Rolling veins and drawing blood rant. archived

keep your arms/veins warm. That might help.

I always ask for them to use the smaller/pediatric kit, as that seems to be less bruising while they deal with my rolling veins. I don't remember being blamed for not drinking enough water!

They usually use a butterfly needle. Some have protested that it will take longer to get the blood depending on how much is needed for that particular draw, but I don't care once the needle is actually in.

I had one tech at The Childbirth Center who was a wiz with my veins. She would hold the skin taunt to keep them from rolling. It got to the point that when they needed blood I would only allow her to draw blood from me.

In all my days of nursing, I've never missed a rolling vein. As long as the drawing the blood anchors the vein properly, there should be no issues.

Do you have to dig the needle around inside the arm to find it though?

The worst part is, every tech who *looks* at my arms comments on how I have great veins and it will be an easy stick. Then they go in and *poof* my veins disappear.

No, it doesn't happen every time, but it happens enough that it is starting to get old.

Nope I don't dig, never did. Adjust needle once and if not successful remove.

Can I bring you with me to my next appointment to do my blood draws? ;-)

If they say you're dehydrated tell them you're not and explain why. It could be a learning moment for them...

spontaneous said:

Can I bring you with me to my next appointment to do my blood draws? ;-)

Maybe, depends on when and where

I have frequently gotten the same comments, spontaneous, over the years. I look like I have great veins because they are quite visible. But pinning them down is another thing. However, more recently, the folks drawing the blood seem to be getting better about apologizing or listening to my suggestions (based on many decades of blood draws). It can be QUITE painful, even if only momentary. And the ugly bruising can last awhile. I've had people who almost immediately wanted to go for wrist or back of hand veins. I nix that unless I'm in the ER or inpatient and it is important to just get it done, now!

scottgreenstone said:

In all my days of nursing, I've never missed a rolling vein. As long as the drawing the blood anchors the vein properly, there should be no issues.

I am a nurse too and totally agree with Scott, if the vein is properly anchored, it should not be a problem.

Didn't read this whole thread;
I've a little trouble w/ Nurse MaGoo not being able to hit the target. The veins in my elbows are a bit deeper and don't offer as good a target as they would like. I often tell them to draw the sample from the back of my hand. My veins there are pronounced enough that Stevie Wonder could......

I have the same problem. I've been lucky, as I'm usually just donating blood and I just always tell them this is a problem and they usually bring out their most experienced person to handle it. I may have missed this, but do you tell them about this before they attempt to draw blood? It usually scares away anyone who doesn't feel they can handle it (but that's just been my experience).

A needle should NEVER be moved sideways once inserted. That's how you slice veins (and more) in half.

I couldn't agree more about the keeping the skin taut thing, an absolute necessity for rolling and shy veins (the ones that are bulgy until you approach them with a needle, then reflexively collapse).

Another trick you might try (learned from an awesome anesthesiologist who never missed): use your thumb and middle finger to flick the vein very hard (as hard as you can stand it) repeatedly right before they swab your skin for the draw. It will make the vein swell and stand up more, stay in place better, and be easier to hit.

I had a sudden epiphany the other day when while getting a follow up blood draw my veins once again rolled. It was then that I realized that nine times out of ten that this happens (if not more), it is at a doctor's office. I even warned her straight up that they roll in case she had forgotten me from two weeks prior, yet it still got away from her. I had drunk so much water the night before and that morning that I had to use the restroom before I left the house, before my appointment, after my appointment, and the moment I got home, so I highly doubt I was dehydrated. She then went to try the other arm when I realized that I have almost never had this issue at LabCorp. I asked her to not try the other arm and to just write down what labs they need on a script and I would go there. She seemed insulted but at this point I didn't care. I'm not interested in getting stuck repeatedly to help someone's ego.

LabCorp had some trouble seeing the veins that day, but the woman used two tourniquets (over my shirt so it wouldn't pinch) and was able to get it on the first try. I'm thinking that drinking the excessive water may have actually been part of the issue since I actually felt "puffy" until 20 bathroom trips later. Can edema make veins harder to hit?

I just also want to add that the doctor's office did a blood draw (second attempt since the first one rolled) on June 23, and then there was the aborted attempt on July 7th, where I finally ended up at LabCorp. I still have a red scab from the June 23rd draw, whereas the July 7th LabCorp site is all but gone. The woman at the doctor's office taking blood says she doesn't like places like LabCorp because they are "impersonal." That may be, but since they do this and nothing but this hour after hour day after day, they are good at what they do. I'll take good over warm and fuzzy any day.

ETA: LabCorp in Millburn on Willow. I happily drive past the LabCorp in Maplewood to go there.

spontaneous said:

Can edema make veins harder to hit?

Absolutely, yes.

Suzie2 said:

spontaneous said:

Can edema make veins harder to hit?

Absolutely, yes.

So all this advice to drink more fluids was making it worse. Smh.

I use quest on northfield ave in livingston. Some woman has worked there for at least 8 years. I'm sure she doesn't remember me, but I remember her, so it doesn't feel impersonal at all and she hits my small, deep veins in one try every time.

A normal, healthy person shouldn't get edema just from drinking more than usual.

I have the same problem; the worst is when I have to be fasting in which case I my be a bit dehydrated but it happens almost every time, regardless of my water drinking prior to the blood draw. It is very painful indeed and you have my sympathy. I can recommend SMG lab also; they have always gotten my veins on the first try. That digging around inside the arm is wrong on so many levels. You should see the black-n-blues I have afterwards. I tell the techs ahead of time and we do all the tricks, slapping my arm, very tight tourniquet, pumping the blood by squeezing my fingers into a fist, ugh… I feel ya, spon. It is enough to make me want to cancel my Dr appointments.
It was brilliant of you to remember LabCorp and go there!

My veins are hard to find and I faint. Back of the hand works for me. But sadly, I can't donate blood. (Too slow.)

carolanne said:

I use quest on northfield ave in livingston. Some woman has worked there for at least 8 years. I'm sure she doesn't remember me, but I remember her, so it doesn't feel impersonal at all and she hits my small, deep veins in one try every time.

That quest is fantastic. I'm sorry my insurance changed and I can't use them anymore

spontaneous said:

I have veins that tend to roll. It also gets frustrating since more often than not I get blamed for this.



FWIW this isn't some new onset thing that may signal a disease process. I have ALWAYS had issues with drawing blood. So I have either been chronically dehydrated for the last 40+ years, or maybe my rolling veins are NOT my fault.

I read your post. You are looking for someone to absolve you of blame, if appropriate. Your use of "maybe" indicates uncertainty. So far, no one has addressed this.

Of course you are NOT to blame. No one holding the needle should be assigning blame (particularly to you). If anyone is to "blame", it is the 2 people who contributed your 2 X chromosomes. NOT that we are looking to assign blame to anyone.

Glad you figured out how to avoid this issue moving forward

Suzie2 said:

A normal, healthy person shouldn't get edema just from drinking more than usual.

I drank a ton of water. Much more than a person normally would or should. My hands and feet didn't swell, I just felt "puffy" overall, including my arms.

So I went to LabCorp on the 7th when the doctor's office was unable to draw blood. I received a call from the doctor's office today asking why I hadn't done the blood work yet. I called and said I had done it on the 7th at LabCorp, so they are going to call LabCorp to find out what happened.

I just can't win.

@critterlover Just slapping the arm with all your fingers, as most people do, just doesn't do much of anything. You need to flick it hard with a single finger (shooting off your thumb like you would do when trying to flick something across the room) repeatedly (e.g. like 20x) in exactly the same spot right on the vein. That works.

@spontaneous Oy. I feel for you. Here's hoping it works out without another draw.

thank you for that tidbit, @Suzie2 !

when will you hear from the doc, spon? I hope all is well.

I called back later, they had it. I don't know if they tracked it down between when I first called and then, or if the first message had been a miscommunication by the office staff. I was scolded for having an A1c of 5.8, other than that all is well

??? I thought 5.8 would be a good A1c. I must be in big trouble!
What is it supposed to be? What do you have to do to reduce your score? I'm glad everything else is ok!