Recent content by Matthew1975

The primary reason to swab the skin with alcohol is to clean the injection site, and provide some antiseptic mechanism. The 30 second dry time is to allow the evaporation of the alcohol to kill as many bacteria on the skin as possible. I've noticed comments about not swabbing, and it makes zero...

I have a feeling they ran out of alcohol pads; her statement is dripping with ignorance.

Like Vince said, the key to drawing anything out of a vial is to add air equal to, or very slightly more, than what you want to draw out. Otherwise, you are essentially pulling against a vacuum. If you want to pull 0.25 ml of solution, pull the plunger on the syringe back to 0.25 ml or just...

I agree, Nelson! I think it's an excellent value, especially for all the "extras" they include. The only thing I will say is that the initial set up is not easy. Have to call them, set up a profile, then get Defy to send them a prescription, then Optum calls you back (I called them back, found...

Hi Vince, I'm using the HCG from Optum. The set up is via a few phone calls back and forth, which seems anachronistic, but the service, once it's set up, is excellent. They sent me Pregnyl 10,000 units with a draw needle and syringe for the bacteriostatic water, along with 100 27g needles and...

Fortunately your iron level is not too far past the upper level, but it's certainly worth looking into with your physician right away. It's also impossible to draw conclusions from one set of labs, as it's merely a "snapshot", it's not a trend. However, I would make an appointment with your...

Figured I'd cite sources in the beginning rather than the end of what I write. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1232869/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002934320306732 https://www.ijidonline.com/article/S1201-9712(20)30534-8/fulltext...

Not at all, Nelson. In fact, it has been used prior to Covid. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/310818#Far-UVC-and-skin-safety https://www.news-medical.net/news/20190412/New-technique-uses-UV-and-red-light-to-decontaminate-organs-before-transplantation.aspx...

A few suggestions for those who have "difficult" veins, (in no particular order). - Drink a large bottle of water, or two big cups of water 15 minutes before your appointment. Water is absorbed quickly. You'd be surprised how much of a difference it makes. - Do your very best to RELAX. Tensing...

The Empower vial tops are indeed different than the vial tops typically used. Keep in mind, the majority of vial tops are used once (insulin being a notable exception), thus designed to be used once, or perhaps a handful of times. Empower knows that the majority of people using their vials...

I know many people have trouble sleeping, but I highly suggest trying to find something else to help you sleep. Many natural supplements and herbs aid in sleep, e.g. valerian, theanine, melatonin (don't exceed 3mg - more than that can cause extremely vivid, active, dreams), GABA, ashwagandha...

Listen to Cataceous, make certain you use filter needles for the initial draw after you open the ampule. Yes, you can get tiny pieces of glass in the solution. There is a reason we use them in the hospital anytime we have to use medication that comes in an ampule.

You inject air into the vial equal to the amount of medication you want to withdraw. Otherwise, you CREATE a vacuum in the vial by removing liquid without something else (in this case, air) taking the place of the liquid. Even with the 29 gauge needles, if you are consistently injecting an...

Actually, hangover is NOT alcohol withdrawal. To withdraw from a substance, you must have built a dependency which doesn't happen immediately. A first time drinker can end up with a hangover, but they are not in alcohol withdrawal. Interestingly, a person can develop a dependence on alcohol...

Oh, I understand about working in a hospital and needing something fast, easy, filling and that doesn't require refrigeration so you can keep it nearby, take a couple bites and keep moving. Having said that, since January I've dropped about 70 pounds and 10 inches off my waist with a...