Needles

[KezG]

Still new to injecting.. 2 months in.. only ever used needle once, don't think I'd change that unless I'd run out. However I have reused lancets.

 

[Daibell]

Hi. This question regularly comes up. I use one needle per day i.e. for 4 injections with no problems. I do remove the needle and replace the cap between uses as this aids hygiene. The hygiene argument to use a new needle each time I'm sure is not valid as long as you remove and recap. Nurses say to change each time for various reasons and one of those is that being the NHS no-one cares about the cost. The needle manufacturers say to change each time but they are in business to make a profit. So, some people do find they get bruising if they use more than once and that's understandable but we do have to be concerned about overall NHS costs.

 

[pinewood]

I confess to often re-using my finger prickers but I always use a fresh needle for injections.

 

[JC Durant]

I use one for the life time of my long acting pen and the pen and the last about 12 days . Been doing for the past 25 years the last jab feels like the first.

 

[Dodo]

I think us older diabetics are less likely to change the needle for every injection as years ago, in the days of syringes, you had to soak your needle in mentholated spirit after each injection and reuse them over and over. Then, of course, you also had to pay for them yourself. Hard to break the habit after doing this for years.

 

[leking]

Yeah, 19 years a T1. I changed the needle every injection for 1 month 19 years ago. Never since!

 

[kevinfitzgerald]

Yeah, 19 years a T1. I changed the needle every injection for 1 month 19 years ago. Never since!

As soon as it feels blunt.!..

 

[leking]

As soon as it feels blunt.!..

Exactly.

 

[kevinfitzgerald]

Exactly.

Yep, been doing it for 35 years..

 

[snowleopard]

If you re-use a needle, either by leaving it on the pen or putting it back on repeatedly, there is a risk of contamination being drawn into the insulin vial. Any bugs could then sit there for a couple of weeks happily multiplying. For a few pence, is it worth the risk?

 

[leking]

It's nothing to do with price, but convenience.

 

[Nidge247]

If you re-use a needle, either by leaving it on the pen or putting it back on repeatedly, there is a risk of contamination being drawn into the insulin vial. Any bugs could then sit there for a couple of weeks happily multiplying. For a few pence, is it worth the risk?

My thoughts precisely. I value my continued good health, so always change my injection needle (for those rare occasions when I take insulin, as on LCHF I'm not needing it at present). With my old separate lancing device it was too easy to forget and reuse it. For the past 18 months I've been using an Acuchek Mobile which has a built-in lancing device on cassette, which makes it much easier to flick the switch after every test so you always have a new needle for your next test.

 

[donnellysdogs]

I use one for the life time of my long acting pen and the pen and the last about 12 days . Been doing for the past 25 years the last jab feels like the first.

I do the same!! at 9 1/2 units a day my needles are lasting longer than 12 days though.

I put 6 spare needles in my pen case (2 pens) and change my stabber when I get new needles out to fill up my case..
Only once in 30 + years had fingers that were unsightly and damaged on the ends. That was last year when I was going through hell with failing pump cannulas (again) and constantly needing to test. (Nurse then got me multiple libres to try)...

 

[snowleopard]

I've been using an Acuchek Mobile which has a built-in lancing device on cassette, which makes it much easier to flick the switch after every test so you always have a new needle for your next test.

Less risk of contamination with these devices so I flick the switch once a day.

 

[Itomo1]

I have never used a needle twice.

 

[PseudoBob77]

About 5 out of 6 injections per day I'll change the needle. I just order loads from the doc.

Had my phases several years ago, i would change the needle only when I changed the insulin cartridge. Thing is needles start to go blunt and you damage or bruise your skin injecting.

Considering I average 6 injections and 6 blood tests per day, probably best I change frequently. I'd say a minimum or once per day is probably good enough. If you can order enough stock then change needles frequently. Also injecting can cause blood back into the needle ocassionally.