Self bleed not working so well.

[jasondd1]

I thought I did it right but no. I forgot to put a 2nd hole to relive pressure in the cap. Plus i think the blood pressure cuff was too tight. TB-500 put me to 60% and I was already around 56 giving blood every 8 weeks. I'm so freaking tired I cant wait until next week to give blood again. I gave last week to red cross and I'm ellgible next week at community blood. Community freaks out when hemo is over 18 and red cross won't take it at all when hemo is over 20 or hematocrit 60. I'm going to try again tonight or tomorrow. Ive read all the bass posts on it and still can't get it to go.

[bullshark99]

Bass has a video on youTube, dont know if thats what you are reffering too?

[jasondd1]

Bass has a video on youTube, dont know if thats what you are reffering too?

Yeah Ive tried to mimic it. I think I'm just missing the extra hole for ventilation and the cuff too tight.

[ppwc1985]

I started out using cuff, now I don't even use it. I tie one of those rubber upper arm bands just to get vein popping out than take it off once I stick needle in. Drains a lot faster. You need to watch that you ain't draining to much. If you just gave last week you have to give time before doing it again. You better be careful.

[bass]

Jason besides forgetting the breathing hole what else went wrong? I have a good trick I use now and it works great. add the breathing hole and put another tube that can reach your mouth, and gently apply negative pressure to help draw blood though, you'll finish in no time. the key factor here is to make sure you prepare everything before you stick yourself. I go much tighter on cuff than the blood drive, you can deflate and inflate again during the process to help blood move, but the vacuum tube works great.

[bass]

BTW, when you apply vacuum don not over do it just enough to see consistent flow.

[jasondd1]

The first time I forgot the hole and it was working. I got a about 1/5 of the bottle and tried to adjust my cuff because it slowed some and the needle popped out. I could never get it going again.

Jason besides forgetting the breathing hole what else went wrong? I have a good trick I use now and it works great. add the breathing hole and put another tube that can reach your mouth, and gently apply negative pressure to help draw blood though, you'll finish in no time. the key factor here is to make sure you prepare everything before you stick yourself. I go much tighter on cuff than the blood drive, you can deflate and inflate again during the process to help blood move, but the vacuum tube works great.

[jasondd1]

[bass]

it gets easier after few tries...

[kelkel]

it gets easier after few tries...

You heard that from Sholva I bet.

[bass]

don't get any ideas Kel!

[kelkel]

I'm not judging.

[< <Samson> >]

I have been considering building some sort of a vacutainer

It was mentioned on here before


Hand vac pump, beaker, tubing, a stopper & a spike should do

[bass]

yea I thought of something like that but was too much work especially if you're doing this alone, you only have two hands. so putting the one end of tube in the mouth and hold it with teeth frees up hands for other things, like holding the needles in place, and the other squeeze to get blood moving.

[BallSak]

add the breathing hole and put another tube that can reach your mouth, and gently apply negative pressure to help draw blood though, you'll finish in no time.

Sounds kinky

[bass]

geez man! are you and kel hanging out together lately?!

[< <Samson> >]

yea I thought of something like that but was too much work especially if you're doing this alone, you only have two hands. so putting the one end of tube in the mouth and hold it with teeth frees up hands for other things, like holding the needles in place, and the other squeeze to get blood moving.

In my case, my woman does it - She says it's not necessary though - I dunno, I just think it would speed it up a bit.

[jasondd1]

I'm wondering if running the tubing into like a open top shaker bottle would be better than a closed top with a open air valve would be better? Question mostly to Bass but anyone really

[ppwc1985]

I learned by watching bass video, than only thing I changed was not using cuff anymore. They never used one when I donated with Red Cross. Don't over complicate it. It takes a few times, and a few bruises to learn proper technique.

[lovbyts]

I just cant stick myself with a needle except for HRT so I will just stick to lychees and bats for now.

[J DIESEL3]

I learned by watching bass video, than only thing I changed was not using cuff anymore. They never used one when I donated with Red Cross. Don't over complicate it. It takes a few times, and a few bruises to learn proper technique.

I agree one time I used nothing.. Then another I used a new elbow wrap with a little pressure on it. I really couldn't see any change in flow. Where I donate they sometimes just use a cloth Velcro type of band.And i can say it does not have much pressure on it.

[bass]

I'm wondering if running the tubing into like a open top shaker bottle would be better than a closed top with a open air valve would be better? Question mostly to Bass but anyone really

doing it yourself is kind of hard, so I use the bottle with a cap in case it tips over, that would be a big mess!

[SEOINAGE]

The negative pressure is a great idea, If I ever have to do this again I would try to get a hand pump like has been mentioned before on the forums. Another thing you can do is replace the needle, I know no one wants to stick themselves twice, but it is the smallest point at which after a while restriction can occur. For me I would get close to the end and it would just stop flowing, doing the basic method.

[jasondd1]

I don't know wtf I'm doing wrong but it the blood just seems to clot in the tube and end of 18 gauge needle. In the vain no problem but nothing comes out. I'm freaking defeated.

[Bonaparte]

I don't know wtf I'm doing wrong but it the blood just seems to clot in the tube and end of 18 gauge needle. In the vain no problem but nothing comes out. I'm freaking defeated.

Take an aspirin beforehand. And you need more venous pressure.

[jasondd1]

Blood pressure cuff and baby aspirin this am. Should I of taken another?

[Bonaparte]

No. You must be doing something else wrong. Are you working with a good antecubital (the crook of your arm) vein?

[jasondd1]

No. You must be doing something else wrong. Are you working with a good antecubital (the crook of your arm) vein?

Same vein one the blood place uses. They never have a problem. I'm wondering if my tubing is collapsing. It's kind of cheap tubing and not clear. I can give blood again on Monday. Then I'm going to schedule a double red from red cross 6 weeks after. The blood place i go monday doesn't do double reds.

[jasondd1]

I might try another on my own in between depending what my hemo is on monday. I just gave blood last week so I'm hoping it's down it was 20. Just so everyone knows I go to 2 separate blood places and they dont share info. One is red cross the other is community blood center. Red cross is the only one that does double reds

[bass]

Be careful how much you give/bleed, you could harm yourself. One donation should put you in normal range. I'd say just stick with blood drives and you should be fine, at least the check your blood before the draw.

[ppwc1985]

Same vein one the blood place uses. They never have a problem. I'm wondering if my tubing is collapsing. It's kind of cheap tubing and not clear. I can give blood again on Monday. Then I'm going to schedule a double red from red cross 6 weeks after. The blood place i go monday doesn't do double reds.

Amazon has some great clear tubing, cheap too.

[Chicagotarsier]

From my experience 2 things.

1. Negative pressure is 100% required for HCT over 8 points normal. If you are normally a 42 person ...at 50% you need negative pressure. Open air self bleed will not work at this level due to the clotting factor is amplified via the HCT level. For me it takes negative pressure and anti coagulant in the receptacle.

2. Once over 8 points normal the liver acts as a collecting area for RBC. This means that when you dontate at a 48-50 level it will drop you to a 45-48 level (2-3 points max for 500 ml). When over 8 points 700 ml might not drop your HCT at all due to the liver releasing the stored RBC reserve in it. Think of it as a sponge and you are filtering mud. For me at 55 HCT it took 3000 cc over 4 weeks (Phlebotomies) to get me to 48. DO NOT take out more than 700 a week. Drink lots of water.

3. This is the part of steroids that will kill you. People can go on and on about this and that but HCT is what will put you in your grave.

[jasondd1]

I assume negative pressure means like a blood pressure cuff?

Ive never had issues giving blood at blood banks and they don't use negative pressure and Ive been as high as 60%

From my experience 2 things.

1. Negative pressure is 100% required for HCT over 8 points normal. If you are normally a 42 person ...at 50% you need negative pressure. Open air self bleed will not work at this level due to the clotting factor is amplified via the HCT level. For me it takes negative pressure and anti coagulant in the receptacle.

2. Once over 8 points normal the liver acts as a collecting area for RBC. This means that when you dontate at a 48-50 level it will drop you to a 45-48 level (2-3 points max for 500 ml). When over 8 points 700 ml might not drop your HCT at all due to the liver releasing the stored RBC reserve in it. Think of it as a sponge and you are filtering mud. For me at 55 HCT it took 3000 cc over 4 weeks (Phlebotomies) to get me to 48. DO NOT take out more than 700 a week. Drink lots of water.

3. This is the part of steroids that will kill you. People can go on and on about this and that but HCT is what will put you in your grave.

[bass]

negative pressure means applying vacuum to pull the blood out of the vein. the vacuum needs to be very-very minute, too much and you might collapse the vein. the best way to do it is to add a secondary tube into the breathing hole and apply vacuum, I use my mouth witch is allot easier and you can feel how much vacuum you're applying.

[jasondd1]

OK got it so

[bass]

^^^ exactly Jason, but little slower!

[< <Samson> >]

the best way to do it is to add a secondary tube into the breathing hole and apply vacuum, I use my mouth witch is allot easier and you can feel how much vacuum you're applying.

Oh wow


I was thinking of a beaker with a dual hole stopper & a hand vacuum pump


Maybe I'll try this out on my next bleeding


Also - Is there a anti coagulant I can add to the beaker/bottle so I don't have to deal with blood pudding any more?

[bass]

I found it to be so easy using this method especially if you're doing self bleeding. as for anti coagulant I use disposable supplies, so I throw everything away when i'm done. I found that if you take aspirin before you do SB helps reduce clogging.

[< <Samson> >]

Same here


But, I was just thinking since I want to use a reusable glass beaker



Hmmmm, maybe a plastic bottle will still be best. Should not collapse at a very low vacuum

[bass]

yes. the plastic bottle will collapse if you over vacuum, its a good indicator to tell you when to stop. last blood letting I did I filled the whole bottle and could have gone more. you could probably get away with 20 gauge needle in stead of 18!