Reusing diabetes supplies?

Question

Just wondering if the diabetics on here use a new lancet every time you test your blood glucose? How about syringes? Will you use them more than once? If you do use lancets and/or syringes more than once, how long do you use them before switching to a new one?

Now Jim, I take the universal precautions class annually. I know in order for me to get hepatitis, I have to use a syringe or lancet that has blood with the hepatitis virus on it. Since I'm only reusing my OWN syringes or lancets, and I don't have hepatitis virus, I cannot get it from myself.

Answer 1

I guess according to the other answers, you would probably think I'm obsessive/compulsive. I use the lancet and needles only once. I'm a "new" diabetic and it still hurts w/ finger sticks and injections w/ new needles and lancets. I can't imagine using the needles for up to a week. OUCH! But I guess it's personal preference cuz the supplies are so expensive. between my meds and supplies I spend $425 a month! DOUBLE OUCH! :)

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

2

Answer 4

My six year old son is a diabetic and my 52 year old mother is a diabetic. They both have their own glucometer and no one else uses the lancet. My mom and son both change the lancet about once every two weeks. Now, if someone uses your lancet, do not use it again. Change it. My son takes two different kinds of insulin so he cannot reuse his syringes. That is very important. Do not reuse the syringe if you mix insulin in them. My mom, on the other hand does reuse her syringes, but she only uses one type of insulin at a time. She uses the syringe three to four times before disposing of it. I understand completely the costs involved in diabetic supplies. I hope this helps!

Answer 5

I've been diabetic for 21 years now and I'm really bad about changing my supplies. I use my lancets til they are dull and I use a syringe for about 5 days. I can tell when it needs to be changed because it gets dull and hurts. I've never ever had an infection or other health problems due to this and my doctor says that it is my personal preference.

Answer 6

You are supposed to use a new lancet and syringe every time but the majority of people I know don't. I use a lancet for a while without changing it, possibly until it is dull. I'm on a pump so I haven't used syringes in a while but when i did use them, I only used it once before throwing it away. I mixed two different types of Insulin so I didn't want to contaminate one vial of Insulin With another type.

Answer 7

My dad has diabetes and uses the same needle all day and the lancets as well.

So far no problems, and hes been a diabetic since he was 7. Hes 53 now.

Answer 8

It is NOT advisable to reuse your lancets and/or syringees more than once. However, if I were in a pinch and needed to, I would see to it I got my insulin and checked my glucose levels. Since these things are made with plastic product, you can not boil them to sterilize, but you can drop them in alcohol and leave them there for 10-15 minutes. Be certain to allow the syringe to dry completely if the inner barrel of the syring (not needle) gets alcohol in it. I would leave the plunger intact and pushed completely to the empty position to avoid this. The main thing is to try to clean the needle most of all.
PLEASE NOTE: Your potential risk of reusing unsterilized lancets and needles is of being infected with one form or another of hepatitis.

Answer 9

I reuse my lancets i test 4x a day and I replace mine every day or so. I have reused needles too, but most of the time I don't.

Answer 10

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