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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
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

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 😞

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.

GinAndGooseberries · 13/02/2025 21:37

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

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.

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. 😂

Theunamedcat · 13/02/2025 21:45

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

NeverDropYourMooncup · 13/02/2025 21:49

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.

Ramblingaway · 13/02/2025 21:50

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.

youngoldthing · 13/02/2025 21:53

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.

user1471453601 · 13/02/2025 21:57

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 ?

EveryOtherNameTaken · 13/02/2025 22:14

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.

EliflurtleAndTheInfiniteMadness · 13/02/2025 22:17

DollydaydreamTheThird · 13/02/2025 21:45

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. 😂

Show quote history

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.

Vaxtable · 13/02/2025 22:18

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

Zanatdy · 13/02/2025 22:19

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

3luckystars · 13/02/2025 22:19

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

ThePoshUns · 13/02/2025 22:19

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.

thehorsesareallidiots · 13/02/2025 22:20

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.

Original poster
YellowPrim · 13/02/2025 22:26

@user1471453601 yes it does hurt even now when I moved my arm closed if that makes sense?! And really quite painful if I touch/nudge it by mistake.
Guess I’ve just been unlucky but good advice to keep pressure on-didn’t know that.

OP posts:
Original poster
YellowPrim · 13/02/2025 22:29

@thehorsesareallidiots yes this was in the phlebotomy clinic so I’d have assumed they’d be somewhat experts! I’ll look for a different nurse next time I think.

OP posts:
IVFmumoftwo · 13/02/2025 22:45

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

TagSplashMaverick · 13/02/2025 23:02

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.

HRHPRINCESSOFFLUFF · 13/02/2025 23:05

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

Crispynoodle · 13/02/2025 23:06

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

Theunamedcat · 13/02/2025 23:09

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