How often change lancet?

(Bunny) #21

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CAN I REUSE MY LANCETS?
“…Reusing a lancet is dangerous and a STRICT NO. Each time you use a lancet, skin tissue, blood cells, and whatever germs maybe dormant on your skin transfers to the lancet, even if it’s a microscopic amount. A used needle can have bacteria from the skin in and on it. Bacteria can contaminate the skin when used again. Each time you reuse a lancet, you’re putting yourself in danger of infection. Several thousand diabetic patients die each year due to unsterile techniques causing abscesses, skin infections and sepsis, which is a generalized infection involving the blood. Also reusing a lancet will give wrong results as old tissue from the Lancet tip will interfere with the blood sample…” …More

(Karen Parrott) #22

YES!!! change. every. single.time

Those lancets are single use only.

MT (ASCP), CLS in real life. (Medical Laboratory Professional)

Risk for infections increase with needle re-use.

#23

Wow, thanks for the great replies and information. After reading all of this, it’s a wonder I’m not dead yet because the things my hands are exposed to on a daily basis is frightening. Not only do I do animal rescue (currently handling baby birds, injured turtles, and several dogs) but I also have three saltwater tanks, and if you know anything about those, they are chock full of nasty bacteria and toxins, especially the ones that have live corals in them that can sting and cut your hands.

Yes, I wash my hands constantly, but I guess I should be even more careful in general because if there is risk of getting ill from a tiny lancet, the other things I’m exposing to myself are gonna get me for sure!
Sue

(Allie) #24

@Sue777 your life sounds similar to mine except mine is all cats, dogs, swans, geese, ducks and whatever else I come across that needs help :joy::duck: There are certainly much more risky things in my life than a tiny finger prick.

(Gabe “No Dogma, Only Science Please!” ) #25

Never, ever reuse. You put yourself at risk for infection.

Science.

#26

When it feels like I’m trying to pierce my skin with a screwdriver, I put a new one in. When I’m testing a lot, maybe once a month or so.

#27

Hurray, a fellow animal lover and rescuer! You name it, I’ve probably had it. Flying squirrels, regular squirrels, monkeys, ducks, reptiles, etc. etc.

That’s a great article - thanks for the link! In the general scope of things and considering how many hazardous “bugs” I expose myself to, I guess my lancet should be low on the list.

(bulkbiker) #28

I change mine when I remember… once every 1 or 2 months maybe… not had a problem so far.

(Laurel Harrington) #29

Y’all are correct, I had some bad information or misremembered what I was told when I was first diagnosed/educated about diabetes. Sorry! I just looked on the CDC website and they say the virus does already have to be in the blood :slight_smile:

(Tovan Nhsh) #30

Honestly I’ve always found newer lancets more painful. I use the same one repeatedly.

#31

As well as a fellow animal lover/rescuer I’ve also had T1D for 45 years. I keep half a dozen lancets in my BG pouch for at least 6 months or until go blunt. No probs at all and saves the NHS money (scripts are free for T1Ds) . All good so far :smile:

(Aimee Moisa) #32

I get scratched enough to draw blood by at least one of my five cats Every. Single. Day. If my immune system weren’t strong enough to handle airborne disease that attaches itself to my used lancet I would have been dead by now from all the cat shit my blood has been exposed to from the cats’ dirty claws. Yes, I know I can get sick from the cat scratches, but sheesh, the lancet is stored in a container and kept clean.

Ok, not really upset or anything it’s just… you should see my life. A lancet dirty with my own blood is the least of my worries.

:exploding_head:

(Rocky B) #33

Yep. I use a new one every time. I do it because my wife told me to and she is an RN. Of course, being an RN doesn’t influence me, I do it to avoid a lecture. :grin:

(Ashley) #34

Does the the breathalyzer actually work? I’ve heard mixed things.

(Steve) #35

Yep, it does. I’ve done 3 tests where I used both the Ketone meter and the breathalyzer and each time the breathalyzer was fairly accurate. Really, all I’m looking for is the binary test of “Am I still in Ketosis”. A non-zero result delivers that.

Edit: You DO have to blow hard (figured that out fairly quickly when I first got it). If you don’t, you get a zero result.

(Erica Ramirez) #36

I use a new one every single time…and wash my hands & use an alcohol pad.
I am so surprised that others reuse the needles :flushed:
I have been called a germophobe though

#38

I limit my use to 10 sticks before sharing.

#39

:joy:

(Kaiden) #40

Five Second Rule

(cheryl) #41

I AGREE this is the first time I have seen concern raised by using lancets more than once ( or in my case a few times before changing ) :thinking: