In pain after blood test

[G0ldenbrown]

Hey all

Short background: I've been 'not quite right' for a few months and doc has been trying to get to the bottom of it. As a result I have had blood tests every fortnight for about 3 months now. Now, needles do not bother me in the slightest but I'm notoriously difficult to get blood out of, the record is 11 attempts at the hospital resulting in a butterfly thingy in the back of my hand done by a doctor.

I went to the hospital last wednesday and surprise surprise I needed blood tests. First nurse refused to do it as she "could not find a vein" in either arm. She called a more experienced nurse who also refused and offered to page a
Phlebotomist to do it. As she was saying this a doctor passed and offered to do it. She took a look at my right arm, said she could not see a vein but "don't worry, I'll find one". With this she stuck the needle in and wriggled it around until she found a vein and got the blood.

Like I say, I'm fine with needles but it hurt so much I thought I might feint. After doc left the two nurses kept asking if I was ok because "That looked horrible, I would not have dared do that".

Now, on Sunday my arm was killing me. No sign of a bruise but whenever I straightened my arm I got a sharp pain to my hand and my fingers went numb, just for a second. Yesterday this was worse and had started when I bent my arm as well with a VERY slight bruise showing. Today I am in agony, every time I move my arm it hurts where the blood was taken and my fingers keep going numb. I feel stupid being worried, after all it was only a blood test, but I have had THOUSANDS of blood tests (was on medicine as a teen which required 3 a week) and never anything like this before. Should I be worried or will it just go away in time?

It sounds like they nicked a nerve - it bloody hurts and can be a slow burner but should go a way in a bit, although an ache may remain for a while. Lots of blood tests and rubbish nurses has led me to have this experience and I don't envy you. If it doesn't or gets worse or you are still really worried please ask for a medical opinion.
Warm compresses can sometimes ease it.

Thanks Wonkylegs, That's exactly what I thought but just needed to hear it from someone else, if you know what I mean. It really does hurt like a pig but if its just a case of time healing I'm not going to worry. have enough to worry about waiting for the results!

Sounds like a nerve may have been touched, which can happen. It will get better in time.

Bad luck having difficult veins. Interestingly, just like wonkylegs refers to 'rubbish nurses', those amongst us who stick needles in people every day refer to 'rubbish veins', but not in front of the patient (unless they use the term!) because we know it's actually nothing to do with 'rubbish'. I have had people swear blind no one can ever find a vein on them and bingo, in first time; I have also been confronted with a vein seemingly built like the channel tunnel that either a) collapses at the first hint of the needle tip or b) is completely thrombosed thus useless.

It's not a dig at the nurses honest I generally love them & get the whole rubbish veins bit but there is one at my clinic who is universally accepted by staff (inc nurses) and patients as awful at it but she's been there for donkeys years so we actually all roll our eyes and grin when we get her

Have you ever had blood taken from your groin or neck? Or a line in your neck or groin? That's more painful than arm/hand/wrist.
I have bad veins, they try multiple times in my arms/hand and feet but no luck.
I could fall asleep having my bloods done from my arms/feet, I seemed to have trained myself to shut off. They have hit a nerve a few times, I wasn't expecting it and let out a yelp.