Any one had problems with hospital finding veins

[coldhands1]

Had a traumatic hospital visit this morning. Had to have a cannula put in for a scan, they ended up having to find veins using an ultrasound. Used to them having to prod around to get blood but this is a first so many bruises from failed attempts and my arm is so sore

[Dodder2012]

I always warn them now. Had so many horrors! Just had a knee replacement and they put me in 'tunnel' with warm air continuously keeping me comfortable! Also put 'special?' gel on my hand veins and had no trouble this time. What a relief! They will surely help if you forewarn them goodluck 🤓

[coldhands1 in reply to Dodder2012]

they told me i would drink the contrast fluid but changed their minds when i got there

[Hobnobbing]

It happened to me before an MRI. I asked them to use the back of my hand as I knew it could be tricky to find a vein where they were looking. I also told them I was cold and nervous which was making my raynauds worse. It took a team of six nurses to eventually do what I asked them. I nearly fainted by the time they had finished and I'm not terribly squeamish.

[coldhands1 in reply to Hobnobbing]

thanks for the reply x a few tears escaped when they were doing mine x

[Jensue]

It over 2hours when I had my neck surgery done at the pre op assessment! Final they put heat pads around me. Had 2 nurses (1 a chemotherapy nurse) & a doctor then finally sent for another doctor who use they old fashioned rubber tube tourniquet & one very large syringe with ultra fine needle then very slowly drew the blood. It actually worked quite well but he said if you have problems its because the vac needles draw the blood too quickly which does not help.

But still have issues when going for MTX bloods each month even though I tell them to use fine childs needle they won't always do it for me

[Hollyhobbie]

Yes I have the same problem. Even for a simple blood test ! I've also had an ultrasound for a cannula and one in my foot for antibiotics! ! It's very painful and I hate it 😟

[judyt]

I use a heated wheat bag before blood tests and the like. Admittedly I don't have any tight skin issues but Sclero does affect the blood vessels and over the years mine are getting harder to find. I was in hospital once next to a young lady who had a lure in her foot. Sounds painful but probably no worse than the digging around they often have to do. Another tip I have been given is to drink at least 2 pints of water an hour before the test.

Haven't tried that one yet though.

[Typicalmommy]

I had a port a cath fitted best thing ever I used to be heartbroken and constantly in tears there are solutions ask your consultant x

[zenabb]

The ultrasound seems a good idea. It is so difficult for them to find my veins.

[zenabb]

Ultrasound seems a good idea.

[DELNEL]

The bruises are normal. It often takes them 3 or 4 goes to find a vein on my daughter and she comes out in awful bruises where they've tried. They heal quickly though.

[cpns]

It is reassuring for me to see so many of us have the same problem.

To be quite honest I thought that although the Raynauds & Scleroderma contributed, I figured that it was probably mainly because I need to loose some weight, until I read this thread.

I have also had nightmares. When staying in the hospital I have always found the doctors to be the worst & the experienced nurses to be the best.

One particularly bad night I had three doctors competing to get blood & one nurse who had tried just to put an end it. When she found she couldn't she made them all wait while she borrowed the ward sister from the next ward. Ten minutes & a bucket of warm water to hang my hand in for 5 minutes & she had me set. The problem that I have with these traumas is that when staying in hospital it is very dangerous for anyone to have the same cannula in for too long, (but especially people with poor circulation like us, as infection will set in faster & be harder to shift) especially when it starts to shut down. But once they realise how tricky it is with you, no one rushes to face the trauma of re-setting it & to be quite honest it is hard to convince yourself that you want to push for it. I am often thinking I bet I could hang onto this & pretend I don't feel the stinging for a one more push of medicine, so that I can make it to the next shift when the staff I know can do this are on. It is a real chore, I try so hard to think calm thoughts & be generous to people who are obviously trying their very best, but when they start thinking they will run a line into my foot, or my groin I start to get upset & to be honest I refused last time - but that was after 3/4 of an hour - perhaps if they had started out with that I might have been willing to give it a try.

Blissfully just blood tests for the last two, or three years & the phlebotomy unit are great, as it is all that they do all day long.

I use arnica gel on the bruises & it makes a huge difference for me.

[coldhands1 in reply to cpns]

I'm with you cpns. I feel better just knowing others have the same issue. I felt so worried last week

[cpns in reply to coldhands1]

I think knowing this will make me less sheepish about stating my case & expecting people to listen to the fact that my biology might be a bit different from the norm, so that they are prepared to take a little more time & where necessary consider applying different techniques instead of going at the job in the usual way & expecting that if they try this enough times it will come right in the end! Which kind of ignores the fact that we are at the receiving end of these attempts. I wonder if there is any guidance available to them that we could highlight if we are having a pincushion experience. If not maybe this is something we could push for if there were enough of us?

Wishing you well.

[Jensue]

I was told that that if a someone cannot get the needle in proper after two goes then they should not try a third try! At my Gp's I will not let the care assistants who normally do all the blood tests anymore after quite a number of very bad experiences with them. I insist I have it done by the same practice nurse because she always manages to do it with out causing me too much bruising or pain.

[cleoshome]

Have them use a warm blanket to wrap you arm first, or labs have hot packs. I needed a port insurance denied. Your veins and tissue become hard inside due to the disease. It is like putting a needle into a concrete block. I have ended up with phlebitis due to massive sticks and misses. Must stand up for yourself and insist the use if heat which makes it easier, and after awhile you will know which veins work and don't.

[cleoshome in reply to cleoshome]

If drawing blood only a butterfly needle needs to be used, no vacu tainers.

[gindy]

Yup, they now have to do a femoral stab for any bloods or if I need any iv meds! It's awful, embarrassing and most of all flipping dangerous. I have to sign the consent form saying I'm aware it could go terribly wrong

I'm with you in spirit every time you're turned into a tetley teabag (1000 perforations)

My coping mechanism is being the joker, so rather than shiver in fright I'll try to shake with laughter. They're remarkably close emotions actually, at least physically they're similar should I say.

Here's hoping your next visit isn't quite so traumatic.

Charlie.

[Kilncadzow]

Yes - I always have this problem. If it’s one of the nurses at my local practice she knows to use a very fine needle and has no problem. If it’s any of the others I try to tell them this but they think they know better and I end up sore and bruised before they decide (as though it’s their idea) to use a fine needle!