Supply of needles etc.

sleepster

Well-Known Member
Messages
749
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I'm a pumper these days but would reuse needles until they hurt when I was on MDI. When I was at school I used to inject through my tights and would rarely change the needle on that pen (only used at school as it had to stay in the nurses office) :bag:
I think now I would change the needle more often but probably not after every injection. I would advise others to change theirs after every injection though, I don't want to encourage naughty habits.
 

searley

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Retired Moderator
Messages
1,880
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Pump
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Diabetes, not having Jaffa Cake
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.


Humalog tends todo this to me but only if I don’t use the pen for a couple of days… dial in a couple of units and press the button hard normally pops out..

Despite what I say above about could you should you…. Pre pump.. I tended to use 1 needle per pen.. sometimes the needle was so blunt you could hear it tear through the skin.. in 9 years on mdi I’m still on my 4th box of needles :-(
 
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chrisbug

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Messages
141
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Radio 1.
I was diagnosed 22 years ago and I'm pretty sure I had to pay for the needles, after about a year they became available on the NHS.
I am rubbish (lazy) at changing my needles, I used to be a one cartridge, 1 needle man, unless I bent the needle, then I'd treat myself to a new one.
I've just had a meeting with my nurse who pointed out that needles are designed to be used once, and when looked under a microscope after one use they have a rough texture that will damage the skin on insertion and drag the skin it out on removal, the smooth finish (lubricant?) goes. Possibly contributing to lipohypertrophy.
I do change my needles more often these days.
 

Seacrow

Well-Known Member
Messages
496
Type of diabetes
LADA
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
No, 50+. Severe insulin resistance and a funny reaction to most insulin meant a maximum of 30 units per jab, making about 20 jabs per meal. Throw in a couple of correction shots and you get severe lipohypertrophy. My stomach was solid with lumps. At the time my consultant said I was definitely in the top 1% of insulin dosages.
 

KK123

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,967
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
No, 50+. Severe insulin resistance and a funny reaction to most insulin meant a maximum of 30 units per jab, making about 20 jabs per meal. Throw in a couple of correction shots and you get severe lipohypertrophy. My stomach was solid with lumps. At the time my consultant said I was definitely in the top 1% of insulin dosages.

Thank you for replying, another example of how complicated diabetes can be and how different we all are.
 

jaywak

Well-Known Member
Messages
722
Type of diabetes
Type 1
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Insulin
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Cold weather, angry people, queues,
Listening to all this I have to count my blessings that I have been so lucky , 46 yrs of doing this and never had a problem .
 

Struma

Well-Known Member
Messages
536
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Other
One needle one injection.
I do believe this also reduces risk of lipohypertrophy.
There are photos of a multiple use needle going the rounds every now and then. They're not too good.
 

Lisa69free

Well-Known Member
Messages
151
I'm on my 3rd box of needles and only came home from being diagnosed on the 12th of last month. On the subject of needles... Do I just go to my local chemist to swap sharp box?
 

searley

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Retired Moderator
Messages
1,880
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
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Diabetes, not having Jaffa Cake
I'm on my 3rd box of needles and only came home from being diagnosed on the 12th of last month. On the subject of needles... Do I just go to my local chemist to swap sharp box?
you care team should advise. in our area we call the local council and they come collect and swap it
 

Fenn

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,405
Type of diabetes
Type 1.5
Treatment type
Insulin
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.
Yikes! That’s not nice sorry mate.

I used my novo pen to prick finger for COVID test last week, there was a single use little needle thing but messed it up first try and wouldn’t work twice, bloody hurt, made me appreciate finger prick pens, won’t be doing that again.
 
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jaywak

Well-Known Member
Messages
722
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Cold weather, angry people, queues,
I was diagnosed 22 years ago and I'm pretty sure I had to pay for the needles, after about a year they became available on the NHS.
I am rubbish (lazy) at changing my needles, I used to be a one cartridge, 1 needle man, unless I bent the needle, then I'd treat myself to a new one.
I've just had a meeting with my nurse who pointed out that needles are designed to be used once, and when looked under a microscope after one use they have a rough texture that will damage the skin on insertion and drag the skin it out on removal, the smooth finish (lubricant?) goes. Possibly contributing to lipohypertrophy.
I do change my needles more often these days.
I was diagnosed 46 years ago at 16 and never payed for a prescription in my life , Good old NHS !
 

jaywak

Well-Known Member
Messages
722
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Cold weather, angry people, queues,
How ever long are the needles you are using if you can bend them ? I remember in the old days when we had to use a proper syringe with needles that were I believe 16 mm long so it was possible to bend them but now they are so short ( I use 5 mm ) I would say it was almost impossible to bend them and I personally can not even feel them even after several uses .
 

jaywak

Well-Known Member
Messages
722
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Cold weather, angry people, queues,
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)?
Thats what I do !
 

jaywak

Well-Known Member
Messages
722
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Cold weather, angry people, queues,
I'm on my 3rd box of needles and only came home from being diagnosed on the 12th of last month. On the subject of needles... Do I just go to my local chemist to swap sharp box?
I do take mine to my local chemist and ask them to dispose of it for me , Blimey 3 boxes in 6 weeks ! that would probably last me 18 months !
 

Hertfordshiremum

Well-Known Member
Messages
385
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
I'm on my 3rd box of needles and only came home from being diagnosed on the 12th of last month. On the subject of needles... Do I just go to my local chemist to swap sharp box?
Phone the local council, waste and refuse dept. I bruise terribly despite using one needle per injection. My nurse is posting me a prescription for a different kind to see if this will help.