Desperately need help with blood tests

[MrsZoidberg]

I'm one of those awkward people who's veins are difficult to find and it seems to be getting worse with age. I know Mum had the same issue, and caused all sorts of problems when she had an emergency.

Went to have a blood test on Friday and they had to give up. I'm booked in with their chief vampire who generally has better success with the difficult patients, but does anyone have any tips on how to make this easier? Any ideas on how to make my veins more prominent?

I have trouble too. My practice nurse says veins are easier to find if you are really warm, and that I should go for a brisk walk or run on my way to the surgery and wrap up so I am too hot. I always have blood taken from the back of my hand as they can never fined a vein in my arm.

find not fined!

So I shouldn't have gone in a short sleeved t-shirt on a cool day then

Walking isn't an option as I'm too far from the surgery, but perhaps I should run round the garden before I leave

Thanks for your comments - I hate it when they take it from the back of your hand, Mum used to have it taken from her foot which makes me shudder even more.

Keep nice and warm, be really well hydrated, and let the chief vampire do their magic.

I'm really lacking in good veins as theres only one arm they can use anyway, and the only vein that works to take blood from can only be felt, not seen as others have been damaged by being accessed

I used to be a Paediatric Phlebotomist, bleeding premmies on SCBU as well, so was often called to the adult side when someone presented with cotton thread veins.

The head bloodsucker will probably get it...as already said keep warm, wear some gloves whilst waiting, and you may find they make you put your hands in a sink of warm water first.

Good luck.

Nobody has ever told me about keeping warm. Where I used to live the nurse refused to even try, they used to send me to the blood letting department at the hospital - who could find a vein everytime with very little bruising. Here, the hospital is some distance away and the surgery nurses always try and generally suceed. But the nurse who used to do it has left. Hope the new Chief Vampire is as good

(goes to find thickest fleece and woolly gloves I have)