Hello

[Lol58]

I was diagnosed in November 2022 after going from pre diabetic just into the diabetic range. So far manage my T2 with diet and am trying desperately to lose weight. Up for a review this month and really don’t want to be prescribed medication. Without a glucose monitor I really have no idea what my blood sugar is doing so I think I need to get one. Due to arthritis in my knees I find it hard to walk any distance which is very annoying. However I see weight loss as the key for me. I look forward to sharing discussions on this forum.

 

[Leadinglights]

I was diagnosed in November 2022 after going from pre diabetic just into the diabetic range. So far manage my T2 with diet and am trying desperately to lose weight. Up for a review this month and really don’t want to be prescribed medication. Without a glucose monitor I really have no idea what my blood sugar is doing so I think I need to get one. Due to arthritis in my knees I find it hard to walk any distance which is very annoying. However I see weight loss as the key for me. I look forward to sharing discussions on this forum.

Inexpensive monitors can be bought on line, the GlucoNavii or TEE2 are ones with the cheaper test strips and really form an vital tool in giving you control over managing your condition.
This link may help you as well. https://lowcarbfreshwell.com/

 

[Lol58]

Thank you for your reply. Where do you dispose of sharps ? I presume you need a sharps bin ?

 

[Leadinglights]

Thank you for your reply. Where do you dispose of sharps ? I presume you need a sharps bin ?

Many people reuse their lancets many times so you don't generate many anyway. An old plastic bottle can be used to pop them into and depending on what your disposal regs are they can go in general rubbish, we we can where I am.
The problem with sharps bins is getting rid of them. Where I am the doctors or pharmacies even the one at the hospital don't take them.
The lancets are so small which only a 2mm bit that sticks out if any as some retract back in. People wouldn't have a sharps bin to dispose of a sewing needle.

 

[Lol58]

A great tip about the plastic bottle - thanks

 

[Inka]

Welcome @Lol58 🙂

 

[djdave]

Welcome @Lol58
Having a testing kit puts your mind at ease (or scares you before you get things under control). Have a chat with your local pharmacy to find out about sharps bins. Many do not take in bins and ask you to organise with a your local authority for collection, though my local does still exchange bins. When I first got diagnosed I was given a 0.6 litre bin which is a very manageable size and will last a long time if you are only using finger pricks - I was changing my lancets (the sharp bits) once a day so have never had to buy more since my first box. I bought a couple of 'sharpsguard sharps bins' on Amazon for less than £10 so I could keep one in the car and a spare at home.
I'm not using Libre CGM which helped me even more.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

A great tip about the plastic bottle - thanks

The official .nhs.uk guidance is not to use that plastic bottle trick any more. But some lancing devices such as the accu-chek fast clix uses a drum where the sharps are completely hidden and enclosed, so can go in regular waste.

It’s the Local Authority that has the legal responsibility for sharps disposal (though some LAs co-opt pharmacies, GPs, or other services), so if you wanted a sharps bin you could probably just get one from your local council and wait forever for it to fill up 🙂

Welcome to the forum 🙂

 

[Lucyr]

If you’re not using many lancets you could just stick them in the sharps box in a public loo

 

[rebrascora]

If you’re not using many lancets you could just stick them in the sharps box in a public loo

Finding a public loo is tough these days but I had no idea that there were sharps bins in them.

 

[Lucyr]

Finding a public loo is tough these days but I had no idea that there were sharps bins in them.

Plenty of the loos round here, and other places I’ve been, have sharps bins. Usually it’s the type of public loo that are outside not ones in a shopping centre etc.