Alternative uses for things

LittleSue

Well-Known Member
Messages
647
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hope everyone's having a good weekend.

In my family, using things for their intended purpose is looked down on. Wearing my pump in a money belt or dressing it in a baby sock or scratch mitt goes down well. I hate waste too and insulin pumps seem to generate a lot of waste.

Most of us probably find second uses for empty test strip pots, but have you found other creative ways to use non-diabetic items for diabetic uses, or post-diabetic uses for diabetic supplies? I'm not advocating misuse of prescription items, I mean used test strips, etc. Anyone papered the walls with the paper seals from needles or infusion sets?

To start the ball rolling, I have a secondhand jam pot in the shape of a cottage on my kitchen worktop. Hardly worth wearing out the pedal bin mechanism just to put a used test strip in and mini bins are expensive. So I 'post' them into the jam pot through the hole intended for the spoon handle and empty it on dustbin day.

In Canada there's a house built by an undertaker out of empty embalming fluid bottles - anybody beat that? :lol:
 

iHs

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4,595
This is a good thread to find out what other people do lol

I keep my used reservoirs/cartridges and give them to my partner for him to use in the garage. He fills them with oil and squirts it into his racing bike chains. I've also kept them for myself as well as the rubber seals can be taken off and put on coathangers to stop shirts etc from slipping off.

The tubes can be used in the garden to tie up plants and by knotting tubes together they can also be used to grow runnerbeans.

Haven't figured out a good use for test strips yet though ....
 

ClaireG 06

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934
I had to take a urine sample to the Docs on Friday. I hadn't got a sample pot and couldn't find a small jar so used an empty test strip pot :oops: :lol: The Dr thought it was in-genius!
 

LittleSue

Well-Known Member
Messages
647
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
iHs said:
The tubes can be used in the garden to tie up plants and by knotting tubes together they can also be used to grow runnerbeans.
quote]


:lol: That's just the inspired kind of answer I was looking for!
 

iHs

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4,595
Another thought is to knot the tubes together and use them as a make shift washing line when on holiday lol
 

LittleSue

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Messages
647
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
iHs said:
The tubes can be used in the garden to tie up plants and by knotting tubes together they can also be used to grow runnerbeans.
quote]


:lol: bean nets... or maybe to support "sweet pea" flowers (geddit!) :lol:

Washing line even better - just the kind of inspired answers I was looking for!
 

Gappy

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I don't have test strips or things like that, all I can do after I've used my metformin is turn it's blister pack upside down fill it with water and make small ice cubes for if you don't want your drink very cold!
 

lovinglife

Moderator
Staff Member
Messages
4,537
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Ausra said:
Lancets can be used as 'pin-it'..

ewwww

Gappy said:
I don't have test strips or things like that, all I can do after I've used my metformin is turn it's blister pack upside down fill it with water and make small ice cubes for if you don't want your drink very cold!

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

don't have any "recycle" tips - but this thread has just reminded me of years ago while sitting in my GP waiting room I glanced at the poor drooping plants - then I realised they were being supported to grow upwards with the wooden spatula things that they used to use to take cervical smears with! :shock: unused ones I hasten to add!
 

borofergie

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3,169
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lovinglife said:
years ago while sitting in my GP waiting room I glanced at the poor drooping plants - then I realised they were being supported to grow upwards with the wooden spatula things that they used to use to take cervical smears with! :shock: unused ones I hasten to add!

Ha ha...
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