Got a call from my hospital yesterday giving me a CT scan angiogram appointment for today instead of November. Drank lots and lots of water today as I know my veins aren’t brilliant but they couldn’t insert the cannula needed for the dye. I had 4 different people try and I felt like a pin cushion as each one tried a few times. I was so anxious I asked them to stop. They agreed and I have another appointment for the end of November. I think most of my right arms veins have collapsed and it’s always difficult to find a vein for a simple blood test and my left arm can’t be used as I had all my lymph nodes removed in 2012. I’m now worried that the same thing will happen on my next appointment. They told me to drink lots which I did today and I had to keep running to the loo and they still couldn’t insert it. Has anyone here ever had this problem? Is there another way they can insert the dye? I was so stressed I didn’t think to ask them as I just wanted to go home I felt so bad. I’m panicking I’ll have to go through it all again without having the angiogram. My arm is black and blue all over now, I’m probably being a wuss though! Any help/advice I’d be so grateful. Thanks
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Yoga2011
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Sorry to hear about today. Did they mention possibly making an incision through your groin and inserting the dye that way? It would be good to maybe give them a call and discuss your options before your next appointment.
thanks Tos. They didn’t mention through the groin, just that they’ll try again on the next appointment. I will ring them though to see what they suggest as I’m worried, thanks for the suggestion x
I have this problem also it's a nightmare trying to get a blood test the worst was when I had a cardiac and needed a canula for the contrast 3 attempts and then eventually had to put in my hand damn that hurt made me feel well ill x hope your able to have this test hun.
Thanks Yumz sorry to hear you suffer this too. I thought one of the radiographers said she’d try my hand but then didn’t. As Tos suggested I’ll ring them to see what the plan is for next time as I really want the scan done. Hope you are doing ok now x
Thanks hun, yeah it's always been tough getting any bloods out of my arm. The worst was when I was in hospital for 2 weeks 4 years ago I must of had sooo many blood tests bout 30 or 40!. Hope they can arrange the scan for you and maybe try your hand, I had two nurses trying and they eventually warmed my hand with a glove and that made one tiny vein show up x
I really feel for you as they have a similar problem with me my veins go into hiding and I always remember once when they were trying to get blood from me they had so many attempts blood literally was running down my arms and dripping on the floor and I was like a pin cushion and black and blue
Also anxiety which we are obviously going to feel when we know they have an issue getting canulars etc in us makes are veins hide to
I am sorry you were so shook up you could not ask the questions that you needed to ask but you need them answering I feel before your next appointment so I wonder if you could contact the department and ask to speak to someone and if they suggest water you can tell them that does not work so what can they do different to make sure you can have this done as there must be another way if this does not work
Try not to overthink and worry to much make some calls and get some answers and let us know how you get on x
Thank you BeKind. My arm was also dripping blood today. Not nice when our veins don’t want to behave! I’ll ring the department and ask them what they can do next time as I can’t be the only person with this problem they’ve had. My veins have collapsed since I had so many needles when I had breast cancer. I’m not keen on the tube in my groin method and they didn’t suggest it but I’d put up with it just to get this last test done so I can find out what’s wrong with me. I’ll post on here what they say and suggest. Thanks again x
I went for a scan a few months back now and as always two of them were trying to get the canular in and I knew it was not going to happen but then they went and fetched a really experienced Nurse and she made it look so easy she did it first time
I remember now them saying that if the Nurse that did get it in if that had not worked they would get another person from another department that basically would do something like when you are having a baby ultra sound to pick up where a vein was they of course did not have to do that in the end but answering your post has reminded me what they said they could do
I will look for you letting us know how you get on x
Sorry to hear you have the same problem, awful isn’t it. I didn’t wear a long sleeve top as I knew they’d need to take my blood pressure but next time I will as one of them did say my arm felt chilly. Good advice thank you. I’ll certainly keep my arm extra warm next time x
Is that what they are called I have just replied to Yoga and said it was something like a baby scan they were going to use on me last time but in the end they did not have to
But they obviously can do this and hopefully they will do it for Yoga if it is needed and she asks x
Thanks Milkfairy. A vein finder sounds brilliant, never heard of it before but I’ll certainly ask them if they have one. Really useful information, thank you x
Some nurses/doctors are much better at insertion than others. Some do rush it which doesn't help. Generally in a ward there is someone who is more expert than others so hopefully they will present themselves to try the insertion.
I don’t have the extreme problems that you have encountered, but the hospital staff have struggled to get a cannula in me. They bring in a nurse who specialises in this and he gets the needle placed with minimal discomfort. I don’t know what that nurse is called but he wears all black uniform.
I suggest to staff that there is likely to be a problem, which allows them time to bring in the specialist.
I am so sorry that you had this experience today! Honestly, I often worry the most about whether I will need to have an IV inserted for some procedure. I stress for days about this!
My last test was an echocardiogram in August. I was so happy because I was told that I did not have to have an IV inserted. Well…halfway through the procedure, the technician stopped and said that the second half of the test required that I have an IV. I was honestly upset.
I always worry because they all tell me that my veins are tiny, they roll, and they are deep. They are usually challenging to locate. I do usually ask for children’s size needles, etc. , and that does help some.
Do try to hydrate as much as possible before getting the IV. I have had techs lightly massage my arm area and warm up the skin before starting. Also (and this is difficult) try to be relaxed when you get the IV. Tensing up the arm muscles doesn’t help.
I wish you good luck for when you go back for your procedure. Hopefully, things will go more smoothly. ❤️
P.S. someone mentioned a device for finding your veins. My understanding is that not all clinics and/or centers where procedures are done have these devices. I was told during the echocardiogram that they could use this device if needed, and I was at the main hospital site.
I’m sorry to hear that you had such a difficult experience, it can feel quite traumatic when nurses are trying multiple times to insert a cannula without success. As suggested, it’s worth asking if they can use ultrasound to help find a vein or try going in through the hand. Perhaps ask if a phlebotomist could try, I’ve found that they are always successful with minimal amounts of prodding about.
Yes I always have this problem. I've had numerous dye scans. Always takes them loads of nurses/doctors etc to get in. Usually half way up my forearm, side of wrist, back of hamd meed nuckle but never elbow! As you've said, drink loads and I would also say excercise before they try. Gets your blood pumping hard a round your veins amd expands them. Once it's in you need to relax to get your heart rate down. Good luck! Susie x
Hi cant offer any advice but poor you as a fellow wuss I totally understand how you feel its so embarrassing but I do think that the nurses will have seen this before and you have done nothing wrong or been a wuss ! You would think there is a plan b for when this happens hopefully someone will have more advice than me but just wanted to say sorry this happened to you
this sort of thing is quite ditressing when it happens, im sorry you had to go through it - I wonder if one of the phlebotomists (staff who take blood when you go to have blood tests) could do the insertion - i have rubbish veins but they never fail to get in neatly and quickly - they do it day in, day out, so you'd expect them to be good at it!
Hi Yoga so sorry to read this. I wonder if you could ask the team if in the hospital they have a vein finder. It’s a machine that helps locate a vein under the skin by shining green light over your arm/hand etc, we use them with our children when doing cannulas and taking blood. It’s a game changer for us but I’m a children’s nurse so not sure if they use them in adult care but worth an ask.
Do hope all goes well end of Nov my husband is also having a CT angiogram then at QE Birmingham
I have same problem with my veins, so now I always ask for the most experienced person , every hospital has a person that takes blood all the time, I’ve forgotten the name of them, ask for them to be at your appointment,failing that just someone who is expert at doing bloods,good luck
Wear something long sleeved on the way to hospital to keep your arms as warm as possible….. it may well help…. Good luck
Hi the hand is definitely worth a go, in back of hand ideally but after several attempts on arm and back of hand they were able to insert just above wrist on my hand but in line with base of thumb if makes sense. Strange place but worked. Other side of wrist in line with little finger was an option over that knobbly bit on the outside of wrist but I wasn’t keen. Also I had someone who was not very good and I jumped at offer of someone else who seemed more experienced and senior.
I'm so sorry to hear of your experience and I feel your pain. I was in hospital and they decided to do a CT scan. I already had a cannula in my arm, however they said they needed a bigger needle for the dye. Well, they had three goes without any luck for them - and much pain for me - so they got a doctor to use an ultrasound to find the best vein. Thankfully it worked.
Hi, I have that problem too. They can only use my left arm and they find a vein which then collapses. When I had a recent infusion the nurse asked another one to help and she then used a paediatric needle which worked xx
Hi there. This happened to me only last week because I needed a CT scan with iodine. The team had 6 goes trying to get the cannula in. They managed in the end it get it in the side of the wrist which really hurt I even had the cannula in the hand before. I drank plenty of water as well, in fact I drank two 500ml bottles of water before I went to SDEC. The only thing you can do is try and relax at your appointment, ask them to try the side of the wrist first, ask them if a doctor could do it because most of the time they can get the cannula in first time. Keep us posted.take care
Thank you all so much for responding and giving me helpful advice. I’m glad I’m not the only one to have this problem but so sorry for the ones that do. I’m going to ring the team and ask them if they have a vein finder or if they have a doctor who could do the cannula and suggest the hand/wrist - I wouldn’t have thought of these without your help! Your are all amazing 🤗 x
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