Can’t get blood out of me! Please give me some tips

[spookyastronauts]

My veins are pretty rubbish. Years ago it was very difficult to get my blood but I worked out if I drink lots and lots of water before my appointment it works.

However I went yesterday to have my blood taken, and I was in the appointment for 35 minutes, trying different places and poking around. Even when she found a vein the blood just wasn’t coming out. I really need to get this done. I have re booked to try again. If anyone else is like me, please could you give me your tips on how to make this easier and successful?

Make sure they know you're difficult to get blood out of and ask them to book you in with the person who does the difficult blood draws. I have a special note my record somewhere that says I'm hard to get blood from and they book me with the really good ones. They usually get it done first try. It's amazing what experience can do in that situation.

My nurse told me to make sure I drink loads of water beforehand.

I'm a bugger to get blood out of and drinking loads is never enough.

Heat helps. If you can put a wheat bag or hot water bottle on your arm to heat it up.

Also jumping up and down and flapping your arms about helps too if you are able to.

They normally have to get blood from the back of my hand with a butterfly needle. They can also try your foot if it's done at the hospital. The community nurses that come out to me say they can't take it from feet but the hospital can.

Make sure you are well hydrated, have eaten, keep warm and a brisk walk/ exercise before hand. These are all the tips a nurse gave me. I'm also a nightmare to get blood from. I sympathise!

Ask for the butterfly needle (is it pink or purple?). I’m exactly the same and occasionally they insist they can get it without out but mostly when I saw they usually have to use the butterfly they get one. Still takes forever but usually doesn’t need 10 sticks.

Butterfly in the back of the hand works well. Less painful too.

Ahhh, me too, it's a pain. I was in hospital a few times last year. The best nurse was the one who saw me in a severely dehydrated state which just made drawing blood that much harder. He did the hand canula thing but kind of milked my hand for a while first, I don't know how else to describe the motion, but it felt kind and it did work. Other nurses opted to slap my hand quite harshly, I was less keen on that one but it was another popular choice. But hand canulas were definitely their preferred method to get blood from me. I don't like it, even thinking of it now makes me squeamish, but it worked and wasn't any more uncomfortable really.

I have one place they can get blood from, and even that is a bit dodgy (I also have one vein that they always want to try as its more obvious, but is never actually possible). I drink loads, keep really warm and tell them I am very hard to get blood from, and request a butterfly and syringe rather than vacutainer. I don't give any one person more than two chances now either, and def no students/ trainees get a go

Thanks everyone! I am going to continue to drink lots of water but I will also use a hot water bottle next time and ask for the butterfly needle. Thank you for these suggestions!

I find that sometimes my blood is slow to come out. Sometimes just waiting a bit longer when the needle is in the vein, say 20-30 seconds, the blood starts coming.

Drink loads, keep your self warm, have your blood pressure taken first to really squeeze the veins, use a vein in the back of your hand.

Worst case scenario they send you to phlebotomy to have your bloods done.

Mine are the same and the nurse that did mine recently had to put a really tight tourniquet on and keep it on for a while. She said it'll pop up in a minute, just need to give it time, and it did. She was the one called in when no-one else could get it. But yes, heat really helps as well, and sometimes they need to try hand or elsewhere rather than arm.

i Just ask to be referred to the phlebotomy clinic at local hospital and pop along there if I ever need bloods done. Those folk laugh in the face of shonky veins.

Drink loads, wear a fleece to get really hot, I run my hands under hot water when they are taking blood for a good 3/4 mins before. Afternoon seems to be easier to get blood out of me. Always in the hands. My blood never wants to come - clots - veins collapse haha

Also don't let someone who is rubbish do your bloods. I ask them if they have found a vein before they start stabbing me. Each person has only 3 gos and that is it - I refuse and swap to another person.

Good luck - some are amazing at taking bloods 🤞

Squeeze your hands as if you were Squeezing a tennis ball...or do Squeeze a tennis ball if you have one for a few minutes before getting the blood drawn. Some nurses like you to keep doing it while the blood is coming out and some don't. But it does help the blood flow.

As above, keep warm, I usually wear a hat, gloves and gilet to keep heat in and drink loads. A litre if you can before your appointment if its morning. More before afternoon

No they don’t. It took 2 hours to get some out of my dd. After she’d been sick twice and nearly passed out.

Eventually they took it out of an artery inside her elbow.

Omg this has made me feel weak just at the thought! Artery inside the elbow 🤢🤢🤢

heat on your arms is useful. i use instant heat packs or a hot water bottle. plus find swinging my arms around while pacing up and down the waiting room helps the blood flow (I know i must be very irritating to other patients just be wary of them).

Also just got to know which are my best veins over the years and always ask for a butterfly needle.

It sounds as if you're already doing everything you can. I agree with someone upthread who said experience is key. Luckily our local hospital runs a walk in phlebotomy clinic and I've never had a problem there, although my veins are tiny and people who don't take blood all day every day rarely have any success.

Ask whoever is writing out your blood requirements form what the options are. My GP automatically books me in for the practice nurses unless I specifically ask for a form to take to hospital.

Yeah there is a woman known as the vampire in my local clinic
I turn up and they are "oh no you and your crap veins"

I've been told to bypass the nurses at GP surgery and go straight to GP, he's very good at it - though he will use a pen to mark my arm first and it may take him a good few minutes to find a suitable site, my right arm is better than my left, he generally manages it on the first insertion of needle.

Phlebotomist at hospital is excellent too.

One time I was in hospital and the lovely lady bringing me dinner nearly fainted when she saw the state of me with 7 attempts to insert a canula hanging across both arms and hands. The junior doctor abandoned me, fortunately she got the senior on call to look after me. I was black and blue for a week!

Drink plenty, and get somebody experienced to do the job.

Drink 300 to 500mls of water, I noticed this makes a big difference.

I've had this issue before.

Tons of water in the 48 hours prior to blood test. Ask them to use a very thin needle, preferably for children.

Ask them to put two tourniquets on - can be helpful (one above the other)

stay well hydrated and place a little compression eg a scarf around your arm and go for a brisk uphill walk beforehand making sure to keep your hand down low on that side for gravity to help things along and keep the hand super warm. Never fails - disclaimer do not wear a tourniquet for ages though !