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Type 2 How often to change lancet?

spanielsmum

spanielsmum

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Leeds
Type of diabetes
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Insulin
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rude people!!
I've just been on www.bloodsugar101. and I quote

"If you are the only person using your lancet device there is no need to use a fresh lancet for each test. I change mine about once a month. Some people report changing theirs even less frequently. "

I've been changing mine after one use.... What does everyone else do please? I'm only recently diagnosed and still learning.
 
I dial a new a lancet up when the old one starts to get blunt in my MultiClix lancing device.

I put a new lancet drum containing six new lancets in over the weekend, I cannot remember when I changed it before.
 
change weekly-ish when I remember or when pricking gets more painful. I used to change every test and still have about 250 of the initial 300 ordered in my naivety
 
I change it when it starts to hurt more, maybe once per pot of strips. If you change it when you open a new pot that can be a good system. It goes without saying that if you use it on someone else you need to use a new one for them and then another new one for yourself.
 
I have about 1000 lancets which I use once and then put them in a container. When I have used them all I put them in a kitchen steamer for about half an hour to sterilise them and then use them again. Odd ones might get thrown away if the needle is bent or it has some other problem. I can't remember when I bought new ones.
 
I use a fresh one for DD each time and she has around 14 tests a day!
 
I use the same lancet until it's painful to pick my finger
 
I have a multi clix one and turn for new needle every time, then throw away when all 6 used. I thought that was what you were meant to do. No wonder I get through a lot!
 
Nowadays I change them when I start a new pot of strips, so approx every 50 tests.
I used to change them when they started to hurt, then I realised that they NEVER started to hurt. :D
 
I am immunosuppressed and get infections at the drop of a hat. I change my lancet every few weeks and I test 4-6 times a day. I have never gotten an infection from testing. I also only stab my left hand and have never got a bruise either, a bit tender at times but the tenderness is usually gone by the next day.
 
Tipetoo said:
I dial a new a lancet up when the old one starts to get blunt in my MultiClix lancing device.

I put a new lancet drum containing six new lancets in over the weekend, I cannot remember when I changed it before.
Click to expand...

I have a Fastclicx (similar gadget) and because the "pricky bits" are nicely contained in the little drum cassette I'm quite happy to change them only when the lancets get blunt/painful to use. Each little drum of six lasts me ages, and 'mI still working my way through the original pack of 200 I bought when I first started testing!

I might possibly act differently with individual disposable lancets unless i could keep them clean and safe between pricks.

But it's really up to you what you feel happy or safe doing - there's no real rules about this as long as you are aware of any potential hygiene issues - it's your fingers, after all! :D And lancets are the cheapest past of our testing equipment so costs shouldn't be a really serious issue if you choose to replace after each use.

Robbity
 
I use a multiclix as well as other posters. I tend to use one each day - turning for a fresh one. But then my daily routine is fairly constant so I only test 2 or 3 times a day. The difference was this holiday. Routine completely out the window so had to test 5 or 6 times a day. Found that after 3 uses the multiclix went blunt and started to hurt.
 
Ppl use lancets more than once?! But there will be deposits of blood left on the lancet and (air borne) bactreia are bound to start feeding/reacting with the blood! Anyone in the forum with medical training to enlighten us?
 
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