Post by Persephone on Aug 14, 2015 0:46:36 GMT -5
*Disclaimer: This is not medical advice from a medical professional. This information is gathered from various phlebotomy websites and garnered from my personal experience. All posts in this forum are for informational purposes only.*
Let me start off by saying that, if you are a new swan, and/or your vampire is not skilled in blood collection, I advise you STRONGLY to do the blood draws yourself until both of you are comfortable with the vampire doing it. Not a rule, just my advice based on personal experience (and lots of bruising).
Before any skin is broken, both of you should be tested for any blood borne pathogens, including HIV and other STI's and STD's. I can't state strongly enough how important this is. If you're in a committed romantic relationship, you should STILL be tested (you should be getting tested anyway but I'm not your mom so I won't go there). There is a risk of infection for both parties whenever blood (or any body fluid) is shared. If you're not sure or you're not comfortable, DON'T DO IT. No one should put you in the position of compromising your health for their own amusement. This goes for both sides.
Next: Clean, clean, clean! Wash your hands. Right now. Go wash them. Are they clean? Okay.
The area from which you intend to draw the blood should be thoroughly swabbed with alcohol wipes. Don't use cotton balls or pads, as they tend to leave tiny fibers that can infiltrate the vein and cause infection. Paper towels and other paper products can also leave traces and also irritate the skin. Never re-use needles, and don't share them. With anyone. Ever. Have a sharps container (a coffee can WITH A LID THAT IS SEALED ON will work just fine). Replace the container regularly and make sure that the receptacle is marked BIO HAZARD for the safety of those who may come into contact with it when it is no longer in your possession.
The blood in our veins, as compared to the blood in our arteries, is not under a tremendous amount of pressure, but it is being pumped hard enough to circulate. So it's a rather simple process to get the blood out - all we need to do is provide an outlet. The easiest places to find a vein are in the crook of the elbow or the top of the hand. The hand can be a little more painful.
To find a usable vein, make a tourniquet out of whatever material you like and tie it slightly above your intended needle site. This will cause the veins in the area to "pop," making it easier to find one that you can use. Do not leave the tourniquet on for more than one minute, as this can cause significant pain. If you haven't found a vein in this amount of time, remove the tourniquet, allow the blood to flow back, then try again.
Gently pat the vein and look at its size. When you're ready, insert the needle into the vein in one smooth motion, at an angle slightly parallel to the arm. Speed causes less pain, but don't try to move too fast if you're a beginner - the pain from a needle stick isn't really that bad, and it's better than digging around and jiggling the needle. Once you're in, slowly and smoothly pull back the top of the syringe to fill the tube with blood.
Once you've filled the syringe, slide the needle back out at the same angle you entered it, and immediately apply sterile gauze to the puncture wound. Apply pressure to stop the flow of blood. After a minute or two the blood should have clotted and you can remove the gauze. If it's still bleeding, apply a little more pressure.
I suggest using the smallest needle gauge possible to cause as little bruising and pain as possible.
Keep in mind that consuming large amounts of blood is dangerous, as is taking large amounts. There is no reason to draw pints of blood. The swan should not become dizzy or sweaty or ill - if they do, you are drawing way too much.
There are other methods of blood drawing, and I will post them on the board. This is just an introductory guide to the basics.
Let me start off by saying that, if you are a new swan, and/or your vampire is not skilled in blood collection, I advise you STRONGLY to do the blood draws yourself until both of you are comfortable with the vampire doing it. Not a rule, just my advice based on personal experience (and lots of bruising).
Before any skin is broken, both of you should be tested for any blood borne pathogens, including HIV and other STI's and STD's. I can't state strongly enough how important this is. If you're in a committed romantic relationship, you should STILL be tested (you should be getting tested anyway but I'm not your mom so I won't go there). There is a risk of infection for both parties whenever blood (or any body fluid) is shared. If you're not sure or you're not comfortable, DON'T DO IT. No one should put you in the position of compromising your health for their own amusement. This goes for both sides.
Next: Clean, clean, clean! Wash your hands. Right now. Go wash them. Are they clean? Okay.
The area from which you intend to draw the blood should be thoroughly swabbed with alcohol wipes. Don't use cotton balls or pads, as they tend to leave tiny fibers that can infiltrate the vein and cause infection. Paper towels and other paper products can also leave traces and also irritate the skin. Never re-use needles, and don't share them. With anyone. Ever. Have a sharps container (a coffee can WITH A LID THAT IS SEALED ON will work just fine). Replace the container regularly and make sure that the receptacle is marked BIO HAZARD for the safety of those who may come into contact with it when it is no longer in your possession.
The blood in our veins, as compared to the blood in our arteries, is not under a tremendous amount of pressure, but it is being pumped hard enough to circulate. So it's a rather simple process to get the blood out - all we need to do is provide an outlet. The easiest places to find a vein are in the crook of the elbow or the top of the hand. The hand can be a little more painful.
To find a usable vein, make a tourniquet out of whatever material you like and tie it slightly above your intended needle site. This will cause the veins in the area to "pop," making it easier to find one that you can use. Do not leave the tourniquet on for more than one minute, as this can cause significant pain. If you haven't found a vein in this amount of time, remove the tourniquet, allow the blood to flow back, then try again.
Gently pat the vein and look at its size. When you're ready, insert the needle into the vein in one smooth motion, at an angle slightly parallel to the arm. Speed causes less pain, but don't try to move too fast if you're a beginner - the pain from a needle stick isn't really that bad, and it's better than digging around and jiggling the needle. Once you're in, slowly and smoothly pull back the top of the syringe to fill the tube with blood.
Once you've filled the syringe, slide the needle back out at the same angle you entered it, and immediately apply sterile gauze to the puncture wound. Apply pressure to stop the flow of blood. After a minute or two the blood should have clotted and you can remove the gauze. If it's still bleeding, apply a little more pressure.
I suggest using the smallest needle gauge possible to cause as little bruising and pain as possible.
Keep in mind that consuming large amounts of blood is dangerous, as is taking large amounts. There is no reason to draw pints of blood. The swan should not become dizzy or sweaty or ill - if they do, you are drawing way too much.
There are other methods of blood drawing, and I will post them on the board. This is just an introductory guide to the basics.