Needle Usage

[Slugsie]

Had Type 1 now for a year, however, everything was kind of rushed and I haven't been able to have any 1 on 1 sessions with nurses due to covid.

What's the typical way for using needles with your pens? New one for each injection? Use one needle a day for each pen?

 

[SB2015]

The official advice is that each needle is for single use only but....

When I was working at would use one needle on a pen for a day minimum. It meant that I did not need to deal with disposal of needles during work. Others may have been more compliant with the advice. In the same way I should change my lancet after each finger prick but ....

 

[rebrascora]

I'm naughty! 😱 Wednesdays and Sundays are needle change days for me... but I always do an air shot before every injection.
St Swithin's Day and New Years Day are lancet change days.

 

[trophywench]

I do seriously wonder whether all those years of 1 needle a day use, have anything at all to do with the multiple areas of me with very poor insulin absorption. My advice to you, as I have as yet not had a reliable answer to my query from any HCP - is DO NOT RISK IT. One brand spanking new needle per jab.

 

[Ljc]

I do tend to reuse my needles. However you are most likely to be injecting for far longer than me so you need to protect those injection sites as much as possible and one way of doing that is a new needle every time. The lubricant they use o help the needle glide in and out wears off , so in a short time the needles start to jag and over time causes a bit of damage .

If needle disposal while out or at work etc is a problem you can get a needle clipper, prescribed or bought, it takes the business end of the needles off and stores them safely so you only have the bit that unscrews to dispose of when back home.

 

[Ljc]

I must learn to take my own advise .

 

[Spozkins]

Its supposed to be every time but it's not always practical, especially when you're out and about. It's good to aim for that though.

One thing I do to make things a bit easier for myself is remove the needle immediately after use so I have no choice but to use a new one upon my next injection.

That being said, I probably change needles 1-2 times a day on average.

 

[Spozkins]

I do seriously wonder whether all those years of 1 needle a day use, have anything at all to do with the multiple areas of me with very poor insulin absorption. My advice to you, as I have as yet not had a reliable answer to my query from any HCP - is DO NOT RISK IT. One brand spanking new needle per jab.

Just out of curiosity how do you know which areas have poor absorption?

 

[Kaylz]

I use a new needle for every injection, I'm of the opinion I wouldn't use a used plate without washing it so why would I want to insert something under my skin that has been previously used, the risk of infection in slightly increased if a needle has been previously used, it bluntens after each injection, the risk of it becoming blocked is increased, I'm just one that won't take any of those risks xx

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I’m another who reused needles while on MDI while knowing I should have been using a fresh one every time.