Injecting into a blood vessel - Hepatitis Message Board

rparsons · 04-04-2003, 04:17 PM

My fiance does my shots for me. Yesterday she forgot to pull back the plunger and was just getting ready to push when I noticed it felt a bit odd so I said WAIT! She freaked, jumped and pulled it out during the maneuver. A small amount of blood came out and left me with a bruise so I was wondering if she did indeed get a vessel and were to have completed the transaction what would have happened?

DirtDiva · 04-06-2003, 11:34 AM

Hmmmmmmm, good question? Hope you get some answers, I'd like to know myself.

I've only given Hubby 3 shots and each one was different. I've so anal retentive that I use my diagram and read it EACH time I give him a shot. I mentally tell myself "45 degree angle, let go, pull the plunger back, push slowly".....

Last friday I (he did too) noticed that it left a type of bubble underneath the skin. Hmmm, we had no idea why that is. About 10 min. later it was gone.

What did you do for the injection after? Use a whole new set-up?

DD

rparsons · 04-06-2003, 02:43 PM

Nah, used the same setup. It stung a little cause it went into the bottle twice (didn't get enough the first pull) then in and out of my leg twice. At the price of Pegintron you'd have to be nuts to throw it out. Anyway, in the beginning the nurse said it's ok to use it even if there is a bit of blood in it. It's yours, you may as well keep it : ). I imagine it would create a small black & blue mark if there were blood in the syringe but that's about it.

I'll repost after talking to the nurse later this week for my one month visit to let you all know what she says about injecting into a blood vessel.

DirtDiva · 04-06-2003, 02:50 PM

Great! I'd love to know what she has to say about it. I've only given 2 good shots. After the TB like shot on Friday, I can't wait to get back to the arm...lots of fat there.

rparsons · 04-16-2003, 05:10 AM

Finally talked to a nurse about the subject and she said there is no way you could hit a blood vessel. The syringe is designed for a subcutaneous injection and cant go deep enough to go into muscle, vessels, etc... You may get a capillary but it would do no harm. She made an intersting point that insulin users don't even pull back on the plunger and the needle is of similar size. So why you ask are we told to pull back?? Who knows, forgot to ask that one. At least her answer relieved me of some fears.