Having blood taken. People with "difficult veins" please come talk to me....

[IlanaK]

I am one of these people who it is always difficult to take blood from. It may be my size (very overweight). I don't know. But I have had a lot of bloods taken as I have underactive thyroid. In pregnancy in particular, it is taken very regularly. And I have had three babies/pregnancies so I have had it a lot. I always warn the phlebotomoist that I am "difficult" but have found that if they are good, they do it first time with no trouble.

So (coming to the point) I have recently moved to a new area. My GP wanted various bloods taken. They have an inhouse phlebotomist. So I arranged an appointment and had to fast for one of the test. Came to the appointment and after being stuck with a needle twice, I told him I would only allow one more try (from experience, 3 is the limit. If they don't get it then, they are not going to get it). He told me that in that case he would have to take it from a main vein in my wrist (like an IV). I said no way!

When I next saw GP, I explained why I had not had them done. She said she was willing to d o it herself. So this morning, atfter fasting again, I went for my appointment with her. She tried one arm, then the other. Then suggested back of the hand. She was unable to find a vein.

So she is know suggesting I go to the hospital. So I look up the local hospital and it is soooooo far away. I am at one edge of the borough and it is right at the other end. Really far, with no car, and three kids in tow. And I have no idea if they are competant there. So I asked if I could go to my old hospital where I lived before. I had blood taken there many times no problem. But as it is in a different area, I am not allowed to go.

Sooooo (if you have got this far!) what do I do? It seems crazy to me that it is so hard to take blood. I am not different in size than when I have previously had bloods taken. It really seems a competance issue to me. Do I have the right as an NHS patient to choose a hospital in a different area? Alternatively, can I see someone privately on my health insurance?

Any experience of this?

I have had problems with blood being taken sue to small veins.

They once used a paediatric needle, it worked straight away!

why will you not let them take it from your wrist? I have the same problem, so let them take it from my wrist and never have any problems. being well hydrated can help things a little.

my vein are poor too - at one large London teaching hospital they threatened me with using a vein in my foot, those big ones where desperate junkies inject, but eventually managed to find one on the back of my hand.
I suspect this is what they meant when they said your wrist - it's actually not that bad.

top tips:
keep really warm - cold makes my veins dive for cover
stay hydrated
ask for them to use a butterfly rather than a regular needle - my mw used to pack one specially if she was coming to see me.

btw it's not like having a canula in or anything when they say getting it done in your wrist, it doesn't feel any worse than having it in the usual place.

I have thin vien, although if they get them they do bleed well for a while. I struggle to donate blood though (nfact never yet managed it) as it just stops coming after a while.

More often than not the needle goes right through my vein without managing to get any!

The nurses at my local hospital are excellent and can do it every time - they use a smaller needle too, ine they use for children, which probably helps.

Elsewhere I end up with bruises down both arms.

just go to the hospital, they will be able to do it in seconds, better than being a pin cushion. The people in the phlebotomy clinic are amazing at it.

When I had an epidural while having dd it must have taken aneasthetist about 30 minutes to canulate me first, it was awful.

Phlebotomy clinic are fab, I agree. They can get blood out of a stone!

I'm a nightmare, but only when pregnant. I used to gave blood regularly so not squeemish or scared but often they have to have 8 or 9 goes before getting any.Tried phleb clinic at UCH/Royal Free/St Thomas'
My (private) midwife finally decided that the vein in the back of my hand was best.
I'm not overweight - size 8-10, and have no probs when not pregnant - its a mistery.

Drnk as much water as you can and wear a coat. Try not to faint.

I think it's not about bad veins, but poor phlebotomy skills!
A dedicated phlemotomist has never had any trouble with my "difficult" veins- only crap mws and gps.

I had this trouble with DS age 9 last week. We went to two surgeries, but had to go to the hospital where they took it from his wrist. I don't know why. I am more overweight than him but have no trouble. He just does not have a visible vein in his body. He was fine with having it in his wrist and he had never had a blood test before.

Sorry but I wouldn't have it done it my wrist again I found it more painful than having a drip in my foot (not ideal for walking around with a line hooked into your foot). I found the foot felt the same as in the back of my hand.

I have a lot of trouble too. All phlebotomists ime are great. After all they must do hundreds every day! Drs, GPs, nurses, midwives, etc etc rarely get it within the first 5 attempts whereas 95% of the time phlebotomists get it first time with me!

A tip I've found helps a lot is to dangle your arm downwards and 'pump' your fist vigorously for a couple of minutes BEFORE they put the tornaque (spelling?) on with your arm still pointing down, once the tornaque's on you can lift your arm. That way you gorge your veins and when they tighten the tornaque it traps the blood in the veins.

I would def go to the hospital if I were you.

Good luck x

I agree Mummy. I found it extremely painful having blood taken from my wrist and wouldn't want that again.

It normally takes them several goes to get my veins, but they do eventually get there. I remember when I was getting hooked up to a drip to speed up labour, and i think 4 members of staff had a go with no success. I'm not entirely sure what happened when they got it, but the midwife doing it was sprayed from head to toe with my blood.

I'm not sure who got the biggest fright.

Id let them take it from any vein they can get, it only takes a minute and job done even if it is more painful but im lucky to not have found it any worse in my wrist. but im also very lucky to have one good vein at my elbow and tell them where it is and even if they cant feel/see it i know from years of exp its there and they usually get it there no problem but if i leave them to their own devices they will leave me with 10holes... Dont warn them or say iv bad veins iv worked with health care professionals and they said it can shake their confidence and make it hardier for them to get it first time, iv also worked with a doctor who swares blindly there is no such thing as bad veins just bad doctors! Now for ya but iv worked in oncology with ppl who have very poor veins due to the chemo and some tips that iv seen work are, wear gloves, long sleeves etc make sure your really warm for a few hours before your due to have your blood taken not just a few min before. Place hand in a bowl of warm water at least 5 min before trying. And as others have said drink plenty a litre or two of water in the previous two hours if possible... Im not sure how it works where you live but here each doctors practice is connected with a particular hospital and they can access your results on their computer but if you go to a different hosp they cant but they could just fax or post the results id think... Best of luck

I can see it from both sides, I'm a m/w and take blood from people but also have crap veins myself and people struggle to take blood from me. Sometimes if it is quiet on the ward (rare) people bet if they can get blood from me or not and I'm persuaded by other midwives to allow them "to have a go". One m/w couldn't get blood out my arm so said she's get it out the back of my hand but failed, first time she's ever not managed it there.

I was once in an accident and it took a&e Dr 7 attempts to get blood out of me. In the end he used a vein/artery (not sure was out of it) in my groin. I remember been mortified as they'd removed my knickers from me earlier, I was only 18!

A phlebotomist will always be better at getting blood. But I do think tis unfair to say a m/w or Dr is crap if they can't. A phlebotomist just takes blood non-stop all day wheras I may only take blood 3 or 4 times a day. I can get blood out of 99% of people, but there will always be the odd one where I can't. My competence hasn't changed from one person to the next but some people just do have harder veins to get blood out of.

IME its not a size issue either. Some skinny people can have poor veins. I used to be a size 10 and still had crap veins then.

Ok, the first person to try was a phlebotomist so I had confidence that he could do it. He failed. (and also freaked out that I had my children with me and wanted them to stay outside - fine for my older two but not fine for my toddler).

It was a very warm day both times I went, I did the hand pumping thing as well. As to drinking water, it was a fasting test so all I had been able to have was water and I had drunk lots as it was a warm day both times.

I truely believe what some others have confirmed on here - a good phlebotomist will have no trouble even with my veins. I will not have it taken from my wrist - it is extremely painful and unnecessary when I know from experience it can be taken from my arm.

Phlebotomy clinic are fab and I don't think it matters really which hosptial it is, they have lots and lots of practice.

Whereas I find midwives and gp's and nurses aren't as experianced, through not doing it on a scale that the phlebotomy staff.

I was told by the midwife to calm down and two of them tried for aorund 10 minutes - in the end they threatened me wiht the consultant - which was actually not a threat as he was v good at it.

whn my mum was on the oncology ward the consultant had troble getting blood - in fact everyone on the ward did they just used to call someone from phebotomy in the end.

it certianly isn't due to siz - I am slim and I have trobule and so did my mum - so may be in cases just they way we are made

I'd go to the phlebotomist. They usually get blood out of me eventually without bruising me, although I have ended up allowing them to use my wrist or hand, just to get it over with. Midwife gave up on me when I was in labour and she was trying to set a drip up got consultant in. I had a hideous labour yet dh reckoned that was the worst bit he witnessed!

As someone else said, I have found paediatric needles work well, I think some of us have small veins. I have a vein on my right arm that sticks out anyway so now I always get them to try that one first, has worked most times.

Also I am very slim with veins that poke out anyway but they collapse as soon as they are poked, so it probably isn't your weight that makes it difficult. Definitely hereditary, my mother and sister are the same, someone suggested once it might be low blood pressure?

This thread has made me feel all queasy!

I also have rubbish veins, and I was recently told not to drink coffee/tea (basically any diuretic) before I had blood taken as that makes the veins shrink up even more. And, as others have said, have lots of water if you can. You're right, some people can get it first time, whereas others need about four goes!