Injecting hydroxycobalamin

[Jeddah0]

Why do some people use one needle to draw up the solution , and then another one to inject ? Can you not just use the one needle and syringe ?

[wedgewood]

Yes apparently you can , as the ampoules are so designed that one is able to turn them upside down to extract the B12 liquid without it running out . I never knew about this when I started self-injecting( I.M.) and I used a long coarse needle ( 21G x 1 1/2 inch) to extract the B12 , by putting it right to the bottom of the ampoule , in order to get every last drop . This meant that the needle was made blunt by touching the glass . ( ouch!) So I used a fresh , shorter , finer needle to inject ( 25G x 1 inch) I’ve stuck with this for 5 years .

But I should try using just the one needle if I can master the art , and don’t make the injection needle blunt . Saves space in the sharps box .

[deniseinmilden in reply to wedgewood]

I've just tried it and it is perfectly possible...

But, as tight as I am, I'm not sure if I will always do this: it is a bit of a faff - I got lots of air with the B12 and had to empty the air out of my syringe halfway through drawing up, and then couldn't quite get ALL of the liquid from the ampoule when I feel every half-drip is vital!

I will try again on a better day but I won't be recommending it, especially to new recruits! On a bad day I just don't have that much feeling and control in my fingers until after I've done my jab and the effects have kicked in!

Happy weekend everyone and keep safe! x

[wedgewood in reply to deniseinmilden]

Thanks for letting me know what a caper it is . I’ll stick to the tried and tested method I think!

[Bellabab in reply to wedgewood]

I have just tried this and if I invert the ampoule the B12 runs straight out. Did you mean turn it on its side? For me using a separate needle to draw up and another thinner needle to inject is very easy and I am certain that the tip is undamaged.

[wedgewood in reply to Bellabab]

I’ve never tried that method . It was one of the administrators ( Gambit , I think ) who advised it . She said that was why the neck had that convoluted shape. I’m so sorry that you have lost an ampoule of B12 . .You are meant to be able to break the ampoule and invert it to withdraw the contents , thereby saving the use of a withdrawing needle . I will try it myself tomorrow and report back .

[wedgewood in reply to Bellabab]

Just googled to find some info. It seems you open the ampoule ,and withdraw some fluid with the injecting needle . Then you turn it upside down , and extract the rest of the B12 , taking care not to touch the glass with the point of the needle ,which would make it blunt and painful to use . I’ll give it a try tomorrow .

[wedgewood in reply to Bellabab]

I’ve tried it this morning , and I’m going to stick to the 2 needle method . I managed to touch the glass of the ampoule with the injection needle ! Much too awkward for me . Needles are so cheap , it’s not worth the trouble for me !

[fbirder]

Scraping the needle against the bottom of the ampoule will make it blunt, as I can testify from experience.

I once used my purple injecting needle to draw the B12 up. I couldn't be bothered with all the faff of getting another needle, so I used it to inject. I thought I was going to have to use a mallet to get it through my skin.

[FlipperTD in reply to fbirder]

Disposable hypodermic needles are made from soft metal and are easily damaged, but [from seeing a manufacturing plant many years ago] they're incredibly sharp, and batch-tested to prove it. However, they're better used just the once, to avoid the creation of hooks, barbs etc, which are really 'quite unpleasant' for anyone involved.

Double-ended blood collection needles have different styles of point; the 'vein' end is a long, slim taper with cutting edges and is incredibly sharp, whereas the 'blood tube stopper' end is a very short bevel, wich helps with multiple tube collections.

[YogiGreg]

I use the one needle to both draw the B12 from the ampoule and inject with no issues. Only occasionally does the needle get a little blunt if I accidentally scrape the glass.