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Can you/should you re-use B S testing needles

Can you / should you reuse Blood Sugar testing needles?

  • Total voters
    20
adrian207

adrian207

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,785
Location
Rochdale
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Diet only
Can you / should you reuse Blood Sugar testing needles?..........................

Why / why not?
 
The manufacturers say they are for single use only, whether you reuse them or not is up to the individual. I try and change mine after every use, but do always rotate the drum (Accu-Chek Multiclix) before using it for the first time each morning.
 
Sorry - I voted "No" instead of yes (that'll teach me to not read the vote correctly!). I reuse my lancets several times before binning them
 
noblehead said:
The manufacturers say they are for single use only, whether you reuse them or not is up to the individual. I try and change mine after every use, but do always rotate the drum (Accu-Chek Multiclix) before using it for the first time each morning.
Click to expand...
The question is though,
Is it, that the manufacturers say "use once only" just to get you to buy more or is there a clinical reason for not using them more than once?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I use mine a whole lot. I only occasionally even think about changing, once a week maybe. No harm done so far.
 
I was told by a DSN never reuse any finger lancets or hypodermic needles. Blunting causes capillary damage and reuse can encourage pathogens especially if you have lots of glucose in your blood. So I voted NO
 
Rh7RY.jpg
 
although i posted that, i reuse my for months, but thats why it hurts more when they get old
 
Andy12345 said:
Rh7RY.jpg
Click to expand...
I voted NO - always change mine each and every time .
Brilliant picture to relay the obvious reason(s) WHY .

I bleed easy otherwise and this picture explains how and why this is so .
So NO voted by me .
 
Very interesting so far.....................11 say YES they would / do use them again, as against 3 that say NO. Those figures take into account the wrongly placed vote.
 
adrian207 said:
The question is though,
Is it, that the manufacturers say "use once only" just to get you to buy more or is there a clinical reason for not using them more than once?
Click to expand...

Well the lancet isn't sterile any-more once you've used it and it won't be as sharp as it was before use, @eddie1968 explanation by his DSN is spot on, but as I say it's individual choice as to whether people reuse a lancet or not.
 
I use the 'ouch test'. I re-use the needles until I say ouch, then I change them.
 
Hurts like hell when I reuse, so I don't. When I used to reuse the lancets fingers would bruise badly.
 
john wakefield said:
I find Diabetes is one heck of a chore so anything that makes it less [ie] not changing needles/lancets every time I use them has got to be better, it has been ok for me over the years but it is an individuals own choice. Not to mention the saving for the poor old NHS.
Click to expand...

I buy my own.
 
Been reusing my lancets ever sinnce blood glucose self testing meters were introduced, so a long time lol, never had any problems but it's my choice to do so and each to their own.
 
adrian207 said:
Very interesting so far.....................11 say YES they would / do use them again, as against 3 that say NO. Those figures take into account the wrongly placed vote.
Click to expand...
After looking at those photos I'm going single use
 
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