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LANCETS CHANGING / USAGE

Q007

Q007

Well-Known Member
Messages
466
Location
Wales. UK
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
People who tell lies.
My GP (Dr Doom).
GP told me to change lancet for every test and wash and fully dry my hands too before each test.

I get the wash hands, but do I need to change the lancet each test. Thanking you. Q.
 
That’s the official line and probably advisable, but I reckon I change mine around once per month :D
 
Hi Q, I don't change mine at every test, but it is entirely up to you.
 
How long is a piece of string? You’ll get answers from every test to once a year on my birthday! Me I used to change it every night ready for the next day, but since I reduced the number of tests I change it every other day.
 
I change mine every other test ... approximately.
I find it saves my fingers if I change the lancet before it hurts too much.
 
I dial a new lancet into the Fastclix lancing device, when I open a new pot of strips each week.
 
After a nasty infection in fingertip and under nail earlier this year I am much more vigilant. Use fastclix and although the advice is new lancet each time I do sometimes reuse, but never more than three times. Always a fresh one each morning.
 
It's definitely a matter of personal preference, and the question pops up regularly on the forum with probably nearly as many different answers as we have members who test.

I also use the Fastclix drums and change these when all 6 lancets have stopped easily poking bloody holes in my finger. I've done this over the past 5+ years without any problems.

I vaguely remember from fairly early on in my forum membership seeing a post from someone probably T1 who saved and sterilized their (single use) lancets to re-use. So that's another possible option for you!

Robbity
 
Robbity said:
I vaguely remember from fairly early on in my forum membership seeing a post from someone probably T1 who saved and sterilized their (single use) lancets to re-use. So that's another possible option for you!
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I think @Squire Fulwood boils his up every now and again...
 
I change mine when it starts to get blunt, probably about every 6 weeks. My hands became very dry and sore when I first started testing so I also don’t bother washing hands unless I’ve recently been handling food, or if I get an odd reading that needs to be checked.
 
It used to be every 1-2 months, when it started to hurt and I knew it was getting blunt. Now I have a CGM and I still test off and on, but I can't even remember the last time I changed it. I probably should change it now while I'm thinking about it. I have several around the house so I probably should change all of them..............hmmmm.

I am very lackadaisical about it.
 
Tipetoo said:
I think @Squire Fulwood boils his up every now and again...
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I change the lancet every time but I don't throw them away. I put them in a "used lancet" box. When it becomes necessary I put them all in a steamer for half an hour. If I have some unused ones I often tip them into the steamer also so that I get a fresh start.

My lancets have been round a few times now.
 
Hey,

Okay granted you get may people I see on here not changing them for a year or a month. However, the needle is puncturing your skin every use, the potential for infection (even though it is your own blood etc etc) is not something you would really want. Also they do get blunt and can get blunt pretty soon after a few uses.

You’re provided with enough lancets to change them after each use and like you say it is recommended by your healthcare provider.

I used to use a fastclix lancet and would always use a fresh lancet for each test.
 
I change the lancet when I notice it's a bit harder then normal to get a sample. By then I know it's getting a bit blunt. You should wash your hands before each test whenever possible.
 
Jay_Loftus said:
You’re provided with enough lancets to change them after each use and like you say it is recommended by your healthcare provider.
.
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Not everyone is provided with them - most T2s have to fund their own test equipment and some of them may well be on very tight budgets. I know that lancets are not all that expensive compared to the cost of the test strips - but as one supermarket reminds us "Every little helps!"

Robbity
 
Robbity said:
Not everyone is provided with them - most T2s have to fund their own test equipment and some of them may well be on very tight budgets. I know that lancets are not all that expensive compared to the cost of the test strips - but as one supermarket reminds us "Every little helps!"

Robbity
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Agree heartily. I am most certainly not provided with any lancets, or anything else for that matter. In fact if my doctor had her way I’d never have even used a single lancet :D
 
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