Stupid question about lancets and sharps disposals

BunsenHoneydew said:

Do you use a new lancet every time? Where do you put it/throw it away... surely people don't carry around a sharps bin?

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Get yourself a Accu-Chek FastClix lancing device and lancets, it has a six lancet drum that is easy to dispose of when it's used all six.

I only change lancets at home and not very often at that. Same with pen needles, I put a new one on a new pen and throw it away with the empty pen. Never had a "sharps bin" either, are they cute?

I change mine each bedtime at home ready for the next day.

When out and about I use an empty test strips container to put used sharps and test strips in. When I get home I transfer them to a sharps bin.

I was told about 8 years ago by a DSN that I didn’t need a sharps box and to just use an old plastic bottle I’ve always meant to write to the tabloids about it, re danger to others / lack of funding

So what do people do with razor blades ? Lances have covers that you can take from new one and place on used one razors don’t

If you live in the UK, contact your local council and they will provide a free sharps bin and arrange to collect it. You will be sent a form which your GP will need to sign to confirm your need for needles but this should be free too.

Lancets I don't know, mine's a fastclix, and needle tips, in the UK at least there's a needle clipping device available on repeat prescription, a B&D Safe Clip which (the chemist says) can go in the bin with the lancets.

I have a small sharps bin which lives in my testing bag.

As an T2 who tests every now and then it isn't a big issue, because I test mainly at home, but I do have a fall back option of an empty test strip tub which can act as a short term sharps bin.

As far as I know in the UK you are supposed to put all used sharps in a sharps bin (and anything else contaminated as well). I don't change my lancet very often, but when I do that goes into the sharps bin. Each test strip goes in, along with the patch of kitchen roll used to mop up the gushing blood from my wounded finger.

Realistically I don't constitute a threat to anyone clearing out the bins, but the rules should apply to all because HIV and hepatitis can be transferred by used needles and nobody can tell where the used sharps came from once they have been "binned".

The rules are usually there for a reason.

I have a small sharps bin at home and I have an old Tic Tac container in my testing bag. Can’t manage to test but when I do then I’ll put my lancets in there till I get home. Amazon sell tiny sharps bins tat can fit in the palm of your hand.