Got the needle

[Barb]

Recently had my annual review and was asked to try shorter needles - the trend is to offer 4 and 5mm ones rather than the 12mm or the 8mm ones I had relatively good control with (the 12mm needles are no longer available from many sources.) During the trial I was getting scarily high readings and am concerned that these needles weren't penetrating deeply enough.

There seems to be a general fear of injecting into muscle with longer needles but, to my knowledge, this didn't happen under my old regime (ie insulin absorbed too rapidly). The higher gauge needles are also becoming more popular (paradoxically, the higher the gauge, the thinner the needle) and being more fragile, can bend in use increasing the potential for incorrect dosages. A risk that seems to have increased with the cheaper GlucoRx needles I'm currently prescribed (along with blockages so the incorrect dose is delivered).

Although trials are in favour of shorter needles, I'm not convinced. There is also the potential for insulin "backflow" with shorter needles.

Now I'm back on my 8mm needles and readings have improved.

Anyone else getting higher readings than expected after needle changes, or is it just me!

 

[Robin]

I asked to swap to 4mm because I was continually a mass of small bruises, and have hardly had a bruise since. I haven't noticed any problems with them, I was swapped to the same brand as my 8mm though, BD microfine. There have been other comments on here from people who were swapped to the cheaper brands having problems with them. Are your 8mm also GlucoRx?

 

[Barb]

Have one remaining box of Novofine 8 mm needles and am clinging on to them for dear life but they will run out soon and have so far been refused a return to them from GlucoRx, currently on my repeat prescription.

The shorter 4 and 5mm needles were manufactured by Ypsomed (Swiss) and a Polish manufacturer respectively. I don't tend to suffer much from bruising or bleeding at injection sites but can sympathise and it's good you no longer experience this with shorter needles.

 

[Northerner]

I've been on 6mm needles (novofine) since diagnosis and haven't noticed any issues with them. It's a shame they are prescribing poorer quality needles to you Barb, they ought to realise that this is something you have to do several times a day for many years to come (until that cure! 😉) so it's important they do the least damage possible, plus it is important to get full delivery of the dose, of course. Maybe GlucoRX have some problems with quality control, with their lancet factory too close to their needle factory?


The Lament of the Lonely Lancet

Congratulations lancets all! You’ve all achieved a pass,
And now it’s time for you to leave the Lancing Duties class!
So follow me, you’ll be assigned to boxes at the gate –
Just keep in line and you’ll be fine, don’t push, not long to wait!

‘I’m scared, I’m not sure I should go, for though I passed the course,
And though I’d only do it once – could I draw blood by force?’
‘Just once? You’re joking! You’ll find out it’s six times every day,
And every day for several weeks before you’re thrown away!’

‘Are you sure? How awful! I think I may hang back
And lurk here in the shadows – they won’t miss one in a pack…
I’ll mingle with the needles, for surely they’re used less
And don’t conclude their useful life a blunt and bloodied mess!’

‘Oh my! I’ve been selected after months within this box,
In the darkness of this drawer with the underpants and socks!
It’s up to me to do my best and pierce this person’s skin
And deliver up a dialled dose of clean fresh insulin!’

Oh no! But wait! But it’s too late, I didn’t think this through!
I have no hole! It can’t get out! Whatever shall I do?
If only I’d stuck to my task, I’d surely have succeeded –
A lancet’s not a needle, for a needle’s hole is needed! 😱

 

[KookyCat]

I use 4mm needles, anything else gives me bruises and I don't have problems with the length at all, but I was switched to GlucoRX from novofine via BD fine for a while, and they are terrible. The coating gives me little red marks because they seem to get stuck in my skin (I have quite "loose" skin given rapid muscle and fat loss at diagnosis so struggle with surface tension), I have to throw lots away because they don't work or only throw out part of the dose. My GP refuses to accept they're inferior though and refuses a return to decent needles, but no surprise there he's the lead on the CCG so cheap inferior needles were his idea, oh and he's allegedly a diabetes "specialist'. What I'm working up to is, it might not be the length of the needles just the quality? Just a thought.

 

[Mini-Vicki]

I have the 5mm GlucoRx. I've only ever been prescribed this brand and length. The length doesn't bother me, but I agree the needles themselves are poor. I bruise a lot with them, and fairly frequently I seem to have a blocked one, which involves wastage of the needle and me worrying that I'm not getting the correct dose!
I'm seeing my DSN soon, so I'll ask her if there's another brand I can try!

 

[jocat]

Hi I use bd micro fine 5mm and they work well for me, have nothing else to compare to as only recently started insulin. Stings a bit sometimes on insertion and sometimes a very small bruise but on whole do not know where just injected after a few minutes. Certainly. Less scary than the needles I was used to when I was at work haha!!
Jo

 

[AlisonM]

I originally had 12mm needles and constant problems with bruising and bleeding, I asked to change and have had BD Microfine 5mm ever since. I have very few problems now.

 

[Matt Cycle]

I've been using 8mm BD Microfines for 29 years now. In the early days the DSN used to give me bagfuls at the clinic visits. If I ran out in the meantime it was pay for them myself as pen needles weren't on prescription at that stage. (The pen cartridges were but the pen needles weren't - what f****d up thinking was that all about? Oh, yeah, of course, Thatcher was in power at the time 🙄). They finally went on prescription in the early 90's after a BDA campaign and I've stuck with the 8mm BD Microfines ever since. Smaller length needles would probably be better but I feel if I say something they'll then realise I'm on BD's and switch me to a cheaper brand. 🙄

 

[trophywench]

BD needles ALWAYS sting me whereas neither Novofine nor Ypsomed ever have or do. Yes I did used to have BD needles but they didn't originally fit the original Lantus pen, was it the Solostar? 2u adjustment thing? which was a push-click fitting so the pharmacist gave me Ypsomed - then the nature of the stinging changed, because it didn't happen until I actually depressed the plunger. ie the Lantus jabs stung because of the insulin not the needle. So I asked to try Ypso screw-ons for the Novorapid - but they didn't make em short enough so I had Novofine and it changed my life for the better! When I changed to Levemir I could use the Novofine for both pens - YAY!

My DSN and I jointly decided that the only possible explanation for this is that they must use slightly different lubricant on them during manufacture cos stainless steel is stainless steel and if I was allergic to it I'd be allergic to cutlery and the surgical implements that have been used for all sorts of things on my skin all my life.

But there you go you see - another thing which proves that we ARE all different.

Kooky - chuck all the used needles which failed or bent or got clogged in an empty box near your sharps bin. Make an appointment with your GP and present him with them - and tell him again that it's wrecking your life - eg how many 'spare' needles does HE think it's reasonable to expect a person to have to cart round with them permanently for when you happen to get a run of failures?

It really isn't good enough. I can say quite honestly, that I NEVER recall having a needle failure EVER in my life.

 

[DaveB]

I used to use BD Microfine 4mm but the surgery changed me to GlucoRX 4mm as they are cheaper. I have no problems at all with them and use/re-use one per day.

 

[Barb]

Thanks so much for all the very useful advice Robin, Northerner, Kookycat, Mini-Vicki, jocat, Alison M, Matt Cycle, trophywench and DaveB and relieved to hear that those of you on shorter needles don't have problems with them.

I've always tried to keep very tight control and my problems have usually been with low sugars, rather than high. Prolonged high readings terrify me more than anything but it's important to consider all the variables rather than rush in to blame one thing. Possibly the GlucoRx needles could be the main contender.

I suppose the shorter, more fragile needles immediately ring alarm bells because I was given the equivalent of bodkins when first diagnosed and am suspicious of anything that doesn't look like an instrument of torture.

My consultant suggested I should consider a pump but I have always been resistant to change and feel happier on a regime I'm familiar with, though I realise I'm incredibly privileged to be offered that choice.

Loved the poem. Still think we should have poetry readings at annual consultations then perhaps my blood pressure would behave itself -it's always perfectly fine at home but goes through the roof at medical appointments!

 

[Northerner]

Hope to see you and the gang in London in April @Barb 🙂

 

[KookyCat]

BD needles ALWAYS sting me whereas neither Novofine nor Ypsomed ever have or do. Yes I did used to have BD needles but they didn't originally fit the original Lantus pen, was it the Solostar? 2u adjustment thing? which was a push-click fitting so the pharmacist gave me Ypsomed - then the nature of the stinging changed, because it didn't happen until I actually depressed the plunger. ie the Lantus jabs stung because of the insulin not the needle. So I asked to try Ypso screw-ons for the Novorapid - but they didn't make em short enough so I had Novofine and it changed my life for the better! When I changed to Levemir I could use the Novofine for both pens - YAY!

My DSN and I jointly decided that the only possible explanation for this is that they must use slightly different lubricant on them during manufacture cos stainless steel is stainless steel and if I was allergic to it I'd be allergic to cutlery and the surgical implements that have been used for all sorts of things on my skin all my life.

But there you go you see - another thing which proves that we ARE all different.

Kooky - chuck all the used needles which failed or bent or got clogged in an empty box near your sharps bin. Make an appointment with your GP and present him with them - and tell him again that it's wrecking your life - eg how many 'spare' needles does HE think it's reasonable to expect a person to have to cart round with them permanently for when you happen to get a run of failures?

It really isn't good enough. I can say quite honestly, that I NEVER recall having a needle failure EVER in my life.

Great minds think alike! I've been putting the needles that don't work into a separate tub and taking photos of the marks left by the needles so I can do a show and tell with him, he'll hate every second of it but hey it'll be a learning experience for him 🙂. I know it's the needles because I had no problems with BD fine or novofine, just these blighters. I also have fewer problems with them where I have more padding but since I don't have much padding and have to rotate sites I can't really do much with that.

Barb they gave me 6mm at first in hospital and I just bled constantly so they brought me 4mm needles from the kids trolley...not at all embarrassing, not no at all 😳

 

[malturn]

I have been using the GlucoRX 5mm needles since I went onto insulin 12 months ago and have never had a blockage or any other problems with them. Occasionally I get a tiny bruise or a small spot of claret but not very often.