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Pen Needle Recommendations

MisterMints

Well-Known Member
Messages
49
Location
United Kingdom
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
For years I've been using BD Micro Fine+ 8mm needles, with no issues. I've recently moved to a new area and therefore a new GP and when transferring my repeat prescription across they have removed the BD needles and replaced them with Braun Omnican Fine needles on a cost basis.

Now, I'm all for saving the NHS a few quid if I can, however these needles really don't suit my lifestyle, which may sound daft, but it's because they don't come with a safety cap. Once you screw them on and take the outer "cone" off, the needle is right there.

My GP has now moved me on to 4mm needles of the same brand, with the same lack of cap problem and I'm trying to get them to prescribe a 4mm BD brand needle but without much luck.

So, here's my question... can anyone recommend a 4mm needle which will cost the NHS same as the Braun Omnicare ones, but come with a safety cap like the BD branded needles? I need to make some recommendations to my surgery to get them to change the prescription.

Thanks

(Please, no lectures on how to use the needles and about using them only once. I know this, however, I partake in some sports where I need to take my insulin with me if it is going to take a while to complete the activity. Taking as many needles along as I need injections for during that time is simply not practical, where as using a needle with a safety cap twice, maybe 3 times max is)
 
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My DSN was the one that moved me across to the 4mm variant, and entered the Braun ones on to the GP's repeat system. When I tell them I want to go back, or want to have a choice of brand I use they tell me the cost for the branded ones is too high
 
My GP moved me off BD for cost reasons as well. I'm now on GlucoRX FinePoint. They have the protective cap. I use 12 mm; don't suppose that'll make a difference.
 
Buy the BD needles yourself. A box of 100 lasts me about 4 years.
 
MisterMints said:
How much do you pay, and which pharmacy?

Thanks
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I don't remember to be honest. My health insurance doesn't cover needles or test strips either. My guess is about $10/box of 100. I use a new one with each new insulin pen, and a pen lasts me about 3 weeks.
 
TheBigNewt said:
I don't remember to be honest. My health insurance doesn't cover needles or test strips either. My guess is about $10/box of 100. I use a new one with each new insulin pen, and a pen lasts me about 3 weeks.
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Ah, didn't realise you were in the USA.

The National Health Service in the UK covers the costs here.
 
I was switched by my GP to tricare needles by Owen Mumford. They seem to be cheaper alternative and they have a safety cap too.
 
Hi I use mylife, penfine classic 6mm, boxes of 100 outer cone and inner cap. Pen cover will go on without outer cone and is still protected by inner cover. Only word of caution is needles are so sharp I have occasionally pushed needle right through side of cap when putting back on before disposal in my sharps bins.
 
TheBigNewt said:
Buy the BD needles yourself. A box of 100 lasts me about 4 years.
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Sorry to ask but how does a box last you 4yrs are they reusable as a box of 100 barely lasts me a month. Just curious
 
I use these needles and my way around it is to just replace the pen cap with the needle on if I need too without the needle outer cone...if that makes sense.
 
Vaper said:
Sorry to ask but how does a box last you 4yrs are they reusable as a box of 100 barely lasts me a month. Just curious
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Like I said I put a needle on the new pen and use it until the pen runs out of insulin, about 20 days. I just carefully replace the little white needle cover each time I use it. I'm guessing you use a new needle every injection. I've done it this way since they started making the pens. So I use each needle about 50-60 times and they don't ever "bounce off" either! No problems.
 
If you're only going to be using them every so often you can get them off amazon for 20 quid a box https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0...4304&sr=8-1&keywords=bd+microfine+needles+4mm

(I'm not saying you should have to but if your surgery flat out refuses and you're willing / able to pay...)
 
Hi thanks for enlightening me, yes I use a new needle every time but only because I was told by nurse that they can damage easily and be painful to use. Hey everyone has their own way and if that suits you that's great. I was just curious. Thanks for answering
 
Hi. I use GlucoRX 4mm which my surgery changed to to save money. They do have an inner cap. I'm not sure why you worry about the inner cap? You should not leave the needle on the pen so I always put the cone back on partly to enable it to be unscrewed. I could live quite happily without that inner cap. I use one needle per day and I find GlucoRX last the whole day without bruising.
 
mahola said:
Just thought I'd leave this here... View attachment 22077
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That's on a microscopic scale though. It looks like a vicious barb up close just like beach sand looks like jagged glass. I have so far been using only one needle per pen (and I go through a pen every 2 weeks it seems, now that my sensitivity is up) so if that's 6 uses, I wonder what it's like after a total of 3-4 insulin shots per day for 14 days.

No pain for me so far, only the burning feeling from the Lantus.

edit: I just had to replace a needle because it was pushing on the skin but not breaking it
 
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The recommendation these days is for shorter needles which is why the move to 4 mm. The reason was that diabetics were not injecting correctly with longer needles, ie not pinching the skin. I bought a lot of 8mm needles years ago and once that have gone I'll go to 4mm.
 
4 mm pen fine classic made in Switzerland. Love the little white needle protection cap that fits when my pen cover is on. Before I was using those Braun rubbish ones.
 
So where do you get these Swiss tips???
I have dime comfort point, the plastic cap is fractionally too long for the novopen 5 cover to fit correctly, so sometimes the pen will lose its cover, great!
The last decent tips I had were exel comfort point 4mm, which are now no longer available. Cost about another £5 over a year I guess, calculated by some non-diabetic retard at the NHS savings department.
Now the GP will only issue capless cheap rubbish, complete PITA! Absolute non-starter for me!
I'm happy to buy something that is fit for purpose, rather than be given free stuff that just makes things even more difficult. Bleeding NHS, drive me mad!
 
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