Bloodletting - the home way

[finny]

I've heard some guys doing the blood letting at home. How safe is it? I'm considering that as I was given false positive and now I can't donate blood through the system.

The worst thing for me, I think, would be to enter the vein...

I'm in Canada, does any one know where one can get the transfusion set? (I take that's what you need). I don't think there would be any issues with shipping to Canada from US.

Thanks.

 

[communistkiller]

I would not even attempt do to something like that on my own... Go to your Doctor and tell him that you tried to donate blood but your Hemocratic (sp?) was too high and that in order to donate you need to get it lower. Ask your Doc to write you a script for blood letting at a local clinic... You can then go every 4-6 weeks...

 

[Thebigone]

Its not that unsafe at all. Just make sure you dont go over 500ml. Fill it up in a protein shake, usually the top is around 500ml. You need a big needle though. Like a 16g or 14g. I used my ex brother in laws in the past b/c he was on dialysis and had 16g butterfly with a tube attached. I just cleaned the area and put it in a vein and let the tub sit in the protein shaker and filled it up. No more unsafe than any bloodbank esp b/c you can prob stick yourself better than 1/2 those idiots do. I just cant seem to find any 16g butterflys with tubing anywhere. Biggest ive seen is 18g and it might not flow that well.

 

[superiormatter]

Dude that is insane! If my hemocratic levels are high, they wont let me donate blood? to get it a little lower?

 

[maldorf]

Dude that is insane! If my hemocratic levels are high, they wont let me donate blood? to get it a little lower?

They wont let you if its out of normal range because they are worried that you have a serious health problem and are trying to be sure that you see a doctor about it ASAP. When I first went in with a 57 HCT, they denied me and then did a follow up phone call at my home about 3 working days later to see if I had called my doc and they even offered to set up an appointment for me.

 

[maldorf]

Its not that unsafe at all. Just make sure you dont go over 500ml. Fill it up in a protein shake, usually the top is around 500ml. You need a big needle though. Like a 16g or 14g. I used my ex brother in laws in the past b/c he was on dialysis and had 16g butterfly with a tube attached. I just cleaned the area and put it in a vein and let the tub sit in the protein shaker and filled it up. No more unsafe than any bloodbank esp b/c you can prob stick yourself better than 1/2 those idiots do. I just cant seem to find any 16g butterflys with tubing anywhere. Biggest ive seen is 18g and it might not flow that well.

Well, not that its the best idea in the world but I did my own with an 18 g butterfly at home. I used a big syringe to "suck" the blood out and then you just keep refilling it once you empty it out. Keep in mind though that I ended up having a near lethal blood clot less than 1 week after doing one of these home phlebotomies, and the heart attack destroyed much of my heart. So do it at your own risk!

 

[superiormatter]

I would never consider doing that myself. Especially now, you had a heart attack? I know you cant say if it was linked... but you neverknow

 

[kingkong]

I agree with everyone....do this under a doctors supervision.

 

[maldorf]

I would never consider doing that myself. Especially now, you had a heart attack? I know you cant say if it was linked... but you neverknow

Yeah, chances are its not linked at all but there is always that minute chance. Im not the only person on here that was doing this at home to get a blood clot too. From what I remember, there was another person on here that had the same thing happen to them.

Its much better having the docs do it because they are also doing your CBC to watch your blood counts. when I did mine I did have a hemoglobin meter and I was able to keep track of my own. I still use the meter these days to keep an eye on my hemoglobin because im having issues keeping it down while on HRT.

 

[Ehren]

Maldorf, any idea how the home phlebotomy may be connected?

Or is it that people that do this, do so because they have high HCT, and are more at risk for a clot to begin with? So just a coincidence of the two factors?

 

[aoj]

Maldorf, any idea how the home phlebotomy may be connected?

Or is it that people that do this, do so because they have high HCT, and are more at risk for a clot to begin with? So just a coincidence of the two factors?

Giving blood has zero correlation with getting a blood clot or having a heart attack. There were other factors at play and it would have happend even if a doctor had done it. If you're that worried about blood clots then you should go have a panel run on your blood to see if you have elevated clotting factors at play.

 

[maldorf]

Maldorf, any idea how the home phlebotomy may be connected?

Or is it that people that do this, do so because they have high HCT, and are more at risk for a clot to begin with? So just a coincidence of the two factors?

Only reason to even consider doing a home phlebotomy is because your hct is too high to give at the bank. Its really very simple. All you need is a butterfly 18 gauge needle. Find the vein and then draw it out with a big syringe. Once the syringe is full you empty it out and recconect it with the tube coming from the butterfly needle. Keep doing that till you get 500 ml. Draw out slowly so that you dont colapse the vein.

Looking back, I wouldnt have done this. I should have seen my doctor and had them take care of it.

 

[Thebigone]

Well, not that its the best idea in the world but I did my own with an 18 g butterfly at home. I used a big syringe to "suck" the blood out and then you just keep refilling it once you empty it out. Keep in mind though that I ended up having a near lethal blood clot less than 1 week after doing one of these home phlebotomies, and the heart attack destroyed much of my heart. So do it at your own risk!

I tried that and it took forever even with my ex wife doing it and i was afraid i'd collapse a vein or something. The 16g just flowed perfectly. Next time at the bloodbank im just gonna see where they keep em and steal a few.

But luckly now my hemoglobin is pretty good. It used to be right at 18 and i could still donate but after a few times it got to high 14's/low 15's which im fine with. Usually if I wait around 3months it can creep back up to mid 16's but I try and donate every 60days to keep it even lower.

 

[Vitruvian_Man]

You can definitely do it at home. It's not a complicated process whatsoever.

Self-letting a pint is safe, you shouldn't even feel too light headed from that.

For the first couple of times I'd keep it low... perhaps like 200-250 (~1/2 pint) you could even try a 1/4-pint.

18g works very well.

As long as you aren't huffing glue you should be able to keep the site sterile. :lightbulb:

-VM

 

[NeverSoft]

This is an old, OLD, 15th century practice. It's a bad idea, go to a blood bank.

 

[Vitruvian_Man]

This is an old, OLD, 15th century practice. It's a bad idea, go to a blood bank.

You CANNOT donate blood if you inject anabolic steroids!

I've already posted that.

It's "illegal" - and why the hell would someone want to donate tainted blood? imagine if you got someone else sick, all because you chose to lie and donate blood that is potentially contaminated.

It's called a conscious.

BTW - you can't just go into a blood bank or clinic and tell them to drain your blood man. you NEED an Rx.

have you ever even been to one? :banghead:

-VM

 

[Thebigone]

^^ Its just as illegal if you took an aspirin within 24hrs. Nobody gives a shit about the law anyway. But being on AAS will not effect the recipients blood anyway. They test all the blood before a transfer occurs anyway, its not like they are just gonna take the donors word for it. At least not in the u.s. they dont.

 

[Stiffy]

Well, not that its the best idea in the world but I did my own with an 18 g butterfly at home. I used a big syringe to "suck" the blood out and then you just keep refilling it once you empty it out. Keep in mind though that I ended up having a near lethal blood clot less than 1 week after doing one of these home phlebotomies, and the heart attack destroyed much of my heart. So do it at your own risk!

It's possible you saved your own life. I don't see how letting blood out could cause a heart attack but I'm no doc. You obviously felt that it needed to be done. I mean, you didn't just get bored one day and decide to drain your blood out. My point is, you know your body and you did what needed to be done. Maybe you just post poned it for a week or maybe you did cause it (which I really doubt).

I personally could never do it my self and would rather leave it to the pros. I could only imagine my wifes reaction if she walked into the bathroom while I was draining my blood into a cup.

 

[goheavy63]

They wont let you if its out of normal range because they are worried that you have a serious health problem and are trying to be sure that you see a doctor about it ASAP. When I first went in with a 57 HCT, they denied me and then did a follow up phone call at my home about 3 working days later to see if I had called my doc and they even offered to set up an appointment for me.

Is there any way to keep your hct/rbc down when on hrt?? Could you cycle it and if so how would you do that??

 

[maldorf]

Is there any way to keep your hct/rbc down when on hrt?? Could you cycle it and if so how would you do that??

No, you cannot cycle it. All you can do is go with the lowest dose that you can tolerate and feel halfway normal. Im on 100 mg/wk now and still having to get phlebotomies every 3 months. When I go in its up to like 54 and then it takes about 3 draws of 500ml each over the course of about 4 weeks. Then I wait another 3 months and it builds back up again and its time for another phlebotomy. this is going to be me the rest of my life im afriad. So not only did I about kill myself with a heart attack and make it so that im going to need a transplant someday, I also screwed my hormones up so bad that im on HRT for life and gotta do phelobotomies the rest of my life every 3 months. Newbies out there, man you gotta think twice about the shit youre contemplating doing with these powerful hormones. these hormones can change your life forever, both for the good and very bad.