Bruising After Blood Test

[Sid Bonkers]

Having been diabetic now for around 6 years I am no stranger to blood tests and they have never bothered me in the past and only rarely in the past have I suffered a small amount of bruising but I had a test last week and I could feel an ache from my elbow to my shoulder while the blood was being taken and I remember thinking "this is going to leave a bruise" but then forgot all about it.

A day or so later a bruise did indeed appear and got worse over the next few days, and even now 6 days later it still looks like this!!

I cant ever remember having a bruise like this before and up until yesterday it was really quite sore and itchy....

On the bright side I had been a little apprehensive about the results as it has been 12 months since my last blood test but I just phoned and got the results and they are all excellent still despite my not even testing myself more than a couple of times a month recently.

HbA1c................................34 mmol/mol or 5.3%
Total cholesterol.................4.1 mmol/L
HDL ratio............................2.41

The only slight negative is my trigs have risen to 1.4 mmol/L but theyre still in range, just higher than they have been in the past.

So a great result but definitely a badly bodged blood test!!!

 

[gemma6549]

Well done on the result

I only ever had one bruise that similar to yours extended all the way to my wrist. It was when i was first diagnosed and they took blood from the artery as well as the vein. The guy was wiggling it around in there for a long time trying to find it!!

Hope it heals soon.

 

[Clivethedrive]

Having been diabetic now for around 6 years I am no stranger to blood tests and they have never bothered me in the past and only rarely in the past have I suffered a small amount of bruising but I had a test last week and I could feel an ache from my elbow to my shoulder while the blood was being taken and I remember thinking "this is going to leave a bruise" but then forgot all about it.

A day or so later a bruise did indeed appear and got worse over the next few days, and even now 6 days later it still looks like this!!

I cant ever remember having a bruise like this before and up until yesterday it was really quite sore and itchy....

On the bright side I had been a little apprehensive about the results as it has been 12 months since my last blood test but I just phoned and got the results and they are all excellent still despite my not even testing myself more than a couple of times a month recently.

HbA1c................................34 mmol/mol or 5.3%
Total cholesterol.................4.1 mmol/L
HDL ratio............................2.41

The only slight negative is my trigs have risen to 1.4 mmol/L but theyre still in range, just higher than they have been in the past.

So a great result but definitely a badly bodged blood test!!!

Ho took the blood "dracula"

 

[June_C]

I always tend to bruise after a blood test, although not as bad as yours. One tip I've learned is to hold my arm up above my head immediately afterwards. I find this helps enormously. Ok, not always possible if you're being ushered out of the room to make way for the next victim, but if the nurse is busy writing up all the labels to go on the samples, then there's your chance.

 

[noblehead]

The bruise is due to loss of blood where the needle went in, by applying pressure to the point and keeping it on for a minute or two reduces the chances of bruising but never eliminates it completely, I always apply pressure longer than the nurse recommends and it works to some degree.

 

[robert72]

Agree with Nigel - my phlebotomist told me to apply pressure to the area for some time to reduce the chance of bruising.

 

[Sid Bonkers]

@noblehead & @robert72 I did all the holding down of the cotton wool pad while applying pressure after the blood test as I always do but I think because I felt this ache up my arm when he was taking the blood that he may have initially put the needle right through the vein so some blood leaked out around the injection site, well thats all I can think of anyway.

As I said before Ive never experienced bruising like this before but whenever I have suffered any small bruising in the past and its always when I can feel an ache up my arm as the blood is taken, its almost as if I know when I will get a bruise....Dont know if anyone else has experienced this?

Thankfully its stopped aching today so I guess its getting better

 

[Sid Bonkers]

One tip I've learned is to hold my arm up above my head immediately afterwards. I find this helps enormously. Ok, not always possible if you're being ushered out of the room to make way for the next victim, but if the nurse is busy writing up all the labels to go on the samples, then there's your chance.

Next visit I make I shall look out for someone holding their arm up over their head, and say hello

 

[dawnmc]

I once tried to be a blood donor, never again. First she couldn't find where to get it from and god knows what she did, but the crook of my elbow swelled up like a balloon. The blood donor folk even had to ring me to see if I was ok. But I usually bruise no matter what I do.
And well done on your readings Sid.

 

[Sid Bonkers]

Well done on the result

I only ever had one bruise that similar to yours extended all the way to my wrist. It was when i was first diagnosed and they took blood from the artery as well as the vein. The guy was wiggling it around in there for a long time trying to find it!!

Hope it heals soon.

Thanks it does seem to be healing now as it no longer itches or aches.

It must have been awful to have a bruise all the way down to your wrist, mine was about 10cm x 10cm (4" x 4") and that was bad enough...

 

[Sid Bonkers]

I once tried to be a blood donor, never again. First she couldn't find where to get it from and god knows what she did, but the crook of my elbow swelled up like a balloon. The blood donor folk even had to ring me to see if I was ok. But I usually bruise no matter what I do.
And well done on your readings Sid.

Thanks Dawn

 

[Nuthead]

Blood tests are a nightmare for me.My vains move, disappear, and when the needle is finally in.......they collapse. .
They usually have to dig around a bit. Looks like I've been whacked with a baseball bat... And it bl**dy hurts.

 

[Sid Bonkers]

Blood tests are a nightmare for me.My vains move, disappear, and when the needle is finally in.......they collapse. .
They usually has to dig around a bit. Looks like I've been whacked with a baseball bat... And it bl**dy hurts.

Oh well at least I'm not alone then and for me it doesnt happen every time so I suppose I should be grateful..

 

[catherinecherub]

Sounds like the phlebotomist hit a blood vessel and damaged it.
Bruising
Mild bruising around the area where the needle went into the vein is fairly common after a blood test; however, in some rare cases, more severe bruising may develop. Severe bruising is usually caused by a lack of pressure being applied to the site of the wound after the needle has been removed (applying a cotton wool pad to the wound helps to stem the bleeding, which will reduce the risk of bruising) but it may also be caused by damage to the vein when the needle was inserted.
http://www.medic8.com/blood-disorders/blood-test/risks-of-blood-tests.html

 

[Pilgrim22]

Blood tests are a nightmare for me.My vains move, disappear, and when the needle is finally in.......they collapse. .
They usually have to dig around a bit. Looks like I've been whacked with a baseball bat... And it bl**dy hurts.

Ditto, they have even gone into my neck in the past while n hospital.

I would make a rubbish junkie

 

[gemma6549]

Thanks it does seem to be healing now as it no longer itches or aches.

It must have been awful to have a bruise all the way down to your wrist, mine was about 10cm x 10cm (4" x 4") and that was bad enough...

i was 16 at the time and it got me out of doing P.E at school for a week so cant complain

 

[Daphne917]

Blood tests are a nightmare for me.My vains move, disappear, and when the needle is finally in.......they collapse. .
They usually have to dig around a bit. Looks like I've been whacked with a baseball bat... And it bl**dy hurts.

I have the same problem - they usually end up digging 3 times in each arm and then only manage to get enough to fill one of the vials. Needless to say I normally end up with a bruise or two.