Simplance new lancing device

[Vicsetter]

As advertised in this months Balance magazine, I applied for a sample of this new lancing device (http://www.simplance.co.uk/simplance/) and it arrived this morning.
Initial findings.
1) quite large (small powder compact size)
2) 20 lancets good capacity
3) so far pain free
4) if you don't get any blood, you have wasted a lancet so quite expensive. I find different fingers need different strengths on the lancing device.
5) it says dispose of used lancets according to your healthcare professional - so I suppose you bin it.
6) supposed to be ?9 for 200 but I found it hard to find and when I did it was ?12.63 +VAT. Ordinary lancets are about ?6 per 200.

 

[Austin Mini]

I have one Optium finger pricker and I must get through at the most four finger pricker lancets a year. I had a box of 100 lancets back in 2005 and its still full.

 

[AlisonM]

I must admit I only change lancets about once a month and I'm still on my first box as well. Blush.

 

[Vicsetter]

Just took 3 lancets to get one blood sample. I don't change normal lancets until it starts hurting.

 

[macabee]

I am in the process of trialling the 'simplance' my initial finding, is that it's a bit hit and miss, when I use the bayer finger pricker I use one setting which works on all fingers used, on the 'simplance' one size does not fit all.

Whilst it is very compact and less fiddly, if it does not draw blood first time round, you are unable to reuse the same lancet. I will probably continue to use the bayer finger pricker, as I do get the BG testing paraphernalia on prescription [lucky me].

 

[Northerner]

So it forces you to single-use lancets? Wonder why they've designed it that way....🙄

I'm still on my first box of Accucheck Multiclix lancets after nearly 4 years - it's about half-full 😱 🙂

 

[Vicsetter]

Well of course they make more money that way. However I think the lancing needle is a lot thinner and lighter than the normal lancets and maybe wouldn't last as long. The lightness is probably why it is the least painful of any I have used.

I am finding that on a setting of 3 (out of 4) it gets a good result without any pain at all.

 

[kim22]

I always thought you were supposed to change your lancet each time you use it, like with insulin needles!

 

[Vicsetter]

I always thought you were supposed to change your lancet each time you use it, like with insulin needles!

Thats what healthcare professionals and the manufacturers will tell you. But most people don't. Some people even re-use needles. It's supposed to be because the lancet will pick up bacteria, blood etc when it penetrates the skin which could then contaminate you the next time. Never heard of anyone getting blood poisoning or infected fingers myself.
The trouble with the simplance is that if you fail to get a blood sample then you have to use another lancet, whereas with the standard lancing device you would just try again elsewhere with the same one.

 

[Vicsetter]

Finished my free sample. When it works and you get a sample it doesn't hurt at all, in fact at times I thought it hadn't worked when it had.

As is my wont, I took it apart:

The white lancet on the right is a standard one.

The lancets are obviously a lot smaller and travel a very short distance which is probably why they don't hurt. With a lot of fiddling I have managed to get it back together and working so can use it again. Not a path of action I would recommend however.