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Blood tests....

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Sooo went for my hba1c...took 8 different needles and 3 different nurses just to get some blood from me ha!!

Anyone else have problems when it comes to blood tests??
 
yep I had to be stabbed 3 times this morning including a back of hand which didn't work either..
 
ohitsnicola said:
Sooo went for my hba1c...took 8 different needles and 3 different nurses just to get some blood from me ha!!

Anyone else have problems when it comes to blood tests??
Click to expand...
Yep. Last time I went for blood test it took 6 different needles and 2 nurses so not quite as bad as you!!!
 
Last time I went, I checked my blood pressure just before. Needle went in no problem, but not a drop came out. Tried other arm, no problems, totally forgot to mention it lol.
 
Yup, my veins run away and hide at the sight of a needle. There is only one nurse at my GP's who can hit the spot first time, so I have to ask for her. However she has to use the back of my hand, my arms are a lost cause!
Oh PS, I have to keep the car really hot and drink loads on the way to try to make my veins stand out more!
 
Same here. Veins in arms never yield any blood, usually end up with the back of the hand. The last phlebotomist I had at the health centre was the best I've had, so I'll be looking out for her in future - HbA1c coming up in a couple of weeks.
 
Yep my veins run away too ha! Or they found a vein stuck the needle in nothing would come out, take the needle out and then I would bleed ha!
 
Last I went, the phlebotomist asked if I had a preference where she took from as my veins are like the Channel Tunnel. On the downside, in the heat, or when doing physical work, my arms aren't at their best as they're so veiny (if that's even a word).

Did they try butterfly cannulation for you Nicola? That often saves a lot of messing around.
 
DCUKMod said:
Last I went, the phlebotomist asked if I had a preference where she took from as my veins are like the Channel Tunnel. On the downside, in the heat, or when doing physical work, my arms aren't at their best as they're so veiny (if that's even a word).

Did they try butterfly cannulation for you Nicola? That often saves a lot of messing around.
Click to expand...
I always have a butterfly
 
ohitsnicola said:
Anyone else have problems when it comes to blood tests??
Click to expand...

Sometimes, they can't find a vein and suggest that some of them have actually collapsed. I'm usually well hydrated but on one occasion I was told to drink water before they tried again (it was in a US medical centre and did I take the mickey or what?)

I can't remember where I related this story before, probably on this forum but who knows. As kids we use to hit our hands with the teeth side of a comb, then swing our arms around until the mark made by the comb bled. No idea why we did it, we were kids. However it suggests that swinging your arm around increases the pressure of the blood in your arm and hand. I haven't thought to try it because it sounds daft but as I have some blood tests coming up soon, I might have to try it.
 
When I worked for a research company and they regularly took blood tests the nurse used to get us to climb up and down the stairs a few times before trying to take it.
 
ohitsnicola said:
Sooo went for my hba1c...took 8 different needles and 3 different nurses just to get some blood from me ha!!

Anyone else have problems when it comes to blood tests??
Click to expand...
Yea me too. Veins just disappear I am supposed to drink a lot of water beforehand and sometimes that helps but quite often I come home looking like someone hit my arms with a baseball bat
 
ohitsnicola said:
Sooo went for my hba1c...took 8 different needles and 3 different nurses just to get some blood from me ha!!

Anyone else have problems when it comes to blood tests??
Click to expand...

Drink plenty leading up to the bloods being taken, dehydration is known to make the veins constrict making them harder to find and draw blood. If it's a fasting bg test just drink plain water on the day.
 
DavidGrahamJones said:
Sometimes, they can't find a vein and suggest that some of them have actually collapsed. I'm usually well hydrated but on one occasion I was told to drink water before they tried again (it was in a US medical centre and did I take the mickey or what?)

I can't remember where I related this story before, probably on this forum but who knows. As kids we use to hit our hands with the teeth side of a comb, then swing our arms around until the mark made by the comb bled. No idea why we did it, we were kids. However it suggests that swinging your arm around increases the pressure of the blood in your arm and hand. I haven't thought to try it because it sounds daft but as I have some blood tests coming up soon, I might have to try it.
Click to expand...
In the years at the end of ww2 and afterwards us youngsters were always cold in winter and our clothing was poor and the ends of our fingers went dead! We did just that, swung our arms round like a wind mill to get the circulation going. D.
 
noblehead said:
Drink plenty leading up to the bloods being taken, dehydration is known to make the veins constrict making them harder to find and draw blood. If it's a fasting bg test just drink plain water on the day.
Click to expand...

I had loads of water....my veins are just very non compliant haha
 
DCUKMod said:
Last I went, the phlebotomist asked if I had a preference where she took from as my veins are like the Channel Tunnel. On the downside, in the heat, or when doing physical work, my arms aren't at their best as they're so veiny (if that's even a word).

Did they try butterfly cannulation for you Nicola? That often saves a lot of messing around.
Click to expand...

Butterfly cannulation?? what's that?? I did suggest the hand and they was going to try it but ended up getting the arm....lovely bruises today!!
 
IMG_7633.JPG
ohitsnicola said:
Butterfly cannulation?? what's that?? I did suggest the hand and they was going to try it but ended up getting the arm....lovely bruises today!!
Click to expand...
A butterfly cannula is a very fine needle with 'wings' which the nurse bends up together and holds onto to guide the needle. See the picture!
 
Rachox said:
View attachment 23638
A butterfly cannula is a very fine needle with 'wings' which the nurse bends up together and holds onto to guide the needle. See the picture!
Click to expand...
Rachox said:
View attachment 23638
A butterfly cannula is a very fine needle with 'wings' which the nurse bends up together and holds onto to guide the needle. See the picture!
Click to expand...
That explains it Rachox, I was about to explain we have lots of butterflies because we have a buddleia bush!:) ;). D.
 
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