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Original poster

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

31 replies

YellowPrim · 13/02/2025 21:21

Had a blood test the other day at hospital (GP receptionist said to go hospital as they didn’t have appointments for 2 weeks and hospital have a walk in clinic). Test was for iron, ferritin, b12 and some other stuff (I’m not exactly sure what but there were two stickers that I had to take with me). GP phoned today to say bloods weren’t processed in time so they have to be repeated. Thing is, it really really hurt after they took the bloods and still hurts now. It shouldn’t be like this surely? What did I/they do wrong? I drank loads of water and made sure I’d had a light meal before. I’m not ever so great at anything medical (after seeing my nan die in hospital at quite a young age it all freaks me out a bit tbh). I’m also miffed as to why it needs redoing when I had it done in the place they do the testing!!

This isn’t normal for a blood test? Warning-pic bruising
OP posts:
DollydaydreamTheThird · 13/02/2025 21:45

EliflurtleAndTheInfiniteMadness · 13/02/2025 21:38

I agree it's down to the individual nurse/phlebotomists skill. I've had a lot of blood tests over last 25 years, some people are better at doing them than others, those who aren't good at it can make it painful or cause bruising. I've had much worse than this, usually when they can't get it in properly the first time. When I do fasting tests I need someone who's really good otherwise I end up like a pincushion and have had them say we can't do it and to go to a different place where they did it easily first time and no pain or bleeding. I've also had them have to get different nurses in hospital as they can't get it in. It's a skill and not all nurses are equally good at it.

Show quote history

This is me too. If they can get in the first vein I'm on to a winner. Whenever I've been ill or fasting they've had five attempts or so and finally got it out. At the moment as I've been really unwell I have holes all over my hands, and arms. They had to put me under for surgery with gas as they couldn't get a cannula in. When I woke up the cannula was half way up my forearm in a random place. It's not much fun. I'm only in my 40s and already dreading being old as I doubt I'll be anymore generous with my blood when I'm 70. 😂

EliflurtleAndTheInfiniteMadness · 13/02/2025 21:38

ChristmasPudd1990 · 13/02/2025 21:30

I have blood tests every 8 weeks for the last 20 years,and sometimes I get bad bruising like this. Some nurses are awful at taking them 😞

I agree it's down to the individual nurse/phlebotomists skill. I've had a lot of blood tests over last 25 years, some people are better at doing them than others, those who aren't good at it can make it painful or cause bruising. I've had much worse than this, usually when they can't get it in properly the first time. When I do fasting tests I need someone who's really good otherwise I end up like a pincushion and have had them say we can't do it and to go to a different place where they did it easily first time and no pain or bleeding. I've also had them have to get different nurses in hospital as they can't get it in. It's a skill and not all nurses are equally good at it.

GinAndGooseberries · 13/02/2025 21:37

I got bloods done all the time. Sometimes hardly any bruising. Sometimes loads. Will go down soon.

user1471538275 · 13/02/2025 21:36

Totally within the bounds of normal bruising.

No one did anything wrong.

Had much worse - my fault as I went off to the gym after.

ChristmasPudd1990 · 13/02/2025 21:30

I have blood tests every 8 weeks for the last 20 years,and sometimes I get bad bruising like this. Some nurses are awful at taking them 😞

Destiny123 · 13/02/2025 21:26

Most bruises are cos don't push on them hard enough, for long enough after the needles out. They've prob gone out the back wall of the vessel so got 2 bleeding points. It'll clear up and no lasting harm. Had a few in my time