Bad veins

[LindaS]

I have to get blood drawn weekly again. Can I say how much I hate getting weekly blood draws. I have the worst veins. Last week it took 6 pokes to get the blood they needed. Today, I had a miracle worker and she got it on the first try. Besides drinking more fluid, does anyone have any ideas to make my veins better for getting the blood drawn? Thanks!

 

[Lisa]

For one, I would ask for a phlebotomist for the blood draws...instead of a nurse. Not sure what else you could to besides lots of fluids.....good luck!

 

[LOSTnut]

Get someone who is trained on babies. I had the best experience with those and actually didn't even feel the poke!

 

[tanukihat]

That's rough, dude. I'm on a two-week blood schedule myself, but luckily for me I have the Monster Vein That Never Quits. I make sure to point it out to every lab technician I encounter. They appreciate having a wide target to hit.

 

[outlier]

ask for kid size needles

 

[Grumbletum]

I hear ya! I'm also on weekly bloodtests for 8 weeks: 2 down, 5 to go. There is one nurse at the surgery who gets it first time, every time and I hardly feel it at all. But one time he was on holiday, another nurse tried 3 times, once in the back of my hand, but couldn't get it so called in one of the docs who did. But I had huge bruises when they'd finished with me.
The only other advice I can give is to alternate arms so that the veins get a bit of a rest.

 

[Carrie]

I'm getting blood drawn daily as I'm in hospital and on TPN. My advice would be to have a blood-taker person do it and not a nurse. The nurses will go for any vein that looks easy (mostly in the hand for me), regardless of the fact those are the veins most likely to jump around!

I can't wait for the daily bloods to stop, and I'm sure my bruised hands/arms would agree!

 

[LindaS]

Thanks everyone. Right now, I only have phlebotomists draw my blood. I have been told my veins are deep. One time in the ER, the IV nurse, who assured me that he got IVs started on men injured in Iraq with massive injuries (so he could get me no problem) couldn't do it. I felt bad for injuring his self-esteem. In addition, since I've had so much blood drawn over the years, I've also been told scarred.

I am sure the extreme diarrhea that I'm having doesn't help.

 

[Brit]

I was told by a nurse who got mine great several times that a butterfly needle thing works good. It's more flexible.