Changing needles

[Christoper whyte]

Is it good to use the same needle and is it safe to inject through clothes

 

[Mini-Vicki]

I would avoid using the same needle if you can. It's not sterile to reuse, and the get blunt each time they are used so cause more trauma / bruising! Plus it hurts when needles are blunt!
I also never inject through clothes, again for the sterility, and also you can't see the needles going in to your skin, but other more seasoned type 1s might do it differently to me, I'm still pretty new to insulin!

 

[HOBIE]

In the old days we got 1 needle in more than a year (like a panel pin ) I never injected through clothes because of danger of hitting a damaged bit of skin but others do. Now on a pump & a lot happier. Good luck & welcome 🙂

 

[Christoper whyte]

Thanks bery much for your replys

 

[Matt Cycle]

Agree with Vicki. However, before pen needles were on prescription (early 90's) you had to buy them yourself and when you pay for them yourself you made 'em last. 🙂 I regularly used one needle per pen cartridge with no issues. Nowadays old habits die hard, so that and laziness means I change them whenever I remember. Not recommended though. I've never injected through clothing.

 

[trophywench]

I well remember a bit of TV showing Dominic Littlewood jabbing a bolus through his trousers. Yes you DO always have that possibility but it makes me shudder so I've never ever done it - always think (backed by decades of dress and soft-furnishing making) it's so easy to pull a virtually invisible fibre from almost any material when sewing, I reckon it's perfectly possible to do it when jabbing through clothes and if you've stabbed that fibre with the pointy end of the needle, then the needle could carry it into YOU.

OUCH !!

 

[AlisonM]

I change needles every time without fail. I'm not so good at changing lancets though, I should do it more often, but I don't. I have on rare occasions injected though my trousers or skirt (thin ones) but usually I hoick up my jumper and stick it in my tummy as discretely as possible even when in public. It surprises me how oblivious folk are, hardly anyone ever notices and one friend I was having lunch with asked me if I'd had my insulin when I'd just 'shot up' in front of her.

 

[Austin Mini]

I use a new pen needle every time (my DSN insisted that I do after she found out I used one needle a day). The only time I inject through my clothes is when I am sitting in a cafe or resteraunt. It doesnt bother me if people see me inject they dont know what Im doing unless they are also a type 1.

 

[Northerner]

I have always used a new needle for each injection. One of my main reasons is that, because I am likely to have to do this tens of thousands of times in my lifetime I need to minimise the trauma to my injection sites that might be exacerbated by blunt needles 🙂 I believe, however, that one of the chief 'marketing' claims when pens were introduced was that the needles were reusable and therefore cheaper! 🙄

 

[grovesy]

I have friend who injected through clothes.

 

[HOBIE]

The kids of today don't know how lucky they are Only joking but things have changed for the better

 

[Diabetes Nerd]

Hi Chris, agree with pretty much all of the above. Regarding using the same needle more than once, after one use it may look fine to you, but if you looked at it under a microscope the needle would be damaged. This which would mean if you were taking 10 units of insulin a day for example, you may only get about 4 units of that due to using a damaged needle, so fresh needle for every injection is the way! Good luck mate

 

[Flower]

I would definitely change to a new needle every time and avoid injecting through clothes to give your injection sites the best chance of remaining in good condition to absorb insulin. I'm living with the results of not changing needles regularly - it was in the 80's before they were available on prescription- so I used to try and get 'good value' from each needle by re-using until it was blunt 😱 . I also used to inject through clothes into my legs. The tops of my legs are no go zones for needles/cannulas as they have hard lumps under the surface and very poor absorption.

 

[Copepod]

I choose not to change needle each injection, to save the hassle and use fewer resources. I rarely inject through clothing, but do occasionally in public if it will draw less attention. No problems with damage to skin and underlying tissue, as I rotate which parts I use.

 

[Diabetes Nerd]

Hi Copepod. I promise that after using a needle once it will be damaged and not suitable to use again. Therefore you may not be getting the full dose of whatever treatment you take after the first use. What is more important, your diabetes care or healthcare resources! Think about number one my friend. Best wishes

 

[Mini-Vicki]

I am a Veterinary nurse. One of my biggest bug bears is needles not being changed between drawing up an injection and injecting it into the patient. Not only is this not sterile, it is painful! This is the picture I have now stuck up in the staff room and the inside of the injectables cupboard to remind people of the difference to a needle after it has been used just once!

 

[silentsquirrel]

Hi Copepod. I promise that after using a needle once it will be damaged and not suitable to use again. Therefore you may not be getting the full dose of whatever treatment you take after the first use. What is more important, your diabetes care or healthcare resources! Think about number one my friend. Best wishes

Hi Diabetes Nerd
I understand that if I choose to reuse a needle, it may be damaged and therefore may be painful (usually it isn't) and may do damage to tissues (not desirable), but I do not understand your statement that the full dose may not be delivered. Where does the rest of the dose go?

 

[Northerner]

Here's another... 😱

 

[Diabetes Nerd]

Hi Diabetes Nerd
I understand that if I choose to reuse a needle, it may be damaged and therefore may be painful (usually it isn't) and may do damage to tissues (not desirable), but I do not understand your statement that the full dose may not be delivered. Where does the rest of the dose go?

Hi!
It's more to do with the needle getting blunt and not puncturing the skin properly, it may not go into s/cut tissue properly and there is also a higher risk of bruising and lipohypertrophy!

 

[trophywench]

Main thing is, it DOES actually harm not only the bit of skin you can see on the outside (epidermis) it also harms both the inner part of the skin, plus the sub cutaneous tissue. This will lead to mal-absorption of whatever you inject resulting in your needing much higher doses of whatever that drug is.

In the case of diabetes obviously it also therefore leads to higher BGs - which is precisely what does the damage.

So, in conclusion - just blooming well DON'T !!