Fingerprick blood test failure

[TSH110]

Tried a to do a fingerprick blood sample this morning for my Thriva blood test. Followed all the instructions to the letter: dinking lots of water at least 30 mins beforehand (woke up bleary eyed in the pitch dark to glug down a pint of water), warming the hand for 3 mins in warm water, massage, arm swinging, fist clenching...

I hit the right area with the lancet according to the diagram and got a tiny blood drop which I cleared away as per the instructions but virtually nothing came out not even a proper drop let alone a flow. Milking did little to improve matters. Moved from pinky to ring finger and made sure lancet went in properly keeping it there for a few seconds but got exactly the same pathetic result 🙄 no way could I get out anything that was even able to drop to the bottom of the phial.

I have one lancet left and suggestions as to how I might improve my chances of succeeding with one last desperate stab tomorrow would be most gratefully received...or details of someone in Cambridge who does blood draws I can pay to get this darn sample out.

Exasperating or what.....

[MaisieGray]

I dont think drinking water 30 minutes beforehand will make much difference TBH, I'd suggest using this 24 hrs before you try again tomorrow to really hydrate yourself. I also have a warm shower beforehand as well as then having my hand in a bowl of very warm water for quite a while. I don't know if gravity makes any difference, but I always do my draw standing up, having set everything up on the ironing board so that I can adjust it to the suitable height for dripping into the vials.

[TSH110 in reply to MaisieGray]

Thanks, I will try the shower and drink plenty of water today. I hear running up stairs can help I am away stopping in a tower block (no nasty flammable fascia) so perfectly placed for a bit of severe cardio to get that blood dripping out! I will put the phial lower. I did it all standing up but I had the phial on the window ledge so it was too high up. Doing some barbell exercises has been suggested by the person I am stopping with

🏃🏽‍♀️ 🤣 🏋🏽‍♀️ 😂 🚿 🤣💉👉🏽🌡✔️

I think I’d prefer a needle to this palaver

[spongecat in reply to TSH110]

Running up and down the stairs a few times to get the heart rate up did it for me plus MaisieGray's bowl or sink of very warm water prior to letting, submerging up to the elbow if necessary (something they did with a bucket of hot water to my husband prior to being given chemo infusion).

I have never heard of the pinky finger being used, usually index or third finger, bigger finger may mean better chance of hitting more capillaries?

[TSH110 in reply to spongecat]

Some say ring finger better than middle which surprises me. My instructions suggested pinky and ring hence my two unsuccessful stabbing choices both equally bad 🤨

So it’s hydrate today then am early: shower run arm bucket hand clench stab or is shower better after run - for comfort and nostrils deffo 😉

[TSH110 in reply to spongecat]

Bosh it was a total failure again despite doing all the things you mentioned - pippetting finger ends does not appear to be the way to go in my case ..... ho hum 🤨

[MaisieGray in reply to TSH110]

Barbell exercises? Good grief, just looking at them would wear me out, never mind lifting them! Given the number of incompetent professionals that have hacked me about over the years, I prefer DIY myself, but we each must do what suits us best. Good luck, hope you have more success tomorrow.

[TSH110 in reply to MaisieGray]

I think I’d rather drag it out myself with a hypodermic if I knew how to! I think 10 biceps curls should help with hand blood volume - tho a hot shower sounds more inviting 😄

[TSH110 in reply to MaisieGray]

I didn’t do the barbel curls went for the hot shower instead - perhaps that’s where I went wrong today as the running stairs etc produced a begrudging single drop - I have veins popping on the front of my hands even now but a paucity of blood in the digits it would seem. I have to admit defeat....venous blood draw the only way to go now....

[MaisieGray in reply to TSH110]

Oh no, how disappointing and frustrating for you! Sorry to hear that. Good luck with the venous draw. 👍🏼

[TSH110 in reply to MaisieGray]

Ta for your comments and support - the run was very enjoyable can’t say the same same for the stairway to heaven and I am nice and clean after that lovely hot shower... the phial will have to wait for a venous intervention by a professional blood taker

[NWA6]

Just email Thriva and ask for more lancets. I had to do that 3 times! So about 9 lancets in all! You could just request more, save them, request another batch and so when you’re actually ready you’ll have 6/7 lancets and so you won’t be worrying about running out of them.

[TSH110 in reply to NWA6]

Thanks for that suggestion Paula6 lancets9. I guess I have to hit a richer vein sooner or later if I keep lanceting away - if I think of what befell St Sebastian it ought to be a trivial matter to fill that phial. Given what came out with two efforts I will still have an impossible challenge if I don’t strike lucky!

[NWA6 in reply to TSH110]

I did find it a nightmare! Last time I attempted it I sat in a warm bath for a while to soak and then did it.

[Kitten44 in reply to TSH110]

I'm with you. I tried for one yesterday. I have a stash of lancets from previous, more successful attempts, but it took 5 to barely get to the line yesterday. I did the usual prep, did drink loads of water the day before, soaked my arm in hot water for several minutes beforehand, arm swinging, curls, etc., it just wasn't happening. So I've pricks on both hands, and i pray that the blood will be ok, as the time lapse between the first and last drop was substantial and no doubt it was already clotted.

It may be me, but I think the change in the weather may be a factor? I did one a couple of months ago and only needed a couple of pricks for a steady flow (2 vials that time).

[TSH110 in reply to Kitten44]

I think my instructions say it does not matter if the blood clots so it should be ok. Strange it should be such a variable but I bet weather does affect it quite a bit. I have never attempted it before so no idea if time of year or weather might make a difference. I suspect my finger ends are not very blood rich at any time , getting by on starvation rations - austerity fingers🖐🏽😂🤣😂🤚🏽or what?

[Kitten44 in reply to TSH110]

well, last time I did a Thriva test (about a month ago), the blood was flowing, but slowly. The results came back incomplete, and when I asked they said it was because the blood had coagulated.

[TSH110 in reply to Kitten44]

Blimey that’s bad news - did they let you do another one? Jolly well hope so. Mine would take all day even with stab marks crisscrossing my finger ends!

[Kitten44 in reply to TSH110]

No, I had to argue quite strongly and all I got was about £10 credit for a future test... They were simply intending to let it pass, so I had to fight for it and that's all I managed....

[TSH110 in reply to Kitten44]

That’s not good esp if they are claiming it will be ok for the test. I now have to sort out a blood draw - working and commuting over 12 hours a day no idea when I might have time a) to arrange it b) to actually find time to do it. Just travel and the job takes all my energies as it is! I won’t be using them again.

[Kitten44 in reply to TSH110]

Another thing that annoyed me about Thriva is they only supply 3 lancets. Medichecks do 4, and it is very hit and miss, some days, if you´re very lucky, might need only 2, but most likely you´ll need the lot. What happens if you go through all three and the blood stops flowing? Sometimes I've been tempted to get a normal needle and use it instead! Sods law, when I'm sewing and I accidentally stab myself, I think there's enough blood coming to fill 5 test tubes!!

[TSH110 in reply to Kitten44]

I did deconstruct a used lancet but was unable to stab again with it - it was quite a blade like a swivel craft knife 😂🤣😂 and I thought of times I had cut myself and had bled enough to fill that phial many times over 🙄

[TSH110 in reply to NWA6]

It was another blood letting disaster today despite a modified and thorough preparation to copiously drip blood into that phial. A huge finger massaging effort produced one tiny drop of blood and it all dried up rapidly. The veins in my hands on the front are at bursting point but nothing much seems to end up in my finger ends. I don’t think any amount of pippeting is going to work for me. I seem unable to strike that lucky vein! I do admire your perseverance.

[Rennixon]

As everyone says moving around (not necessarily running) swing your arms around and get the blood flowing. I always drink a pint of water before bed and then another on waking, shower dress and move about for about an hour, then do the test after soaking the hand in the hottest water you can stand and stand up. Gravity is important. Good luck

[TSH110 in reply to Rennixon]

Thanks I might go for a jog and tackle the stairs - 7 floors 😱 that ought to get the blood pumping or give me a heart attack! Might take the lift if I feel invigorated enough 😊

[TSH110 in reply to Rennixon]

Well I did go for a jog then walked up the 7 flights, shower etc and I drank a pint of water before bed and another on waking - complete waste of time I got a little bit more out ie what I might describe as a drop if I were being generous 🙄 hands look like a body builder veins popping on the front it must bypass the digit ends and the crumby old nail areas. I don’t think any amount of pippet stabbing in the advised areas would be fruitful in my case - I bet those ones at the front would fill that phial in a nanosecond but the aftermath would be like a murder scene 😱 luckily I ran out of pippets before I was tempted!

[TSH110]

My only option now Lora7 I went for a 5k run walked up 7 flights of stairs, hot shower, hand soak, arm swings hand pumps - got out one measily drop of blood after all that! My veins on the front of my hands were engorged with blood but I think little of it goes to the finger tips - might explain my grotty finger nails ☹️. I will not be getting Thriva test again it is 50 quid to get a blood draw by one of their nurses - so that will not prove a very affordable test in the long run. I presume the competitor hospitals are unlikely to offer just a blood draw at 20 quid for me to get my Thriva test sorted. I can’t see any blood draw only offers with them.

What a bind.

[NWA6 in reply to TSH110]

Yes I agree I wouldn’t do Thriva again because of the price of a venous draw. I think I did Medichecks for my daughter and it was half the price at the local hospital.

[TSH110 in reply to NWA6]

Thanks for that info, it is useful to know . I can factor it into the overall cost when do another test. I thought I had got a real bargain, but the Thriva deal dies not look so great now!

[TSH110]

Oh that’s interesting - so they might do the blood draw for less than 50. I think there is a Spire or Nuffield hospital near me I will call them and see if they can do it more reasonably.

[Rennixon]

Your local go practice may do the draw for a small charge too. I’d ring Thriva and explain you couldn’t get the sample and ask them to send a vile so you can have it drawn. I know Medichecks have done this in the past for others, so why not Thriva.

[Rainbownut]

I have to tie something round my upper arm (so like a tourniquet at the GP) or else I can only get a few drops. Plus after trying all my fingers, then the inside of my left little finger is best, as there is a nice big vein I can see to hit! (To the point I got blood all over the table, as it then refused to stop bleeding!!!)

Be careful massaging too much. Before I thought to tourniquet myself, I had a failed test as I had broken all the blood cells from massaging too hard!

[TSH110]

Lordy there is more to this pin prick sampling than I realised. I can see something vein like where you hit your vein of gold/jackpot. Unfortunately, I stabbed the pippet on the other side of the centre of the pinky where there clearly is little blood flow...pity I followed their diagram.

I think mine would have been nearly all cells and virtually no blood! That’s if had I collected a respectable volume, of course. I had to scrape my finger with the phial to actually get any blood into it at all! It was already a lost cause by that juncture.

You are very determined resorting to the torniquete! I am impressed 😉 makes me feel like a whimp tho!

[1dolly in reply to TSH110]

Bit late to the party - just wanted to offer solidarity as I can never get enough blood to fill vials either. Blue Horizon sent me another kit at no charge for a blood draw. I got my Doctor's surgery to do it on the basis that they won't pay for it so I will. You can get a routine blood test at surgery and get them to do your vials at the same time! if you don't ask...

[TSH110 in reply to 1dolly]

Thanks 😊 I still haven’t sorted anything out by way of it blood draw - work travelling to and from work etc leaves me whacked and little time for arranging it. May as well try the surgery 1st they can only say no at worst