Blood in needle on draw back check.

[Jiu Jitsu Dude]

Hi Guys,

On my last injection my wife (lol - I'm still a sissy) got blood coming back on the standard check before injecting (shot the glute/butt). My question:

Is there any reason to switch needles to a new one when this happens? She thought it would be better to put a new needle with no blood and re-inject (she did). Probably a total newbie question sorry...

 

[Dave B.]

There should be no blood involved in injecting, and no need to use more than one needle.

1. Alcohol wipe down of bottle and injection site
2. Fill syringe to proper dose. Get major air bubbles out. Small ones don't matter.
3. Insert needle, push plunger down. Done.

If there's a small amount of blood after withdrawing needle, apply pressure for about 20 seconds, or slap on a band-aid. That is all.

 

[Vince Carter]

I assume you're saying she aspirated which if that's what she did there's no need to do that prior to injecting. Stick the needle in and inject it.

 

[Leesto]

My wife is a nurse and they are taught aspiration in school. But she never actually does it. I have been self-injecting for 2 years and never aspirated and never once had a problem.

Wife says aspiration is perhaps more applicable if you were injecting deeply with a big needle in an area with large blood vessels. It just checks that you're not pumping your meds directly into the blood rather than into the muscle or fat tissue. The spots where we typically inject and the needles we typically use minimize the chances of that.

 

[Systemlord]

Injecting into the glute/butt is outdated and old school, most inject in shoulders and outer quads using an 29 gauge insulin syringe, not those harpoons!

It's unnecessary to use a large 1-1.5 " long needle when an insulin syringe will do the job.

 

[Vince]

I use an easy touch 29g 1/2" syringe, I inject in my shoulders and VG.

https://thenursepath.blog/2016/12/12/how-to-give-ventrogluteal-injections/

 

[Jiu Jitsu Dude]

My wife is a nurse and they are taught aspiration in school. But she never actually does it. I have been self-injecting for 2 years and never aspirated and never once had a problem.

Wife says aspiration is perhaps more applicable if you were injecting deeply with a big needle in an area with large blood vessels. It just checks that you're not pumping your meds directly into the blood rather than into the muscle or fat tissue. The spots where we typically inject and the needles we typically use minimize the chances of that.

Thanks. We were taught to draw the needle back a bit to see if you hit a vain. That is not necessary?

 

[Systemlord]

Thanks. We were taught to draw the needle back a bit to see if you hit a vain. That is not necessary?

There are no veins when injecting into the shoulders and outer quads, so no need to aspirate. Today I injected into my left shoulder and there was a tiny amount of blood, I'm still alive.

 

[Mando]

I use an easy touch 29g 1/2" syringe, I inject in my shoulders and VG.

https://thenursepath.blog/2016/12/12/how-to-give-ventrogluteal-injections/

Vince, saw that you use 1/2". I've used 5/8" in the VG. Never tried in the delt. Do you think 1/2" is getting into your muscle in the VG and delt, and would not be SubQ?

Thanks.

 

[MarkM]

I use a 28 gauge 1/2" and like Vince, I am sure it gets in the deltiod and VG.

 

[Vince]

Vince, saw that you use 1/2". I've used 5/8" in the VG. Never tried in the delt. Do you think 1/2" is getting into your muscle in the VG and delt, and would not be SubQ?

Thanks.

I only use my shoulders because I do daily injections, if I didn't inject daily I would only use the VG. I am pretty lean so I feel that I am injecting into the muscle. I guess if someone's heavy and injecting in the shoulder they're probably doing a Sub-Q.