accidental needlestick

My mom was giving her cat an insulin shot and stuck herself after the shot while putting the cap back on. She let it bleed a little and washed it with both alcohol and soap, the needle was just in the cats skin and not blood, and the needle was empty of insulin.

Should we be worried or do anything? I figured people here would have experience with this.

 

no need to worry. many many many of us have done this. your mom did just what she should do, let it bleed and clean it thoroughly

fwiw, like i said, we've all done this at some time or another and i don't recall anyone ever having a complication from it.

 

Nope, no worries at all. I think we've all done it.

Mind you, if she's worried about getting a little insulin by mistake, tell her to have some chocolate. Just to be safe. :lol:

 

Do you have a "Sharps" container? You should be able to get them at most pharmacies, then you can just dump the needles in without having to worry about recapping them.

Wash with booze and soap is probably fine. I've jabbed myself with the lancets a few times (through kitties ear) but never the syringe yet.

Come to think of it though....

... I'm starting to think I may have injected myself with some insulin this morning by mistake. I'm not sure though, better safe than sorry I suppose.

 

I was embarrassed to ask this myself but I've done this twice already! One time I probably got some insulin, the other time it was just a scrape along my thumb and blood everywhere. 9 times out of 10, Scout sits still for her injection, so when she moves I'm not expecting it! Good call on the chocolate just in case. Also, beer has lots of carbs.

And yes I've also been poked by the lancet. The other day I was replacing the lancet and managed to stab myself in the thumb.

Signed,
Butterfingers

 

Been there, done that many times. Just last week too.

 

Nope haven't been that klutzy.....

<<please don't pay attention to the bandaid on my finger....I...err..I...stuck it with a pin.. .>>

 

I haven't stuck myself with the needle yet but I get myself with the lancet all the time, through Scooter's ear. I'm fine so far... ;-)

 

I'm guilty of all. :smile: lancets, needles, with blood, with insulin, with both. I just wash it & go on with my business. I have wondered the first few times but now I don't worry about it.

Melanie & Racci

 

Heh! I remember the first time I accidently jabbed myself with the insulin needle. I freaked out! "Do I need to go to the emergency room?"

Just the other day I got myself with a lancet and bled pretty good. All I thought was, "Darn, if I could load the glucometer one-handed I could check my own BG!" I don't even notice it anymore...

 

LOL, this happened to me for the first time ever just last week. It was a new needle, right before I was to stick Charlie, so it was full of insulin but none came out luckily because my BG runs low anyway. Charlie was on the floor and I had the open needle in my hand and was bending down to sit and dose him on the floor where he was comfy. As I was bending over, the needle fell out of my hand and catapulted down into my big toe! It was probably a 4-foot drop straight into my toe, so it was rather painful! I learned my lesson though :shock:


- Anna & Charlie

 

Even worse is sticking oneself with a 18 or 20 gauge needle when giving Sub-Q fluids.

Done that a couple of times.