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Type 1 Opinions please (needles)

Robyn@29

Well-Known Member
Messages
52
Location
London, Sidcup
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin


I dont want to bias the convo so i wont tell you with way round these are but one of these is what i first got prescribed by the hospital and the other is what I've been swapped to by my gp because its cheaper.
What recommendations/experiences do you have of either needle?
The new one seems to be leaving me with more bruises than normal and is just generally more annoying to use...
Id like to know if its just me or if you guys have had the same experiences!!
TIA x
 
there are a few threads on this subject on the forum-- my guess is the BD ones are the better ones that don't bruise.

I would strongly suggest you have words with your GP , your DSN -- and anyone else you need to speak with to get your preferred needle prescribed -- after all it is you that has to inject multiple times per day -- not your care team !!!!!!!!!!!
 
Haven't used either but like @himtoo i would expect the BD to be the better needle and would advocate his advice.
 
I havien't used either of yours.
I have Omnican fine, made by Braun, I think they come in the ultra cheap category. I have had no problems, no lumps, bumps or bruising, no bleeding or needle problem.
I can say they are considerablely tricky screwing onto NovoRapid, but Lantus is better.
 
Hi, I use, and most definitely will continue to use the BD ones. Find them v good
 
My question would be why 5mm? Apparently no one should need bigger than 4mm these days.
 
becca59 said:
Apparently no one should need bigger than 4mm these days.
Click to expand...
I still have ouchy memories of the 12mm needles I had when I first went on to the Novopen in the late 1980s!

Shortly before I started pumping in 2015 my GP wrote to me to advise that they were switching me to a 'more appropriate' needle. They weren't a patch on the ones they replaced.........

 
I have only used BD ones (but the 4mm variety) and I've never had any bruising etc. with them.
 
Thanks everyone for your advise the BD ones are my preferred needle. I'll talk to my gp and get then changed back.
And i dont know why 5mm it's just what I've always used/been given...
Omg, cant imagine having to use 12mm needles!! 5 is deep enough thank you!! although i have no problem and very little pain giving blood and those are a hell of a lot bigger... :S suppose its all relative and specific to the job in hand
 
I use novo nordisk. Have wondered about BD, but no reason to change really.
Here in AUS the needles are free (well, paid for via tax). No prescription necessary as long as you're on the NDSS (national diabetes something something... membership also free)
 
I was switched to tricare needles as they are cheaper. However it was the 6mm ones but I requested they changed them to 4mm. They are better. I still think the BD needles are the best though.
 
My GP switched me from BD to 'Insupen' which have been fine, and 5mm too. Perhaps you could 'negotiate' with your GP and see if there is another brand that is cheaper than BD put doesn't cause you these problems? It's certainly not acceptable to force you to use needles that are obviously not suitable for you though.

On a general point, I think we all owe it to the NHS to try the cheaper options - if there is something that saves money without our care suffering than it must be encouraged. But the GPs have to also be fair and let us change back if it doesn't work out.
 
BD Micro-fine Ultra (4mm) are the best needles I've used. They are on my repeat prescription which I file online. If I simply request "4mm hypodermic needles" then I end up with the not so great "Ypsomed mylife Penfine Classic" needles. If I put a note in the comments section stating that I require the BD ones, then I get them.

From what I understand, it would seem like there is a financial incentive somewhere along the way to supply cheaper needles, even though they're not on my repeat... I may add that both do the job, but the BD ones are just superior and almost always pain free in comparison to other brands I've used.

As others have said, if you want a specific brand then tell the relevant parties that that is what you want and need.
 
Ah yes, the good old days of 12mm needles when the insulin used to work faster.... Probably because with the needle length, it was intramuscular.
 
When my son got home from hospital, after diagnosis, we had some needles initially given to us from the hospital that were great. Then we got awful ones that had a yellow label: can't recall the name of them. They were literally snapping off! We spoke to diabetes nursing team who agreed with us that the yellow ones were getting awful feedback and - following intervention from them - our doc prescribed BD Viva (light green label): neither of the ones you show, but might be the same as your purple label BD ones? The BD ones seem fine, though the hospital ones were even more robust. The yellow ones caused my son to bruise and Lantus stung when he used them, for some reason.
 
becca59 said:
My question would be why 5mm? Apparently no one should need bigger than 4mm these days.
Click to expand...
They were just what I was given... I dont really know what difference it makes :S 1mm shouldnt make much difference tho??
 
For me its not about cost, if the cheaper ones were as good I'd use them...
On that point I just trialed the freestyle libre it was brilliant, deffo need this on the nhs, would only need test strips for driving, so a pack would last for ages and less injecting as your more aware if whats going on, would save money on insulin and needles and thats just short term... haha cant wait for it to be free! As you can probably tell lol
 
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