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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be surprised people find cannulas painful

278 replies

User4647 · 07/10/2020 11:35

I’ve had Loads and they had one be painful. I’m surprised that most other people find them painful.

OP posts:
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NRatched · 07/10/2020 14:53

I do not generally and have had a LOT of them put in over the past few years unfortunately.

2 horrific experiences though came to mind immediately when I read the title. I don't even know why one was horrific at all, and the nurse was baffled at the amount of pain I was in, but I really do not exaggerate, it felt like someone was cutting into my bone, rather than trying to insert a needle in my arm. It was most odd and I have never found a way to explain it as it wasn't even one of the (depressingly common) situations where my body doesn't play ball and they have to try over and over or anything. It was all done in under 30 seconds probably, a minute at most. But the pain was like nothing I have experienced. And after it was in, and done 'right', I got approx half an hour of random blindingly painful fiery electric shock type pains up the arm from my hand (which was where it was inserted), which then just disappeared and that was that?! I assume it might be something to do with nerves, thats all that makes any semblence of sense to me on that one. But it was never explained, and as I say, nurse was baffled and said she had done probably thousands over the years and never came across the issue.

The second, was a bit more gory. A lot of pain, though not quite as much as the above, but it WAS a situation where it took multiple attempts to get in. And when it was in, it kind of ripped itself away for seemingly no reason again, and took a good chunk of me with it that lead to mass panic at the amount of blood there was! I think the pain in that situation was caused by a vein being ripped (if this would cause a lot of pain? Unsure) and it confuses me less than the other one, given the differences in situation.

But yeah, generally its quick, easy, and I don't even register it. Its not so much quick a fair bit, but its never been painful, except for those 2 times.

One time that probably won't count as it wasn't the actual canula causing issues as such(as when done right, it was fine) instead the man trying to do it. And it hurt MUCH more afterwards than at the time. He just kind of jabbed, repeatedly while giving 'I dont know whats wrong!' looks to the trainee. He did this for at least 5 minutes, failing each time but also not putting any pressure when failing like every other person who has done it has done to me. He showed no interest at all in my pleas to stop even just for a minute and made me out to be hysterical Hmm Whilst jabbing his way down my other arm. And failing again. Eventually, said trainee tried, and got it on first try. The pain of the repeated jabs was not the most of it though, the endless jabbing in the day fllowing caused both lower arms to swell and be almost like rocks, I still have pictures of the result of this, my arms are bruised everywhere and you cannot see this bit but they were rock solid, both and hard to move at all. The hardness stayed for a week almost. So that was my third unpleasant canula experience. Funnily enough, the original guy whe the traineee did it no issues, tried to say the reason he was having problems was because all my body was shutting down, including my veins Hmm If this was the case I suspect a phlebotomist would have had to be found to do it rather than just letting the trainee have a jab! As I have had a situation similar to that before and the person treating me identified quickly that the issue was veins shutting down and asked for someone more qualified to come to stick it in my neck, as it turned out (as veins were at that point apparently were no good anywhere else)

If these had been my only ones, I would for sure say they hurt like hell! Luckily though, this was 3 in maybe 100+ of the same procedure I have had done, so I can see its outliers.

NRatched · 07/10/2020 14:54

needle in my hand I meant on the first bit, not arm. Hmm

DueNumberTwo · 07/10/2020 14:59

@loubieloo4 that sounds unimaginably hard. I really hope he is as well as can be expected and you get some quality time together xx

NemosPoorlyFinn · 07/10/2020 15:02

I had one in the back of each hand at the same time when I had my emergency c section and a few days after
One hurt me constantly one didn't 🤷🏻‍♀️ maybe I have a higher pain threshold on one side of my body

Frappuccinofan · 07/10/2020 15:06

I think having it in your hand hurts more as you use your hands more often, so slight movements may feel uncomfortable

NemosPoorlyFinn · 07/10/2020 15:06

Trying to wind a baby with this flapping around was not fun and also agony thank god for oral morphine

Imbc · 07/10/2020 15:07

I’ve seen some random pointless shit on here but this takes the biscuit

1forAll74 · 07/10/2020 15:15

Emun Elliot is Scottish, but only 36 I think.

Toddlerteaplease · 07/10/2020 15:16

I find taking the dressing off them far More painful than the actual Cannula. Especially if it's in the ACF.

GabsAlot · 07/10/2020 15:39

yes my mum thought why is this hurting so much when she was having chemo and dying

sorry about that

Meatshake · 07/10/2020 17:00

Wowzers OP you're hard as nails, is Ross Kemp going to interview you soon?

Bookriddle · 07/10/2020 17:48

I have to have regular blood test done, once a month, had 1 yesterday, im a pain to get blood out of, took the poor nurse 4 attempts, so having a needle of cannula put in me foesnt hurt one but!

But i tell you what does fucking hurt, when they put the dressing on after a blood test and out tape over it, ripping that tape off hurts like a bitch!

Imbc · 07/10/2020 17:52

Lol @Meatshake

Slumcat · 07/10/2020 18:24

To quote from my student nurse days
“Pain is what the patient says it is, existing when the patient says it does”

Someonesayroadtrip · 07/10/2020 18:31

Haha ... well done OP 👌

jessstan1 · 07/10/2020 18:34

@GabsAlot

yes my mum thought why is this hurting so much when she was having chemo and dying

sorry about that

Oh that is so sad. Why add to suffering when someone is dying anyway; all they need is to be pain free and comfortable.

I'm sorry your mum went through so muh.

SaltyAndFresh · 07/10/2020 18:43

Hi OP. Let me tel you about my experience. I'm not squeamish with needles. I've had IVF and therefore every blood test known to man.

I made the mistake of letting my gung-ho attitude to needles cloud my judgement, and agreed to allow a student doctor do it when in labour with DS. The midwife stood by as she bludgeoned my right hand - did you know that if it's done badly your toes involuntarily twitch?

Eventually she'd butchered that hand so thoroughly that she had to go in through the left. I was about to protest when she eventually got the damn thing in, but spent the whole labour having to clutch my wrist because it ached so much. The following morning the cannula fell out while I was in the shower.

Before my midwife signed me off I showed her my still throbbing wrist and she sent me for an X-ray. Turns out the cannula had sheared off inside my vein, and there is 1mm of plastic still stuff in there. I hope to goodness it stays in place because the hospital refuses to do anything about it. It's my writing hand unfortunately and gets very achy when I'm doing a big batch of marking - inconvenient as I'm an examiner.

So in response to your smug post, o can quote easily understand why anyone would have misgivings about cannulation.

imfatletsparty · 07/10/2020 18:53

I've never had a cannula. Do I win this thread by being so superior that I've never needed one??

PrincessPain · 07/10/2020 19:00

Several attempts, several tried on various veins around my hand, and blood over my bed and double that on the floor.
People have different veins, different nurses, different pain thresholds.
It was a bearable pain, but it wasn't painless.

AHintOfStyle · 07/10/2020 19:03

@User4647

I don’t mean it in a bad way I just feel it’s over so quickly that it doesn’t hurt me. I know it probably varies due to veins and how good the person is.

How good the person is?? What the fuck does that mean??

Sparklingbrook · 07/10/2020 19:11

I think the OP got bored fairly early on in the thread and hasn't bothered returning...

Maybe too surprised at the replies? Grin

SequinSmile · 07/10/2020 19:11

I hate them. They are so annoying. Having the cannula in was more painful than the spinal injection when I had my c section.

Bupkis · 07/10/2020 19:15

What a stupid op.
Everyone has different experiences!
I am aware I am very lucky, when I had to have chemo, and cannula put in hands daily, I was a really easy patient to cannulate, didn't find it that painful, and volunteered to be a pincushion for practice.

ReallySpicyCurry · 07/10/2020 19:21

Fuck I hate them. They aren't sore, it's just the feeling of them being in, like the vein version of nails down a blackboard. I felt like tearing mine out with my teeth last time

Khajit · 07/10/2020 19:22

I'm a nurse and I've also had a few cannulas myself for various reasons. I've never really found cannula itself painful (as long as it doesn't catch on stuff) more what is going through it. Some drugs, fluids and additives can really nip and can be particularly hard on your veins.

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