Insulin pen needles?

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Inka said:
Very true! The surgeries can just add an extra level of stress to what’s already a stressful situation. Mine once left me with no testing strips over Christmas; messed up my insulin; removed things from the prescription the consultant had requested be added; ignored an important message from the pharmacist - I could go on and on. What’s adds to the stress is having to go through it all again 28 days later. You’d think they’d at least give 3 months of stuff to people with long-term conditions.
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Absolutely agree. It needs patience and time to increase quantities so that repeat dates don't come round after running out, but these things can still happen. One receptionist (herself diabetic) was very empathetic, but another was very difficult when I needed more testing strips. You'd think I had asked for a highly additive opioid.
 
nonethewiser said:
Preference would be to ask for BD 4mm needles, used few brands but BD are best by far.
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Unless of course like me, you happen to be allergic to whatever BD coat them with ie they sting like hell. It was most peculiar - when I went onto Lantus, their pens couldn't take screw on needles, so I had to have a different make, which were fine BUT as soon as I depressed the plunger to deliver it, stung like hell. That's odd thought I - Novorapid doesn't hurt like that - that stings as soon as you put the needle in ......

So anyway - Novofine needles which absolutely don't sting which I note from the box are 6mm 31g. I have no idea why they are 6mm rather than 4mm, perhaps someone decided at some time due to the stinging the extra couple of mm would be better - as I so rarely need to pen jab these days, it has literally been years since I ever needed a new box and they have long dropped off my 'repeat' list, since at the beginning of Covid when everything was 'on the change' and I needed practically everything, I just asked whoever I had to ask at that time to order me everything please, forgetting I'd literally only just had a new box, hence I haven't needed to order ANY, ever since! All well past their 'Use by' date now - but still work fine as far as my insides are concerned.
 
trophywench said:
Unless of course like me, you happen to be allergic to whatever BD coat them with ie they sting like hell. It was most peculiar - when I went onto Lantus, their pens couldn't take screw on needles, so I had to have a different make, which were fine BUT as soon as I depressed the plunger to deliver it, stung like hell. That's odd thought I - Novorapid doesn't hurt like that - that stings as soon as you put the needle in ......

So anyway - Novofine needles which absolutely don't sting which I note from the box are 6mm 31g. I have no idea why they are 6mm rather than 4mm, perhaps someone decided at some time due to the stinging the extra couple of mm would be better - as I so rarely need to pen jab these days, it has literally been years since I ever needed a new box and they have long dropped off my 'repeat' list, since at the beginning of Covid when everything was 'on the change' and I needed practically everything, I just asked whoever I had to ask at that time to order me everything please, forgetting I'd literally only just had a new box, hence I haven't needed to order ANY, ever since! All well past their 'Use by' date now - but still work fine as far as my insides are concerned.
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All needles have coatings, not sure if same lubricant is universally used by manufacturers, maybe not going by your experience.
 
In answer to the OP's query...

You can always buy them from Amazon. If you have Prime, next day delivery. Or even buy them from your local chemist. If you can prove that you are T1 you should be able to persuade them to knock off the VAT. It's worth knowing that you can get them without a prescription, it might help for those occasions when you forget to pack them for your holiday.
 
mikeyB said:
Or even buy them from your local chemist. If you can prove that you are T1 you should be able to persuade them to knock off the VAT.
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Good point. When I was diagnosed 28 years ago pen needles weren't even available on prescription so that brings back memories of filling in the form at Boots every time.

I note many have suggested BD needles and that's what I used back then, but where I live now, no chance. It's GlucoRX Carepoint or nothing from our ICB.
 
Just for your information.
I had an issue with quantities and items dropping off my prescription list.
After a stomp down to the surgery I was informed it was my fault as anything not re-ordered after 6 months gets dropped off the list. Also the staff doing this were just general & had not been given any medical training, they were just told to drop anything not ordered for 6 months. Going forward I asked if they could ask the Dr before committing to it but it seems easier to wait for a call from a patient asking for it again.
Of course this will add to the telephone wait time. Oh yeah didn't think of that, shakes head.

Might be worth a check of your medication list . . . . . . . just in case.
 
@mark king I had similar problem of things automatically dropping off my prescription because I hadn’t ordered them often enough. When I explained how I use them to the surgery pharmacist, she was able to mark them so they would not be deleted and I never had the problem again.
I am certain there are multiple systems used by different surgeries around the country and some systems may not be sophisticated enough to deal with the life of a diabetic. (Or maybe some surgeries who haven’t learnt to use this “advanced” feature.) But I guess it is worth asking.

When I had problems in the past with the surgery getting my prescription wrong (e.g. the surgery asking the pharmacy for Lantus when I had ticked NovoRapid on more than one occasion), I wrote to the surgery manager and they implemented a process change such that all prescription requests from diabetics must be checked by two people. I have had no problems since,
 
I think at this point since @Marks is a T1 who has not possessed a single needle for 2 days (presumably since otherwise he could have just read the needle type from an existing new or used needle), we should stop advising to speak to the GP as he probably more likely needs A&E after 2 days with no insulin unless on an insulin pump and these are only spares.
 
Lucyr said:
I think at this point since @Marks is a T1 who has not possessed a single needle for 2 days (presumably since otherwise he could have just read the needle type from an existing new or used needle), we should stop advising to speak to the GP as he probably more likely needs A&E after 2 days with no insulin unless on an insulin pump and these are only spares.
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Or like me he is a bad diabetic and reuses his needles. o_O Or didn't realize that the info is on the paper seal and hasn't been back to the forum since 11pm yesterday to see @lucy post mentioning it.
 
Must be 3 maybe 4 years since ordering pen needles, when ordering prescription online they are still on medication list.
 
Marks said:
Hi

Unfortunately my insulin pen (Novorapid Flexpen) needles have ‘fallen off’ my repeat prescription list and I cannot remember what they are (make and type).

My doctor’s receptionist says that unless I can tell them what they are called they cannot provide a new prescription.

I know the NHS are under extreme pressure and so I guess that is why they now are expecting patients to decide for themselves what they need to be prescribed.

I wonder if anyone would be kind enough to look at their box of needles and let me know so I can tell my doctor’s surgery what to prescribe for me.

Thanks
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I’m not sure this is best way to do this but my sincere thanks to all who responded to my request. I’ve now rung the receptionist and she has found the needles as described by many of you on their system and I’ll be picking them up in three days’ time.

Incidentally, I do still have needles - The reason I did not have details of what exactly they were is that I take all my prescriptions out of the, quite frankly, ridiculously bulky, wasteful and totally environmentally irresponsible amount of packaging that my prescriptions come in nowadays. I then put them into more robust and sensibly sized containers. I will of course, from now on, keep a record of what each item is!
 
Bruce Stephens said:
If the surgery has a pharmacist, they'd be the ideal person to talk to.
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Lucyr said:
Do you have no needles left whatsoever? You need to get it resolved urgently if so.

If you have a needle left it will say on the paper cover. If you have access to your medical records eg through nhs app you can read there what it was called. Or you could ask the GP to print off the list of what was last prescribed for you.
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I do have quite a few left (as per my earlier post). Having said that I don’t change them every time I use them.
 
Hi. No need for you to reply individually to people as that can be a bit of an onerous task and not necessary when we can all read your post above, unless you need to make specific reference to the content of a specific reply.
Good to hear you have sorted the problem out and not run short.
 
Marks said:
Incidentally, I do still have needles - The reason I did not have details of what exactly they were is that I take all my prescriptions out of the, quite frankly, ridiculously bulky, wasteful and totally environmentally irresponsible amount of packaging that my prescriptions come in nowadays. I then put them into more robust and sensibly sized containers. I will of course, from now on, keep a record of what each item is!
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Every time you use a new needle you peel off the paper cover describing what kind of needle it is
 
Lucyr said:
Every time you use a new needle you peel off the paper cover describing what kind of needle it is
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If you have poor eyesight they are illegible.
 
silentsquirrel said:
If you have poor eyesight they are illegible.
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There’s a magnifier on my phone, perhaps yours has one too. Or take a photo and zoom in. Or take a needle to gp receptionist /pharmacy and ask them to read it?
 
Lucyr said:
There’s a magnifier on my phone, perhaps yours has one too. Or take a photo and zoom in. Or take a needle to gp receptionist /pharmacy and ask them to read it?
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I do not have a phone. Cannot drive because of sight, and walking/standing for even a short time is painful, so expeditions out are only when essential.

Please do not assume that because something is obvious and easy for you, it will be easy or even possible for everyone.
 
I know the issue is resolved but just mentioning you can also buy them from the chemist if you ask for them without a script in an emergency vs waiting for the next day with amazon 🙂

There's a P in a box or POM in a box on the packaging indicating if it HAS to only be sold by a pharmacy (P) or prescription only (POM) if you are ever wondering if you can walk in and buy stuff without scripts 😉 (used to work in a chemist)
Asking at the place you would pickup your prescription for stuff is usually the way if its not stocked on the shelves.
 
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