Nurse couldn't get any blood out of me today!

JenniferEccles

What a shame there wasn’t a phlebotomist they could have called on.
Medics have problems with me too, but a phlebotomist manages it in a matter of seconds, with no discomfort at all.

A phlebotomist tried to take blood from me when I was in hospital. He really struggled and got half what he needed and said that would have to do. Then he knocked it over and covered my notes. He gave up and I never got the blood test. I did have an early warning system when a doctor was coming to see me as my notes were very clearly mine with all the blood stains

Half my family have this problem. Their veins are deep in their arms and very difficult to find. DH, DD and DGS all have this problem. DH and DD are quite chunky but DGS is long and thin, more beanstalk than Jack, but his veins are out of sight.

DH has a 3 goes and your out policy, after, when he was in hospital, a doctor made 9 successive attempts to get blood and wanted to do more. He just makes an appointment for the following week.

I, on the other hand, where my veins draped around my body, just under the skin, like scaffolding and never have any problem at all.

Folks always seem to blame the patient. BUT those who take blood are good bad and indifferent. I have met some horrors in my time, always my veins that are at fault !! However. The nurses at the health centre always take their time and seem to manage first time

I used to be a blood donor and always had 'difficult' veins. I stopped donating for a few years while either pregnant or breatfeeding and when I returned I spent ages filling out all the required paperwork before 2 attempts were made to get blood out of me without success! It seems they now have a rule that only 2 attempts can be made!
I now have to have fairly regular tests as I'm now diabetic, so they have to keep trying until they get some. It is always worse if I forget to drink extra water before I go. I often end up very badly bruised. Thankfully I'm ok with needles as long as I look away!
Sadly my DD has the same problem so has now stopped being a blood donor too. She recently had a bad dose of flu and needed a drip putting in and it took 3 people to get it in successfully.

Silly question, but have you tried drinking lots of water before your appointment? I often have this trouble and I find that drinking lots of water beforehand makes it a lot easier. If you've not tried it, it is definitely worth a try

Im right handed and the nurse has always had difficulty getting it from that arm. However it flows freely from my left arm. Nurse says being relaxed is important. I have never been afraid of needles.

I asked her who is the most difficult to get blood from and she said men! You can always distract a small child but a lot of men are wimps when it comes to needles.

Nurses always use a butterfly needle on me and my sister because of difficulties of getting blood from us. We are very petite in height and stature.

I remember a particularly unpleasant foreign nurse some years ago who was getting more and more annoyed that she was unable to take blood from me.
To try and be helpful I suggested an alternative on a different arm which other nurses in the past had been successful with but that didn’t go down well at all.

She gave me a hard look and said something like. “I have only been doing this job for 20 years” obviously inferring that she was very experienced, despite it being an illogical statement.

She then flounced off, someone else took over and it was done in a couple of minutes.

DD was officially told to cease donating blood because of the difficulty of finding her veins. No matter what she did, or does, they are really difficult to find.

I have a blood test on Monday morning. It’s never straight forward. Apparently I have tiny veins. I drink a lot beforehand but it doesn’t always help.

BrandyGran I have the solution for you regarding your needle phobia. Buy yourself Emla cream from the chemist. It comes in a small tube with 2 plasters. There is enough for 2 injections or blood tests. I use it every time I need a blood test or an injection. I apply the cream 2 hours before in the correct place and cover it with the plaster to make sure the cream doesn't run out. When the time comes the plaster is removed and cream wiped away and I guarantee you will feel absolutely nothing! It's a wonder cream. It costs around £6 or £7. Not every chemist stocks it so don't leave it to the last minute but it is widely available. Forget your fear of needles! Get your chemist to show you the correct place on your arm to apply it if you're not sure. I know where the needle goes for both flu jabs etc.. and blood tests too. Good luck!

Yep Emla cream is the one I use if there is no option but to have a blood test. I do know/have been surprised by chemists locally being a bit iffy as to whether they have it in automatically - and so I make sure to get it in advance (ie Boots has to order it if they've not got it and it will turn up the next day).

Though I'm still surprised the NHS doesn't give people a tube of it in advance when they tell them they want to do a blood test - guess they're so used to a lot of people just "doing what they're told" by them and not questioning as to whether things are being done as easily as possible - from the patients point of view.

butterandjam

drink lots of water so you are really well hydrated, and practice swinging your arms in circles (if you can) before you go in.

I too praise phlebotomists for expertise in their speciality. Taking blood is a specialised skill.

Madmeg

A routine blood test. The nurse I was booked with had four attempts before bringing in his colleague, who had another three attempts. but still no joy.

I have often had problems with my body refusing to give up its liquid gold but in recent years it has mostly worked first time.

I suggested trying again tomorrow as I am at the medical centre for a different reason but the nurse was of the opinion it would be a waste of time. However, she did agree to give it a try.

What will happen if they have no luck again? She didn't even think that using a "butterfly" would work. I really can't face a trip to hospital just for a routine blood test. I am already struggling with life as a result of my DH's rapidly-deteriorating physical mobility.

I always drink an extra glass of water and wrap up warm. I also tell the blood nurse that I don't give up my blood easily. Rarely have problems giving a blood sample now.

Had bloods taken this morning. Determined not to have another failure, meaning a trip to the hospital, I drank 3 mugfuls of warm Ribena shortly before the 15 minute walk to the GP.
It worked! 🙂

I am back from my appointment and like witzend have been drinking water since yesterday, I have tiny veins and she used a butterfly 🦋 and I didn’t feel a thing and made a huge difference.

My GP did a blood test on me. Needle straight in no problem. Went in hospital and a trainee had a go at siting a shunt with my permission. Not successful. Qualified Nurse had 3 goes not successful. Another nurse tried not successful. I refused to have it done. They sent for a phlebotomist. Straight in first time no problem at all.

During treatment for cancer my veins refused to give blood ... I drank gallons of water and also found if I used a hot water bottle to warn the arm before the nurse tried to get blood that helped ... there are Blood Whisperers who just have a knack and can get the blood easier... I always tell the nurses and ask them if they have a ( Whisperer ) xx

We just got back from my husband’s blood test. It was an older HCA who did it, she got plenty and he said he didn’t feel a thing.

My son went last week and was in there ages. One young HCA tried twice and couldn’t get any. She went and got another HCA and she couldn’t get any either so he has had to make another appointment.

I honestly believe these young assistants (or nurses) are not trained properly in taking blood or giving injections . My late Dad had to have injections into his stomach for prostate cancer and he would be black and blue like a road crash victim after the young ones did it. He started asking for the older nurse after a while and she did it so expertly that he said “I’m ready when you are” and she said “it’s all done!” 🤣 no bruises either.

my daughter who is a nurse said she would never take blood from me as I have manky veins!
i know what she means they always have trouble with me

Someone may have already said this .The only way they could get blood out of my mom was by using a child's butterfly needle . It was male nurse at the hospital who did it after that mom would only let him do it as he didn't hurt her.

Witzend

I’m due a blood test on the 22nd - at 8.20!😱

Last time the nurse (not the usual one, and she had long fake nails!!) was unable to get any blood out.
I ended up being sent to the hospital for it, which was a PITA.

So this time I’ve opted for the usual nurse (opting has never been an option before) so will make sure I drink about a gallon of fluid before setting off on the 15 minute walk down the hill.

Just to add, it was early on a cold December morning (an 8.30 appt.) so I certainly didn't want a lot of cold water, but warm Ribena did the trick! 3 mugfuls IIRC.
I will certainly do the same again next time.