• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

how often should you change the lancet in your finger pricker

I use disposable one-use lancets, I can't bear the idea of puncturing my skin with a needle that has had umpteen previous lots of blood on it eww.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App
 
I usually change mine on every use unless I've not managed to draw enough blood. I have a fast clix so it has 6 lancets in the drum and I can change the lancet with flick of a switch.
 
I used to change about once every 6 months
Doctor said I should change every time.
1) risk of infection
2) sharper lancet hurts less
 
Next thing you know they will be telling us to change needles every time!
 
Just about every time. If not then I find the sites develop callouses and it is harder to get a good clean and quick sample or none at all. The tip must just bounce off the hardened patch!
 
I put a new one in my device before I go to bed each night and that usually sees me through 24 hours unless I find the one I put in causing too much pain when doing bloods.
 
In one sense I change my needle every time but I don't throw them away. I put them in a used box and when they have all been used I put them in a steamer for half an hour. This means that I don't waste the sharp ones and they are sterilised.

Every now and again I come across a bent or blunt one and then they go in the sharps bin. I still have about a thousand.
 
Sucre Bleu said:
What are these drums of which ye speak?
Click to expand...
On the accu chek "mobile" glucose monitor (other monitors are available), the finger pricker is quite clever.

You don't put in a new lancet each time you change. Instead you insert into the tip of the finger pricking device a small drum that has 6 hidden lancets inside.

Then use as normal, flicking a switch for a new lancet each time you want one and when you've used the 6 you just replace the tiny drum.

Dr prescribes them for me.
 
Hi @jamesmacc. I remember asking exactly the same question on the forum when I was diagnosed early this year. As a newbie, it was a sharp learning curve with ALL diabetes management topics. I used to fastidiously change my lancet after every test. And at the beginning of this diabetic journey, I was testing on average 10 times a day. So, I was using a lot of lancets. I changed at every test because I was aware that the risk of infection to diabetics is increased during any kind of invasive/skin penetrating procdure. Plus, poor healing flesh, due to higher than normal blood glucose, increased the risks further. Well, once I realised that changing lancets was viewed quite casually by many experienced forum members, without their hands dropping off from rampant infection, I lightened up a tad. Now I change my lancet at the end of every day, if I remember. But to be honest, normal good hand hygiene is enough to protect me when pricking, or in life generally. There are still times when I haven't got access to somewhere I can wash my hands and I need to test. Like, when I'm in the car. So, I lick the finger & wipe it dry on my trousers. Ho hum! No Ones perfect. Lol.

 
Oooo manky lancets. Gross......
In my 27 years of diabetes, yes i have had my phase of changing them once in a blue moon, bad habbit
 
Thanks everyone that replied. as soon as it was described I knew what was meant. When I was an inpatient and they were updating my meter, just a brief explanation and it was apparent it was not suitable for my vision impairment.
I was issued with a new Accu-Chek Softclix which has a basic in n out lancet exchange. Having said that and reading some thoughts about non frequent replacing, I am going to make more of an effort. So big thanks!!
 
steve_p6 said:
Next thing you know they will be telling us to change needles every time!
Click to expand...
MellitusTrap said:
I used to change about once every 6 months
Doctor said I should change every time.
1) risk of infection
2) sharper lancet hurts less
Click to expand...

My healthcare team do tell me not to re use lancets or needles due to the reasons stated above, so I change every time I test, sometimes using 8-10 per day.
 
OK - lets look at this from another angle:

Please reply if you ever had an infection in your finger tip due to having punched the hole with your finger pricker to measure bg?
I have had IDDM for 40+ years, never had one case ever.

Also fun to think back, how it was taught to you as deeply religious discipline and of absolute hyper importance to swipe your injection site with an alcohol disinfectant swab before injecting your insulin. From like 10 years ago it was then made clear from clinical evidence, it was actually better for your health and skincare NOT to do so.

Btw for those that responded above that they found it important always to wash your hands before finger pricking. You need disinfectant and you need sterile use-once-only towels to avoid smearing bacteria onto your hands after a wash. And that you typically do not have in a private setting.
 
i recently bought the glucometer and got only a dozen or so lancets. If i check my blood sugar 2-4 times a week, i will finish them within 2 months.
-----------
Jane
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn More.…