Freestyle Libre, applicator wastage

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TheClockworkDodo said:
I didn't know it was a remover either, until someone mentioned it here - I often wondered what the odd-shaped holes in the tops of the sharps bins were, I thought they must be for odd-shaped sharps 😳
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me too!
 
Lucyr said:
I’m intrigued by your comment of removing the dispensing label?? They won’t accept my filled sharps bins unless they have a sticker containing my full name, full postal address, GP practice, date opened, date closed, life history, etc. No one has ever been able to tell me why they need this personal data or what they do with it.
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Do you hand them in somewhere Lucy? If so they may need those details to ensure you are entitled to have the sharps collected. Here the GP surgery just hand out the bins, but you have to register with the local Council in order to have them collected from your front door. Ergo the Council have your name, address etc.
Sally71 said:
I drop mine off at the GP’s for disposal. Got one receptionist once who told me off for not filling the dates in, so I did so but as it takes us over a year to fill a tub I had to take a pure guess at when it was opened.
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I recall once being ticked off by the Receptionist when I asked for a large bin and explained that I kept a small bin in the kitchen in a convenient place, but liked to tip the contents into a large bin that lived in a cupboard in the utility room when it was full. She was aghast and told me never to do that in case I got scratched by one of the needles and contracted a hideous disease. I pointed out that they only ever went in me, so I was unlikely to catch anything from myself!
 
I am sure my bins don't have any kind of removal tool. I do have a BD needle clipper which I used to use when I used needles. It takes forever to fill my little box these days as only the inserter needles from the cannulas go in it.
 
All the bins I’ve used have a removal tool Patti but I haven’t used the very large ones if that’s what you have. I do hand the sharps bins in at the GP but they don’t check my name against anything to see if I’m entitled, they just check that I’ve written some details on
 
This is a photo of my somewhat ancient and dusty box @LucyrIMG_20211113_211250693.jpg
Lucyr said:
All the bins I’ve used have a removal tool Patti but I haven’t used the very large ones if that’s what you have. I do hand the sharps bins in at the GP but they don’t check my name against anything to see if I’m entitled, they just check that I’ve written some details on
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I’ve had a few different 1L ones but never one like that
 
Lucyr said:
I’ve had a few different 1L ones but never one like that
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I've only ever seen those Lucy... mind you I might have had that one for a few years!
 
Morning everyone. I'm jumping on this thread to ask a question.

My usual 4 litre sharps box has been hard to get for the pharmacy so they have given me a 5litre. I've just changed my sensor but (as i was told by Abbott to dispose of it in a sharps box so i have always done so) the blue part of the applicator doesn't fit in the gap. Looking through this thread i'm a bit confused what to do. Do i take it apart (if so, how?), or just put it into the normal waste bin. I am concerned about the fact there is a needle inside so i don't really want to put it in the general waste but i'm not sure whats best. Any advice?
 
freesia said:
Morning everyone. I'm jumping on this thread to ask a question.

My usual 4 litre sharps box has been hard to get for the pharmacy so they have given me a 5litre. I've just changed my sensor but (as i was told by Abbott to dispose of it in a sharps box so i have always done so) the blue part of the applicator doesn't fit in the gap. Looking through this thread i'm a bit confused what to do. Do i take it apart (if so, how?), or just put it into the normal waste bin. I am concerned about the fact there is a needle inside so i don't really want to put it in the general waste but i'm not sure whats best. Any advice?
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Well personally I always prise mine open with a stubby screwdriver, (duck as the spring ejects) and pull the needle out with pliers, because our local tip recycles hard plastics and I take all the plastic bits there. But I couldn’t say I could recommend doing that (probably very much a case of, Don't try this at home!)
 
I have always put my applicator in the normal waste. The needle is shielded.
I am a dressmaker and have been for long before I had diabetes. If I broke a sewing needle, I never had a sharps box to put it in - it would go in the normal rubbish in a way to minimise the risk of getting pricked by it. The shielding of the mounds of plastic on the Libre applicator does the same thing.
You could take the applicator apart but I think the risk of doing damage to myself is too great to bother.
 
Robin said:
Well personally I always prise mine open with a stubby screwdriver, (duck as the spring ejects) and pull the needle out with pliers
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I just use pliers, because there's I find there's something satisfying about breaking it. However, I agree it's silly that we're asked to throw everything in the sharps bin when none of them that we're actually offered will actually let you do it.
 
Bruce Stephens said:
I just use pliers, because there's I find there's something satisfying about breaking it. However, I agree it's silly that we're asked to throw everything in the sharps bin when none of them that we're actually offered will actually let you do it.
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I was offered an 8 litre sharps box specifically for Libre when I was prescribed it. I declined and dismantle it and the needle goes in my 1 litre box.
 
I was told I must use a 5 ltr box for applicators and one was put on my prescription. Only problem was, the slot in the lid still wasn't big enough to accept the applicator so it had to be used with the lid off, which rather defeated the object! After a couple of near misses with the spring while extracting the needle I gave up and it all goes in the waste.
 
JJay said:
I was told I must use a 5 ltr box for applicators and one was put on my prescription. Only problem was, the slot in the lid still wasn't big enough to accept the applicator so it had to be used with the lid off, which rather defeated the object! After a couple of near misses with the spring while extracting the needle I gave up and it all goes in the waste.
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I usually have the 4ltr and it goes in ok but the pharmacy said they were having trouble getting it. When they gave me tbe 5ltr they put the lid on and i can't get it off (though even if i did, chances are that everything in it would go all over the place so i'm not trying again). I'll attempt to take it apart, if not it will have to go in the waste.
 
I just put it in the normal bin. As the tales of those who try to prise it open to get the needle out show, you can’t accidentally get stabbed with the needle of a used applicator unless you’re digging about in it with pliers.
 
Lucyr said:
As the tales of those who try to prise it open to get the needle out show, you can’t accidentally get stabbed with the needle of a used applicator unless you’re digging about in it with pliers.
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I could imagine there being a risk if the applicator has been crushed or something, but in that situation you'd be at much more risk from other sharp things around. You're right that the needle is right in the middle of quite solid feeling plastic bits, and definitely doesn't come out by accident.
 
Just a note on sharps box disposal. The GP and Pharmacy stopped taking them. Following isolation for the last 2.5 years have a lot but just discovered that my local council (Hillingdon) offers a 'clinical waste' collection scheme. They are coming to pick up my stash of boxes and you can even get a monthly collection. And we get free weekly garbage, recycling and garden waste collection. Pretty happy with council
 
Robert459 said:
Just a note on sharps box disposal. The GP and Pharmacy stopped taking them. Following isolation for the last 2.5 years have a lot but just discovered that my local council (Hillingdon) offers a 'clinical waste' collection scheme. They are coming to pick up my stash of boxes and you can even get a monthly collection. And we get free weekly garbage, recycling and garden waste collection. Pretty happy with council
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Every area has a ddifdernt system.
 
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