Diabetes Talking

Question:

That isn’t o good way to break off the needles.  The best way is to recap them and snap them off where they attach the syringe.  Breaking off the needle and having it fly up and stick you in the eye isn’t pleasant. Neither is losing it on the floor and being unable to find it, only to step on it at a later time or someone else doing so.  Removal is very unpleasant for either instance.  And beside the fact that if someone digging though the trash should find the syringe without the needle in that manner all they need to do is find another needle.  If you break the syringe they can’t use it period. — Jill To reply remove the NO SPAM in my email address.

Response:

I am being serious here I was not allowed to board a plane because… my syringes could be used as a weapon on the pilot’s eyes or filled with a poison and used as …. hell I don’t even know. Doug sounds like you have matched one of the security profiles they use at the check points!

Maybe I should get some sleep and stop drooling??? Doug

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – this is the only thing useful my 1st diabetic care nurse ever taught me. I never travel with syringes after use the airport people really get pissed Did you have a bad experience?  I’ve been through countless xray machines and customs searches, I always put my used syringes on top in plain view, and they have been mentioned only once.  Coming back from Canada a US customs agent said "You must be a diabetic".  This travel includes some very illegal drug adverse countries. I am being serious here I was not allowed to board a plane because… my syringes could be used as a weapon on the pilot’s eyes or filled with a poison and used as …. hell I don’t even know.

Bizarre, but I guess we have all encountered idiots enforcing some rule they think they understand.  It brings to mind the kid who was expelled from his elementry school for pushing drugs under the zero tolerance policy.  His friend asked him what his glucose tablets tasted like, so he gave him one. What were the details, airline, airport, circumstances?

Response:

this is the only thing useful my 1st diabetic care nurse ever taught me. I never travel with syringes after use the airport people really get pissed Did you have a bad experience?  I’ve been through countless xray machines and customs searches, I always put my used syringes on top in plain view, and they have been mentioned only once.  Coming back from Canada a US customs agent said "You must be a diabetic".  This travel includes some very illegal drug adverse countries.

I am being serious here I was not allowed to board a plane because… my syringes could be used as a weapon on the pilot’s eyes or filled with a poison and used as …. hell I don’t even know. Doug

Response:

this is the only thing useful my 1st diabetic care nurse ever taught me. I never travel with syringes after use the airport people really get pissed

Did you have a bad experience?  I’ve been through countless xray machines and customs searches, I always put my used syringes on top in plain view, and they have been mentioned only once.  Coming back from Canada a US customs agent said "You must be a diabetic".  This travel includes some very illegal drug adverse countries.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have one of those BD needle cutters also but it doesn’t entirely take the needle off.  True it takes the part that might contaminate another human being off but it still leaves a sharp edge. therefore I don’t use it.   I generally carry my sharps  container with me or I recap the syringes and take them with me to dispose of later. If you use BD syringes, just put the needle cap back on and give it a sharp snap.  The syringe will break justa above the needle so you have a usless syringe body and a needle safely covered and difficult to extract. Whenever I travel, I always bring my sharps home with me to dispose of where I know the rules.  Seems only reasonable to me.

GEEZ AND CRIMINY I didn’t realize we could have a war over breaking off the needle point I push it flat on the counter then bend it back with the cover It breaks right off FLUSH with the body of the syringe and is unusable this is the only thing useful my 1st diabetic care nurse ever taught me. I never travel with syringes after use the airport people really get pissed Doug

Response:

I have one of those BD needle cutters also but it doesn’t entirely take the needle off.  True it takes the part that might contaminate another human being off but it still leaves a sharp edge. therefore I don’t use it.   I generally carry my sharps  container with me or I recap the syringes and take them with me to dispose of later.

If you use BD syringes, just put the needle cap back on and give it a sharp snap.  The syringe will break justa above the needle so you have a usless syringe body and a needle safely covered and difficult to extract. Whenever I travel, I always bring my sharps home with me to dispose of where I know the rules.  Seems only reasonable to me.

Response:

When travelling, I use a clear pencil box.  Sold for $2 at arts & crafts type store.  That way a curious airport security person can see what’s in it without opening. When I took a cruise in October, the nurse asked/offered that if I collected my sharps she would dispose of them in their container. "Please don’t put them in the trash as the room steward could get hurt".  I thought that was a very reasonable request! —–Burton No time spent with a Cat in your lap is ever truly wasted!

Response:

I use an empty strip bottle when I need to while on the go around town, but I use an empty coke bottle on vacation.  I don’t put the whole syringe in the bottle though.  I recap them and break the needles off and put just the needle in the bottle.  The rest I put in the trash inside empty coke cans or bags or bottles. — Jill To reply remove the NO SPAM in my email address.

Response:

I also bring mine home. What I do is bring an empty vitamin bottle (One A Day’s) which will hold more than 1 weeks worth of broken needles. Mike – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have one of those BD needle cutters also but it doesn’t entirely take the needle off.  True it takes the part that might contaminate another human being off but it still leaves a sharp edge. therefore I don’t use it.   I generally carry my sharps  container with me or I recap the syringes and take them with me to dispose of later. If you use BD syringes, just put the needle cap back on and give it a sharp snap.  The syringe will break justa above the needle so you have a usless syringe body and a needle safely covered and difficult to extract. Whenever I travel, I always bring my sharps home with me to dispose of where I know the rules.  Seems only reasonable to me.

Response:

I have to agree about not relying on anyone else My son (12yo type I) always deals with the stuff by himself, not relying on anyone else.  Our system is always recap the needle, but leave the clear plastic plunger cap off.  Thus, a new needle has both caps, a used needle has just the needle cap.  Then:  at home, the needles go into a used half and half container and that goes into a used milk carton which is taped shut and thrown in the trash.  While travelling, by a 16 ounce diet soda in the plastic bottle with screw cap, drink the soda, then put used syringes in the bottle, unscrewing the top and resealing it.  get home, toss out the bottle inside a milk carton. BTW, Pen needles fit into the bottle. carry my sharps  container with me or I recap the syringes and take them with me to dispose of later. Beanie Type 1

– John F. Hess, PhD Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy School of Medicine Davis, CA

Response:

Many folks with diabetes have learned how to snap off the needle at the end of the syringe…the needle stays in the part that has snapped off. I guess this is a simple solution for folks who don’t care to go around asking someone for a container.

I have one of those BD needle cutters also but it doesn’t entirely take the needle off.  True it takes the part that might contaminate another human being off but it still leaves a sharp edge. therefore I don’t use it.   I generally carry my sharps  container with me or I recap the syringes and take them with me to dispose of later. Beanie Type 1  

Response:

I was wondering if anyone else has come across this situation. Last June, I visited Toronto and stayed at the Howard Johnson Hotel on Yonge St. Since I have to take insulin with needles, I asked the concierge if they had an appropriate container. Where I live (Tampa, FL), the hospitals give them out to diabetics for free since it is illegal to throw needles into the regular trash.

I believe it is the diabetics responsibility to provide their own way of disposal.  I don’t rely on anyone else but myself.  You plan the trip, so you should plan for the disposal of the needles too!  I crossed the country and stayed in many hotels/motels and knew that would be happening.  I kept the used needles in a secure place until reaching my destination and then properly disposed of them.  Why would anyone rely on others for their disposal?  Anyone who just throws their needles straight into the trash needs to think again! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -The hotel seemed to appreciate my concern and managed to provide a container—an empty mayonnaise jar. The incident made me wonder if hotels are aware that they must have guests all the time who need to use needles (and not just diabetics). I’m sure many just toss them in the wastepaper basket without a second thought for the housekeeping staff which empties them and the risks that go with it. It would seem a good business move (and labor-management relations move) for hotels be more ready to offer a sharps container for their guests. A friend who visited Australia several years ago reported that public restrooms there have a special container for needles and hazardous wastes. When I inject myself in a public restroom I take my needle with me but, again, I’d bet good money that not everyone is as considerate. Incidentally, I loved Toronto. It’s a fantastic city and I want to visit again.

Response:

Many folks with diabetes have learned how to snap off the needle at the end of the syringe…the needle stays in the part that has snapped off. I guess this is a simple solution for folks who don’t care to go around asking someone for a container. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was wondering if anyone else has come across this situation. Last June, I visited Toronto and stayed at the Howard Johnson Hotel on Yonge St. Since I have to take insulin with needles, I asked the concierge if they had an appropriate container. Where I live (Tampa, FL), the hospitals give them out to diabetics for free since it is illegal to throw needles into the regular trash. The hotel seemed to appreciate my concern and managed to provide a container—an empty mayonnaise jar. The incident made me wonder if hotels are aware that they must have guests all the time who need to use needles (and not just diabetics). I’m sure many just toss them in the wastepaper basket without a second thought for the housekeeping staff which empties them and the risks that go with it. It would seem a good business move (and labor-management relations move) for hotels be more ready to offer a sharps container for their guests. A friend who visited Australia several years ago reported that public restrooms there have a special container for needles and hazardous wastes. When I inject myself in a public restroom I take my needle with me but, again, I’d bet good money that not everyone is as considerate. Incidentally, I loved Toronto. It’s a fantastic city and I want to visit again.

Response:

I was wondering if anyone else has come across this situation. Last June, I visited Toronto and stayed at the Howard Johnson Hotel on Yonge St. Since I have to take insulin with needles, I asked the concierge if they had an appropriate container. Where I live (Tampa, FL), the hospitals give them out to diabetics for free since it is illegal to throw needles into the regular trash. The hotel seemed to appreciate my concern and managed to provide a container—an empty mayonnaise jar. The incident made me wonder if hotels are aware that they must have guests all the time who need to use needles (and not just diabetics). I’m sure many just toss them in the wastepaper basket without a second thought for the housekeeping staff which empties them and the risks that go with it. It would seem a good business move (and labor-management relations move) for hotels be more ready to offer a sharps container for their guests. A friend who visited Australia several years ago reported that public restrooms there have a special container for needles and hazardous wastes. When I inject myself in a public restroom I take my needle with me but, again, I’d bet good money that not everyone is as considerate. Incidentally, I loved Toronto. It’s a fantastic city and I want to visit again.

Response: