The alcohol swab before the needle: A point of debate Or a waste of time?

[Vince]

When swabbing the vial or your skin, do you always let it dry completely before puncture? Does it matter?

You're supposed to let it dry, but I never do. I'm usually in a hurry and just want to inject.

 

[nightjazz]

Question for you given your experience...

You go in for (1) lab work or (2) to give blood and the phlebotomist doesn't prep your skin before sticking you. What would you do?

All you riverboat gamblers feel free to weigh in as well.

1) lab work I wouldn't worry much about it. 2) blood donation sites get a surgical type prep with providine iodine solution. That is done to protect the donated blood and the 14 gauge needle stick site. A far cry from a 25 to 30 gauge injection site.

 

[tareload]

1) lab work I wouldn't worry much about it. 2) blood donation sites get a surgical type prep with providine iodine solution. That is done to protect the donated blood and the 14 gauge needle stick site. A far cry from a 25 to 30 gauge injection site.

Interesting. Both needles are going into a vein (1 with 18 g/21 g and 2 with 16 g). Someone pulls a 14 g needle for blood donation I am running for the door. 16 is too big to begin with.

I guess your point is a 25 to 30 g injection site is a poor comparison with 1 or 2 above. Thanks for sharing your level of risk tolerance.

 

[ajax31]

I always use an alcohol swab and let it dry.

It’s just peace of mind considering the cost of emergency care (in case of infection) these days unless you have platinum employer provided health insurance.

 

[RickD]

When swabbing the vial or your skin, do you always let it dry completely before puncture? Does it matter?

I always use a wipe on both the vial top and my skin (takes 2 secs and costs next to nothing) and I don't wait for it to dry.

 

[tareload]

dry completely

Does it matter?

No.

 

[xqfq]

There's also studies showing that many insulin dependent diabetics reuse syringes and don't have high rates of infection. Does that mean it's OK to reuse syringes? Of course not. An infection from a needle prick is a rare event - the purpose of hygienic practice is to avoid these rare events. Small studies with insufficient statistical power or insufficiently specified endpoints won't always detect rare events.

 

[Gladiator]

When swabbing the vial or your skin, do you always let it dry completely before puncture? Does it matter?

I been known to swab and not even leave it a second before slamming the needle in. Never had a problem

 

[BigTex]

I have to laugh about this....I have a box of individual cotton pads with alcohol already on them. I just have to get one and tear the package it open and use it. That being said, I can't remember the last time I used one. Occasionally I will get one and clean the vials but it as very rare that I have used one. Why do I do this.....just laziness I suppose. Knock on wood......I have never had an infection.

 

[Vince]

I was introduced to a man today who injected apparently a speck of dirt. He went into Septic shock, It scared the hell out of me. I thought I inject every day. This 47-year-old man look like he was 67. All the surgeries he had to go through and he had four more left. For a split second, I thought about stopping TRT and I remembered this thread about not using an alcohol wipe when injecting. If you met him, there will be no way you wouldn't make sure that your vial, syringe and skin was completely cleaned before injecting.

 

[tareload]

I remembered this thread about not using an alcohol wipe when injecting

Nah, this thread is about definitely using an alcohol wipe when injecting.

 

[ajax31]

I was introduced to a man today who injected apparently a speck of dirt. He went into Septic shock, It scared the hell out of me. I thought I inject every day. This 47-year-old man look like he was 67. All the surgeries he had to go through and he had four more left. For a split second, I thought about stopping TRT and I remembered this thread about not using an alcohol wipe when injecting. If you met him, there will be no way you wouldn't make sure that your vial, syringe and skin was completely cleaned before injecting.

Better safe than sorry.

 

[GreenMachineX]

I was introduced to a man today who injected apparently a speck of dirt. He went into Septic shock, It scared the hell out of me. I thought I inject every day. This 47-year-old man look like he was 67. All the surgeries he had to go through and he had four more left. For a split second, I thought about stopping TRT and I remembered this thread about not using an alcohol wipe when injecting. If you met him, there will be no way you wouldn't make sure that your vial, syringe and skin was completely cleaned before injecting.

How did he know he injected a speck of dirt? Did he see the speck of dirt? I'm guessing it went into a vein?

 

[GreenMachineX]

I always use a wipe on both the vial top and my skin (takes 2 secs and costs next to nothing) and I don't wait for it to dry.

Apparently we should be waiting 10 seconds though to kill any bacteria...

 

[tareload]

insufficient statistical power

You sent a tingle up my leg. I never told you thanks!

 

[Vince]

How did he know he injected a speck of dirt? Did he see the speck of dirt? I'm guessing it went into a vein?

He was diagnosed at the hospital.

 

[GreenMachineX]

He was diagnosed at the hospital.

Wow. That's scary.

 

[ajax31]

He was diagnosed at the hospital.

@Vince Did this unfortunate guy with sepsis provide any more details other than injecting "dirt"? I mean, did he not use an alcohol swab on the vial and injection site? Did he reuse a needle/syringe?

 

[Vince]

@Vince Did this unfortunate guy with sepsis provide any more details other than injecting "dirt"? I mean, did he not use an alcohol swab on the vial and injection site? Did he reuse a needle/syringe?

Yes, he did not use alcohol swab. He did use an old syringe. Everything you're not supposed to do, he did. He's paying a heavy price. I talked to him Thursday. His spirits are up and he seems to be recovering.

He told me on Thursday he has one surgery left.

 

[GreenMachineX]

Need some help here...unsure if my paranoia is back in full swing or if this is a legit concern.

Does the alcohol swipe kill everything on the skin, like fungus, mold, etc? In other words, if I have a mold/mildew issue in my home (still figuring this out), the bathroom is the area where I do my shots, shower towels don't dry completely from each shower, could this potentially cause an issue or would the alcohol pad kill it, or would the amount of potential spores in the air then growing on the towel used a few times be a ridiculous thought, or does the alcohol pad swipe (or natural defense on the skin) prevent infection from injection?