POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => Living With HIV => Topic started by: MiniPozToyota on March 13, 2013, 10:16:02 pm
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Hey poz people gotta question for everyone and maybe you can help me out,
anyways I had my labs taken today (7am) and they took eight (8) tubes of blood
well normally im fine with like 4 tubes but after that I started sweating and getting
dizzy and almost passed out, this never happened before and just curious of what it
could be... I have plenty of tattoos so its not the giving blood or needle thing.. also
later on that day about 2pm I almost passed out at first I got extremely dizzy and
had to sit down for a little bit. anyone have a clue??
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hehe no worries man, some people just have more of an inclination towards fainting when blood is being drawn than others. If you know you might have this problem next time, just sit down, allow them to draw blood and sit down for a while afterwards. Also do not look at the needle, this might help.
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Were you fasting? If so, that would be the best bet. Even if you weren't officially fasting, I doubt you had eaten much by 7am. When you got dizzy again at 2pm, had you eaten much?
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yeah my case worker told me to not eat anything after 10pm last night and had labs
drawn at 7am... didn't eat anything else untill lunch witch was a small sandwich and
a salad, thats probably what it was with the whole not eating thing until labs were
drawn.
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hehe well, don't listen to me too much...I used to be a heroin addict. Needles do not really bother me hehe
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I am a person that has good blood pressure (BP). Normally 100/110 over 70. I know when I have blood taken it drops my BP which will cause myself to pass out if in a sitting position. The first time they were taken blood I was fasting and what happen to you happen to me. Got to the point where my hearing went out. A lots of sniffing salts keep me awake. They walked me over to room where I laid down. My BP had dropped to 80.
Now when they take blood I'm laying down...
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I have the same problem. They always take me in another room and make me lay down while they draw my labs. I don't look at the needle or the vials of blood.
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Yup, I'm a wuss! I dropped out a few times.
It didn't matter if I looked at the vials or not. It didn't matter if the phlebotomist engaged me in conversation. I just passed out.
My last few draws (since fall of 2010) I had a great gal in Philly at Jefferson's outpatient lab named Telia. I told her I had a bad habit of passing out during the draw. She took me to her cubicle, prepped me and said, "Let's talk."
We made it through the draw discussing who had the best fried chicken in center city. I've requested her (she said it was possible) since then except for my November draw = Telia was on vacation. A student phlebotomist took my samples (under the watchful eye of an instructor, they asked if I was okay with that - and I always agree to helping a student) and I educated her a bit on HIV and understanding the patient. I always say I may pass out.
Call me a wussy!
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MiniPoz,
Yep, fasting then getting a blood draw can be a woozie-making combination. Did you feel any better later in the day once you got food and liquids in?
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I usually have the same problem. I've discovered if I tell the tech I do better if I am distracted, they'll talk to me about something and it's over before I know it. Also I make a point of NOT looking at the tubes or the needle.
Yeah, I'm a total wuss.
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Wow and I thought I was the only wuss. ;D
minipoz,
I actually do the opposite. I have something light to eat, usually toast or tastykakes
and I have some orange juice and bfast afterwards.
I also don't look at the needles, vials, or anything else. I just look at Nurse Vampire and talk to her. Although she always the smelling salts out since the first couple of times she took my blood I passed out.
Michelle 8)
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Maybe all of you have allergy to those Vampire! Next time tell them to be very gentle jeje
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I always tell the nurse of my hatred of blood draws...and ask him/her to use the baby needle...you can't even feel it...and another tip...I always wear a hat and pull it down over my eyes and face the other way...lastly ask for a juice after. For some reason blood lab juice tastes the best. :)