This isn’t normal for a blood test? Warning-pic bruising

Yup most brusing is cos people don't press hard enough for long enough

Ummm, no, that shouldn't happen. It looks like they've either blown the vein or withdrawn the needle too slowly. It is possible that you didn't press down hard enough, but unless you are a good 'bleeder', again that shouldn't happen.
I've been there for many, many blood tests for one of my DC (had a very rare autoimmune condition so had up to 27 vials of varying sizes drawn) and also have had my own - and I bruise easily.
I wouldn't be impressed with that at all.

Worst I ever had was black and blue from armpit to wrist 😱 I was sent back to the hospital by my GP for that. Nothing could be done really. Recently i have not even marked. Im a fairly frequent flyer with the path lab.

That’s totally normal. Sometimes that kind of bruising just happens. It doesn’t indicate that the phlebotomist did anything wrong.

This has happened to me before and I was in agony for.a week. I think the phlebotomist misjudged my tricky veins and jabbed in too hard.

Yes that can be perfectly normal. It’s happened to me, my daughter and my husband. Usually we either don’t bruise, or just mild, but sometimes we look like yours too 🤷‍♀️

I bruise worse when I have a plaster and I can't have the tape because I can't get it off my skin one time they had to bandage me because I kept oozing I had to hide my arm from a sobbing child in the waiting area didn't think me coming out bandaged and blood streaked would help her fear at all

Totally normal I'm afraid! I have loads of bloods done and occasionally my arm bruises!

Had a lot worse than that, and sometimes hardly a mark on me. Depends on the nurse and the technique I guess.

You really need to press hard once the needle is out. They usually ask you to do that as they’re processing the vials. And then you’ll likely get a wodge of cotton wool taped hard into it if you look like a bleeder, or a sticking plaster if not. Usually cotton wool if they’ve had to take quite a few vials and the needle has been in longer.

Have had worse. I looked like a junkie. They couldn't find my veins.

Pretty within the range of normal, tbh. A lot depends on the skill of the person doing the bloods. When I was pregnant I used to go to the phlebotomists for bloods instead of the midwives doing them because I was inclined to pass out - the phlebotomists who did it all day tended to be in and out way quicker and with no or minimal bruising Vs the midwives.

I get bruises as my veins are deep. I find it helps to drink water and keep warm. Also clenching and unclenching my fists help my veins surface a bit.

My son gets bruises like that sometimes after a blood test too. I think it’s the technique.

It’s fairly standard for me, and i’ve had much worse too. Sometimes I only get a small bruise, usually a huge one.

I sometimes get bruises like that, other times I dont

ijust go get the test again, and if you show them that bruise if it’s still there they may take it from the other arm

I asked a nurse who did it first time and painlessly after 2 others had tried multiple time where the strangest place was he'd put a cannula in and he said he'd put one in a patients neck. He was more specific than neck, but can't remember details. I knew a woman who had to have her cannulas done top of her foot because they couldn't get them in anywhere on her arms or hands anymore because of how many intravenous treatments she'd had over many years.

I've had bruises like this that hurt when they're pressed.

Mine were because of multiples attempts to get blood. Sometimes if it huts first time there's nothing. Just luck/accurate blood taker at the time.

I have (or try to have)a blood test every year. I've had much worse bruising than that. My experience is that it doesn't actually hurt, it's just blood under the skin.

Does yours actually hurt @YellowPrim ?

This has happened to me numerous times after blood tests.

nobody is to blame. It is what it is. It’ll heal in a few days.

Best tip I've been given by a phlebotomist is always to push down firmly in the cotton ball after they've taken the sample for a good couple of minutes. Like you would on a cut to stop it bleeding. I know they rush you out, and bags and coats and everything make it difficult but I reckon when I do that I bruise less.

I describe those as a through and through.

If you need bloods regularly, you know what spot they should use because there's a lovely squishy vein that never jumps out of the way - and you'll get used to making sure they use it.

I'd definitely ask them to try the other side and maybe not the vein that's exactly the same place (middle of elbow?) but one on the side instead.

I had an EGG in my arm once (not literally but it was the size and shape of a medium chicken egg we did a comparison for "fun") no idea how we managed to get my arm to do that it went down overnight 😅

I've had worse bruising than the picture but I do bleed easily so stopping it can be "challenging" it just looks like your arm had a bad time with this one