Bad Blood Test :-(

[AnnOBrien]

Hi all,

On Wednesday morning a nurse tried to take blood from a vein in my right arm and the pain after the needle went in got so bad I had to tell her to take it out (it was only in there for a matter of seconds). She then successfully took blood from my left arm. However, my right arm has been really sore since she buggered up the test. I’ve had a plaster on it and looked at the site this morning to find a bruise and three little blood lumps in a line, obviously where the needle went in. Of course now I’m panicking about my vein bleeding internally. Has anyone ever got little surface clots like that from a bad nurse?? Grrrrr.

[Anxious_gal]

Some nurses are bad at taking blood! She might have hit a nerve if you had a sharp pain.
I find the needle makes my whole arm hurt and my hand goes numb and purplish! Apparently that only happens to me

Ok a bruise is when the blood vessels break and the blood gets to the surface.
Even if your vein did bleed it would have stopped by now.

I've seen some major bruises on people arms from needles and they've all been ok.

You'll have a little red mark too from where the needle when in

The bruise will change colour too for the next few days, It could look a bit worse tomorrow, then a bit yellow before it goes.

[AnnOBrien]

Thanks, right, so, I'll have to remember that it is likely to look worse before it's better. It's just horrible how there are three red bumps with blood in, not one point of entry, like she completely missed the vein and just shoved a large gauge needle into my arm and punctured three places. My arm is hurting more the more I think about it! Must stop!!

[nomorepanic]

Have you taken the plaster off and are the bumps underneath the actual plaster?

[swgrl09]

Ugh I hate having nurses who have difficulty taking it. I had blood taken a couple months ago and the nurse tried three times in both arms before finally getting it. I thought I was going to pass out from stress.

But I think you are fine. My sisters and I have rolling veins and they always have difficulty getting them and bruise us up pretty badly. My sister had a whole vein burst in her arm, had a huge bruise up and down her whole forearm and she was fine, didn't even need any care for it.

[Breezay]

I had a bad blood sample taken a few years ago & it was just awful! I don't know how she managed it, but I ended up with a bruise that went all the way down my forearm! It was really sore, but ok. It took a while to clear up as well.

I hope it heals up soon & stops being sore for you x

[AnnOBrien]

Thanks swgrl09, I'm sitting here trying to convince myself that I'm fine. I don't think it will need further treatment, its just with this anxiety it's something to constantly worry about until it gets better, which I hate having to go through :-(

nomorepanic, yes, I've changed the plaster and the three small blood bumps are on the skin, along the line that the needle went in, and there is some yellowing around the area, presumably a bruise starting up.

[nomorepanic]

My sister had a whole vein burst in her arm, had a huge bruise up and down her whole forearm and she was fine, didn't even need any care for it.

I have had this too. They gave me a CT scan with an intravenous dye thing and it blew the vein. It was painful and the arm swelled up but nothing more serious than that.

[nomorepanic]

The reason I asked is that I had bloods on Wednesday too. I pulled the plaster off and underneath I have loads of burst blood vessel type things. Let me try and get a pic if I can lol.

It was the plaster that caused it not the blood test

[AnnOBrien]

Humm, sounds like I should be thankful that my whole arm isn't affected, well, yet, always with the "what if"'s ! Feels really itchy now but that's either because I'm focussed on it or it's busy trying to heal itself.

Thanks all xx

---------- Post added at 13:30 ---------- Previous post was at 13:28 ----------


The reason I asked is that I had bloods on Wednesday too. I pulled the plaster off and underneath I have loads of burst blood vessel type things. Let me try and get a pic if I can lol.

It was the plaster that caused it not the blood test


Ah, nah it's not the plaster, definitely the line of needle entry. Didn't know we could put pics up here though, handy.

[nomorepanic]

ahhh ok so maybe not the plaster.

Here is mine anyway..

[AnnOBrien]

Your skin certainly wasn't too happy with that plaster. I think the plaster I have on now is irritating the area a little bit in addition to the needle area being sore. When I get home from work I'll allow it a little fresh air maybe. And I'll share back a pic with you if I can! LOL, arm comparisons.

[nomorepanic]

Take the plaster off maybe anyway.

[AnnOBrien]

Hi Nicola,

Just thought I'd tell you that the bruise is looking and feeling much better since I took the plaster off last night. Still feels weird and a bit sore but I'm no longer worried about it! yay :yesyes:

Hope your few broken capillaries are healing up too :)

Ann

[Sammy J]

Hi Ann,

I am a phlebotomist and used to take 100's of blood samples a week. It does sound like the nurse hit a nerve (she must've gone in quite deep). In the past someone did my bloods and made an almighty mess of my arm by not putting enough pressure on after removing the needle which allowed blood to collect under the skin, and the plaster then caused bumping.

Am sure it'll heal up fine :)

[AnnOBrien]

Thanks Sammy, possibly she hit a nerve yeah, I've never felt such pain on having the needle inserted. I don't think she was too certainly that the vein was going to work before she put the needle in as she kept tightening the thingy on my arm and tapping the vein. She probably didn't hold pressure on the area long enough after she'd taken the needle out either. Perhaps just a minute, then she popped a plaster on and went about trying the other arm. I've a good sized purple mark now and a yellow bruise, but its much less sore then yesterday :)

[nomorepanic]

Good news Ann - mine will be fine in a few days I hope too