometimes , might come from being told 40 years ago change them when they are blunt lol and they were like darts back then , not like the micro needles we have now , it’s not recommended but using one for a few jabs isn’t going to see you boiled in oil or put on the naughty step for a month
 
Ushthetaff said:
come from being told 40 years ago change them when they are blunt lol and they were like darts back then ,
Click to expand...
I was really lucky that when I was diagnosed (1970) my parents could afford to self fund disposable syringes so that I didn't have to use and reuse the reusable NHS ones. (My mother, who was a T1, had experienced these and didn't want to subject me to them.:)).
 
EllieM said:
I was really lucky that when I was diagnosed (1970) my parents could afford to self fund disposable syringes so that I didn't have to use and reuse the reusable NHS ones. (My mother, who was a T1, had experienced these and didn't want to subject me to them.:)).
Click to expand...
I do remember my mum buying me some when she asked why they weren’t available on the NHS she was told they are a “ luxury”
 
Ushthetaff said:
Got to admit I do use needles more than once . I know it’s not advised but ach I don’t listen sometimes , might come from being told 40 years ago change them when they are blunt lol and they were like darts back then , not like the micro needles we have now , it’s not recommended but using one for a few jabs isn’t going to see you boiled in oil or put on the naughty step for a month
Click to expand...

You haven't met my Diabetes Nurse!!!!
 
I know they tell you should always change the needle so i'me just saying what I do ,When my Novo Rapid cartridge is empty I replace it with a new one and replace the needle as well , The cartridge usually lasts me a week so thats 21- 28 injections and I have never had a problem , no pain no bruising no infections , Maybe it's the manufacturers telling us to change them .
 
jaywak said:
I know they tell you should always change the needle so i'me just saying what I do ,When my Novo Rapid cartridge is empty I replace it with a new one and replace the needle as well , The cartridge usually lasts me a week so thats 21- 28 injections and I have never had a problem , no pain no bruising no infections , Maybe it's the manufacturers telling us to change them .
Click to expand...

Around 5 weeks ago, immediately after injecting my long acting insulin in my leg, I managed to inadvertantly prick my right thumb with the freshly used needle. This was around 7pm and by bedtime my thumb was throbbing and painful. I had a course of oral antibiotics that had no effect and I was admitted to hospital for intravenous antibiotics and still my thumb worsened.

Just over a week after the initial injury - the consultant decided to make an incision and drain the pus and I have been in bandages since with 1 doctor telling me he thought it would take 18 months to heal. On the consent form I had to acknowledge that I might lose my right thumb.

I have found in the past that long acting insulin seems to congeal and block the needle preventing re-use. I was re-using needles for rapid acting insulin until I got this infection, but not anymore.
 
urbanracer said:
I have found in the past that long acting insulin seems to congeal and block the needle preventing re-use. I was re-using needles for rapid acting insulin until I got this infection, but not anymore.
Click to expand...

That is scary, I'll have to start changing my long acting needle every day. Of course, that also means I'll have to ask my pharmacy to give me more insulin, as last time I was there they admitted that when they calculate the number of vials to give me (based on a value of 16-18 units per day) they don't allow any extra for priming....
 
When I used pens (I pump now), I would occasionally reuse a needle. This was typically when I was going out and I would rather keep the needle on the pen and reuse it for my dessert jab than have to carry a needle bottle around with me to dispose the used ones in.
I would always bruise when I did this. OK, so I am more susceptible to bruising than many but it is enough to highlight to me that the needle starts to blunt after the first use.

I have read elsewhere that one needle manufacturer has reported a shortage but there are others around which seem to be doing ok. I believe the shortage is with the manufacturer of the "smoother" needles" but I would rather a fresh rougher needle than reusing any. And I would rather use a longer needle if I had to.
 
My pharmacist mentioned a shortage of GlucoRX needles but in the context of switching me over to VeriFine. Turns out I find the new needles better.

I very occasionally reuse needles, like if I know I’ll need a correction in 2hrs but still purge/prime the needle. Also started putting the small cap back on since I slipped & stabbed my finger, luckily no infection arose.
 
Some time after being diagnosed my GPs surgery got a new diabetes nurse who was absolutely adamant, one needle, one injection. I pointed out I was injecting 50+ times per day, and this was going to cost the nhs (via the surgery) shedloads of money (not to mention vast numbers of sharps bins etc.). She went and talked to a diabetes specialist doc, and came back with a recommendation of 2-3 needles per day.
 
I had an email today from the makers of GlucoRX needles saying there was a supply problem but would be resolved by early June. I typically use one needle per day. The dire warnings about risk or infection with re-use are groundless; how would there be an infection risk? I sometimes find the needle is getting blunt after a few uses and then change it the same day. For most skin types, throwing away a needle after just one use is a waste of NHS funds.
 
They don’t seem groundless given Urbanracers experience above.

I believe there is a risk of infection every time you pierce, cut, scrape or graze your skin but generally our bodies can deal with minor bacterial interactions. Plus there is no certainty that used needles are being kept in a sterile condition. In fact the second you use it the needle is no longer sterile.

Like with most things, you take your own risk but it’s probably not wise to dismiss the risk entirely.
 
Seacrow said:
Some time after being diagnosed my GPs surgery got a new diabetes nurse who was absolutely adamant, one needle, one injection. I pointed out I was injecting 50+ times per day, and this was going to cost the nhs (via the surgery) shedloads of money (not to mention vast numbers of sharps bins etc.). She went and talked to a diabetes specialist doc, and came back with a recommendation of 2-3 needles per day.
Click to expand...
50 times a day! That's about every 20 mins, is that common?
 
Mr_Pot said:
50 times a day! That's about every 20 mins, is that common?
Click to expand...

I don't think it can be common to inject insulin 50 times a day but hopefully Seacrow will confirm for us, I wonder if they meant 5? x
 
Back
Top