Steroid Users Performing Self-Phlebotomies

[Jinzang]

An article in the International Journal of Drug Policy reports AAS users are performing self-phlebotomies. The abstract says:

New evidence with regard to a previously undocumented practice – self phlebotomy, known as ‘bloodletting’ – in contemporary injecting performance and image enhancing drug (PIED) culture is the subject of this paper. While self phlebotomy has been evidenced in psychiatric patients previously, it was performed here in people who inject AAS as a self directed health care procedure. Data was collected from five publicly accessible internet discussion forums and coded using NVivo software. For the purposes of this study, posts in relation to bloodletting were extracted from the final set of records for analysis.

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[CoastWatcher]

We have had some threads started on this topic. If memory serves, the member was in the UK and engaged in, or was planning to engage in, such a practice.

 

[Jusior]

and why the heck would they do this?

 

[CoastWatcher]

and why the heck would they do this?

TRT patients engaging in this would tell you, in all honesty, I'm sure, that their doctor wouldn't order a therapeutic phlebotomy when their Hct indicated one was necessary. They, essentially, took matters into their own hands.

 

[Saul]

I give blood all the time. It is not very complicated. Stick a needle in, drain some blood, pull the needle. One place I went just had a needle, tubing, and 1 unit sized vacuum bottle. That being said, would not want to be doing it my garage.

 

[Phmatthews]

I ended up trying a do it yourself phlebotomy.

I have white coat syndrome and I was rejected by the Red Cross several times because of my blood pressure.
Then, I was really busy and forgot about trying to get a phlebotomy (stupid I know). By the time I went to the Red Cross again they rejected me because my Hgb was too high (21 if I remember correctly, the nurse said it was the highest she had seen).

Defy gave me a prescription for a therapeutic phlebotomy, but no one would honor an out of state rx.

At this point I was getting worried because I was supposed to go on a trip to Europe and realized it would be dangerous to get in a plane without having lowered my Hgb and Hct (it was 55).

I went to my Pcp and it was crazy. It was like pulling a tooth to get them to prescribe a phlebotomy. I told her, "I'm not asking for opiates! What's the problem?" Soon, there was only a week and a half before my trip!

So, I enlisted the help of a friend who had inserted ivs a few times. I bought tubing at the hardware store to connect to an 18g needle and a bucket. Then, I sterilized the hell out of everything.

My friend inserted the needle (hands shaking because he was nervous) and blood started to pour through the tubing and into the bucket. Yay!

Unfortunately my blood was so thick that it clogged the tube and we couldn't get the flow started again.

Thankfully, just days before our trip, I was finally able to get a "real" phlebotomy. It took an hour to fill the bag and I blocked the line twice!

Moral of the story... don't be a dumbass and neglect your blood donations!

 

[Vince]

Problem with polycythemia

https://www.excelmale.com/forum/showthread.php?5449-Problem-with-polycythemia

 

[madman]

I ended up trying a do it yourself phlebotomy.

I have white coat syndrome and I was rejected by the Red Cross several times because of my blood pressure.
Then, I was really busy and forgot about trying to get a phlebotomy (stupid I know). By the time I went to the Red Cross again they rejected me because my Hgb was too high (21 if I remember correctly, the nurse said it was the highest she had seen).

Defy gave me a prescription for a therapeutic phlebotomy, but no one would honor an out of state rx.

At this point I was getting worried because I was supposed to go on a trip to Europe and realized it would be dangerous to get in a plane without having lowered my Hgb and Hct (it was 55).

I went to my Pcp and it was crazy. It was like pulling a tooth to get them to prescribe a phlebotomy. I told her, "I'm not asking for opiates! What's the problem?" Soon, there was only a week and a half before my trip!

So, I enlisted the help of a friend who had inserted ivs a few times. I bought tubing at the hardware store to connect to an 18g needle and a bucket. Then, I sterilized the hell out of everything.

My friend inserted the needle (hands shaking because he was nervous) and blood started to pour through the tubing and into the bucket. Yay!

Unfortunately my blood was so thick that it clogged the tube and we couldn't get the flow started again.

Thankfully, just days before our trip, I was finally able to get a "real" phlebotomy. It took an hour to fill the bag and I blocked the line twice!

Moral of the story... don't be a dumbass and neglect your blood donations!

Many men do not always experience negative symptoms when their hemoglobin/hematocrit becomes elevated whether close to the top end of the lab range or slightly over >50 L/L and feel that because they are not experiencing any symptoms that it is ok.

Just goes to show you how thick the blood can become and regardless of experiencing any negative symptoms thicker blood is very damaging to ones cardiovascular/endothelial function.

I just recently donated a few months ago and it took 12 min to drain 1 pint. Nurse said on average 5-20 min depending on ones heart rate/viscosity of blood and hydration.

It took you an hour to fill the bag WOW!

 

[Phmatthews]

Many men do not always experience negative symptoms when their hemoglobin/hematocrit becomes elevated whether close to the top end of the lab range or slightly over >50 L/L and feel that because they are not experiencing any symptoms that it is ok.

It took you an hour to fill the bag WOW!

By the time my Hct was at 55 I definitely had symptoms. I was experiencing flushing, difficulty concentrating and weakness. I ended up in the ER for the first time in my life, but they wouldn't give me a therapeutic phlebotomy.

Now my blood letting takes about 20 min. They use a 21g needle.