How to Aspirate Correctly

[TheSentinal]

Hey all -
Did my 4th injection yesterday and went to aspirate . Pulled back and the damn sucking or something hurt (quad injection). Here is the question: When aspirating...do I need to pull the plunger actually back or just put pressure on it to see if it moves and fills with blood? The plunger is hard to pull normally and seems like when I aspirate, the thing will suddenly move and hurt.

Thanks

[Tbone1975]

Pull back on it. Once you get the hang of it, it's not hard to pull back on it. When you do, if you're safe and not in a blood vessel, you will see air bubbles which will go away as you release the plunger and go back to the normal position. If you're in a blood vessel, obviously you will see blood start to enter the tip of the syringe. Pull out and pick a new spot.

[Kale]

You hardly need to put on pressure on it at all, its just a very slight pull back. You might see a tiny bubble come out of the pin into the syringe, thats ok and you are good to go.

[helium3]

i have real trouble aspirating with one hand.

[Kale]

i have real trouble aspirating with one hand.

I asked the Dr about that. He knows I am on. When he has to inject me with something I offer to do it for him and it really freaks him out. He says he just flicks it with his thumb, same thumb he is injecting with. Thats all the back pressure that is needed he says.

[Che]

You don't need to pull back all that far - just some backwards pressure. I just posted last week about hitting a vein in my glutes. It was the first time it had ever happened and I'd always wondered if I had been aspirating correctly because I'd barely pull back on the thing and just see some bubbles. I was actually glad to finally hit a vein just to know how simple aspirating really is - when you hit one, just the smallest amount of pressure brings the blood into the syringe.

[MrMe]

Good to know Che! I stopped trying to pull back so hard to see a bubble this cycle, just makes you move the pin around for no reason.

You don't need to pull back all that far - just some backwards pressure. I just posted last week about hitting a vein in my glutes. It was the first time it had ever happened and I'd always wondered if I had been aspirating correctly because I'd barely pull back on the thing and just see some bubbles. I was actually glad to finally hit a vein just to know how simple aspirating really is - when you hit one, just the smallest amount of pressure brings the blood into the syringe.

[TheSentinal]

Thanks all - I follow the advice next week!

[RAF3070]

Theres a knack to doing it with one hand, but once you have done it, its as easy as using both.