ABG's

are u meant to have your wrist numbed beforehand? been having a look around online & says should be numbed? i have no actual reason for asking, apart from being curious.

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I've never been numbed and I've had several plus a few more done. More often than not they're done in an emergency situation in resus, so there wouldn't be time to numb it, nor is that their priority.

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If it's not so urgent , on the ward you can ask for the anaesthetic creams they use in kids wards. Not sure how effective they are as they are sometimes going quite deep to find the artery.

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Simple answer no.... If having a line then yes, I found it dosn't make any difference

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I never have, guess when in an acute situation there isnt time to wait, so guess thats why its never been offered... would be nice tho!

Snowy

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They can give local anaesthetic prior to a blood gas, aslong as you aren't too unwell. I've had lots of gases mostly without, the one where a local was used i found it didn't really help much plus you get two needles instead of one. You can ask the doctor ( if able to speak) next time you need one.

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I have had it done with and without - they hurt both ways but not as much with the local. I often ask if there is time.

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im not to good with needles and pass out alot. when had that done I was told to lie down as hubby told them what I am like.

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fair enough. ive had 5 attempts & 2 successful ones done. (i have fussy veins/arteries) just read online they can be numbed before hand. theyre not even that painful, hurt more afterwards >.<

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they should be renamed for me to ABH's always blinking hurt! I really don't like them, find them very stressful and would rather there was another way. I am told how important they are and do understand but they still hurt. When it comes to them I am a baby!

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I definately agree having arterial blood gas test done hurts... Not sure which I hate having done more this or having blood taken from back of hand when veins in arm do a bunk elsewhere when they see someone with a needle approaching...

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im guessing from peoples replies, i have a strange pain tolerance. lol. ive had blood from hands, elbows, wrists. find cannula's hurt more than ABG's.

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ABG seem to be hassle for everyone, cos had so many they seem to have real trouble finding them in my wrist now and have rarely success getting one there so go brachial - inner elbow/arm. they ask femoral, but after having had that once - NEVER AGAIN unless i am sedated prior... worst pain in the world regardless of where it is, but down there, even moreso...

but then i am a baby when it comes to having them done have to hold a nurses hand everytime , or a friends hand, to squeeze through pain and help manage my already compromised breathing :S

been offered local anaesthetic, but that means 2 x needles, even though u wont then feel the 2nd one, u know its coming dont u lol. didnt feel the art lines i had though - awake through them both - but nurses were good distraction and local anaesthetic worked, and he also put sheet up so couldnt see what he was doing. worked wonders

x x x

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i never had wrist numbed before, but dont bother me to much now been done to many times lately (6 admissions in last 5 weeks) i just let them get on with it, last week even the dr who took the blood gasses commemted saying she was surprised that i did not flinch even though she had to try a couple of times before she managed to get any.

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i have never been numbed where ever ythey do them -personlayy i prefer femoral providing its a female dr but then again all dignity goes out the window once u have kids!!!!

did as k con about numbing once he basically said -in emergency no time plus itsometimes causes arteries to go into hiding!!! i just wish i could have them done from earlobe like in rbh - i always and up with an art line now so after initial 1 its not an issue!!

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ABG's are the most painfull thing EVER!! i have had sooo many i cant count! and art lines hurt too!! id much rather have 100 canulars/venflons than 1 ABG!! - they always offer to numb mine but i find it hurts more.. :s lol

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i assume im some sort of freak. lol. i dont think theyre much worse than standard bloods, had normal bloods hurt more in some cases. :/ lol

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Sometimes I find that they're fine, and sometimes they are horrible, especially when they have to try more than once. I've never had any numbing, even when not in an emergency situation though. I did once have an A&E doctor who said ""We're going to have to do an ABG; have you had one before?"" and I said I had, and he sort of said, ""Oh. I can't pretend it's not really going to hurt then"". When the drs admit it's painful, you know it is! ""Sharp scratch"" it definitely is not!

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oh god i hate blood gassess. they hurt so so much. it always seems to be the case that it never works first time so i always have a sore arm from having it in awkward positions and a sore thumb after its done, along with the flippin pain while getting it done. iv also had a few student doctors try under supervision and by god that hurts-have been patient (as they have got to learn)but after several attempts i did ask if the consultant could do it lol - although it was a very young doctor that managed to hurt the least the other time i was in but she said she's had it done and knew it hurt. i have never had anything to numb the area though. i look like a drug addict at the minute with all of the needle marks and the abg marks look awful, so its long sleeves for me if i have to go out lol

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I dont mind them, its the digging around after theve done a few that starts to hurt!