any blood suckers out there ?

[nazali]

Not sure if this should be in the sub forum H&F
but want some "thoughts" on bloodtests.

So, (without too much of a back story) I used to take annual blood tests, then semi (after diabetes), jan I had some issues, was hospitilised for 1.5 months, with permanent IV's for 2 or 3 times daily bloodwork (in icu)

After release, I was doing 3 weekly clinic appts with blooddraws.

So, I have basically problems giving blood, it ranges from getting so tense, the blood doesnt flow, to being told I have fine veins, brown skin also tends to hide veins I'm told.

Also now I understand, if you get poked regulalry, the veins don't have time to heal and then they can scar, so what was a good vein dries up. So instead of one poke, I now get at least 2 pokes before they can find a vein.

Today the nurse said, "oh you've got good veins, I can see them" and then "oh dear, not giving me any today"

I've tried, drinking water prior, stop taking anything which will dehydrate me, use a moisteriser on my arms to make the skin softer.

I'm also on water reduction (no more than 1.5lt.s a day) and diuretics which makes things worse.

At this point I'm running out of theories and options.

A nurse saying "you really need to be less tense and calm" doesnt work LOL

anyone in the same boat, or any proffesional's mythbust what I've heard.

txs

[M5Rick]

I look away when I have blood test and just relax the arm, last time the doc said to have a breakfast before coming over to the clinic.

[chassis]

Blood tests and more are covered in the health and fitness section thread.

You are describing white coat syndrome. Sorry to say but you need to find a way to get over it or work through it. I sympathize, and encourage you to grow beyond the difficulty.

[zx10guy]

Yes, they're called Robocallers and Telemarketers....

Oh you meant a different blood sucker.

[Tommy-G]

Originally Posted by zx10guy

Yes, they're called Robocallers and Telemarketers....

Oh you meant a different blood sucker.

Bwahahahahaha

[Murf993]

My second ex-wife.

[M3LISSA]

Originally Posted by nazali

Not sure if this should be in the sub forum H&F
but want some "thoughts" on bloodtests.

So, (without too much of a back story) I used to take annual blood tests, then semi (after diabetes), jan I had some issues, was hospitilised for 1.5 months, with permanent IV's for 2 or 3 times daily bloodwork (in icu)

After release, I was doing 3 weekly clinic appts with blooddraws.

So, I have basically problems giving blood, it ranges from getting so tense, the blood doesnt flow, to being told I have fine veins, brown skin also tends to hide veins I'm told.

Also now I understand, if you get poked regulalry, the veins don't have time to heal and then they can scar, so what was a good vein dries up. So instead of one poke, I now get at least 2 pokes before they can find a vein.

Today the nurse said, "oh you've got good veins, I can see them" and then "oh dear, not giving me any today"

I've tried, drinking water prior, stop taking anything which will dehydrate me, use a moisteriser on my arms to make the skin softer.

I'm also on water reduction (no more than 1.5lt.s a day) and diuretics which makes things worse.

At this point I'm running out of theories and options.

A nurse saying "you really need to be less tense and calm" doesnt work LOL

anyone in the same boat, or any proffesional's mythbust what I've heard.

txs

I'm a nurse. Sometimes some people have shitty veins with valves. And we can get in them and blood return, but once you go to use the e vein it blows… finding other spots is key. That sucks for you though. I've got the juiciest veins I swear. I don't even need a tourniquet…

[nazali]

txs, I did look up WCS, at my last clinic check they check HR, O2 and BP,
this was noted, that they always see an increase in HR

I'll have a search in H&F section as well txs

and yes it's something I have to deal with, some people tell you to relax, then other tell you to make a fist and pump, that like contrary to being relaxed LOL

Yes I do find when I relax it's somewhat better, when the blood flows I totally relax, until the moment there digging around that's when I'm tense.

One of my first doc's told me, it's the adrenaline that squeezes the veins and said the trick is too relax,

Originally Posted by chassis

Blood tests and more are covered in the health and fitness section thread.

You are describing white coat syndrome. Sorry to say but you need to find a way to get over it or work through it. I sympathize, and encourage you to grow beyond the difficulty.

[nazali]

txs, never heard that . good info, can you comment on this scarring of the veins I was told in ICU.

The worst experience I had, was one nurse, poked me 3 times before she gave up, at that point your body is like super stressed.

The needles themself don't, hurt, a mild pinch, it's the anxiety of is the blood flowing and do they need to repoke me, is something going wrong.

I found out that after the initial prick they remove the needle and whats in the vein is just a soft plastic, I had these imaginings of a metal needle, poking and digging around looking for a vein. I found also the vacuum thing works much better

I always used to have a good arm, but now that is not so and I guess y main worry is that due to constant regular bloodwork my veins will mess up

I know it sounds silly, but I'm now having bloodwork due to my medical issues and med checks very regular.

I hate dentists for the same reason, as a kid I had a lot of ortho work and they would never numb the area, just go right in with a needle, it was worse than a zombie movie

Originally Posted by M3LISSA

I'm a nurse. Sometimes some people have shitty veins with valves. And we can get in them and blood return, but once you go to use the e vein it blows… finding other spots is key. That sucks for you though. I've got the juiciest veins I swear. I don't even need a tourniquet…

[dreamingat30fps]

I dunno about being harder if you have blood taken all the time, probably true. What I do know is the skills of the person taking the blood matters a lot. I use to go to the same doctor for many years and they did the blood in house. The old lady that took the blood ALWAYS got it in one shot with almost no pain.

That doctor retired and I have since gone to others, some did it in house, some send you off to quest or something. I find that now it's 100% dependent on who I get. I will NOT do it at the doctors office anymore because it seems they are typically the least skilled of all. I had one poke me so many time I told her to fuck off and give me paperwork to go to lab. The lab I find is good 90% of the time. I guess since all they do is draw blood all day they are pretty good at it.

[Manny01]

The veins that nurses access during blood draws are superficial surface veins. If you want them to be more visible and easily accessible, you should consider losing weight and strength training. Losing weight removes subcutaneous fat underneath the skin. Strength training increases the vein size to transport higher blood volume.

I write this respectfully, but if this is a long-term issue, losing weight and strength training may be the best way to make blood draws easier. And I suspect your anxiety will decrease substantially once your veins are easier to draw from.

[nazali]

your right on with that, so I get blood drawn either at a hospital or a lab, which is the only thing they do. I sometimes ask for the same nurse, if she's there, but there not always.

I find if after one go, they will say, "let me get a senior nurse" FFS !

I was also told, depending on how they prick you, if you feel it, you tense up, if not, it always flows,

Funny thing is afterwards, the point bleeds like a mother LOL

In ICU, they girls that came round, daily in the morning, were like fantastic, in and out, in 30 seconds, no pain, I guess your right, this is a major part of it

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

I dunno about being harder if you have blood taken all the time, probably true. What I do know is the skills of the person taking the blood matters a lot. I use to go to the same doctor for many years and they did the blood in house. The old lady that took the blood ALWAYS got it in one shot with almost no pain.

That doctor retired and I have since gone to others, some did it in house, some send you off to quest or something. I find that now it's 100% dependent on who I get. I will NOT do it at the doctors office anymore because it seems they are typically the least skilled of all. I had one poke me so many time I told her to fuck off and give me paperwork to go to lab. The lab I find is good 90% of the time. I guess since all they do is draw blood all day they are pretty good at it.

[Kick 6]

Drinking water can help, sodium is the key. Salt load with a salty food 30 minutes before the scheduled blood draw. Some people are over excreters of sodium and it makes it difficult to draw blood. Also can make them constipated or urinate less frequently.

[nazali]

txs for the advise, and sure I understand with no offense taken.

After hospital I'd lost about 10kg, due to health concerns i have to watch how and what I exercise, although it's not forbidden.

I will take a look at that aspect.

I do have to weigh myself daily, to monitor for water retention, and my weight "is" somewhat of an issee for my condition. But I was in the overweight, now I'm in the normal range for BMI

When you say strength, your talking about weights as opposed to cardio, ATM I do biking

Originally Posted by Manny01

The veins that nurses access during blood draws are superficial surface veins. If you want them to be more visible and easily accessible, you should consider losing weight and strength training. Losing weight removes subcutaneous fat underneath the skin. Strength training increases the vein size to transport higher blood volume.

I write this respectfully, but if this is a long-term issue, losing weight and strength training may be the best way to make blood draws easier. And I suspect your anxiety will decrease substantially once your veins are easier to draw from.

[nazali]

I'm on a low sodium diet, and the day before I drink (try) regular, but my limit is 1.5lt a day.

Also the hospital is looking for sodium levels, yesterday's draw was K and Na and Urea.

Plus I'm on the diuretics. I don't think loading up with sodium 30 minutes before a draw will skew the results too much, but not sure

Originally Posted by Kick 6

Drinking water can help, sodium is the key. Salt load with a salty food 30 minutes before the scheduled blood draw. Some people are over excreters of sodium and it makes it difficult to draw blood. Also can make them constipated or urinate less frequently.

[Kick 6]

Originally Posted by nazali

I'm on a low sodium diet, and the day before I drink (try) regular, but my limit is 1.5lt a day.

Also the hospital is looking for sodium levels, yesterday's draw was K and Na and Urea.

Plus I'm on the diuretics. I don't think loading up with sodium 30 minutes before a draw will skew the results too much, but not sure

Too much sodium is bad, but so is too little sodium. Loading once for a blood draw wouldn't be overly concerning if your blood pressure is under control. Finding the right amount to ingest is paramount. Sodium levels can fluctuate and each individual is different. I see a lot of people with migraines and seizures that have sodium fluctuation issues. Maintaining constant levels is the key and is often difficult.

[nazali]

my bloodwork came back good today
Sodium 140 135-145mmol/L
Potassium 4.9 3.5-5.2mmol/L
Urea 4.1 2.7-8.4mmol/L
Creatinine 68 67-117umol/L
Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) 102 (higher than 90)

[nazali]

***any mods***
think this should be in health & fitness, don't want to mess up the OT forum,
could some one kindly move my thread

thankxs !

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by nazali

I'm on a low sodium diet, and the day before I drink (try) regular, but my limit is 1.5lt a day.
.
.
.
Plus I'm on the diuretics.

I've been on that exact same regimen since 2016, with a 1.5L total fluids restriction and massive doses of diuretics. When I arrived back at the hospital by ambulance after a few days at home, the nurses couldn't even get an IV site to work for over a week. They kept using the one that the EMT managed to install in a moving ambulance, despite being against hospital policy. A few days before discharge, they tried to install a long-term IV central line in my arm in the cath lab, with no success. They ultimately sent me home with an IV central line in my chest for the next 2+ years.

My home IV nurse had to do weekly blood draws for the lab, and she had problems almost every week. She said that it was common with dehydration or fluid restrictions with diuretics. Even the phlebotomists at the blood lab had to try 2-3 times to find a working site. This slowly resolved itself over 1-2 years, and I'm still on the same low-sodium, fluid restrictions, and diuretics doses for severe CHF.....

[cmyx6go]

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

I dunno about being harder if you have blood taken all the time, probably true. What I do know is the skills of the person taking the blood matters a lot. I use to go to the same doctor for many years and they did the blood in house. The old lady that took the blood ALWAYS got it in one shot with almost no pain.

That doctor retired and I have since gone to others, some did it in house, some send you off to quest or something. I find that now it's 100% dependent on who I get. I will NOT do it at the doctors office anymore because it seems they are typically the least skilled of all. I had one poke me so many time I told her to fuck off and give me paperwork to go to lab. The lab I find is good 90% of the time. I guess since all they do is draw blood all day they are pretty good at it.

^ This right here.

My veins suck, my mother has the same issue. I've had this issue all my life, even when I was skin and bones. My GP does it herself and hits it right the first time, every time. When I have to go to the lab, or even worse, when I donate blood they poke the hell out of me. I'm not nervous about it, it just pisses me off when they can't find my vein. I tell them up front to get me someone senior.

The last time I gave blood, I felt like a pin cushion. They tried both arms and failed, then tried the top of my hand and failed again. The needle going in isn't the bad part, it's the fishing around once they are in there but not in the vein.

That reminds me, it's time for me to donate again.

[RMachuca3d]

Nurses gawk at my veins, im one of those easy ones ......

Until i needed a picc line installed to feed me through my arm, the line has to go through the arm and into the heart, the damn tube kept going up my neck instead of down to the heart, 45mins later and a shit load of blood squirts the tech finally managed to wiggle it into the right artery.

[UncleWede]

I'm tense just thinking about this. I go every 3 months

My procedure is to get all worked up talking to the nurse, but try to lighten things up with at least one joke about which arm to use. I always point at the nurse.

Then I tense EVERYTHING in my body, except the arm they are using, and look away. So I can have 90% of my tension, but that one arm is good.