Great Lancets

[nneighbour]

For the last little while I've been using iTest Safety Lancets and I must admit, these are by far the best design I've seen. I thought some other people might want to give them a try. They are 28 g, but personally I find 28s less painful than 30s. These "safety lancets" and a cool little lock that protects protects you from the sharp so there's no need to recap, which can all be done one-handed and there's no cap to fall off. But unlike other 'safety lancets' they can be reused since the lock is a manual feature. I know I sound like an ad, but honestly, I haven't seen theses anywhere else are they are really practical when you're out and about.

http://lh3.google.com/image/sgduff/RhQ_F2sPhkI/AAAAAAAAABQ/RAkgml3L0QY/s288/lancets.jpg http://lh3.google.com/image/sgduff/RhQ_F2sPhlI/AAAAAAAAABY/iwBLejnWCfo/s288/side%20panel.jpg
http://lh3.google.com/image/sgduff/RhQ_F2sPhiI/AAAAAAAAABA/O7UwQn5cWNY/s288/iTest%20english.jpg http://lh3.google.com/image/sgduff/RhQ_F2sPhjI/AAAAAAAAABI/H1uJSiiBYOY/s288/iTest%20French.jpg

[greengirl]

intresting, i've never seen those before. this reminds me, i should change my lancet, i do it maybe 4 or 5 times a year. do you really change it each time?

[nneighbour]

Yep. Well most of the time. My fingers tend to bruise easily and having the sharpest lancet possible seems to help. How often do others change their lancets?

[KritterMom]

I really try hard to change mine a few times a day. Sometimes I forget though. My fingers bruise easily and it seems like the sharper the lancet the better it is on my fingers.:)

[JungleJim]

You mean you're supposed to change those things? :D

Seriously, about once a year. My fingers must be really soft!

[Funnygrl]

I guess I don't understand what the advantage is over simple recapping?

[nneighbour]

convenience. I guess it's cuz if I'm out I tend to just stick the used lancets in my pocket. I am always playing with whatever's in my pockets. The cap falls off and I end up stabbing myself in the leg. For the same reason, I can't keep lighters in my pockets. Plus, if ya look at the BD lancets, they don't cap very well.

Plus they are cheap and pretty.

[Cia Leah]

I use the Accu-Chek Multiclix drum lancettes. There are six in each drum and then you just take the drum out and insert another one. You can't get stuck accidntally no matter where you carry them at. I don't use lancettes over again. I was told you aren't supposed to, but Doc's office girl said you can use the lancette up to three sticks, then change because of infection.

The lancettes drums can be reused since you have to twist the top of the lancette to load the next one though. I use it with different meters and it doesn't hurt like some do.

Cia Leah
Type 2

[typeone]

You mean you're supposed to change those things? :D

Seriously, about once a year. My fingers must be really soft!

Me too, Jungle Jim. I can't remember the last time I changed lancets. There is a standing joke on Insulin-pumpers.org that calls for an annual lancet change day on July 4th.

After 43 years of being diabetic, I have never had an infection from a lancet. Of course, we've only had meters since the 1980's :)

[sweetcheeks]

i changed maybe once or twice a week, i can tell when it needs changed. when i first started testing i changed everytime, then i thought hmm this is going to get expensive, and i need to scrape up every dime and penny I can, so i been at this about 6 months I still got a whole box about it

I bought the box of `100, then I got about 60 for free with meters/registering my meter I got 20 free each time I registered one. Plus then i got more lancets my uncle gave me but I hate that lancet thing, so those will probably never get used unless im in dire need lol

[blacklightmike]

A related question about lancet re-use... what about stabbing them into an alcohol swab afterward? Couldn't you reuse them safely until they became too blunt this way?

[lgvincent]

I have seen something similar to that used to prick my finger in hospitals and some doctor's offices before but I've never been able to find where to buy them. I'd like to try some if I can afford them. They don't seem to be very painful and are good at getting blood and those are always good for a lancet.

[nneighbour]

A related question about lancet re-use... what about stabbing them into an alcohol swab afterward? Couldn't you reuse them safely until they became too blunt this way?

Unless your immune system is compromised, is infection from a lancet really a problem?

[owlyn]

I change mine (OneTouch UltraSoft) when it starts to hurt, which seems to be about half-way through a vial of 25 strips.

[melissata]

The BD 33 gauge are the best thing out there, although people say that the Multiclix is also very good. My son and daughter both use the 33 gauge now and won't accept anything else. My daughter uses the same one for weeks at a time and never has had a problem. Her fingers do not get sore at all. They are the thinnest out there, yet stay very sharp. We always used to change them out each time until I found out that even doctors with diabetes use the lancets multiple times.

[Dervish]

Unless your immune system is compromised, is infection from a lancet really a problem?

I don't remember enough verbatim text to do a search for it, but I've seen another thread here where someone said that modern lancing devices are so fast that the needle never actually touches your blood. Between that and how often people cut themselves shaving without anything being sanitized, yet you don't constantly see people getting infections from that, I figure it's not an issue.

And, since people are talking about how often they change lancets, I try to remember to do it daily, after taking my before-bed reading (so I'll have a minimally-painful experience if I end up checking in the middle of the night), but I seem to forget once or twice a week.

[Imperatrix]

I'm a little confused and hope someone can help me...when your endo writes a script for test strips, does he also have to write a script for lancets, or are lancets not covered by insurance and, therefore, you have to buy them on their own?

And if the latter's the case, can I just use "no name" lancets? My insurance co. is sending me the Ultrasmart glucometer and I will be using the correct strips for it; that said, could I use cheaper lancets than OneTouch? 12 bucks a box of 100 lancets seems a bit much. Or am I just kidding myself? :questionm :questionm :questionm

[nneighbour]

I know for myself lancets aren't covered. That's why I go for what's cheap and what's the least painful. But I've heard that some people may get them by prescription.

[Keezheekoni]

My lancets are covered, but I use a brand that is not covered under my insurance plan. Through my insurance, they'll pay for One Touch and Freestyle. I use the Softclix Plus, so they won't pay for those. Some really nice person on this board sent me two boxes of 100 each and I think I've gone through maybe 10 of them since she sent them to me... Boy those are gonna last forever!!!

When I used the device that insurance paid for, I did change the lancet every time. Not so anymore...

Oh, and anyone who needs lancets and likes the ones that they use at the doc's office...usually if you ask your doc, they'll give you a box of those ones for free!

[Funnygrl]

My lancets are covered if I have a script. I can't remember the last time I bought lancets though.

[Imperatrix]

Thanks, dollings! I'm going to ask the endo to style me a box for free. Hey, he told me today at my first appointment that if there's anything I need....:D

[Crepuscular]

I tried the 33g ones that came with my WaveSense Keynote yesterday and I found that I had to crank up the depth to 5 to get enough blood but It was painless. A few minutes after the blood draw my finger began hurt though. Go figure.

[JasonJayhawk]

Thanks for the info on these lancets. I have never seen anything like it before. Probably not in the USA, but it's cool seeing something new. I like the colors, too (hee hee).

Anyhow, I've tried the 33G BD lancets, and found that while they work well, they need to be changed more frequently. I'd rather not have to change lancets as frequently, so now I've got two boxes of them sitting around, probably headed towards the trash.

My favorite has been the Accu-chek Aviva's default lancet, which uses lancets in a drum. You can reuse the lancets as many times as you want (until you twist the lancet to advance to the next lancet), and once you're done with the drum, you toss it -- no sharps will be exposed!

[someone]

The BD 33 gauge are the best thing out there

I have to agree with you there. Testing 10 times per day, I hardly have any marks on my finger. Not to mention, they are almost pain-free.

[Stuboy]

i change mine one a day, i always change my pen needles and lancet needles before i go to bed.

It's a good routine for me.