Not sure what to do with my needles!!

SandyT

Member
Messages
5
Hi all, I was just wondering how do we go about disposing of needles? I am a Type 1 and have been so for many years and never once worried about disposing of my needles until recently. I normally snap the needle and then replace the plastic cap on top, and after doing so I then snap the inner needle part which connects the syringe to needle, and then finally replace the outer plastic cap, so in total the needles are completely useless.

I have recently had people asking if I have 'placed your needle in a public bin?!' well, yes. I inject several times a day - especially when eating, need to do so to keep me alive, and already having to carry around insulin pens, needles, blood tester, blood tester strips, emergency food for hypos, it becomes a bit much to then carry a sharps bin around with you - my handbag is massive. What are the general rules as far as disposing of them goes? The hospital have never told me to dispose of them in any other way, and I've been attending the diabetic clinic for years.

My main issue is knowing what to do in the work place, help! :(
 

Sarah69

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,441
Type of diabetes
Type 2
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Insulin
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Anything healthy!
I just use a needle clipper, replace the cap after clipping the needle and throw it in the bin. I don't have a sharps bin but was offered the choice of that or a needle clipper when I first started using insulin. I chose the clipper as its small, I don't have space for a sharps bin!
 

phoenix

Expert
Messages
5,671
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Personally, I think that you should be disposing of them in a sharps bin., whether clipped or not.
Heres what DUK say about it.
http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-dia ... of_sharps/
If I'm out then I will put used needles, cannulas (I have a pump), lancets etc in a small container and dispose of them properly at home. For day to day use, I use an old glucose strip canister. If I'm going away for longer then I'll use either a plastic bottle with a screw cap (the type people decant cosmetics into) or for longer holidays a .5lt sharps bin .
 
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mark5745

Active Member
Messages
29
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
I wouldn't just put any sharps in with general rubbish always put in a sharps box or a plastic bottle with a screw cap and when full take it to a chemist that can dispose of it. They are free on prescription


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WilliamIrvine

Well-Known Member
Messages
63
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
People who think they are the only one's in the world that have any problems, animal abuse of any type
Well I am having similar issues with my needles. I have never in my life had a sharps bin because a previous GP practice told me it was too costly and non providable <---- is that a word????. I then got the clipper but me being me I keep loosing it.

However, through a work incident as a nurse I have contracted the HIV virus and so now have to have a sharps bin. Guess what??? My new GP Practice who I cannot fault in all honesty have never provided a sharps bin to anyone in their life and told me to contact my Diabetes centre. The diabetes centre said that it is the GP practice. The clinic where I will be attending for my new diagnosis can provide these but getting there is the big problem for me.

I then contacted the NHS Board for my area.... which I will name and shame as Greater Glasgow and Clyde have yet to respond to me. I contacted my council as I notice in many other areas of the UK the councils provide a service. At least they have responded and are looking into this as I completely refuse to attend any of the Needle exchange places provided - only because of the stigma of attending these places.

I am absolutely shocked at how difficult it appears to be to get a sharps bin within the Glasgow area. If anyone out there is from Glasgow and knows how to fix this please get in touch.
 

hale710

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,903
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
I was newly diagnosed just 2 weeks ago but I haven't had a problem with this. I've been given a needle clipper on repeat prescription and a sharps bin was provided at my GP. I was told to take it back there when its full and ill get a new one
 

garythegob

Well-Known Member
Messages
166
Hi, i believe anyone using needles should dispose of them in a sharps bin whether they have been clipped or not, i get my sharps bin on prescription, and when its full i take it to my local chemist for disposal, the bin is only 6"x2"x3" so they take up no space what so ever! When i am out working, and because i drive for a living, normal car, not hgv, and i test my bs every 2-3 hours, i use an old test strip container to put my used test lancets, and contaminated test strips in, and then when i get home, i empty it into my sharps bin, then disinfect the old strip container ready for use the following day!

As for doctors not giving test meters, strips etc, the NATIONAL INSTITUTE for CLINICAL EXCELLENCE say that ANYONE controlling diabetes by medication should have a blood test meter and all strips etc ON PRESCRIPTION to keep track of the blood sugar! PLEASE SIGN THE E-PETITION I HAVE SET UP TO HAVE THIS MATTER BOUGHT BEFORE THE GOVERNMENT, SO THEY CAN PASS IT SO THAT GP 'S HAVE GOT TO GIVE UP METERS, STRIPS ETC! ITS OUR WELL BEING THEY ARE MESSING WITH!

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/46791

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garythegob

Well-Known Member
Messages
166
This is my sharps been photographed against a sky remote control to give an idea of the size of it

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WilliamIrvine

Well-Known Member
Messages
63
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
People who think they are the only one's in the world that have any problems, animal abuse of any type
I actually attend the Victoria Infirmary - I have contacted my Diabetes Nurse via e-mail so am awaiting her response. Thanks anyway :) :D
 

mark5745

Active Member
Messages
29
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
William I'd make an appointment to see the GP and take all my sharps in and empty all the used sharps over the doctors desk then ask for a sharps box as it would save an appointment next time I needed to get rid of my sharps. Just think what could happen if someone gets a needle stuck in them after your not able to dispose of them probably


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AMBrennan

Well-Known Member
Messages
826
Have you considered that sharps bins have not been developed for the lulz to see how far diabetics can be pushed?

If you place used needles in trash bins then whoever ends up emptying them ends up risking needles stick injuries and infection with any blood-borne disease you might have.

Yes, it's inconvenient. I'm sorry. But throwing them in the bin is just grossly negligent. With time, we may see more sharps bin in public places though (e.g. Toilets at US airstrike have them, and given that we are not far behind in terms of obesity/diabetes... )

Needle clippers mentioned earlier can be helpful but they are not designed to be used for the common shorter pen needles.

The best I can suggest is to carry a small hard plastic container (e.g. Child-proof pill container) for the needles you will be using
 

katto

Well-Known Member
Messages
45
Your doctors can put the boxes on prescription for you which is what happens for me and then i take them back to the doctors once they are full! When i was younger however the council gave us a massive box which we would reuse and they would just empty from us if we left it out side the house on a certain day.


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WilliamIrvine

Well-Known Member
Messages
63
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
People who think they are the only one's in the world that have any problems, animal abuse of any type
Yeah when my first GP refused to give me the sharps bins I was told to put them into a screw top "coffee jar" and put into general waste. I've been doing that for over 20 years now. It is only recently when I have became HIV+ through a work incident that I was told this is an absolute no and I must use a sharps bin. But as I say getting 1 is near impossible.... unless I'm doing something wrong.
 

garythegob

Well-Known Member
Messages
166
I have had my present one for just over a month, it is 1litre in size, i blood test on average 4 times a day, and inject twice a day (byetta NOT insulin) and it is close to full, i put my lancets my byetta needles and my used blood test strips into it!

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Merlyn13

Member
Messages
17
Hi All
Just to say I have a sharps bin that appears on my repeat prescription form - just circle and give my local pharmacy a day to get in no problems so far - so I guess I am lucky from the sound of things.

I am down in Poole Dorset so is this a postcode lottery type thing?

TJ


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WilliamIrvine

Well-Known Member
Messages
63
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
People who think they are the only one's in the world that have any problems, animal abuse of any type
Woohoo I can cheer at last.

Just found out that my local pharmacy which is a 5 minute walk away will dispose of my sharps bin for me. Also found out that my GP is able to prescribe a 1 litre sharp safe bin for me also.

It is shameful that I have had to do all the leg work to get this far but at least I'm sorted now.

:D