HI All - I know the disposable syringes say one time use only. However, I reuse them and haven't seen any sort of problem. I assume they tell you not to reuse for possible infection. I'm on the pump but sometimes if my BG level is like 200 or something I find the syringe in the abdomen lowers it much more effectively than if I have the pod on my arm or leg. So I would say I've been using the same syringe for about 2 months but actually inject it maybe twice a week. So that totals to about maybe 15 times. Is that safe?
Over in the needle diabetics group they had a good discussion....
http://www.tudiabetes.org/group/needlediabetics/forum/topics/how-many-uses-per-syringe-for
It's pretty common, but you are going off label and I don't know if there have been any actual studies on safety. I do it, but more along the lines of 6-7 shots per needle (that's when the numbers start fading for me).
Back when I was on MDI, I might use a syringe until it was painful to inject with. Not sure what they said over in the needle group, but I never had a problem with infections, but the needle would get noticeable more dull and more difficult to inject with after 3 or so uses.
Of course, I'd never mix up up the syringe I used for long acting with the one I used for boluses. I'd generally just dispose of the long acting syringe after one use because Lantus seemed to be a bit more sensitive to the condition of the syringe an I was definitely more afraid of contaminating Lantus versus Novolog.
When I switched to Novolog Pens, I'd use the hell out of a needle and was practically forcing the needle into the skin with a ball-peen hammer before I'd swap out an old needle for a new one.
I wouldn't have any concern about infection, I'd be more worried that the insulin left in the needle tip would polymerize and if it got into the vial it could ruin the vial of insulin. I hope you aren't using the syringe to inject air back into the vial.
Bernstein is a fanatic in his book saying to never ever re-use a syringe under any circumstances. But he provides no evidence for why - it is one of the many things I think he is wrong about. I've been doing it for decades without any problem. I inject air back into the bottle and re-use the syringe until as Scott says the numbers start to wear off - for me that probably 20 injections or more.
Man, when I was on shots I used syringes until they were so dull they would barely pierce my skin. I don't know why! It's not like insurance wasn't paying for them. It's probably for the same reason I haven't changed my lancet in about six months.
Leata
leatabetes.com
I’ve reused needles, lancets and syringes for the last ten years. Never had an issue except it hurts when the needle is blunt
Jag1, you're wrong about what Bernstein wrote regarding syringes.
I think Bernstein is a proponent of people reusing them, but he could get in some trouble as a doctor by telling patients to reuse syringes. I grabbed my Bernstein book and looked it up and on p272-p272 He goes into quite a lot of detail on how to do it properly. He states that he has never encountered an infection from a single person reusing a syringe, but he has encountered problems with polymerization of insulin. His technique is basically to have a separate syringe set aside to let air into the vial.
Then on P273 he closes by saying....
"Since my insurance will not fully pay for insulin syringes, this is the method that I use."
my cde told me never to reuse them but my regular nurse said to go ahead, no harm done till it starts to hurt when the Teflon on the outside of the syringe wears off from repeated use. I don't usually do it cuz I get all that I need but if I have none left on me and im out and about, ive fished around in my bag and used an old one.
and lancets, I use like a jazillion times.
Iould reuse them until couldn't read the numbers on the side any more.
Yes as long as the needles are clean it is safe. I re use both pen needles and syringes and I've had no problems. The syringes I clean off with alcohol each time.
Pain is the main factor to change, you can tell then the needle is blunt and also the insulin may not get into you as well if the needle is blunt. I use very fine needles.
When I was younger, living on my own and uninsured, I used my syringes about 4 times each. I never had an infection from doing this. I haven't put air in my vials since the 1980's. Now I use a syringe twice.
I reuse pen tips, but I do not reuse syringes. I change at least once a month.
I reused both syringes and pen needles when I was still doing MDI. Never once had a problem with infection or anything. As far as pen needles went I would change the needle when starting a new pen. Syringes I would use until the numbers faded.
Well, we obviously have different editions of his book. In my book he says that his patients that re-use their syringes inevitably ruin their insulin and need to throw it away. He then says if "you really must" reuse your syringes, you have to follow his instructions using an extra syringe and never to inject air into the bottle. He certainly doesn't mention that he uses the extra syringe method or that his insurance doesn't pay for his syringes - I find it extremely hard to believe that a diabetes doctor doesn't get all the free syringe samples he could possibly use but whatever.
Syringes are a trivial expense to him, and he reuses them anyway; therefore, he doesn't feel that there is anything wrong with reusing syringes as long as you aren't putting insulin from the syringe back into the vial.
IMHO, as a doctor he can get in trouble telling people to use a medical device (disposable syringe) in a manner that it was not designed, and the medical establishment would also have concerns about infection, so he has to skirt around the issue a bit.
I believe my edition is the most recent, and my recollection was that the wording was almost exactly the same in the edition from a few years earlier. He came from an era before disposables in which he had to reuse the same glass syringe repeatedly.
I've had diabetes for more than 38 years myself, and I have the first edition of his book. I'm glad he has realized he was wrong and corrected it in his book, though I think he's still wrong about being afraid to inject air into the bottle when re-using a syringe, based on my experience.
Haven’t used yringes for a long time but certainly used to reuse up to about 6 times. Now on pen, I use the needles about 2 days so I guess 6 - 10 times.
I change when it’s hurting too much, and I hate the amount of waste we make.
I’ve never used alcohol swabs after the first week as a diabetic 23 years ago. I wash sites properly with soap each day and have never had an infection.
I had to inject when I first was diagnosed 21 years ago but eventually managed to get to tablets. In those days it was syringes and the medical staff were always at me to make sure I washed the site before injecting and throw away the needle, 'YOU MUST NEVER USE THE SAME NEEDLE TWICE!!' Recently I went back to injections with the Lantus pen, the medical staff have no issues with cleaning the injection site and, they said change the needle as and when you want to. So either, there is not so much worry over site infections and blunt needles, it seems comfort is more important over infection, perhaps there is little or no risk? Should I wash the site or get some swabs?
FWIW, I do not always wash my hands before pricking my finger for a BG reading, 21 years and how many tests? Never had an issue.
DaveMH
I always use one short term and one long-term syringe for that very reason. When I had R and N and mixed the shots, you'd see little tendrils of NPH cooties getting into the R which I suspected may have "cut" it a bit, given that the additives are what slow it down so that made sense to me. I want R cooties in R and N cooties in N. I have not done any formal research, of course...