Disposal of used syringes from SI (Cardiff)

[Squirrel_enthusiast]

Hi all,

I was self injecting every month until my GP took my B12 levels (along with other tests) pre-summer and they were over 1000. She basically said they wouldn’t continue their injections unless I stopped.

I diligently stopped but have started to notice the symptoms creeping up again before my 8-weekly injection - especially the lower back pain. I want to start again, but my issue is I don’t know where I can dispose of the used syringes- I’ve been keeping them stored but haven’t managed to find anywhere to get rid of them. Can anyone help? I’m in Cardiff.

[wp69]

If the haven't got the needle permanently fixed then just throw away , you only need to dispose of the needle in a sharps bin.

[tomdickharry in reply to wp69]

Advice received from NHS is not to try to separate needle from syringe. My current sharps box has a slot for removing needles. I only used it once. The needle hit something in the box, bounced back and stuck in my finger. Sore for days.

[wp69 in reply to tomdickharry]

Mine you have to fix on to inject so its just the reverse process

[tomdickharry in reply to wp69]

Mine too, just passing on NHS advice. Doesn't say what to do if you use a separate drawing-up needle. They are supposed to be blunt but I can't get sterile ones.

[wp69 in reply to tomdickharry]

I just use a longer one and put both in the sharps bin

[helvella]

Might be a dead end but Cardiff council says:

Needles and dressings

If you have needles or contaminated dressings to dispose of you need to arrange a 'sharps' collection.

Do not put this waste in your household waste collections.

For more information and advice about medical waste contact your doctor or nurse or call NHS Direct on 111.

cardiff.gov.uk/ENG/resident...

[wedgewood]

In my area( not Cardiff ) , chemists accept sharps boxes .

[deniseinmilden]

It's crazy to stop SI and get worse again! Please keep going and get well!

I've been SI every day for over 8 years and just keep getting better, just as have hundreds of us have now. Some have been SI for decades, with only positive effects.

They shouldn't retest once you - or they - start injecting as it always shows up as off the scale. The laboratories in this area read up to 2000 so here it just shows as >2000.

I'm guessing in your area the test limit is 1000 so it's showing as "over 1000".

We are here because we all struggle with undertreatment by medics who don't know or understand due to limited/old science and poor training.

Don't give up and get worse again because of their ignorance!

Plain syringes can go in your normal household rubbish. Needles in sharps bins can be exchanged without question in hospitals and the places suggested by the others here.

[Wwwdot in reply to deniseinmilden]

Hi Squirrel-enthusiast

I agree with deniseinmilden

Is the decline over 8 weeks between injections worth the "free" one? SI costs around a £1 per jab - I would get on with your life as they don't know what they are talking about, but YOU do and your symptoms are real .... it sounds very much like the intro to Judge Judy 🤣🤣

🤗🤗🤗

[HeartyGilly]

My local council collects my filled yellow sharps boxes. I can book a collection date and time online. Easy and free.

[Taff178]

I’m from Cardiff and the council refused. The only way I could dispose of them was contacting GP reception they filled in form with your contact details. Then a private waste collector contacts you to arrange collection. They even offered come replacement sharps box. This service is free

[Mozza127]

Chemist should take them

[tomdickharry]

I bought a sharps box from eBay - about £5 - and when full took it to a pharmacy for disposal. I'm on my third one now.

[charks]

Your GP obviously knows very little about people who have PA/B12D. For some reason we need to keep high levels of B12 in our bodies or we start experiencing symptoms again. My GP told me to stop supplementing as my level was over 1700 and that it was dangerous. I stopped and within weeks all my improvements reversed and I was almost back to square one.

As for the needles. As they are so small can't you just keep them somewhere safe? Even a lifetimes worth of needles wouldn't take up much room. I predict that in the future the NHS will accept SI of B12 and then you will be able to get rid of them at your surgery.

[Mixteca]

I don't understand why the council won't collect them. Mine has a dedicated collection service, which may well be a private contractor, and I exchanged the one issued by my surgery. They have a list of those needing that service and they follow the route weekly.