Do You Also Have Trouble With Iv's And Blood Tests?

[lalalisa]

Hello,

I was just wondering if you guys also have trouble when nurses try to get IV's started or just take blood for a test? ("Trouble" meaning they can never get enough blood and it's always an ordeal with every stick!)

I think I've set some records as far as needle-sticks when trying to give blood for a simple blood test. I've had as many as 13 "sticks" in one sitting! Never a good thing!!

Also, I bruise so badly every time (I don't usually bruise for anything!). My latest wounds from my hospital visit (5 sticks) look horrible.

I know this isn't really a big deal in the scheme of things....I would just like to know that I'm not alone.

Thanks!

Lisa

p.s. Does this have to do with blood pressure, blood volume or both??

[nadine]

This has been a major problem for me as well. Too many horror stories to tell. The must successful attempts have been done by nurses who were specific IV nurses - if you are fortunate enough to be somewhere that has them. The larger hospitals I have been to did have them. However, at my local hospital it's a nightmare, with the exception of one lab tech that was successful for blood draws. I then requested that she come for all future draws, if at all possible. They all get very frustrated and last time said "they need to do something, you need a central line " docs didn't want to do it. Just a nightmare. This has been a problem for several of my family members.

When you say not a big deal- I have to disagree, some of my most painful moments have turned into painful hours of people trying to stick me!!

[pickledfairy]

I have had trouble with my veins not wanting to cooperate with IV or blood draws since I was a small child....the lab techs would see me coming and immediately call a NICU nurse or someone from LifeFlight because they knew that if they didn't I would walk out of there with 10 or more sticks rather than three or four. At the ER this week it took multiple sticks and multiple people trying, it does get tremendously frustrating and not to mention painful, although i think my tolerance has grown over the years.

I have been dx'd with hypovolemia since being dx'd with AN and POTS, so not sure if the hypovolemia is something I have always had or if I just have small veins. I joke that my veins are small because I was a premie (2lbs9oz), but no one thinks that the case

Sheridan

[MightyMouse]

I never have problems with draws or IV's... and I have documented low blood volume. I do bruise terribly b/c of the EDS issues; it looks ugly but doesn't hurt.

Nina

[Rachel]

Hi Lisa,

I have the same problem. But I've never had to have as many as 13 sticks! Wow, I think you did set a record.

I dread getting IVs done because they hardly ever go in on the first stick. The best IV I had was done by an ER nurse. That went in without a problem and without any pain or "digging around."

I think the problem for me is blood pressure. If I'm sitting then it is much harder to have blood drawn. The last two out of three times I've had to lie down in a recliner for the nurse to get blood.

I have found that it works best to warn the nurses ahead of time that I have low bp and terrible veins. If they know ahead of time that it will be hard then they're a little more careful, plus they don't get as embarrassed or flustered. And the good nurses will know when it is time to bring in someone with even more experience.

All that to say...you're not alone. But I'm sorry you have to deal with this too!

Rachel

[Sushi]

Hi Lisa and others,

I too have a hard time when they are trying to take blood or put an IV in. One IV nurse always put heating pads around my arms for a while before trying and also had me in a recliner. This helped a lot. Another had me hold my hand under hot water so she could get a vein in the hand. I also have tried a bit of weight lifting with very light weights before they try and this has also helped. I have sometimes requested an N.I.C.U. nurse too, if one was available. The absolute worst is when they want to take blood in the a.m. with you fasting and not drinking from midnight!

[pat57]

I do. 3 sticks, maybe- not 13!!!!!

[morgan617]

I have one excellent very abused vein, but I'm glad i have it, as i tend to get very fainty any more with sticks. It used to be a person could try twice and then you went with experts. I have heard of thirteen...I'd have stopped them long before that!!!!!

[P SUDIK]

Lisa, you are not alone IV 'S are a nightmare for me ,for blood draws they use a butterfly(not sure what that is) but it helps.I was in the hosp. for 3 days a month ago and my arms are still discolored from the the IV's and blood draws. I had an endoscopy last wk. they put the IV in my thumb,the dr. had a fit but it worked. Once after a long hosp stay, they even had to draw blood from my groin, do we not have enough humiliation??????? Hugs Pat

[flop]

I seem to have the opposite - I have huge veins all over my body. I think that all of my blood volume is in my peripheral circulation rather than in my head.

I often end up with people asking me if I mind letting the med student do my bloods / IV because I look so easy to stick. I'll let a student have 2 goes max then ask for someone experienced, I know they have to learn on some one but there is a limit to my pain tolerance.

Because of the big veins I often get grey / trauma sized canulas inserted - just because they can. It is useful if I just need a bag of IV fluids to get my BP up as they do run a lot faster through a large IV so I'm home quicker.

Sorry if I've made everyone jealous - the down side is that the briuses can be "huge" and last for weeks if I am not careful to keep pressure on the site for ages after the needle is taken out. I've even had my blood clotting and bleeding time checked as I bruise so badly.

Flop

[Dawg Tired]

Blood draws go okay because I have one "moderate" vein. But IV's are a whole 'nother thing! I put off getting my gallbladder out for 11 years because I dreaded the IV.

For the scope before the Gallbladder they put the IV in my foot - but they had to have a better vain than that to do actual surgery.... 4 sticks and they decided to do a "Midline".... They brought in the doppler and it still took 6 more sticks! It took over an hour to get it in - by the time they went to get huby from the waiting room he thought the surgery was over - when they told him it had taken that long just to get the IV started he then understood why I had put things off.

[yogini]

I'm told I have terrible veins too. Lisa, I actually had a similar experience to you when I went to have blood drawn last Nov. The lab tech must have pricked me 20 times before she was able to draw blood. It hadn't been that bad before, so I think this woman must have been particularly incompetent. I think it becomes tougher for them to find good veins if you get lots of IVs and bloodwork, which probably doesn't help any of us. I will have to remember some of your suggestions for next time.