Author Topic: Do You look When They Draw Blood? (Read 19691 times)

Winiroo · « **Reply #50 on:** March 03, 2009, 10:55:36 pm »

Those huge horse needles they use for needle aspiration biopsies are unpleasant and IV's suck too but I am compelled to look every time.

Last time I had a IV put in firemen where in the ER learning how to do them. Three cute guys. I told them I was HIV positive before they started. One guy try twice and failed and one of the others got it in on the third shot.
I don't know if they where nerved up because of my status or if they where that way with every person they worked on. It did not bother me though. They where nice and joked around the whole time. I am sure they where glad I did not treat them badly for messing up.
I'd bet me telling them I am HIV positive and cautioning them on safety made them more aware of the dangers of their job.

tokyodecadence · « **Reply #51 on:** March 04, 2009, 02:30:39 am »

Quote from: Winiroo on March 03, 2009, 10:55:36 pm

Those huge horse needles they use for needle aspiration biopsies are unpleasant and IV's suck too but I am compelled to look every time.

Last time I.................

That's such a cute GIF avatar! hahaha! <3

But yeah, I look. My mom's a doctor (a geneticist, no less). Blood's kind of her thing. It doesn't bother me one bit, in fact, it' usually fun to screw with the phlebotomist. "....so you come here often?", that sort of thing. Lame, I know. I ain't got no shame. Or fear of anything other than a massive shortage of coffee. :/

ga1964 · « **Reply #52 on:** March 04, 2009, 12:46:30 pm »

I can't watch the needle going in because it seems to intensify the pain. Once the needle is in, I can watch the rest of the draw with no problem, even the removal of the needle. Luckally, the nurse at my ASO is fantastic about hitting the vein the first time and I barely feel a thing.

The last time I had an IV put in, I should have known things were not going to go well when the nurse put a diaper under my arm before trying to insert the IV. After several minutes of excruciating pain, she finally got it in and when I turned to look at it there was a pool of blood in the diaper. I asked the nurse if she planned on leaving me any. She will never stick me again.

I have now adopted a "Three Strikes" rule for anyone putting a needle in me. I understand that there are new nurses that have to learn how to insert needles and I'm willing to give them a chance, but if they can't do it within three tries, I tell them to go find someone more experienced.

betonet · « **Reply #53 on:** March 04, 2009, 01:24:27 pm »

I get very very unpleasant feeling. I never watch. But never though about it why I don't watch it. Next time definitely will give it a try

MarcoPoz · « **Reply #54 on:** March 04, 2009, 01:28:25 pm »

I have veins like ropes and I LIKE to watch: 1) to make sure they haven't messed up and 2) I LIKE it ;-) I'm also the guy who falls asleep while being tattooed...

Great---did I just 'overshare'? LOL

YaKaMein · « **Reply #55 on:** March 04, 2009, 01:57:11 pm »

Of course, I look! How else would I critique their technique?
No reason to miss mine [good veins] ... they get one try only! Then, I do it myself [been there, done that].

tokyodecadence · « **Reply #56 on:** March 04, 2009, 02:07:03 pm »

Quote from: MarcoPoz on March 04, 2009, 01:28:25 pm

I'm also the guy who falls asleep while being tattooed...

Great---did I just 'overshare'? LOL

....and here I thought I was the only one who did that! It tickles.

lusopt · « **Reply #57 on:** March 04, 2009, 03:10:30 pm »

I never look, if i do my arm runs from the needle.

Winiroo · « **Reply #58 on:** March 04, 2009, 10:24:32 pm »

Quote from: toykoDecadence on March 04, 2009, 02:30:39 am

That's such a cute GIF avatar! hahaha! <3

Thank you

fearless · « **Reply #59 on:** March 04, 2009, 10:40:19 pm »

I've gotta look. I like to know what is going on.

My nurse is great though, she just rips the needle in and never misses. i have teeny weeny little veins hidden deep below the surface - before my surgery had a nurse the doctor used to do it - he was a nightmare.

The weirdest experience I've ever had was when the needle point was right on a vavle in the vein. the needle started vibrating rapidly and the blood flow pretty much stopped. Didn't hurt, but it sure looked weird.

jampdx · « **Reply #60 on:** March 09, 2009, 07:39:42 am »

I was always scared of needles until working in ER's and now it's fascinating... some sort of mental shift. I just had a draw last Monday and the lady and I got to talking, she forgot two things and I had to hold the sucker with my other hand, the tube was full, I was yelling for her, we were laughing so hard. Some morbid skit or something.

mjmel · « **Reply #61 on:** March 09, 2009, 07:51:25 am »

Yeap, I sure do look and even instruct if the blood drawer doesn't seem too confident. I mean, after all, sometimes you get a trainee ... sometimes you get an experiened one. Doesn't phase me after being stuck so many times.

I had a neat dragon tatoo done in Chicago and then had some sloppy bad work done around the dragon at a local palor. (Didn't realize it till bandage was off.) I mention my now ugly tatoo if the person approaching me with the needle is looking a bit nervous. (I can always tell) It's a tactic i use to keep them from being overly amped on the task--if ya know what I mean.

The worst one was when this one lady's hands trembled slightly throught the whole procedure. hee hee

Mike

Lou-ah-vull · « **Reply #62 on:** March 09, 2009, 03:11:12 pm »

I used to be absolutely frightened of injections and would almost pass out if I witnessed them. Ever since my diagnosis in October 2005 I have grown used to the quarterly injections. Now I can watch and talk to the lab technician at the same time. Talk about dramatic change!

Gary

mudman8 · « **Reply #63 on:** March 09, 2009, 03:53:51 pm »

I look away at the needle insertion but watch the blood fill the tubes. I always flinch even tho I've been thru much rougher stuff.

Don't worry I'm a wuss too.

I remember walking past a biker bar in AZ and the window had some T shirts, One I wanted was "Hey, Woosie Boy!" too funny.

AlanBama · « **Reply #64 on:** March 10, 2009, 05:49:21 pm »

The lady who drew mine yesterday had NO clue what she was doing. She had to stick me twice (using butterfly needles) and still could not get the blood to flow correctly. Hello? Has anyone seen my veins? I am practically ALL veins.

I think she was trying to fill about 6 tubes.....it took FOREVER, because the blood was just dripping into those big old tubes. I know I sat in that lab chair for at least 20 minutes. I started to say "honey, just step back and let me do it". She asked 2 or 3 times if she was hurting me (those who know me know that I am the type that says "NO, I'm fine" even though it does hurt).

While I'm up on my soap box, did anyone see the health care meeting President Obama held? Practially everyone was represented....insurance companies, drug companies, hospitals......but I did not hear from ANYONE representing patients. Perhaps they were there, and just did not have an opportunity to speak.
I'm just real frustrated with health care right now, so it's probably not the best time for me to comment on all of it.

rick21007 · « **Reply #65 on:** March 10, 2009, 07:50:06 pm »

I have great veins. I tell the lab tech that children can practice on my veins. I always look and ask for either a sucker or a sticker afterwards. Some techs are more skilled than others. Gotta get my labs done Saturday. I used to go to a lab in the town where I live. Don't think they ever had an hiv patient before. You'd have thought I had the black plague. Same lab had drawn my blood for my hiv test back in December of 06 and the medical director of the lab was called to draw my blood--nofuckingshit!! Boy did I feel special. He even came to the front desk and wrote out my cash receipt for the blood draw. I wondered if they disinfected the chair where I sat in the waiting room.

rick

minismom · « **Reply #66 on:** March 10, 2009, 08:04:52 pm »

Mim had the Good Lady last week. She was in and out in no time. The Good Lady (that's what Mim calls her, like it's her name) said that she likes taking Mim's blood because her veins are easy to get to. Like you, Alan, she's all veins.

I asked Mim if she looks when they poke her and she said, in her very Mim way, "Of course I look. How am I supposed to know when they're done if I don't look?" Gee, mom, Duh!

Mum

Snowangel · « **Reply #67 on:** March 10, 2009, 08:15:57 pm »

I always look and it doesn't bother me at all.

I recently took the lady I help out to get her blood drawn. She is deathly afraid of needles so I hold her hand. The lady taking the blood smacked her in the face with the rubber tourniquet, I thought I was going to pee myself, we were all laughing so hard. It made the draw a little easier at least.

Forums Index

Welcome

Poll

Do You look When They Draw Blood?

Author Topic: Do You look When They Draw Blood? (Read 19691 times)