Self Phlebotomy Need Advice

[RzSco]

I’m trying to do my blood draw for my blood test.

My procedure was:

1. Place blood pressure cuff on arm.
2. Wipe down area with the usual IPA wipes.
3. Pressurise cuff to where veins stand up and clamp it.
4. Stick butterfly needle into medial cubital vein at a flat angle.
5. Insert it a little more once I see blood flash in the tubing.
6. Released the cuff (is this where I went wrong?) then taped the needle (should have taped the tubing I think?) getting the tape off one handed is hard
7. Holding the other end of the tubing (with the vacutainer holder) with the hand of the arm that had the needle in it.
8. Push the vacutainer onto the needle inside the holder with my other hand.
9. NO BLOOD FLOWS IN THE TUBE
10. Try again on the other arm, same problem, no blood.


I think the vein collapsed for some reason but not sure. There is minimal bruising on one and none on the other, today.

Can anyone give me advice that is NOT “go to a phlebotomist” or “get a friend to help”? I’ve been injecting subQ and IM for many years now with never an issue but this is quite tricky.

 

[nullandvoid]

You need something for a pump. Butterfly needles were a great pick. Been self-phlebotomizing a very long time with 16g needles. Only recently tried butterfly needles, and it is just so much better. I'll post a shopping list of what I use later. I think some can get away with no pump, but you're going to be waiting a long time. Gravity helps. Don't have the tubing just laying flat. Once the blood stops flowing it starts to clot and it's game over for that attempt. I actually do it standing up, even with a pump.

Sorry I missed your very first sentence, having focused on the title. This is for blood work. Try standing up. Let gravity do the work. Make sure the tubing is going "downhill." I don't see any errors with what you did with the cuff or tape. I don't use a cuff/strap, and I tape over the wings of the needle.

 

[AlexDavis43]

y'all cray cray

 

[lilhawk]

You don't need a cuff, put a rubber tourniquet on your upper arm, get access with the needle, then let your arm hang down and release the tourniquet from your arm.

 

[RzSco]

You need something for a pump. Butterfly needles were a great pick. Been self-phlebotomizing a very long time with 16g needles. Only recently tried butterfly needles, and it is just so much better. I'll post a shopping list of what I use later. I think some can get away with no pump, but you're going to be waiting a long time. Gravity helps. Don't have the tubing just laying flat. Once the blood stops flowing it starts to clot and it's game over for that attempt. I actually do it standing up, even with a pump.

Sorry I missed your very first sentence, having focused on the title. This is for blood work. Try standing up. Let gravity do the work. Make sure the tubing is going "downhill." I don't see any errors with what you did with the cuff or tape. I don't use a cuff/strap, and I tape over the wings of the needle.

Will try again when I get new needles on Monday. I assume the medial cubital veins will still be damaged from Thursday so I will try and use the cephalic vein on this attempt, unfortunately it’s much smaller so will make this procedure even more difficult.

I can’t do it standing up, it would be very dangerous as I have vasovagal syncope. The risk profile for using a vacutainer while lying down is acceptable to me since I can’t fall and the flow stops by itself if the needle is removed somehow. But what I can do is hang my arm over the side of the bed.

You don't need a cuff, put a rubber tourniquet on your upper arm, get access with the needle, then let your arm hang down and release the tourniquet from your arm.

I ordered a proper tourniquet now, maybe it will help.

 

[RzSco]

It worked! New skill acquired.

I think the key is to use a tourniquet that’s not too tight, and DONT let it off until you are finished drawing tubes and ready to take the needle out.

 

[RzSco]

Aaaand I’ve high HCT
Now I’m gonna have to learn to stick veins with the big needles eh

 

[Ateam2023]

Aaaand I’ve high HCT
Now I’m gonna have to learn to stick veins with the big needles eh

Or figure out why your hct is high and address the root cause, or just bleed yourself, lol

 

[RzSco]

Or figure out why your hct is high and address the root cause, or just bleed yourself, lol

Maybe it’s all those steroids I keep injecting myself with lol

 

[SuperJew]

What are you using to test your hematocrit?

 

[RzSco]

What are you using to test your hematocrit?

Medichecks but I guess you could do it yourself if you had a centrifuge and a way of measuring the volumes

 

[RzSco]

You need something for a pump. Butterfly needles were a great pick. Been self-phlebotomizing a very long time with 16g needles. Only recently tried butterfly needles, and it is just so much better. I'll post a shopping list of what I use later. I think some can get away with no pump, but you're going to be waiting a long time. Gravity helps. Don't have the tubing just laying flat. Once the blood stops flowing it starts to clot and it's game over for that attempt. I actually do it standing up, even with a pump.

Can you please let me know what size butterfly you use? I don’t think they come in 16g.

I got the actual number for my HCT now and it’s 58% which is a lot worse than they made it sound and I guess I need to take some actions ASAP.

 

[SuperJew]

Are you not able to donate blood where you are? If you're taking things that are on the deferral list, just say you're not and then call the day after donating and say you feel unwell. They'll just toss it out.

 

[nullandvoid]

Can you please let me know what size butterfly you use? I don’t think they come in 16g.

I got the actual number for my HCT now and it’s 58% which is a lot worse than they made it sound and I guess I need to take some actions ASAP.

Exel Butterfly Infusion Set, with 21g x 3/4in. Needle, 12in. Tubing, 50/box

Product DescriptionExel International’s butterfly infusion set, or scalp vein set, has a 21g x 3/4in. thin wall stainless steel cannula that is siliconized for easy insertion. It has a 12in. tube with flexible wings that hold the needle in position and helps prevent inadvertent pull out. This...

www.shopmedvet.com

They go down to 19g but no need to shank yourself. 21g is just fine. If I'm not mistaken, it's the same gauge that blood banks use.

But donating would be easier. Red Cross is a pain in the ass, but a few years back a different blood bank showed up locally. They've been fine. Red Cross looks for reasons to not take your blood, and then spams the fuck out of you begging for it. Only reason I've recently gone back to doing it myself is I was running Accutane.

 

[RzSco]

Exel Butterfly Infusion Set, with 21g x 3/4in. Needle, 12in. Tubing, 50/box

Product DescriptionExel International’s butterfly infusion set, or scalp vein set, has a 21g x 3/4in. thin wall stainless steel cannula that is siliconized for easy insertion. It has a 12in. tube with flexible wings that hold the needle in position and helps prevent inadvertent pull out. This...

www.shopmedvet.com

They go down to 19g but no need to shank yourself. 21g is just fine. If I'm not mistaken, it's the same gauge that blood banks use.

But donating would be easier. Red Cross is a pain in the ass, but a few years back a different blood bank showed up locally. They've been fine. Red Cross looks for reasons to not take your blood, and then spams the fuck out of you begging for it. Only reason I've recently gone back to doing it myself is I was running Accutane.

Well I donated before while on gear and they still occasionally send me emails begging for more blood. So I guess they don’t really check. Maybe it’s ruining whole batches of blood but tbh maybe NHS should ACTUALLY PROVIDE A SERVICE instead of just “we can’t help you with that” as default response

My first task I think will be to try and get the NHS to re-test my hematocrit and I will stop my iron supplement (this causes low ferritin but it’s better than high hematocrit).

I doubt they’ll give me therapeutic phlebotomy though and tbh it’s not the sticking myself that worries me but the fact I will end up with the fucked veins of a heroin user. It would be the same with donation but you’re only allowed to do it every 8 weeks max and I have read 500ml daily-weekly for this condition…

 

[SuperJew]

Well I donated before while on gear and they still occasionally send me emails begging for more blood. So I guess they don’t really check. Maybe it’s ruining whole batches of blood but tbh maybe NHS should ACTUALLY PROVIDE A SERVICE instead of just “we can’t help you with that” as default response

My first task I think will be to try and get the NHS to re-test my hematocrit and I will stop my iron supplement (this causes low ferritin but it’s better than high hematocrit).

I doubt they’ll give me therapeutic phlebotomy though and tbh it’s not the sticking myself that worries me but the fact I will end up with the fucked veins of a heroin user. It would be the same with donation but you’re only allowed to do it every 8 weeks max and I have read 500ml daily-weekly for this condition…

I believe anabolics are fine. It's things like Accutane, finasteride, etc. There's a full list online. Then if they ask " Have you used syringes, blah blah " just click no. 500ml DAILY is WAY high. I'd advise against that. One unit will probably bring you to 55 or so, which in my personal opinion isn't terribly dangerous. You could drain a unit and then retest in a week or so. Make sure you're well hydrated. A lot of guys go in having not had enough fluid and it gives a higher number. I'm sure it's more of a hassle in the UK, but it's worth trying to get a prescription. In the meantime, just drink tons of water and if you can handle a baby aspirin, take one a day.

 

[RzSco]

Has anyone tried one of the portable analysers for Hemoglobin that use test strips? They are quite cheap and Hemoglobin and HCT follow each other.

 

[RzSco]

Well, I’m going to buy one and be a Guinea Pig.

I also found you can get testers that do your Cholesterol profile (HDL, LDL, Triglycerides, etc) but not sure this needs to be monitored as frequently as HCT.

Any other interesting gadgets for the health conscious and doctor-averse?

 

[sushak]

Well, I’m going to buy one and be a Guinea Pig.

I also found you can get testers that do your Cholesterol profile (HDL, LDL, Triglycerides, etc) but not sure this needs to be monitored as frequently as HCT.

Any other interesting gadgets for the health conscious and doctor-averse?

This is a great device kardia mobile 6lead ekg. You touch it with both thumbs and place the 3rd sensor on your side of knee

Amazon.com

 

[RzSco]

This is a great device kardia mobile 6lead ekg. You touch it with both thumbs and place the 3rd sensor on your side of knee

Amazon.com

Nice, might get this if cardiac arrhythmia doesn’t go away.

I did my first reading with the HB monitor today and it read 150 HB which would be 45 HCT but I think my sample wasn’t really correct. I have trouble getting a decent drop of blood with lancets.