Problems with veins

[LisaCl]

Anyone have problems with finding veins and what helps? I have tried drinking lots of water but don't think that does anything to help. Got stuck 3 times yesterday trying to get a CT scan with contrast. Told to drink lots of water and come back Monday. I've done this with labs at my doctor's office and it didn't work. I always have to go to the lab facility. But I cannot do that in this case as they need to inject iodine. Thanks!

[zenabb]

I have a lot of problems with veins. I am told that they are thin and move about.

[Cole57]

I too have problems with veins as my skin is too hard and my veins are deep. So I have ended up with a Portacath which was the only way I had of resolving the problem. I need constant access to my veins for all my various bloods and treatments. I have to say for myself so far this has been the perfect solution but was a last resort after trying other things.

[LisaCl]

Thanks. I really don't want that route yet. Good golly. But appreciate it. Maybe I will need to go that route.

[Cole57 in reply to LisaCl]

Something that some hospitals have is a device called a vein machine. It uses red infra red light to locate your veins. Or another machine is a sonagraph machine that they use on pregnant women. These two machines are available at the hospital I go to, but the latter is one that only a few hospitals will use just to locate veins.

[cpns]

Poor you, bloods are always a nightmare for me. On a good day putting the fist of one hand under the elbow of the other arm can strettch the skin making the layer of me over the veins thinner and letting the veins move about less. But everything I do has a bit of a hit, or miss effect. One really bad night in hospital the ward sister figured that the five junior doctors were becoming a bit competitive in the quest for blood and put an end to it by putting my arm in a bucket of warm water for some minutes, which was successful and really impressed them when she immediately raised a vein and took blood with ease. I have no idea if that was luck, or if she just made me feel calmer and was good at her job, but I will always remember her with gratitude. Maybe you could test it at home to see if you can see any change with heat treating an area! Wishing you well.

[Inamoment]

My veins nearly always cause difficulties, I seem to have a huge number of tests. It depends a lot on who is doing it, the practice nurse at the surgery never has a problem and a guy at the Brompton was brilliant. What does help a lot is heat, my veins were like hosepipes a few days ago. What does work well is a wheaty bag to really warm my arm up just before going to the surgery.

[Glynis]

Wheat bag that you warm in microwave and put that over the veins for 5 to 10 mins.are good.I have seen One of the nurses at the hospital I attend fill a rubber glove with warm water and got the patient to hold this over the vain for few minutes and it seemed to work.You could suggest that to them on Monday if they have trouble again .

[LucyJean]

Hi Lisa, sorry to hear you are having what I think is one of the biggest issues for many people with scleroderma. Being hydrated does make some difference so definitely drink loads before hand. Heat brings the veins more superficially and get more blood flowing through them too. The Rheumatology unit I go to has heat packs and I sit with them on for a while before hand. If you are going somewhere else you might want to take a small heat pack with you, or at least wrap the area. In addition doing exercises to increase blood flow, such as bicep curls helps. Laughingly, being relaxed is also important...although I think this is nigh on impossible! But what happens when you are stressed is that the blood flow to your periphery, i.e. your hands and feet reduces considerably and stays around the vital organs. There may well be other options such as machines that highlight where the veins are if they are really deep. Sometimes you might have an easily accessible one on a foot or somewhere slightly more unusual than the back of the hand or at the elbow. I have a decent one on my right forearm which we can get to stick up. Lastly, I am going to agree with another person that the thing that makes the most difference is getting someone who is skilled at doing it. I know who to pick in my unit...you get to know who will get it in one go and who will mess about. When it is an unknown source you are more in the lap of the Gods, but maybe some of the other things I suggested might help.

sorry I can't provide a miracle answer, I would really really like one for myself too

all my best

Lucy

[Alice1956]

Hi Lisa. I agree with the good advice about keeping hydrated and keeping your arm warm. I only have one place where they are likely to find blood. I keep my arm as warm as possible until the last minute. I put several layers of tubular ' blue line' dressing over the site where we usually manage to get some blood and only take it off when the doctor is ready to draw the blood..I also leave my arm inside the sleeve off a warm jacket covering the dressing adding more heat. My Doctor uses either a butterfly cannula or an ordinary syringe with a needle the same size as the butterfly. Blood flow is slow but we usually manage. Works for me at the moment but I know how bad it can be when you feel like a human pin cushion..... and no blood flows. Good luck. Alice

[frillyhilly]

Hi - l have had problems for years as well. I'm, lucky enough that they can eventually find a vein - but sometimes I feel like a pin-cushion :O) I realised a while ago that one side is easier than the other - so I tell them to go straight to my right side. The other thing I do is that I try and get the tests done first thing when I am still warm-ish from sleep. Generally they come to my home, so this is easy. I know if I plan for it, I can keep a lot of body heat trapped as soon as I get out of bed, and because of this I always try for early hospital appointments. Hopefully this may give you some more ideas. All the best.