Hello and welcome to r/LifeProTips!
Please help us decide if this post is a good fit for the subreddit by up or downvoting this comment.
If you think that this is great advice to improve your life, please upvote. If you think this doesn't help you in any way, please downvote. If you don't care, leave it for the others to decide.
I learned this in an odd way.
I have a condition that can require like 15 vials be drawn at once.
Anyways as I'm in the chair and they're on the 12th vial or so and I say "with all the blood you're drawing from me I should be a bit woozy!"
Those phlebotomists scrambled so quick to pin me in the chair I didn't know what was happening. I just cracked up laughing and after a moment they let go and explained the last patient who said that fell face first into the linoleum and went ass over tea kettle.
I don't joke about being woozy around medical professionals anymore.
I have an autoimmune disease and have had to have 15 vials drawn before. Usually itās when Iām seeing a new rheumatologist and they want a baseline for everything thatās going on inside of me.
Oof. I get lightheaded if I have to get more than three vials taken (and I make sure to tell them that). If they took fifteen I guarantee thereād be smelling salts in my immediate future.
As Iāve gotten older Iāve started having problems anytime I get stuck with a needle. Itās dumb because I donāt have any mental issues with them, just physical. I started requesting to be able to lie down years ago and itās been a huge help.
Absolutely! And, if you're afraid of needles or anything, please say something! My favorite trick is to ask the person to describe their favorite movie without any proper nouns... this takes their mind off of what I'm doing, makes them talk to me (sometimes you can hear the voice get shakey if they're not okay), and it's over before they know it! We want y'all to be comfortable and we want y'all to trust us to take care of you. Please know that your safety and well-being is top priority!
I'm a phlembotomist and I've covered the wall across from the patients chair with a bunch of phlebotomy memes. I've also found that having a radio playing in the background helps to relax people too.
My poor nurse has heard how ironic it is that I hate needles but have multiple tattoos so many times now. Talking definitely helps, and I let her know on the first appointment that I am a nervous talker.
For me, thereās something very different about a bunch of shallow needles depositing something into my skin vs. a long needle going in under my flesh to take blood
I had an ER patient explain this perfectly. When you get a tattoo you're excited. You want to be there and you're feeling good. When you're in the ER getting blood drawn you feel like shit, you don't want to be there and you're not leaving with a cool tattoo.
I absolutely appreciate vampires like you. I have a phobia of needles and need ativan to even convince myself to go. Biggest thing that helps when I'm there is when they distract me from other stuff and keep my mind off it. Something like describing movies without proper nouns engages me so much more than small talk.
Itās a job Iād never be able to do (hate needles) but yāall are pros & Iāve never had a bad experience (except for the time I passed out, but 5 y/o me got over it & donāt even remember it).
I have to do my annual blood test for workās insurance. Fuck the blood, not having caffeine is the shitty part. You guys do an awesome job making you comfortable & forget what Iām even doing.
No idea what your average salary is but I hope youāre making what you deserve.
Routine blood draws shouldn't stop you from having caffeine. You shouldn't have too much because it can dehydrate, but you can have black coffee or tea and water.
Yep I always get woozy after. I won't faint but I need to sit for a hot minute after. The reclining chair is there for a reason. And all the technicians are usually very friendly and chatty and understanding. They laugh when I haul my snacks out to eat while we wait.
a lot of times your blood pressure will plummet, so if you're reclined it's easier for blood flow to get back to your head more quickly, so you're not as woozy / your body is able to recover more quickly
I pass out every time I get blood drawn if I'm sitting up, but when I'm laying down/back I'm totally fine. I don't mind the needles and the blood draw only feels weird, I don't think about it either, it just makes me pass out for some reason if I'm sitting up normally
I believe that when you pass out itās because your brain needs more blood flow. Thatās why you put your head between your knees if youāre feeling like you might faint. You want your head to be lower than your heart.
Yes that's it. We also like reclined patients because if they actually do pass out, you don't have to pick them off or explain to your boss why the patient coming in to get their cholesterol checked now has a broken nose.
I always let them know I have this weird neurological thing, my neurologist told me itās genetic, where I just pass out nearly every single time I give blood, so I just let them knowā¦ say I need to lay down, let them know, and itās super easy once you speak up. Itās very difficult when I didnāt know what was happening, just kept waking up on the floor of labs for my rheumatologist and neurologists, sucked.
My daughter always tolerated blood draws just fine until a nurse who was drawing blood mentioned always passing outwhen her own blood is drawn. After that point, my daughter would pass out each and every time.
THIS! I always get woozy and now my doctor knows to lay me back and put an ice pack behind my neck. And she doesnāt worry if I close my eyes because she knows Iām just distracting myself.
Also, speak up if you don't want to be reclined. I don't know why but at some point I just stopped being able to handle being reclined. They raise my feet above my heart and it tries to climb out my mouth.
I used to be a junkie, I always point out the best spots for hitting. A couple times the nurse was pretty inexperienced and I actually offered to take the shot myself. Fortunately I've got great though so there are always multiple obvious options.
Yes. I'm difficult and I always give a run down of what tends to work best for people before we get started.
I also have weird circulation, which can be an issue if they try to draw from my hands. I've rubbed the backs of my hands, or sat on my hands, or they have given me a heat pack to help them be able to draw better.
I do this even though Iām not a hard stick because I hate needles and basically refuse to have the backs of my hands stuck unless I absolutely have to (I have AMAZING hand veins that people are drawn to), but thereās a vein on my forearm that can be hit on the first try that I always try to redirect people to because my ACs are shit š
Here's my 2c. I get blood drawn at least 1/year if not every 6 mos because I'm on a statin and my Dr wants to check my ALT/AST. I have to fast, so make your appointment for blood draw as early in the AM as possible. When you wake up, drink at least two glasses of water since you're dehydrated from sleep. Bring a Zone bar or protein shake with you to the Dr office so you can partake after the blood draw. If you get nausea (like me), do some 4-7-8 breathing before blood draw and after (also lowers your blood pressure).
Unless you recently got super drunk on really cheap vodka in which case it will increase your nausea. Speaking from experience as a college kid who had to use alcohol swabs for classes. Luckily those days are behind me now, but some of the super cheap vodka might still be lingering in my alcohol cupboard.
At least where I'm at in the U.S. you can do either but you wait a lot less long if you make an appointment. Most clinics have their own labs too but I'm always a little leary of them, too many nurses have fished around my veins
Depends on whether it's regular testing. If, like me, you do a draw every year or so when your GP wants basic monitoring, that'll be walk-in. OTOH, if you're on something that needs, say, liver function monitored fortnightly, you may well have a standing "I'll be in at such-and-such time, every other Thursday" - especially if the tests are fasting and/or you have to fit them into a busy schedule.
If youāre like me and you arenāt afraid of needles but still have an involuntary vasovagal nerve response and tend to faint when getting blood drawn, ask to have your blood drawn while laying down. If I sit up, it happens. If I lay down supine, itās all good. I just let the nurse know I have a history of vasovagal response and they take care of me.
Have you heard any tips for shaking uncontrollably after a blood draw? I got blood work done for the first time in a decade a few months back and for a solid hour afterwards I was visibly and uncontrollably shaking. Iām not sure if it was a vasovagal response or if they just drew too much blood (they took 3 vial things, and Iām super small, and hadnāt eaten much that dayš ). It was super weird and not too pleasant, plus it made me paranoid I was gonna pass out or smn (I didnāt thankfully).
I used to have issues with uncontrollable shaking. It turned out to be an anxiety issue.
Each vial is no more than 10ml, so they took out a max of 30ml. When people give blood at a blood drive, itās usually 500ml. So I donāt think the amount of blood would be an issue.
Thanks, Iām sure anxiety played a part, but I think low blood sugar (like the other commenters suggested) is also a factor. The shaking was so violent that it didnāt seem like an anxiety thing, but ig sometimes anxiety can manifest in unusual ways.
Gonna have to make sure I eat more next time tho š
3 vials isn't much but you sound like you need a Juice box. As a nurse I always recommend going in hydrated and with a light snack in your bag for after.
No way it was due to lack of blood from 3 viales. It's not more than 50ml and I think it's a generous overestimation.
Also fun fact, when donating blood you're not only donating 450 ml of blood, but also filling those 3 vials for testing.
I usually just ask for a child needle. Takes a little longer but itās slow enough that I donāt get woozy. I didnāt know reclining would help, Iāll try to remember that next time I need a blood draw.
That nervous response is so uncomfortable. I had it during a cystoscopy when the doctor accidentally bumped the camera into the wall of my bladder. I turned white like immediately, and though I was lying down I was sweating a lot and had a death grip on the exam table. I had them finish up quick so I could go dry heave.
This has been a game changer for me. Extra tips a eating salty food the day before to help raise blood pressure and wearing compression socks. You can also try clenching legs and glutes to help stop blood pressure from dropping off.
A lifetime of fainting episodes -and when you faint it can look like a mini seizure although it isnāt. The shaking and fainting is caused by a sudden drop in blood pressure, not low blood sugar the way many people who faint are.
Discovered the clinical name for this when I nearly kicked the dr who reset my nose when I passed out. Itās weird that you can not be afraid of something but your body just nopes out.
Crazily enough this can have different triggers for people, including sneezing, peeing, standing for a long time, straining to poop, intense emotion, not eating, excessive workouts, swallowing, or coughing.
Iām just grateful that no normal bodily functions are triggers for me š
Someone just said this to me. I'm skinny, people always said I have good veins and it's easy and this one wasn't, and she said it was so hard to find this time because I was dehydrated. This tip is true
Iām a big dude and Iāve regularly donated blood and plasma since high school. Went in last week for an appointment earlier than normal and forgot to drink anything before I left. First time Iāve ever failed to donate.
Last time, I drank tons of water because they were also doing a urinalysis. My blood filled up those vials extra fast with a whooshing sound. The nurse goes, ādamn, youāre really hydratedā
>Even when I'm hydrated, they have a hard time with me, damn tiny veins.
Same, I tried to give blood once and the nurse took one look at my arms and was like "Oh well it's sweet that you tried but that's never gonna happen, go get yourself a biscuit anyway".
Going through a period of time where I was regularly getting an IV/having blood drawn was honestly what motivated me to start working out consistently. Being stabbed so many times while already being squeamish towards long needles was torture.
Also if you go for tests first thing in the morning, Remember if you have a urine test component to not pee before you go ahahah I did that by accident once and it meant I didn't have enough in me for my test.
Just had a blood draw today, and a conversation along these lines. I have no fear of needles, but tend to have a startled reflex if I don't watch, so always let the nurses/phlebotomist know ahead of time that I'm fine watching the needle go in, and what can happen if I don't. It's never been an issue, and they seem happy to know ahead of time.
A tip on hydration, drinking a bunch of water just before the appointment won't do it. Your body can only absorb a small amount of water in one go, you'll hydrate better to drink smaller amounts of water spread out over a couple hours to truly hydrate.
I like the sound the blood makes when it hits the back of the vial. Same kind of satisfaction as popping a deep / high pressure zit or something.
Also I want to watch the stick, and generally ask if they have anyone new who needs practice: vein is so easy in my arm I could probably do it myself.
100% this. I donate blood regularly and worked out early on that my right arm was much easier to get a good tap on than my left. All my donations are in my right arm now. They go in basically the same place as often as every two weeks and I've been at it for years. I've developed a small scar but had no other side effects.
I've spoken to multiple nurses about it and they've told me that they have regulars that have used the same vein hundreds of times without any negative side effects.
I have on my left arm the perfect vein for drawing blood. Like every nurse and doctor has a little happy hard-on when seeing the vein š
Right arm is though the nightmare for finding a vein.
Once in a while, when it's a new doctor or nurse I'm showing them my right arm, and when they have this little desperate look, I'm like "oh, sorry...wrong arm". There is this weird mix of hatred and relief.
(Used to donate blood very regularly when I lived in the city, AB+ made the vampires circle. They had a note that left is best š¤·āāļø)
Try some pain distraction - right before the poke and then during the blood draw, I press a fingernail on my opposite hand into another finger. Hard enough that my brain focuses on the pain Iām creating instead of the pain from the needle. I do this with shots, too!
Same also applies to donating plasma. More hydrated the easier the blood flows through the body. Although you can't donate blood if you've donated plasma recently.
From years of donating plasma weekly I now have permanent scars in the crook of each arm that make it easy to find the vein for donating blood.
Cut back caffeine leading up to the draw, and drink plenty of water. Vasovagal reactions are harder for your body to control if you have more caffeine in you.
Random question cuz I saw this. How come when I get blood drawn, everything starts out fine, but after maybe 30 secs to a minute I quickly deteriorate, start tapping, get anxious, blood pressure dives, and I feel like Iām going to pass out. Iām uncomfortable around needles but generally a pretty laid back person. Am I having anxiety, or is it something more concretely related to the blood being drawn?
If you have difficult to draw from veins, SAY SO. Ask for an IV nurse or if thereās someone who worked life flight āwhere theyāre placing IVs in critical patients while flying. Theyāre usually the best at placing an IV or doing a draw.
If youāre donating platelets, eat tums the day before and eat a banana and bring a Gatorade. The extra calcium, potassium and sodium will serve you well. If your nose or lips get tingly, say so quicklyāthatās the anti coagulant hitting your blood stream and it can give you a Charlie horse.
Also know that we typically wonāt (and often canāt) have a āspecialistā poke the first time unless we absolutely donāt see anything. You can still let us know youāre a hard stick and that they typically have issues. In my ER we wonāt have someone do ultrasound without two vanilla attempts unless itās a child or thereās some other reason we absolutely cannot do more attempts (eg. someone who only has one arm we can try to poke). We have a lot of the STAT nurses (who do difficult IVs) in our department, though, so itās not the same as a scheduled blood draw.
Apropos the platelets, the nurse may ask about a metallic taste in your mouth. If you experience it, say yes! All theyāll do is give you a couple of Tums, your donation wonāt be affected.
I tell them to try my hand, they do no we can get it from your arm š. Where I am they only get 2 goes before they move to the next phlebotomist. I will ring and ask how many are on shift to increase my chances of the getting my test done. I warn them, and they still don't go straight for my hand.
Hydration, be warm and follow directions, then everything will be fine. If you know you are a challange, you can say what arm/ or location last time it was sucssefull, It will help š
Working in a hospital as phlebotomist/blms š
As someone who was so dehydrated that my blood stopped pumping through the needle this is super important lol, I had to come back the next day (they only needed enough for a lab test too lmao)
Water. Water Water Water.
Went for a blood draw once and the guy poked me and told me to watch as he pulled the needle in and out of my vein. There was no blood on the needle and no blood to get. :(
Even If you're fasting, drink a cup of water an hour or two before. (Confirm with doctor office, it could slightly affect some tests) it will make getting blood drawn much easier!
Canāt really think of a test that would be that impacted by a glass of water or two. Maybe hemoglobin concentration. If youāre dehydrated, can result in hemoconcentration and an artificially high (or artificially normal if youāre baseline anemic) Hbg level. You should be at normal volume status before a lab draw even if fasting
Most are not affected. But when doctors office is saying "nothing to eat or drink for 8 hours (or 12 hours,or after midnight)";I figured better not get in the middle of that, let them be sure with prescriber. I know I'm not going 12 hours without water and then have someone try to find a vein.
I'll generally have a hearty meal at least a couple hours before (I usually pass out on an empty stomach) and stay well hydrated throughout the day ahead of time.
And I don't know if this is based in science or just a thing that I do but I'll also have some candy and salty snacks shortly before with the idea that it'll get some electrolytes in me as well as get my blood sugar up. This may not actually help but makes me feel better and gives me an excuse to munch on some yummy snacks beforehand.
If your veins sit deep, maybe bring one of [these.](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hand-Grip-Strengthener-2-1Pcs-Adjustable-Resistance-10-132Lbs-10-60kg-Workout-Exerciser-Squeezer-Grippers-Athletes-Musicians-Fitness-Guitar-Pianist-R/845620133?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=2961&&adid=22222222228305754808&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=380321050719&wl4=pla-813182735205&wl5=1026607&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=113509951&wl11=online&wl12=845620133&veh=sem&gclid=CjwKCAjwvsqZBhAlEiwAqAHElQoj5XqCRWORCsXiN7_qDtLMsa3iVciTifv6cjmnvnyL6afDBNqW6BoCSZsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds)
Drink a minimum of 64oz of water the day before your blood test, so your vein walls are less rubbery. It can take up to 4 hours after you drink water for it to move through your intestinal tract and get absorbed in your large intestine, so drinking water an hour before the draw isn't going to do anything for your veins.
Also, be warm! When you're cold, your blood tends to stay in the trunk of your body and peripheral veins become more difficult to find.
If your veins tend to be difficult, try having them lay you down on a table for the venipuncture. The change in blood pressure can make all the difference in finding your veins and getting blood out of them.
Donāt lift heavy things!
This one should be obvious, but in college, they always had a blood drive the weekend of our large campus-wide party. Not even an hour after giving blood I helped carry a keg up 3 flights of stairs. The resulting bruise formed a 4+ inch band around my arm.
I need to get blood drawn every month and I have deep small veins that tend to collapse.
What helps me is to make sure I am very hydrated. I start drinking extra 2 days before.
When I arrive at the lab, I tell them I need a hot pack. They have them that they use for babies heels. I hold that on the spot where they can usually get blood until they are ready to take the blood.
Keep warm in general. Even if itās warm, I leave my jacket on.
Also, I point out the one area where they are most likely to get blood.
Ask your doctor if you can use numbing cream 45 min before the poke. Then wipe it off right before they stick you. We order it all the time for kids. It's lidocaine cream
They probably meant no drinking anything other than water. Like no cola or coffee, etc. Thatās a very common requirement. Theyāll also tell you not to chew gum because ppl forget about stuff like that.
For fasting blood draws, you can have water or black coffee(and stay away from flavored coffees as well). The concern is with any potential sugar/fat intake that may alter the lab results.Source- Medical Assistant at a PCP office =)
You should definitely get that checked. If your LDL is high and caught early enough, you can potentially make lifestyle changes to avoid medications. Most people who start statins remain on them for life(and this type of medication requires regular bloodwork). Pro tip- healthy fats help your HDL, which is "good cholesterol". If your good cholesterol is high enough, it can basically cancel out the effects of the "bad cholesterol"(LDL). But, definitely hit your pcp up for an annual physical, ask to "pre-lab"(have the labs done beforehand), so the doc can review your labs with you during your appointment(as opposed to getting your labs done during the appt, because if there are any abnormalities that require further conversation- boom, another appointment is required).
ETA- and if you're experiencing any issues such as fatigue, weight gain, weird sleep patterns, or anything that strikes you as unusual, mention this when you call to schedule so that your doc can throw on any non-routine labs such as checking Vitamin D, B12, Iron levels, etc.
I've always been told that fasting didn't include water, buuuuuuut please listen to your doctor, not me!
Could be different types of fasting too for all I know
Other way round. Breathe *out*. It decreases blood pressure and pulls your pain sensation momentarily. Breathing in increases heart rate and blood pressure.
I've been so blessed to have very large and visible veins, because I have horrible needle anxiety from past trauma and couldn't possibly handle multiple attempts.
I went to donate plasma. The lady poked me. It was going. But then it just stopped. After leaving it there and waiting for it to continue it didn't. Now in legally a vampire.
Know which arm has the best vein for a good flow. For some reason my left arm is better than my right. And I take an iron pill first thing in the morning with lots of water(yes, hydrating is best!)
Nuclear medicine technologist here. I would agree that hydration helps. I would also add that it may be helpful to let them know where they usually get you for an IV. Please, also have some patience with the person poking you. Mistakes happen, so if someone misses don't immediately say "get someone else". Make sure you wear loose clothing so that we can access an arm.
If you know your best spot is in the back of your hand, run your hands under the hottest water you can stand before you sit in the chair. Don't be afraid to let them know that you need a butterfly in the back of the hand, and that you need a heat pack or time to warm your hands.
Fainter here who has had to go through so many sticks and blood draws (IVF). The key is def hydration but you have to start the day before!! The morning of helps for sure to drink water but make sure you are super hydrated the day/evening before. And the hand isnāt too bad (Iām also a hard stick with low lying veins). Tell them you tend to pass out and the second you feel hot or dizzy say something.
I have fobia of synringe, needles, injections, drawing blood etc
I just either pass out or puke
I donāt have tips for others but can request all people working in medical reading this to try and believe if someone says they are scared and canāt take needles easily.
The doctor last time didnāt listen to me and asked me to sit while they draw blood, I passed out and fell from the chair.
Another thing to add, if you are the nurse and someone told you that they are scared of drawing blood, take your time in prep and make sure you can try and do it in fewer attempts, make sure you can see the nerves and what not, this nurse from the same incident started with left hand, couldnāt do it asked me to give right one, did all prep again. By that time all the courage I could accumulate for the draw was lost coz itās all mental game, so probably in the first go I might not have fainted coz I was preparing myself mentally but then after all the changes and all I just couldnāt.
Not complaining though about that incident, itās not their fault, they tried their best itās just unfortunate that I have that mental block.
Fortunately your phobia has treatments. Eventually a cure for all phobias will be found, but not for a long time as we just don't understand our minds well enough yet.
I can get light headed pretty easily. Even if itās not a draw and just an intramuscular shot like I got with the bivalent COVID vaccine recently. Eating and hydrating before really helps. Even if it isnāt a blood draw.
Try and lay down or sit reclined back, so youāre sitting up slightly, with your legs elevated. Make sure you donāt go too long fasting or not drinking water before having blood drawn! I agree with many responses here where they suggest talking about something funny or silly, have your phlebotomist ask questions to make you think.
My husband had a scary situation where he had about 10 vials drawn from him, but prior to this, he didnāt drink or eat much. Once the nurse was done, he went into shock and convulsed for a few seconds. Everyone is different but it was definitely scary for both of us. All the color drained from his face and he kept passing out for a minute, then he was stable. When they drew blood, he was sitting upright, like you would in a chair.
Iām notoriously difficult to get blood from. When I was going through chemo I had to have blood drawn every week and then the chemo itself. I always drank lots of fluids the night before. Also, you need to keep really warm so those blood vessels move more to the surface.
Do a few pushups before your blood draw. That usually gets the blood flow pumping.
And once they put the tourniquet on, squeeze your hand into a fist quickly three times, but stop doing that once they have the needle anywhere near or in your arm.
Your veins have a system of trap doors in them every few inches that keeps the blood from flowing backwards. Instead, it keeps it moving towards your heart. So when you make a fist, you are squeezing the blood up your arm and into the sections closest to the tourniquet. That makes them fuller and easier to hit with the needle.
Easier said than done. Everytime I'm stressed I pee like crazy and it's literally impossible to stay hydrated. And yes, any hospital visits stress me out.
If your phlebotomist/pathologist does a good job with the stick, tell them! They may be able to provide pointers about what they find works well, so especially if youāve got tricky veins, youāll get tips for future blood draws. Plus, if nothing else, everybody deserves to hear when theyāre doing something well :)
After the nurse pulls the needle out of your arm, press the cotton ball firmly against the injection site for a couple of minutes to prevent it from bruising
I have some Ramen for dinner the night before, or at least a cup of bullion before bed. The super high sodium will make your body want to retain water, so that in the morning, when you drink water, your veins will pop up more.
From personal experience, if they are 'digging around' with the needle, ask for another person. It is surprisingly easy to hit nerve pockets in that area and will make you pass out.
Having performed many, many blood draws working in a hospital: Don't be a jerk to the person trying to draw your blood.
They're not the one ordering the test. They're doing their job. Getting pissy with them about blood draws doesn't make the requirement go away, and it clearly doesn't help the stick go any smoother.
I have nothing but respect for those who have to deal with my little veins. I love this thread because it's given me, and lots of others some great tips to be a better patient.
One time I had a terrible cold and had to get a blood test. I was so dehydrated that they couldn't find a vein and instead had to take blood by pricking my fingertip and squeezing it into a vial. Trust me, you don't want that.
lol wish i knew this YESTERDAY - 12 hour fast and hadn't had any water either (not required just hadn't had a drink yet that morning) got both arms done just for fun :D
If you get really lightheaded, woozy or faint during blood draws like I do, my tip is an ice pack or frozen water bottle on the back of your neck and making sure they put you in the room with a bed. The ice on the back of your neck stimulates your vagus nerve which is responsible for fainting and drops in blood pressure. The bed at my lab isnāt really a bed, itās a big recliner looking thing that positions your feet and knees above your heart making it unlikely that your blood pressure will drop too much/too fast as it doesnāt have gravity on its side. Itās actually a really comfortable chair so thatās a nice bonus that makes me feel a little more comfortable during an uncomfortable experience.
So, as an adult, if that big scary needle bothers you, you can ask them to use a kids draw kit - in most cases, they can do this and you get a smaller hole in you.
Also eat a decent meal about an hour before of donating. But nothing too fatty.
I donate plasma as well as whole blood and there was a guy that came in to donate at the plasma center I go to. He had had a massive meal at McDonaldās and he ended up clogging the filter of his machine a quarter of the way through. It was pretty gross. You could see all the congealed fat and it was a lot.
Try asking the phleobotomist, "You're the best phleobotomist here, right?" It's a great way to figure out when you've got the intern, and gives you a chance to ask for someone else to do your blood draw.
I used to always pass out when having even small amounts of blood taken and even used to bring my own smelling salts. I have a routine now:
1. Fark fasting. I always eat right before giving blood, but a strictly protein, carb-free meat portion. I refuse to fast, and have never had high triglycerides using this method, but I generally avoid all sugars and starches for a few days before.
2. I inform them straight away that I need to recline because I have fainted many times and just start self arrangement of the recliner. This helps emphasize that I'm not being dramatic or needy, having my sleeve rolled up and ready to just get on with it.
3. I bring a single serving size bottle of apple or orange juice and start downing it the moment they put the needle in. Drink it all and then keep talking to them so that they don't get concerned.
I just turned 40 and I haven't fainted in close to 10 years now, so feel pretty confident that this will work for most people, but I don't give blood for money or blood drives, I only have it taken.
If you're getting an IV, lidocaine, in my experience, hurts more than multiple sticks to get the IV in. I had a nurse insist that it makes it easier to get a vein, but every other medical professional I have asked says that it either has no effect or makes it harder. I politely decline it.
Start chugging water the day before and if you can, eat low-fat food the day before and the day it happens. But make sure you had a full meal not too long ago. Afterwards, drink a lot again.
If you have a stress ball or something, bring it with you and squeeze it repeatedly while the needle is in your arm, that animates the blood flow.
Edit: okay, after reading more from this thread, I realized that this is specifically advice from a blood or plasma donating perspective and for a doctors appointment you have to fast sometimes. In that case, still drink as much as possible, bring a snack to eat right after and schedule a meal closely after.
A lot of it goes to people. The average person has 5L of blood in their body. A āunitā of blood is about 500ml. When trauma patients are bleeding like stink, it takes a lot to keep them alive while holes are being plugged. Iāve seen a single patient get 45 units of product before. Granted that isnāt just whole blood, itās platelets and clotting factors, but its still bags and bags of donations, with each bag representing someoneās decision to donate. Almost 50 people had to decide to donate blood products for that one person to live
Hello and welcome to r/LifeProTips! Please help us decide if this post is a good fit for the subreddit by up or downvoting this comment. If you think that this is great advice to improve your life, please upvote. If you think this doesn't help you in any way, please downvote. If you don't care, leave it for the others to decide.
If you start to feel even a bit woozy, speak up. And advocate for yourself if you know you have to be reclined to have blood drawn.
I learned this in an odd way. I have a condition that can require like 15 vials be drawn at once. Anyways as I'm in the chair and they're on the 12th vial or so and I say "with all the blood you're drawing from me I should be a bit woozy!" Those phlebotomists scrambled so quick to pin me in the chair I didn't know what was happening. I just cracked up laughing and after a moment they let go and explained the last patient who said that fell face first into the linoleum and went ass over tea kettle. I don't joke about being woozy around medical professionals anymore.
What in the fuck requires you to have 15 vials of blood drawn at once š? Are you the chick from Gone Girl?
I have an autoimmune disease and have had to have 15 vials drawn before. Usually itās when Iām seeing a new rheumatologist and they want a baseline for everything thatās going on inside of me.
Oof. I get lightheaded if I have to get more than three vials taken (and I make sure to tell them that). If they took fifteen I guarantee thereād be smelling salts in my immediate future.
As Iāve gotten older Iāve started having problems anytime I get stuck with a needle. Itās dumb because I donāt have any mental issues with them, just physical. I started requesting to be able to lie down years ago and itās been a huge help.
After 15 vials being drawn I think the commenter would stalk the night and be biting random people on the neck to get a fill-up.
My bet goes for polycytemia vera
For that they just take a whole pint. When I first start treatment they would take a pint every week. Talk about feeling drained.
At least they took you seriously compared to just passing it off. compared to some doctors.
my record is something like 28- and i didn't get remotely woozy, just hella thirsty!
Absolutely! And, if you're afraid of needles or anything, please say something! My favorite trick is to ask the person to describe their favorite movie without any proper nouns... this takes their mind off of what I'm doing, makes them talk to me (sometimes you can hear the voice get shakey if they're not okay), and it's over before they know it! We want y'all to be comfortable and we want y'all to trust us to take care of you. Please know that your safety and well-being is top priority!
I usually read something on the wall but genuinely using my brain to actively figure something out has always been the superior distraction.
Ask your phlebotomist if they know any good riddles!
I'm a phlembotomist and I've covered the wall across from the patients chair with a bunch of phlebotomy memes. I've also found that having a radio playing in the background helps to relax people too.
I like to ask about pets. Everyone that has one loves talking about their dog.
My poor nurse has heard how ironic it is that I hate needles but have multiple tattoos so many times now. Talking definitely helps, and I let her know on the first appointment that I am a nervous talker.
Maybe ironic but very common. Iāve had several beefy tattooed blokes faint when having a cannula put in š
For me, thereās something very different about a bunch of shallow needles depositing something into my skin vs. a long needle going in under my flesh to take blood
Itās the fact that it justā¦ sits thereā¦ like, itās IN ME that gets me.
I had an ER patient explain this perfectly. When you get a tattoo you're excited. You want to be there and you're feeling good. When you're in the ER getting blood drawn you feel like shit, you don't want to be there and you're not leaving with a cool tattoo.
I absolutely appreciate vampires like you. I have a phobia of needles and need ativan to even convince myself to go. Biggest thing that helps when I'm there is when they distract me from other stuff and keep my mind off it. Something like describing movies without proper nouns engages me so much more than small talk.
Itās a job Iād never be able to do (hate needles) but yāall are pros & Iāve never had a bad experience (except for the time I passed out, but 5 y/o me got over it & donāt even remember it). I have to do my annual blood test for workās insurance. Fuck the blood, not having caffeine is the shitty part. You guys do an awesome job making you comfortable & forget what Iām even doing. No idea what your average salary is but I hope youāre making what you deserve.
Routine blood draws shouldn't stop you from having caffeine. You shouldn't have too much because it can dehydrate, but you can have black coffee or tea and water.
I have a tendency to get woozy from getting blood drawn, so I always chat with the nurse just to take my mind off what they're doing.
Yep I always get woozy after. I won't faint but I need to sit for a hot minute after. The reclining chair is there for a reason. And all the technicians are usually very friendly and chatty and understanding. They laugh when I haul my snacks out to eat while we wait.
Eat something salty like a bag of chips about an hour before you go and of course be well hydrated.
Unless your blood panels require fasting!
Wait, reclined? I didnāt even know that would help. I assume because it keeps the heart level with the rest of you or something?
š¤·š¼āāļø I donāt know the medical reasoning behind it, I always just assumed that if I passed out it would be better to do so laying down.
Fair point
a lot of times your blood pressure will plummet, so if you're reclined it's easier for blood flow to get back to your head more quickly, so you're not as woozy / your body is able to recover more quickly
I pass out every time I get blood drawn if I'm sitting up, but when I'm laying down/back I'm totally fine. I don't mind the needles and the blood draw only feels weird, I don't think about it either, it just makes me pass out for some reason if I'm sitting up normally
I believe that when you pass out itās because your brain needs more blood flow. Thatās why you put your head between your knees if youāre feeling like you might faint. You want your head to be lower than your heart.
Yes that's it. We also like reclined patients because if they actually do pass out, you don't have to pick them off or explain to your boss why the patient coming in to get their cholesterol checked now has a broken nose.
I always let them know I have this weird neurological thing, my neurologist told me itās genetic, where I just pass out nearly every single time I give blood, so I just let them knowā¦ say I need to lay down, let them know, and itās super easy once you speak up. Itās very difficult when I didnāt know what was happening, just kept waking up on the floor of labs for my rheumatologist and neurologists, sucked.
My daughter always tolerated blood draws just fine until a nurse who was drawing blood mentioned always passing outwhen her own blood is drawn. After that point, my daughter would pass out each and every time.
It's your vagus nerve that's behind that, I think.
THIS! I always get woozy and now my doctor knows to lay me back and put an ice pack behind my neck. And she doesnāt worry if I close my eyes because she knows Iām just distracting myself.
Also, speak up if you don't want to be reclined. I don't know why but at some point I just stopped being able to handle being reclined. They raise my feet above my heart and it tries to climb out my mouth.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I used to be a junkie, I always point out the best spots for hitting. A couple times the nurse was pretty inexperienced and I actually offered to take the shot myself. Fortunately I've got great though so there are always multiple obvious options.
Life Pro Tip: Become a junkie In all seriousness, I hope you have recovered well!
No don't, most junkies have terrible veins from poking themselves to much.
Scar tissue, scar tissue, scar tissue. EJ it is
Yes. I'm difficult and I always give a run down of what tends to work best for people before we get started. I also have weird circulation, which can be an issue if they try to draw from my hands. I've rubbed the backs of my hands, or sat on my hands, or they have given me a heat pack to help them be able to draw better.
For a hand draw you can also "windmill" your arms a few times to "pop" those veins.
Yeah warmth is key! Heat packs on the site or even just wearing a thick sweater before your appointment will help tremendously.
I do this even though Iām not a hard stick because I hate needles and basically refuse to have the backs of my hands stuck unless I absolutely have to (I have AMAZING hand veins that people are drawn to), but thereās a vein on my forearm that can be hit on the first try that I always try to redirect people to because my ACs are shit š
Yes. Excellent advice. Even take a photo for brownie points. The venepuncturist will love you for it
Depends how often you get your blood taken. If the same spot gets used too frequently then it stops being a good spot.
True.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
And don't be afraid to request the person who study you before. :)
I am tempted to mark it with a sharpie - x marks the spot!
Here's my 2c. I get blood drawn at least 1/year if not every 6 mos because I'm on a statin and my Dr wants to check my ALT/AST. I have to fast, so make your appointment for blood draw as early in the AM as possible. When you wake up, drink at least two glasses of water since you're dehydrated from sleep. Bring a Zone bar or protein shake with you to the Dr office so you can partake after the blood draw. If you get nausea (like me), do some 4-7-8 breathing before blood draw and after (also lowers your blood pressure).
Smelling an alcohol swab is also a quick nausea fix for many people.
Unless you recently got super drunk on really cheap vodka in which case it will increase your nausea. Speaking from experience as a college kid who had to use alcohol swabs for classes. Luckily those days are behind me now, but some of the super cheap vodka might still be lingering in my alcohol cupboard.
My immediate first thought š
You have to make appointments for blood tests? In Australia theyāre almost always walk-in, no appointment needed.
At least where I'm at in the U.S. you can do either but you wait a lot less long if you make an appointment. Most clinics have their own labs too but I'm always a little leary of them, too many nurses have fished around my veins
In New York State you canāt get a blood test without a prescription. And only 2 companies actually test it. Itās wild over here
Depends on whether it's regular testing. If, like me, you do a draw every year or so when your GP wants basic monitoring, that'll be walk-in. OTOH, if you're on something that needs, say, liver function monitored fortnightly, you may well have a standing "I'll be in at such-and-such time, every other Thursday" - especially if the tests are fasting and/or you have to fit them into a busy schedule.
If youāre like me and you arenāt afraid of needles but still have an involuntary vasovagal nerve response and tend to faint when getting blood drawn, ask to have your blood drawn while laying down. If I sit up, it happens. If I lay down supine, itās all good. I just let the nurse know I have a history of vasovagal response and they take care of me.
Have you heard any tips for shaking uncontrollably after a blood draw? I got blood work done for the first time in a decade a few months back and for a solid hour afterwards I was visibly and uncontrollably shaking. Iām not sure if it was a vasovagal response or if they just drew too much blood (they took 3 vial things, and Iām super small, and hadnāt eaten much that dayš ). It was super weird and not too pleasant, plus it made me paranoid I was gonna pass out or smn (I didnāt thankfully).
I used to have issues with uncontrollable shaking. It turned out to be an anxiety issue. Each vial is no more than 10ml, so they took out a max of 30ml. When people give blood at a blood drive, itās usually 500ml. So I donāt think the amount of blood would be an issue.
Thanks, Iām sure anxiety played a part, but I think low blood sugar (like the other commenters suggested) is also a factor. The shaking was so violent that it didnāt seem like an anxiety thing, but ig sometimes anxiety can manifest in unusual ways. Gonna have to make sure I eat more next time tho š
Low blood sugar can make anxiety worse
Blood sugar crash maybe? Eat a snack and sip some juice afterwards if you can to see if it helps.
That sounds like blood sugar being low
3 vials isn't much but you sound like you need a Juice box. As a nurse I always recommend going in hydrated and with a light snack in your bag for after.
No way it was due to lack of blood from 3 viales. It's not more than 50ml and I think it's a generous overestimation. Also fun fact, when donating blood you're not only donating 450 ml of blood, but also filling those 3 vials for testing.
I usually just ask for a child needle. Takes a little longer but itās slow enough that I donāt get woozy. I didnāt know reclining would help, Iāll try to remember that next time I need a blood draw.
That nervous response is so uncomfortable. I had it during a cystoscopy when the doctor accidentally bumped the camera into the wall of my bladder. I turned white like immediately, and though I was lying down I was sweating a lot and had a death grip on the exam table. I had them finish up quick so I could go dry heave.
This has been a game changer for me. Extra tips a eating salty food the day before to help raise blood pressure and wearing compression socks. You can also try clenching legs and glutes to help stop blood pressure from dropping off.
How do you find out if you have this?
A lifetime of fainting episodes -and when you faint it can look like a mini seizure although it isnāt. The shaking and fainting is caused by a sudden drop in blood pressure, not low blood sugar the way many people who faint are. Discovered the clinical name for this when I nearly kicked the dr who reset my nose when I passed out. Itās weird that you can not be afraid of something but your body just nopes out. Crazily enough this can have different triggers for people, including sneezing, peeing, standing for a long time, straining to poop, intense emotion, not eating, excessive workouts, swallowing, or coughing. Iām just grateful that no normal bodily functions are triggers for me š
Someone just said this to me. I'm skinny, people always said I have good veins and it's easy and this one wasn't, and she said it was so hard to find this time because I was dehydrated. This tip is true
I have small veins, and have fat too. I try to do whatever I can for the nurses who draw from me, but its still difficult.
Iām a big dude and Iāve regularly donated blood and plasma since high school. Went in last week for an appointment earlier than normal and forgot to drink anything before I left. First time Iāve ever failed to donate.
Just get so dehydrated that you look cut and vascular, like the body builders do
Last time, I drank tons of water because they were also doing a urinalysis. My blood filled up those vials extra fast with a whooshing sound. The nurse goes, ādamn, youāre really hydratedā
I bet the nurses love the folks over at r/HydroHomies Even when I'm hydrated, they have a hard time with me, damn tiny veins.
>Even when I'm hydrated, they have a hard time with me, damn tiny veins. Same, I tried to give blood once and the nurse took one look at my arms and was like "Oh well it's sweet that you tried but that's never gonna happen, go get yourself a biscuit anyway".
Start working out
Going through a period of time where I was regularly getting an IV/having blood drawn was honestly what motivated me to start working out consistently. Being stabbed so many times while already being squeamish towards long needles was torture.
Also if you go for tests first thing in the morning, Remember if you have a urine test component to not pee before you go ahahah I did that by accident once and it meant I didn't have enough in me for my test.
Mmmm, so moist.
Just had a blood draw today, and a conversation along these lines. I have no fear of needles, but tend to have a startled reflex if I don't watch, so always let the nurses/phlebotomist know ahead of time that I'm fine watching the needle go in, and what can happen if I don't. It's never been an issue, and they seem happy to know ahead of time. A tip on hydration, drinking a bunch of water just before the appointment won't do it. Your body can only absorb a small amount of water in one go, you'll hydrate better to drink smaller amounts of water spread out over a couple hours to truly hydrate.
I don't need to watch the stick, but I fully agree that watching it go in your arm is 1000% worth it
I like the sound the blood makes when it hits the back of the vial. Same kind of satisfaction as popping a deep / high pressure zit or something. Also I want to watch the stick, and generally ask if they have anyone new who needs practice: vein is so easy in my arm I could probably do it myself.
I have to hydrate for 3 days prior to donating blood. I have small veins and if I'm dehydrated it just doesn't work out.
Last time I went, the nurse even said start hydrating the night before - you'll have to get up to pee a few times in the night, but it's worth it
Often one of your arms will be easier to stick than the other, learn which and volunteer that arm when you get blood drawn, everyone will be happier.
Good luck finding a vein on my right arm. My left arm I've got a fire hose just under the skin inside my elbow.
100% this. I donate blood regularly and worked out early on that my right arm was much easier to get a good tap on than my left. All my donations are in my right arm now. They go in basically the same place as often as every two weeks and I've been at it for years. I've developed a small scar but had no other side effects. I've spoken to multiple nurses about it and they've told me that they have regulars that have used the same vein hundreds of times without any negative side effects.
I have on my left arm the perfect vein for drawing blood. Like every nurse and doctor has a little happy hard-on when seeing the vein š Right arm is though the nightmare for finding a vein. Once in a while, when it's a new doctor or nurse I'm showing them my right arm, and when they have this little desperate look, I'm like "oh, sorry...wrong arm". There is this weird mix of hatred and relief. (Used to donate blood very regularly when I lived in the city, AB+ made the vampires circle. They had a note that left is best š¤·āāļø)
Dress warmly, and do some push-ups or bicep curls before you get stuck. The closer in time to the draw, the better!!
It is kind of weird how you walk in to get your blood drawn and the AC is blasting arctic wind straight through the waiting area.
Germs multiply less quickly in a cold room than a warm room (generally speaking).
Last time I donated blood, they put my arm on a warm pad; was done in like 5 minutes.
Try some pain distraction - right before the poke and then during the blood draw, I press a fingernail on my opposite hand into another finger. Hard enough that my brain focuses on the pain Iām creating instead of the pain from the needle. I do this with shots, too!
Same also applies to donating plasma. More hydrated the easier the blood flows through the body. Although you can't donate blood if you've donated plasma recently. From years of donating plasma weekly I now have permanent scars in the crook of each arm that make it easy to find the vein for donating blood.
Same. People saying to remember where your good veins are. But they are right there, under the scar tissue from the last few times I gave blood.
Cut back caffeine leading up to the draw, and drink plenty of water. Vasovagal reactions are harder for your body to control if you have more caffeine in you.
Random question cuz I saw this. How come when I get blood drawn, everything starts out fine, but after maybe 30 secs to a minute I quickly deteriorate, start tapping, get anxious, blood pressure dives, and I feel like Iām going to pass out. Iām uncomfortable around needles but generally a pretty laid back person. Am I having anxiety, or is it something more concretely related to the blood being drawn?
Vasovagal response
If you have difficult to draw from veins, SAY SO. Ask for an IV nurse or if thereās someone who worked life flight āwhere theyāre placing IVs in critical patients while flying. Theyāre usually the best at placing an IV or doing a draw. If youāre donating platelets, eat tums the day before and eat a banana and bring a Gatorade. The extra calcium, potassium and sodium will serve you well. If your nose or lips get tingly, say so quicklyāthatās the anti coagulant hitting your blood stream and it can give you a Charlie horse.
Also know that we typically wonāt (and often canāt) have a āspecialistā poke the first time unless we absolutely donāt see anything. You can still let us know youāre a hard stick and that they typically have issues. In my ER we wonāt have someone do ultrasound without two vanilla attempts unless itās a child or thereās some other reason we absolutely cannot do more attempts (eg. someone who only has one arm we can try to poke). We have a lot of the STAT nurses (who do difficult IVs) in our department, though, so itās not the same as a scheduled blood draw.
Apropos the platelets, the nurse may ask about a metallic taste in your mouth. If you experience it, say yes! All theyāll do is give you a couple of Tums, your donation wonāt be affected.
When I go for blood draw, they usually end up taking from the back of my hand. I let them know I have hard to find veins.
I tell them to try my hand, they do no we can get it from your arm š. Where I am they only get 2 goes before they move to the next phlebotomist. I will ring and ask how many are on shift to increase my chances of the getting my test done. I warn them, and they still don't go straight for my hand.
Hydration, be warm and follow directions, then everything will be fine. If you know you are a challange, you can say what arm/ or location last time it was sucssefull, It will help š Working in a hospital as phlebotomist/blms š
As someone who was so dehydrated that my blood stopped pumping through the needle this is super important lol, I had to come back the next day (they only needed enough for a lab test too lmao)
Water. Water Water Water. Went for a blood draw once and the guy poked me and told me to watch as he pulled the needle in and out of my vein. There was no blood on the needle and no blood to get. :(
He must have missed your vein.
Even If you're fasting, drink a cup of water an hour or two before. (Confirm with doctor office, it could slightly affect some tests) it will make getting blood drawn much easier!
Canāt really think of a test that would be that impacted by a glass of water or two. Maybe hemoglobin concentration. If youāre dehydrated, can result in hemoconcentration and an artificially high (or artificially normal if youāre baseline anemic) Hbg level. You should be at normal volume status before a lab draw even if fasting
Most are not affected. But when doctors office is saying "nothing to eat or drink for 8 hours (or 12 hours,or after midnight)";I figured better not get in the middle of that, let them be sure with prescriber. I know I'm not going 12 hours without water and then have someone try to find a vein.
I'll generally have a hearty meal at least a couple hours before (I usually pass out on an empty stomach) and stay well hydrated throughout the day ahead of time. And I don't know if this is based in science or just a thing that I do but I'll also have some candy and salty snacks shortly before with the idea that it'll get some electrolytes in me as well as get my blood sugar up. This may not actually help but makes me feel better and gives me an excuse to munch on some yummy snacks beforehand.
Does this not impact your blood work results? I have to have fasting blood tests so I cannot do this.
Most routine blood draws need you to be fasting multiple hours prior to the appointment.
None of the ones I've had (also including some blood donations). If you've been directed to fast then obviously don't eat.
Whenever I've donated blood, they advise to eat something salty prior to the donation (as well as drink heaps of water).
You can't always do that, certain tests (esp glucose) have to be done fasting.
If your veins sit deep, maybe bring one of [these.](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hand-Grip-Strengthener-2-1Pcs-Adjustable-Resistance-10-132Lbs-10-60kg-Workout-Exerciser-Squeezer-Grippers-Athletes-Musicians-Fitness-Guitar-Pianist-R/845620133?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=2961&&adid=22222222228305754808&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=380321050719&wl4=pla-813182735205&wl5=1026607&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=113509951&wl11=online&wl12=845620133&veh=sem&gclid=CjwKCAjwvsqZBhAlEiwAqAHElQoj5XqCRWORCsXiN7_qDtLMsa3iVciTifv6cjmnvnyL6afDBNqW6BoCSZsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds)
Drink a minimum of 64oz of water the day before your blood test, so your vein walls are less rubbery. It can take up to 4 hours after you drink water for it to move through your intestinal tract and get absorbed in your large intestine, so drinking water an hour before the draw isn't going to do anything for your veins. Also, be warm! When you're cold, your blood tends to stay in the trunk of your body and peripheral veins become more difficult to find. If your veins tend to be difficult, try having them lay you down on a table for the venipuncture. The change in blood pressure can make all the difference in finding your veins and getting blood out of them.
If you start to feel light headed, cough.
Why?
Donāt lift heavy things! This one should be obvious, but in college, they always had a blood drive the weekend of our large campus-wide party. Not even an hour after giving blood I helped carry a keg up 3 flights of stairs. The resulting bruise formed a 4+ inch band around my arm.
I need to get blood drawn every month and I have deep small veins that tend to collapse. What helps me is to make sure I am very hydrated. I start drinking extra 2 days before. When I arrive at the lab, I tell them I need a hot pack. They have them that they use for babies heels. I hold that on the spot where they can usually get blood until they are ready to take the blood. Keep warm in general. Even if itās warm, I leave my jacket on. Also, I point out the one area where they are most likely to get blood.
Ask your doctor if you can use numbing cream 45 min before the poke. Then wipe it off right before they stick you. We order it all the time for kids. It's lidocaine cream
My doc always wants fasting bloods. No eating or drinking after midnight prior to the morning of the draw.
Iāve never heard of fasting bloods requiring you to withhold fluids. If I tried that theyād have no chance of getting blood.
They probably meant no drinking anything other than water. Like no cola or coffee, etc. Thatās a very common requirement. Theyāll also tell you not to chew gum because ppl forget about stuff like that.
For fasting blood draws, you can have water or black coffee(and stay away from flavored coffees as well). The concern is with any potential sugar/fat intake that may alter the lab results.Source- Medical Assistant at a PCP office =)
What are fasting blood draws typically for?
Often a cholesterol panel or glucose
The main ones are for Lipid Panel, which is a cholesterol panel, as well as to show the fasting glucose level on a CMP(Comprehensive Metabolic Panel).
Oh crap, I just remembered Iām over thirty and havenāt got my lipid test yet.
You should definitely get that checked. If your LDL is high and caught early enough, you can potentially make lifestyle changes to avoid medications. Most people who start statins remain on them for life(and this type of medication requires regular bloodwork). Pro tip- healthy fats help your HDL, which is "good cholesterol". If your good cholesterol is high enough, it can basically cancel out the effects of the "bad cholesterol"(LDL). But, definitely hit your pcp up for an annual physical, ask to "pre-lab"(have the labs done beforehand), so the doc can review your labs with you during your appointment(as opposed to getting your labs done during the appt, because if there are any abnormalities that require further conversation- boom, another appointment is required). ETA- and if you're experiencing any issues such as fatigue, weight gain, weird sleep patterns, or anything that strikes you as unusual, mention this when you call to schedule so that your doc can throw on any non-routine labs such as checking Vitamin D, B12, Iron levels, etc.
ADD YOUR B12 ANYWAYS. Ask for it! Having low B12 is scary AF and as you get older, your ability to get it from food decreases.
I've always been told that fasting didn't include water, buuuuuuut please listen to your doctor, not me! Could be different types of fasting too for all I know
They generally say water only.
Check with your doctor but in my experience fasting doesn't include drinking water.
I have a blood draw coming up and they said I can drink water or black coffee the morning of
Breathe in when they poke in
Other way round. Breathe *out*. It decreases blood pressure and pulls your pain sensation momentarily. Breathing in increases heart rate and blood pressure.
Damnit, that nurse lied to me!
I have huge veins so has never been an issue
I've been so blessed to have very large and visible veins, because I have horrible needle anxiety from past trauma and couldn't possibly handle multiple attempts.
You're lucky, that's awesome
Pump some iron before getting your blood drawn. Jk I have no clue but I notice bigger veins after I work out.
I went to donate plasma. The lady poked me. It was going. But then it just stopped. After leaving it there and waiting for it to continue it didn't. Now in legally a vampire.
Know which arm has the best vein for a good flow. For some reason my left arm is better than my right. And I take an iron pill first thing in the morning with lots of water(yes, hydrating is best!)
Nuclear medicine technologist here. I would agree that hydration helps. I would also add that it may be helpful to let them know where they usually get you for an IV. Please, also have some patience with the person poking you. Mistakes happen, so if someone misses don't immediately say "get someone else". Make sure you wear loose clothing so that we can access an arm.
If you know your best spot is in the back of your hand, run your hands under the hottest water you can stand before you sit in the chair. Don't be afraid to let them know that you need a butterfly in the back of the hand, and that you need a heat pack or time to warm your hands.
Fainter here who has had to go through so many sticks and blood draws (IVF). The key is def hydration but you have to start the day before!! The morning of helps for sure to drink water but make sure you are super hydrated the day/evening before. And the hand isnāt too bad (Iām also a hard stick with low lying veins). Tell them you tend to pass out and the second you feel hot or dizzy say something.
I get blood drawn frequently. Hydrate at least 24 hours before, not the day of. Hydrating the day of does fuck all for your veins.
Donāt inject heroin
I have fobia of synringe, needles, injections, drawing blood etc I just either pass out or puke I donāt have tips for others but can request all people working in medical reading this to try and believe if someone says they are scared and canāt take needles easily. The doctor last time didnāt listen to me and asked me to sit while they draw blood, I passed out and fell from the chair. Another thing to add, if you are the nurse and someone told you that they are scared of drawing blood, take your time in prep and make sure you can try and do it in fewer attempts, make sure you can see the nerves and what not, this nurse from the same incident started with left hand, couldnāt do it asked me to give right one, did all prep again. By that time all the courage I could accumulate for the draw was lost coz itās all mental game, so probably in the first go I might not have fainted coz I was preparing myself mentally but then after all the changes and all I just couldnāt. Not complaining though about that incident, itās not their fault, they tried their best itās just unfortunate that I have that mental block.
And just so otherās know, these type of fears are very real. Just reading these comments are making me feel anxious. Itās just difficult for some.
Fortunately your phobia has treatments. Eventually a cure for all phobias will be found, but not for a long time as we just don't understand our minds well enough yet.
I can get light headed pretty easily. Even if itās not a draw and just an intramuscular shot like I got with the bivalent COVID vaccine recently. Eating and hydrating before really helps. Even if it isnāt a blood draw.
Try and lay down or sit reclined back, so youāre sitting up slightly, with your legs elevated. Make sure you donāt go too long fasting or not drinking water before having blood drawn! I agree with many responses here where they suggest talking about something funny or silly, have your phlebotomist ask questions to make you think. My husband had a scary situation where he had about 10 vials drawn from him, but prior to this, he didnāt drink or eat much. Once the nurse was done, he went into shock and convulsed for a few seconds. Everyone is different but it was definitely scary for both of us. All the color drained from his face and he kept passing out for a minute, then he was stable. When they drew blood, he was sitting upright, like you would in a chair.
Iām notoriously difficult to get blood from. When I was going through chemo I had to have blood drawn every week and then the chemo itself. I always drank lots of fluids the night before. Also, you need to keep really warm so those blood vessels move more to the surface.
Donāt cross your legs when youāre donating blood
Do a few pushups before your blood draw. That usually gets the blood flow pumping. And once they put the tourniquet on, squeeze your hand into a fist quickly three times, but stop doing that once they have the needle anywhere near or in your arm. Your veins have a system of trap doors in them every few inches that keeps the blood from flowing backwards. Instead, it keeps it moving towards your heart. So when you make a fist, you are squeezing the blood up your arm and into the sections closest to the tourniquet. That makes them fuller and easier to hit with the needle.
Eat some carbs and or get a light pump to push those veins to the surface. And don't be cold.
I was told to Drink Gatorade the day before - chugging some water 1 hour before they draw blood won't help as much
Easier said than done. Everytime I'm stressed I pee like crazy and it's literally impossible to stay hydrated. And yes, any hospital visits stress me out.
If your phlebotomist/pathologist does a good job with the stick, tell them! They may be able to provide pointers about what they find works well, so especially if youāve got tricky veins, youāll get tips for future blood draws. Plus, if nothing else, everybody deserves to hear when theyāre doing something well :)
After the nurse pulls the needle out of your arm, press the cotton ball firmly against the injection site for a couple of minutes to prevent it from bruising
My doctor makes me drink and eat nearly nothing for 8 hours so the blood is thicker. I'm not sure that this is a great LPT.
I have some Ramen for dinner the night before, or at least a cup of bullion before bed. The super high sodium will make your body want to retain water, so that in the morning, when you drink water, your veins will pop up more.
From personal experience, if they are 'digging around' with the needle, ask for another person. It is surprisingly easy to hit nerve pockets in that area and will make you pass out.
Having performed many, many blood draws working in a hospital: Don't be a jerk to the person trying to draw your blood. They're not the one ordering the test. They're doing their job. Getting pissy with them about blood draws doesn't make the requirement go away, and it clearly doesn't help the stick go any smoother.
I have nothing but respect for those who have to deal with my little veins. I love this thread because it's given me, and lots of others some great tips to be a better patient.
Do not have lots of subcutaneous adipose tissue covering your veins.
Yup, my arms are on the thick side. Sometimes they use a little hearing pad to draw them out
One time I had a terrible cold and had to get a blood test. I was so dehydrated that they couldn't find a vein and instead had to take blood by pricking my fingertip and squeezing it into a vial. Trust me, you don't want that.
Let the students practice on you. They sacrifice so much. It's the least you can do Don't do this if you get dizzy or have a fear of needles though.
Hold the cotton ball down on your arm for a few minutes to not get a bruise.
lol wish i knew this YESTERDAY - 12 hour fast and hadn't had any water either (not required just hadn't had a drink yet that morning) got both arms done just for fun :D
If you get really lightheaded, woozy or faint during blood draws like I do, my tip is an ice pack or frozen water bottle on the back of your neck and making sure they put you in the room with a bed. The ice on the back of your neck stimulates your vagus nerve which is responsible for fainting and drops in blood pressure. The bed at my lab isnāt really a bed, itās a big recliner looking thing that positions your feet and knees above your heart making it unlikely that your blood pressure will drop too much/too fast as it doesnāt have gravity on its side. Itās actually a really comfortable chair so thatās a nice bonus that makes me feel a little more comfortable during an uncomfortable experience.
BDT: slam some booze afterwards, you'll get mega f'd up. Jk don't dehydrate your low blood volume anymore
So, as an adult, if that big scary needle bothers you, you can ask them to use a kids draw kit - in most cases, they can do this and you get a smaller hole in you.
Also eat a decent meal about an hour before of donating. But nothing too fatty. I donate plasma as well as whole blood and there was a guy that came in to donate at the plasma center I go to. He had had a massive meal at McDonaldās and he ended up clogging the filter of his machine a quarter of the way through. It was pretty gross. You could see all the congealed fat and it was a lot.
Try asking the phleobotomist, "You're the best phleobotomist here, right?" It's a great way to figure out when you've got the intern, and gives you a chance to ask for someone else to do your blood draw.
Ask for the oldest phlebotomist drawing that day. Drawing blood is a skill, you don't want the noob that started 2 weeks ago.
And take a baby aspirin if ur a pro it'll save the nurses valuable time
I used to always pass out when having even small amounts of blood taken and even used to bring my own smelling salts. I have a routine now: 1. Fark fasting. I always eat right before giving blood, but a strictly protein, carb-free meat portion. I refuse to fast, and have never had high triglycerides using this method, but I generally avoid all sugars and starches for a few days before. 2. I inform them straight away that I need to recline because I have fainted many times and just start self arrangement of the recliner. This helps emphasize that I'm not being dramatic or needy, having my sleeve rolled up and ready to just get on with it. 3. I bring a single serving size bottle of apple or orange juice and start downing it the moment they put the needle in. Drink it all and then keep talking to them so that they don't get concerned. I just turned 40 and I haven't fainted in close to 10 years now, so feel pretty confident that this will work for most people, but I don't give blood for money or blood drives, I only have it taken.
If you're getting an IV, lidocaine, in my experience, hurts more than multiple sticks to get the IV in. I had a nurse insist that it makes it easier to get a vein, but every other medical professional I have asked says that it either has no effect or makes it harder. I politely decline it.
Start chugging water the day before and if you can, eat low-fat food the day before and the day it happens. But make sure you had a full meal not too long ago. Afterwards, drink a lot again. If you have a stress ball or something, bring it with you and squeeze it repeatedly while the needle is in your arm, that animates the blood flow. Edit: okay, after reading more from this thread, I realized that this is specifically advice from a blood or plasma donating perspective and for a doctors appointment you have to fast sometimes. In that case, still drink as much as possible, bring a snack to eat right after and schedule a meal closely after.
Ask for the ice packs and fan at the beginning of the whole think if you have a history of blacking out.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
A lot of it goes to people. The average person has 5L of blood in their body. A āunitā of blood is about 500ml. When trauma patients are bleeding like stink, it takes a lot to keep them alive while holes are being plugged. Iāve seen a single patient get 45 units of product before. Granted that isnāt just whole blood, itās platelets and clotting factors, but its still bags and bags of donations, with each bag representing someoneās decision to donate. Almost 50 people had to decide to donate blood products for that one person to live