RE-USE of the FILL NEEDLE

[kareyquilts 1]

The point about the saline bottle clenches the argument. Who ever had this experience should let us know what ever happened!

[sg_sg 0]

i'm sorry to say this.... i don't want to alarm you....but it can be way worse that the types of infection being mentioned...... but if this has ever happened to anyone please get a HEP C and HIV screening test...... when the needle goes into us, blood is involved.... so as i said before, the bottles won't be sterile but they will also be possibly infected with blood not just the bacterias

again, not meaning to alarm anyone, but it's worth your health to be safe

[faybie 0]

The point about the saline bottle clenches the argument. Who ever had this experience should let us know what ever happened!

very good point kareyquilts, the mention of everyone using the same saline bottle supports that the Dr. was out of line. I might not even want the saline that he would insert because now, everyone else who has agreed to use the same needle has had their needle stuck in the bottle.

[wootsie73 0]

I personally, do not think this is as strange as everyone else. The "biohazard" of a needle is the tissue that the needle is inserted into. That is why sharing needles is "bad". Sticking the needle into the same tissue will not cause any problems. If the area is cleaned properly and never touches anything but your tissue, then there should be no concern.

I am a recovering cancer patient. I have an eight inch scar on my back from surgery where the tumor and 4 layers of margins were removed. I had to undergo a series of "trigger point" injections to "deaden" the nerve endings that were growing into the scar tissue. I was stuck over 50 times with the same needle. Should they have used 50 needles? That seems funny. I really don't see he problem.

If the physician is sticking you with the same needle at the same time, that is done often. However, recapping the needle, sending it home with the patient, and reusing the needle after all of that is totally unacceptable. There is no way this should be done. Being an RN, I've seen docs deadening areas stick the tissue numerous times with the same needle, but never after recapping it and sending it home with the patient. Lord knows how many things can happen to it between fills. Plus, the bacteria from the skin that will grow on the needle for several weeks or months between fills is so dangerous. They are, after all, microscopic. Sorry, but I have to disagree with you on this.

[wootsie73 0]

If you have ever seen skin abscesses from MRSA you will NOT want anyone reusing a needle on you. I promise..

You are sooooooooooooo right! My dad had a little tiny scrape on his arm last year and ended up with MRSA. He had to go to the doctor everyday for almost a month, then I had to dress the wound every night for several weeks. It took at least 3 months for it to completely heal. He was also on mega doses of antibiotics for the entire time. I will say again, reusing ANY NEEDLE over and over is an infection waiting to happen. I'm diabetic and I don't use the lancets more than once either. That's just not good judgement or standard of care. I don't care who the doc is, what the use of the needle is, or for any other reason, PERIOD! It's against Universal percautions, which says everything is to be considered contaminated.

[wootsie73 0]

i'm sorry to say this.... i don't want to alarm you....but it can be way worse that the types of infection being mentioned...... but if this has ever happened to anyone please get a HEP C and HIV screening test...... when the needle goes into us, blood is involved.... so as i said before, the bottles won't be sterile but they will also be possibly infected with blood not just the bacterias

again, not meaning to alarm anyone, but it's worth your health to be safe

You are so right about this. If everyone's needles are being stuck into the same saline bottle, very life threatening illnesses and infections can occur. Very bad practice.

[faybie 0]

If the physician is sticking you with the same needle at the same time, that is done often. However, recapping the needle, sending it home with the patient, and reusing the needle after all of that is totally unacceptable. There is no way this should be done. Being an RN, I've seen docs deadening areas stick the tissue numerous times with the same needle, but never after recapping it and sending it home with the patient. Lord knows how many things can happen to it between fills. Plus, the bacteria from the skin that will grow on the needle for several weeks or months between fills is so dangerous. They are, after all, microscopic. Sorry, but I have to disagree with you on this.

No worries, everyones posts and provided information have convinced me that this Dr. should not be promoting the re-using the fill needle and if indeed he is putting those used needles into a community saline bottle, then he needs to be reported.

[its my time 0]

<p>

I got my first fill last week. Once I was finished getting filled, the doctor put the fill needle back in its packaging, and gave it to me to bring back next time. </p> <p>This was odd to me. Please let me know if any of you have heard of this before. The packaging says it's a single-use needle. I didn't notice if the doctor sanitized the needle before he gave it back to me.</p> <p></p> <p>I had brought the needle with me that first time because they gave it to me (unopened then, of course) when I was discharged from surgery. I thought that, in itself, was strange enough.</p> <p></p> <p>I go for another fill next week. Let me know what you all think. Thank you very much.

</p> <p>RUN...Don't walk to the closest medical board and REPORT HIM NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have just spent 3 FULL weeks hospitalized from a dirty fill. $8000.00 for my band to be put in...250,000.00 to be taken OUT!!!!!!! I have a hole the size of a SOFTBALL in my stomach because of a careless Dr. and dirty practices. I am finally closing up and I will NEVER be the same. The dent in my stomach will always be a reminder of how vunerable the body is. Get the hell out of there. RUN!!! I know this is waaay past the date you posted this, but hopefully it will help someone else.</p>

[drcollier 0]

I am back to update you all on this story. I'm glad to report that it has a happy ending. Late last year I reported the incident to the appropriate department at the hospital where the doctor practices. The head of the department looked into my complaint, and spoke to the doctor about it. She said that the doctor was very cooperative and forthcoming, and it all got straightened out pretty easily. The hospital now makes sure that my doctor has an ample supply of needles on hand at all times. So from that moment on, there has been no more talk of reusing needles. I spoke with the doctor's nurse about it, and it went very well. I was very glad about this because my doctor does have excellent technical skills, plus a very nice personality. So things have turned out really well in this case. In addition, since I started getting my fills at the hospital again, the doctor and I have had a much better connection. All's well that ends well. I want to thank everyone in this forum for all the support and well wishes.

[justme1 0]

Just wanted to quickly note that I draw blood at work and if I don't get it on the first try, I restick with a new needle - we never stick with the same needle twice. I don't know what they do in other places, though.....

Lisa

[VegasGrace 1]

Don't you dare!

Throw that needle away and like above, just say you lost it or it broke..anything.

Shame on that doc!

[JDsmommy 0]

I know these posts are a bit old, but I'd like to say that I had my surgery with Dr. Selim and have had three fills. I have nothing bad to say about him or my experience. He's very talented and professional!

[Donna113 2]

Dr. Fran, glad to hear it all worked out.