Does Anyone Get Worse Symptoms After Bloodwork?

[iheartcats]

I had about 4 vials (ugh) of blood drawn today...all the labs were on one sheet so I couldn't break it up unless I went back to the doctor and that would be a pain for me so I just told them to take it!

I know I had horrible symptoms after I had 14, yes 14, vials taken once. Never again!

But 4 vials? I just had to take my dose of BB/Midodrine a bit early I'm feeling so bad/tachy. (Usually try to go 7 hours between doses, on bad days sometimes I can only make it around 6 hours).

I ate salty foods and sugary foods + am drinking a lot (you know the point where you just don't want to drink anything else!). Anyone else notice weird things after just a few vials of blood drawn?

[bjt22]

The only problem I have is that all my blood draws have to be fasting draws. The fasting is a definite problem. I'm supposed to do them every three months, but to tell the truth, I'm pretty good at managing putting them off to the point that I usually only have it done twice a year.

I'm a very easy "stick". My veins practically lay on top of my skin.

[tinkerbella]

could i borrow some, i look like a pin cushion. my hands are all pin pricks and the use the baby butterflies to draw with.

[iheartcats]

I'm an easy draw, at least...thank goodness they don't have to dig around.

This was a fasting draw but I did have some G2 in the middle of the night! :X There was only one section that was really for fasting and well, what can you do.

[bjt22]

I drink water while fasting. Most agree that this is all right. Do I drink too much to be considered in a "fasting" state? Possibly. Couldn't do it otherwise, though.

I think a large part of my problem has to do with the caffeine withdrawal that I experience while fasting. I've often quipped that caffeine is my main "drug of choice". I tend to keep a glass of diet coke with me at all times and sip to keep it in my system. While fasting, ofcourse, I'm coming off all caffeine. Not good, evidently. The blood sugar thing isn't great, either, and as you know, getting up and out of the house early in the morning for the actual drawing of the blood is no picnic.

And yeah...I can give the term "thin skinned" a whole new meaning! I'm literally "thin skinned".

[Rene S.]

Absolutely! I was just hospitalized for the past 4 days. One day they drew 9 tubes and I wasn't allowed to drink or eat anything for the next 4 hours due to testing. Thought I was going to definitely pass out. Felt incredibly sick. Over the course of 4 day I had approx. 24 tubes of blood drawn!

I came home today feeling like a dishrag and my heart has been racing and b/p is everywhere.

Sorry you had to go through this too.

Rene

[Sophia3]

I get symptomatic after blood vials are taken if dehydrated (I stay dehyrdated to some degree)

I get flu symptoms after blood is drawn, achy, severely fatigued a few hours aftewards. I RARELY have fasting blood work but that would worsen it.

Also I ahve blood drawn LYING FLAT and have a snack or drink before getting up..and drink extra fluids but not too many carbs aftewards. Feel bitter

[ajw4790]

Hi,

I think sometimes the pain or shock to the system of the needle can cause an ANS reaction, no matter how much/little blood is drawn. I am normally not too bad, but sometimes it seems to sneak up on me. Recently the problem is more of running out of veins in both arms for them to use, due to having so many tests, and my low iron levels are probably hindering the healing of the veins after they are used to draw blood. So, I need to find me some new veins pretty soon!

[ana_22]

on the topic of blood draws.....how long does it take for our bodies to replace the blood we have lost?

[Dizzysillyak]

I was wondering how long it takes us to replenish our blood supply too. I had quite a bit drawn Monday and I'm still feeling puny and having heart flutters which I don't think I've had since becoming menopausal. I really can't remember how long it took me to recover the last time but it seemed like 2 - 4 days.

FWIW. I can manage the fasting blood draw now, KOW, if I eat a healthy meal w / meat as late possible and I salt load and drink plenty of water the day prior. I even managed to run some errands afterwards and before eating breakfast. I drank an EmergenC w/ flax meal, so that helped I'm sure. I think it's partly because my blood glucose is remaining more pretty stable now that I've been on this Paleo / low carb diet for at least a year.

Any ideas on how to speed this up ? I've been eating as healthy as possible, drinking tons of water and taking a multitude of supplements but that isn't helping either. It's hard to eat healthy when you're this tired. Oh and resting ...

I wonder if this is linked to our dysautonomia too ... low blood volume is an easy explanation but anyone know what can we do about it ? I remember one of the CFS specialist saying that our veins were too small ... oh and our hearts are smaller than normal too ... I think it was Cheney ? Is there a way to widen veins without clogging them ?

Oh and my veins roll and/ or hurt unless I follow my pre blood draw protocal. I can tell it's working if my hands aren't prunish looking from dehydration.

Oh and I have to lay down for a blood draw too. I used to think I was just a wimp, but now I know it's because it actually makes me feel weak.

any ideas would be appreciated ... thanks ...

[Dizzysillyak]

OK, I drank an Emergenc about 2 1/2 hours ago and have had a ton of energy ever since. I wish I'd thought of this earlier today ...

[erik]

I think you're on the mark with the 2-4 day to replenish estimate. In casual conversation with a doctor friend, he mentioned that recovery from dehydration can also happen in two phases: First, simply replenishing water which can be pretty quick; Second, replenishing the more active components of blood which can take a couple days. Seems like it would apply to blood loss too.

[Elfie]

Blood draws are very horrible for me. I am a difficult stick. In fact, at the Mayo clinic I had two nurses and a neonatal IV specialist burst one of my veins and then have to numb them to get a needle in. They usually go in with a butterfly needle in my hand like they do babies. It is so incredibly painful to have an IV or to get blood drawn. It doesn't just hurt doing in though. It keeps hurting once it is in the vein whether it is bumped or not. I have no problems with needles and regular intramuscular shots don't hurt a bit. I have a high pain tolerance, it must be my veins. It is painful to have someone press on my wrist to take my pulse. I can never get through a blood draw without balling. I always have horrible symptoms after the blood draw, but I thought it was because of all the pain and stress it caused me. I used to have man-veins in my hands but they disappeared when I got sick. Everyone keeps telling me to hydrate--- but it makes no difference. It doesn't make me feel better, it does make things easier, all it does is make me feel uncomfortable in my own body.

[Dizzysillyak]

Blood draws are very horrible for me. I am a difficult stick. In fact, at the Mayo clinic I had two nurses and a neonatal IV specialist burst one of my veins and then have to numb them to get a needle in. They usually go in with a butterfly needle in my hand like they do babies. It is so incredibly painful to have an IV or to get blood drawn. It doesn't just hurt doing in though. It keeps hurting once it is in the vein whether it is bumped or not. I have no problems with needles and regular intramuscular shots don't hurt a bit. I have a high pain tolerance, it must be my veins. It is painful to have someone press on my wrist to take my pulse. I can never get through a blood draw without balling. I always have horrible symptoms after the blood draw, but I thought it was because of all the pain and stress it caused me. I used to have man-veins in my hands but they disappeared when I got sick. Everyone keeps telling me to hydrate--- but it makes no difference. It doesn't make me feel better, it does make things easier, all it does is make me feel uncomfortable in my own body.

This brings back horrible memories for me ... The last two times I've been a position where I had to have an IV, I've asked them not to put it in my hand and they've obliged. Granted I heard that the doctor might complain but so far so good ...

I know what what you mean by hydrating not being enough. There's got to be more to vein pain than that. I haven't had this done since I started making sure that I'm super hydrated for blood draws ..

Being cold makes it ten times worse too and we all know how cold hospitals are ...

I remember one doc using a numbing cream on my hand prior to sticking me and that helped immensely too.

[Dizzysillyak]

I think you're on the mark with the 2-4 day to replenish estimate. In casual conversation with a doctor friend, he mentioned that recovery from dehydration can also happen in two phases: First, simply replenishing water which can be pretty quick; Second, replenishing the more active components of blood which can take a couple days. Seems like it would apply to blood loss too.

Hi Erik,

Any idea of what the active components of blood are and how we can facilitate this ? thanks ... marcia

I could be in trouble when it comes to sleeping tonight. That Emergenc really gave me a ton of energy ... Evidently, my body needed this.

[erik]

Any idea of what the active components of blood are and how we can facilitate this ?

I guess "EPO" (Erythropoietin) might be a costly trick! Not sure of the critical components but obviously there is hemoglobin which is critical for carrying gases via blood. There are also various proteins that bind with stuff. I think in some ways the amount of the "carrying protein" available can be a limiting factor in the "active agent" that they carry. Some things are not water soluble and require help, some are water soluble but perhaps inactive when dissolved but available when bound to their helper/carrier (or I might have that backward!?). Some of those blood carrying proteins bind to many things and act generally, but some have very specific chemicals/nutrients/hormones they facilitate.

Sometimes one is having blood drawn under poor circumstances, but ensuring "solid nutrition" (whatever that is might at least make sure the body is prepared to pump out replenishing blood components. I tend to supplement modestly with protein drinks and get a nice appetite satiety and "mental comfort" from having basic building blocks available... but not sure if it would make a big difference to this issue.

Many of us tend to be (or our bodies behave as if) on the borderline of "hypovolemia" and benefit from consistent "overhydration" (salt, fludro, licorice, water) so it might make sense to prepare for blood work when possible by ensuring or overdoing these things for a couple days??? I guess anything that helps with "anemia" might also help???

If it is an dysfunctional or exaggerated autonomic response to the blood draw somehow (as opposed to an actual shortage of anything) then perhaps none of this is relevant! Then I guess a trick might involve minimizing that "response" somehow... not sure what that would involve. Would the "simple" approach of administering a saline IV prior and during the blood draw somehow make the body "notice" less? I know I always feel better from an IV and I usually "test as dehydrated" due to orthostatic hypotension, so I end up with them on any critical care visit. Anybody notice less "blood draw sensitivity" when it's done while also on IV... like during a general hospital visit?

[potsgirl]

I make sure to really hydrate well before I'm going to have blood taken, and then it doesn't seem to bother me too much. Just having one or two vials drawn doesn't seem to effect me negatively, so I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. Now, if I had 6 or more vials drawn, that's a different story...

Cheers,

Jana

[sue1234]

My whole journey with POTS started one morning as I had just had two measly tubes drawn. Afterward while walking I felt lightheaded, and it has stayed with me everyday since for the last almost 4 years. So, needless to say, I quietly go into a near panic mode when I have to do labwork! I also drink extra fluids for the preceding days, and my "treat" afterwards for suppertime, is to order a steak(to go) from a local restaurant! I realize I need to replace my iron, and supplements totally bother my stomach, so I tend to eat more red meat for a few days.

I have an issue with how we overhydrate before labs, though. Now remember, I overhydrate also! The thing is, is one way a doctor can see dehydation lab-wise, is to notice an elevated hematocrit, if I remember correctly. If we are overhydrating to prepare for labs, in the long run that will work to somewhat dilute the HCT, making it look in-range normal. So, we are stuck. That's why I don't think doctors look hard enough at dehydration as a factor in dys. because they casually glance at "normal" labs. Most of us overhydrate, or drink more than the average person.

After I had one of my children(like 20 years ago), I remember my OB said I had a high HCT, and the cure for that was to donate blood. Well, I didn't donate, and apparently it worked it's way out. I didn't even think twice as to what it could mean. I just listened to my great doctor's explanation. Lately, though, I'm realizing that I might have had a low blood volume from delivering my baby. And I wasn't a big drinker(water, people! ) back then.

[lissy]

Hi,

YES every time I get blood work symptoms get worse I do always warn the nurse and a few times they use the children size needle and it did help . The blood rushing out ,feels like my body knows I don't have enough as it is, and I get an instant paleness,sweaty,spinning and the whole room appears 10x's brighter. Its crazy but one of the things the dinet site says is avoid getting unnecessary tests ... They take way to much blood anyway for the tests also I think they do other stuff with the blood like other research that has nothing to do with what we are having done. All the nurses in the labs I have asked the question of how long does it take to rebuild the blood that was taken all said 3 days.

Lissy

[kayjay]

I too have a hard time with this. My husband has awayeds pressure me to donate blood. I like to help others and I know that the blood banks need disease-free blood ... but for for the past 11 years I have avoided it... He always donates... I don't and frankly I am the kinder person .

Now i know why! My body was trying to protect itself. For some reason I would tell my husband that I don't think it is good for me.

When I was at NIH I think they used heating pads or something like that to try to squeeze out my blood.

At least vampires won't want us. HAHA

I guess I'll just have to be an organ donor....if anyone will want them!!