prescription for blood letting..

My doctor (when I had one) told me to make sure to keep my hemocrit down. That higher hemocrit was the easiest way to damage your heart and kidneys.
He recommended donating blood a couple times a year.
You want every thing in the healthy ranges but yeh my understanding is that hemocrat is the key indicator of stroke, etc issues.
 
Just shit I read. I didn’t think it was true.
I do know the pins they used at my blood services were 16 guage . I asked.
I use 18 gauge and they think it is large, normally 20 g for phlebotomy in the region. 20 did not work at all, 18 g it takes 20-30 mins for 650 mls dumped.
 
So where online, you have a link.
I tried 2 places but without a script they wouldn’t sell me the gear.
I did not try to purchase, I bet they would need a script. I saw them as i was perusing med supplies. Bags, rigs with valves etc, ready to roll...
 
I use 18 gauge and they think it is large, normally 20 g for phlebotomy in the region. 20 did not work at all, 18 g it takes 20-30 mins for 650 mls dumped.
Really, they told me they needed to use 16 so the needle wouldn't plug, get proper flow. They look like harpoons, but it doesn't bother me, lol

I tried to purchase supplies from a few places, you need a script.
 
Last edited:
Sorry for bumping an old thread, but I recently started filling out the online form to schedule a blood donation and found i am ineligible due to a medication (finasteride). I guess it can cause birth defects if a preggo woman gets the blood. So I'm in the same boat as many of you: I need blood drained and legit channels are closed to me. Is there an at-home protocol anyone can share? The biggest worry for me is: how do I know when to stop? Do I just go until my vision gets blurry and I fall over?? 🤣
 
Would getting full blood work done every 3 months possibly keep hemocrit in safe ranges?
 
Sorry for bumping an old thread, but I recently started filling out the online form to schedule a blood donation and found i am ineligible due to a medication (finasteride). I guess it can cause birth defects if a preggo woman gets the blood. So I'm in the same boat as many of you: I need blood drained and legit channels are closed to me. Is there an at-home protocol anyone can share? The biggest worry for me is: how do I know when to stop? Do I just go until my vision gets blurry and I fall over?? 🤣
Juice and a cookie will fix you right up!
 
Sorry for bumping an old thread, but I recently started filling out the online form to schedule a blood donation and found i am ineligible due to a medication (finasteride). I guess it can cause birth defects if a preggo woman gets the blood. So I'm in the same boat as many of you: I need blood drained and legit channels are closed to me. Is there an at-home protocol anyone can share? The biggest worry for me is: how do I know when to stop? Do I just go until my vision gets blurry and I fall over?? 🤣
16 guage needle attached to a hose and then into a meaduring cup. Stop at 450ml.
make sure someone is there to watch you so you don’t bleed out.

I bet a doctor can prescribe blood letting at the hospital or something.

You can buy practice kits on the Internet. Only thing missing is the bag they usually put it in.
I myself think it wouldn’t be too hard to get into a vein with practice. Drug users do it every day, lol.

Bte, dont do anything I mentioned above.

I bought a hemocrit testing machine and just make sure I’m not too high. On trt I am perfectly fine 46%. Once I cycle I get to 49%. I figure if I stay under 153 I’m doing great. If I go over or get close, I’d drop my gear down again. I’m not a pro bodybuilder making a living off my body, so if I have to keep cyckes short and not become olympia sized, so be it.

As a note daily asprin didn’t drop my hemocrit after taking it a month.
 
16 guage needle attached to a hose and then into a meaduring cup. Stop at 450ml.
make sure someone is there to watch you so you don’t bleed out.

I bet a doctor can prescribe blood letting at the hospital or something.

You can buy practice kits on the Internet. Only thing missing is the bag they usually put it in.
I myself think it wouldn’t be too hard to get into a vein with practice. Drug users do it every day, lol.

Bte, dont do anything I mentioned above.

I bought a hemocrit testing machine and just make sure I’m not too high. On trt I am perfectly fine 46%. Once I cycle I get to 49%. I figure if I stay under 153 I’m doing great. If I go over or get close, I’d drop my gear down again. I’m not a pro bodybuilder making a living off my body, so if I have to keep cyckes short and not become olympia sized, so be it.

As a note daily asprin didn’t drop my hemocrit after taking it a month.

This is exactly what I'm looking for, thanks @Sorbate! I'll try going through my doctor first, and go from there. A home hematocrit tester is a great idea, can you recommend a decent one that won't break the bank?

Edit: will the blood flow into a cup without any sort of vacuum? Maybe bigger veins have high enough pressure on their own?
 
just curious what is your

1. hemoglobin
2. rbc
3. hematocirt
4. platelets and ferritin

BP? i was told by my endo if BP is normal and platelets and fertrin are well in range non issue up to a point. now if your hematocrit is consistently 55 plus might be wise to donate 1/2 times a year.
 
This is exactly what I'm looking for, thanks @Sorbate! I'll try going through my doctor first, and go from there. A home hematocrit tester is a great idea, can you recommend a decent one that won't break the bank?

Edit: will the blood flow into a cup without any sort of vacuum? Maybe bigger veins have high enough pressure on their own?
I used to think that the bags were under vacuum but someone corrected me on this. I bet as long as the blood doesn’t clot in the tube or needle it should keep flowing, or blood system is under pressure. You know 120/80. Lol.

Truthfully I never got the balls to try it.

There is a ton of videos on how to get into the vein and where to go specifically.

this is the tester I have

Amazon product ASIN B09FXLY856
 
I can tell you right now as an ex paramedic, I've done multiple IVs and blood draws. You WILL need vac-sealed tubes or an iv bag. You can try all day long using gravity, but the blood will not draw without a vacuum. I've made this mistake by grabbing the wrong tube or bag that isn't vacced, and the blood just sits in the cathlon lol.
 
Lots and lots of times I clot during my monthly phlebotomy. You need to be able to run saline water back up the injection point and can release a clot. Do not do this at home guys, I cannot say this enough. I have had several times I’m glad I was under care and supervision during the process. If you’re bc is high they will give you a phlebotomy. No need to do this at home, very unwise from a guy that’s been doing this many many yrs now.
 
I can tell you right now as an ex paramedic, I've done multiple IVs and blood draws. You WILL need vac-sealed tubes or an iv bag. You can try all day long using gravity, but the blood will not draw without a vacuum. I've made this mistake by grabbing the wrong tube or bag that isn't vacced, and the blood just sits in the cathlon lol.
Bags are not under vacuum brother, not a plastic bag, and gravity does all the work, you cannot create a vacuum in a plastic bag. Go suck the air out of a ziploc bag that is empty and see. Let it go after sucking out and nothing.
vacuum sealing food and coffee etc offers an air tight seal and a tiny pffft if you unseal it, but not measurable vacuum.
My bag is placed on the floor during phlebotomy and gravity does the work only. Different than a vacuumed tube which is glass and can support and maintain a vacuum.
No vacuum in phlebotomy bags boys.
 
@ironwill I understand what you mean I'm only speaking from experience, and I've only ever used vac tubes for drawing blood. I Remeber screwing up on patients in the past with non vac tubes and it has never drawn, even with gravity so I assumed the same would go for a bag. Maybe im wrong but I'm assuming you'd need a good amount of height for gravity to pull the blood

To the op, have you considered just coming off finestride for a few weeks then donating? Your hairline won't take a hit if you cycle off for a month I do this all the time.
 
@ironwill I understand what you mean I'm only speaking from experience, and I've only ever used vac tubes for drawing blood. I Remeber screwing up on patients in the past with non vac tubes and it has never drawn, even with gravity so I assumed the same would go for a bag. Maybe im wrong but I'm assuming you'd need a good amount of height for gravity to pull the blood

To the op, have you considered just coming off finestride for a few weeks then donating? Your hairline won't take a hit if you cycle off for a month I do this all the time.
Yeah brother vac tubes are legit, but bags are gravity fed only. If they vacuumed 700 mls of blood id probably faint. Typically they take 500-650 or so mls each month.
Non gear related, ive had the issue prior to ever pinning myself and i took 2 years off not long ago and it barely changed at all...
 
Yeah brother vac tubes are legit, but bags are gravity fed only. If they vacuumed 700 mls of blood id probably faint. Typically they take 500-650 or so mls each month.
Non gear related, ive had the issue prior to ever pinning myself and i took 2 years off not long ago and it barely changed at all...
if you bloodlet every 3 weeks what is your iron/ferritin? does it decline?
 
Top