Bacteriostatic Water: Uses, Side Effects, and Mixing in HCG Injection

What is Bacteriostatic Water?

Bacteriostatic water is sterile water that contains 0.9 benzyl alcohol. It is used to help in the dissolution of HCG powder for weight loss. This mainly helps in the preparation of injections for subcutaneous, intramuscular, and intravenous administration. Bacwater suppresses and stops the growth of possible contaminating bacteria. 

Uses of Bacteriostatic Water

Primarily, healthcare professionals use bacteriostatic water for injection purposes. For drugs to be effective in the human body, they must first be diluted to their proper concentrations. This is to prevent the patient from being exposed to toxic levels of the drug. To dilute a medication, this is added to the drug solution until the desired concentration is reached. There are four main types of injections used to administer a solution of backwater and medicine:

1. Intravenous injections. Medications are injected directly into a vein. This is the fastest form of injection because it enters the circulatory system immediately.

2. Intramuscular injections. Medications are injected deeply into muscle tissue. From there, the medication is absorbed into the bloodstream.

3. Subcutaneous injections. Treatments are injected into the innermost layer of the skin

4. Intradermal injections. Prescriptions are injected into the middle layer of the dermis. Since the middle layer of the skin has less access to blood vessels than the innermost layer, this method takes the longest to enter the bloodstream.

Side Effects of Bacteriostatic Water

The following is a list of possible side-effects that may occur from all constituting ingredients of the water. These side effects are possible but do not always occur and some of the side effects may be rare but serious. Seek immediate help if you observe any of the following side effects, especially if they do not go away:

• Feverish response
• Infection at the site of injection
• Arterial thrombosis
• Extravasation
• Hypervolemia

Before using this for injection, inform your doctor about your current list of medications, over-the-counter products, allergies, pre-existing diseases, and current health. Some health conditions may make you more susceptible to the side effects of the drug. Take as directed by your doctor or follow the direction printed on the product insert especially if you are using it for HCG injections. 

Mixing and Administering Bacteriostatic Water in HCG Injection

Before mixing, ensure you gather all the necessary things needed for mixing from your HCG diet kit. Ensure you have the following:

• HCG vial
• Bacwater
• Alcohol wipes
• Syringes

Wash your hands with soap and water before mixing the solution to avoid contamination.

Mixing Instructions:

• Remove the protective caps of the water vial and HCG vial. Tap down the HCG vial to ensure that all powder is collected at the bottom of the container and place them on a flat surface.
• Open the syringe and needle for their packaging and connect the two. Make sure the needle are tight to avoid leaking of liquids and accidental disconnection of needles.
• To draw the water from the vial, pull back on the plunger and pull air into the syringe similar amount of liquid you will need to pull.
• Pull the needle cover straight off and insert it through the rubber stopper and then push the plunger down and inject air into the vial to eliminate the pressure pulling against you.
• Hold the water upside down and get the amount needed to dilute the HCG powder. Tap it with your finger to clear the air bubbles out of the syringe.
• To measure the amount of the solution, read from the top ring or the closest to the needle to get the right mark or dosage.
• Insert the solution into the HCG vial and swirl gently until the powder is dissolved. Avoid shaking the bottle.

How Long Does Bacteriostatic Water Last?

Once the vial is opened, the alcohol will prevent the growth of the bacteria for up to 28 days. After 28 days, you need to discard the vial. The vial can be re-entered multiple times with sterile needles without getting contaminated because the alcohol can stop the growth of most contaminating bacteria.