Wellness

[Shorty2U]

Thanks for the replies. This was at our Dr office (close by). The lab is the further away but they are experienced (so if this doesn't work I will have go to to the lab).

And from reading here, as someone mentioned about steroids, I do go for steroid shots for my back pain all the time so maybe that is affecting the veins? I just had 6 injections Monday (in my back)

I was thinking as someone here mentioned too, that maybe I am always dehydrated..lol.. (even though I drink liquids every day of course but not enough water probably because i drink more iced tea than anything).

Well I hope they get some blood tomorrow. I will drink more water in the AM. Thanks again.

[Kachina624]

As you get older,  it becomes more and more difficult for them to draw blood.   Veins get deeper or something.   I went to the ER last year and they had to get a paramedic who was hanging around to get my blood.   The phlebotomist at my doctor's office never has a problem. 

[Evie2004]

@Shorty2U Have the person drawing your blood to put a warm pack of some type (wash cloth, or actual warm pack) on your hand or arm for a couple of minutes, also letting it hang down, below heart area may help..if they have no warm packs, try running very warm water over the area..have seen many "hard" sticks in my life as a nurse & I am sure you aren't bloodless..good luck! 

[mstyrion 1]

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@MyGirlsMom wrote:

Weeeellllllll, sometimes, it's the patient.  For various reasons people aren't good blood draws. Chemo, Antibiotics, dehydration are reasons veins are bad.  Also alcoholism and drug abusers have bad veins

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Very true.

I have very tiny veins that roll. 

My worst experience was six sticks to get an IV in.

I get labs drawn every month and sometimes it's easy to get a vein and sometimes it's not.

It's usually more successful when I am well hydrated.

[YorkieonmyPillow]

Tell them to use a butterfly needle.

[aubnwa01]

In addition to helping your veins to be plumper & easier to draw blood from, drinking lots of water also helps if you need to do the old pee in a cup thing for part of your labs, too!

[hckynut]

Hi @Shorty2U

You said: "Every time I go for blood which is every 3 months". I have been on both sides of "blood in/blood out". Are you going in for blood transfusions?

I lost count of getting blood transfusions after having over 120 of them. They never took a "blood draw" before any of these many transfusions. 

If you are talking about "having blood drawn" every 3 months, that is the other thing I have had done, and much more often than every 3 months. I won't go into my 7 years of at least 3 full blood draws every week during that time. There were weeks I went to the hospital all 7 days of the week for blood draws.

I can tell you that some have much more "vascularity" than others, and their veins stand out. I happen to be one of them. Some is because I have little to no subcutaneous fat between my skin and my veins. I am slim and it also helped my vascularity doing lots of high resistant weight training for many decades.

I have probably had over 1000 blood draws, and the only problems I have encountered were newer phlebotomists, either going through the vein or the vein "rolling" on them.

Think I would talk with your doctor that is ordering these blood draws and see what is suggested. I know there are some that I have met that have a "port" installed for both blood extraction and blood transfusions. That is about all I can suggest from my tons of experiences with both blood extraction and transfusions.

hckynut(john)

[hckynut]

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@IMW wrote:

I give them 1 shot. If it doesn't work I insist on the MD- that works. I drink a lot before, am very cooperative, but I won't be a pin cushion.

Good luck!

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@IMW

You say "1" shot and then insist on an MD that works? Not sure what that means. I know from much personal experience, that a Doctor, would be my last choice. I realize there are patients that are physically harder to extract blood than others.

For me a blood draw is a simple procedure. I let students in training do their first blood draw on me. A few stuck me 3 times, and after the 1st stick with no blood? I tell them "no fishing", just pull the syringe out, and try another stick.

Now if you were talking about placing an IV in your arm? Much different than drawing blood. My wife is at times a problem with placing an IV. I have asked the Procedure RN to call the person that brings a machine that locates the better veins. How? That I cannot answer. I have seen it done and it reminds me of my Echocardiograms and Ultrasounds, but a much simpler device.

hckynut(john)

[Catty2]

I always have them use a vein on my hand.  Those veins are usually popped out.  Don't want them messing around with my arm trying to find a good vein. 

[Starpolisher]

I have the same problem. They usually use a butterfly needle in my hand to get blood but sometimes someone will be able to get it from my arm. It depends on a lot of things. The last time I went to the ER in September, no one could find a vein. The doctor bought in an ultrasound machine which showed him where a vein was.  I sympathize with you.