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So I went to get my blood draw yesterday and the hack got blood but I guess it can't go in the machine because it was some word I had never heard. I am used to going to a lab where all the employees are VERY good at what they do and this employee clearly wasn't. I have difficult veins but people who are good at it can get in. They almost always use one particular vein because I can't have sticks on the other side. So they want me to come back and get another draw. So can they use the same vein two days in a row or should I wait a bit longer?
So I went to get my blood draw yesterday and the hack got blood but I guess it can't go in the machine because it was some word I had never heard. I am used to going to a lab where all the employees are VERY good at what they do and this employee clearly wasn't. I have difficult veins but people who are good at it can get in. They almost always use one particular vein because I can't have sticks on the other side. So they want me to come back and get another draw. So can they use the same vein two days in a row or should I wait a bit longer?
What if the vein still hurts when you touch your arm there? The person who did it said let me know if I am hurting you which she was. She had the needle in much longer than normal so it was the procedure she did that caused it to fail.
They do that all of the time. That part isn't the problem. The problem is that if you have a hematoma or bruise where they tried to get blood from is present then trying to locate the vein becomes harder to palpate. One doesn't know if it is the hematoma or the vein they are feeling. It all depends on how big the hematoma is.
It isn't a problem with the vein as much as finding the vein again.
They do that all of the time. That part isn't the problem. The problem is that if you have a hematoma or bruise where they tried to get blood from is present then trying to locate the vein becomes harder to palpate. One doesn't know if it is the hematoma or the vein they are feeling. It all depends on how big the hematoma is.
It isn't a problem with the vein as much as finding the vein again.
I don't see any bruising yet. I am going to go Monday. Given that's my only good vein, I want to let it heel a bit.
I don't see any bruising yet. I am going to go Monday. Given that's my only good vein, I want to let it heel a bit.
Since you state that you only have one good vein, then if you ever get admitted to the hospital and end up getting daily blood draws then just to warn you that repeated blood draws from the same vein over a short period of time can temporarily traumatize the vein. The vein can stiffen and feel hard. People get concerned that the vein was blown typical of drug addicts blowing veins. Those are different scenarios and not the case there. I would not worry about it.
The vein will soften and become pliable again after a week or so of not entering it. It will repair itself back to normal and it will heal.
With me they put in a line into my jugular vein in the neck for daily blood draws so no needles. They put that in with my open heart surgery.
My brother called me and said his coworker was concerned that the vein hardened after one blood draw according to them. The worker was worried. That is more rare to have it with one blood draw. It's simply trauma to the vein similar to a bruised vein.
One is not injecting sclerotic agents or drugs into the vein that could cause permanent damage to the vein. Drug addicts will have blown veins. It can also be an age related issue in the elderly who are not drug addicts.
I also wait a week not so if I can not so much for the vein but for the bruise that can cause them missing the vein again. If you don't have a bruise or hematoma then that means they didn't mess up the vein that much.
^^^Very helpful and much appreciated information. I only have one good arm to use for blood draws so I try to spread out any draws if I'm able to do so. I've always been concerned about the repeated blood draw situation. I did ask one phlebotomist and she said that if necessary they'd use my feet. That doesn't sound like much fun to me.
I've found that putting some pressure with the fingers over the venipuncture site where the needle hole is- over the bandage they put on it for a few minutes after the blood is drawn will help to stop the bleeding and bruising, and prevent hematoma formation. The pressure from the finger will help close up the hole in the vein left from the needle. Preventing the bruising and hematoma following a venipuncture provides the best chance a vein will heal up without the formation of scar tissue over the site.
I've had two fairly decent veins for venipunctures, both antecubital veins, and with infrequent blood draws these stayed pretty pristine over the years. That all changed last year during a 3 day hospital stay following colon resection surgery, with frequent blood draws ( some by inexperienced phlebotomists), and IV in one of those sites, and subsequent frequent visits ( including lab draws and IV iron) to the oncologist for surveillance. I have also been on Eliquis ( blood thinner) since June 2021 which also enhances bleeding from phlebotomy sticks, contributing to bruising and hematomas at the site. I've since developed some scar tissue right over the left antecubital vein- my best one, so drawing blood from there is a bit more tricky ( except for experienced phlebotomists). Since I still have blood a number of times a year, and also imaging with contrast, I keep pressure on those veins for at least 5-10 minutes after they're used and find that works fairly well to stop the bleeding, and minimize bruising. But the pressure has to be right over the phlebotomy hole!
Since you state that you only have one good vein, then if you ever get admitted to the hospital and end up getting daily blood draws then just to warn you that repeated blood draws from the same vein over a short period of time can temporarily traumatize the vein. The vein can stiffen and feel hard. People get concerned that the vein was blown typical of drug addicts blowing veins. Those are different scenarios and not the case there. I would not worry about it.
The vein will soften and become pliable again after a week or so of not entering it. It will repair itself back to normal and it will heal.
With me they put in a line into my jugular vein in the neck for daily blood draws so no needles. They put that in with my open heart surgery.
My brother called me and said his coworker was concerned that the vein hardened after one blood draw according to them. The worker was worried. That is more rare to have it with one blood draw. It's simply trauma to the vein similar to a bruised vein.
One is not injecting sclerotic agents or drugs into the vein that could cause permanent damage to the vein. Drug addicts will have blown veins. It can also be an age related issue in the elderly who are not drug addicts.
I also wait a week not so if I can not so much for the vein but for the bruise that can cause them missing the vein again. If you don't have a bruise or hematoma then that means they didn't mess up the vein that much.
Thank you.
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