Really achy arm after blood test

[biscuitlover]

Hey,

Has anyone else experienced problems after having a blood test?

When the needle came out it was really painful (yesterday) and since my whole arm is aching from my shoulder, elbow, wrist and the site of the injection.

I can't straighten it either and the more i think of it the more i feel sick.

Has anyone had the same experience or know what has caused it?

Im so worried i've got a blood clot or something. Ironically this test was meant to stop me worrying about things, not to create a whole worry of its own.

[Typer]

Oh yes I have, it really hurts and I think it depends on who does it.

I have a blood disorder which means I have to have regular blood tests. Most times its just a little sore, but some people seem to use thicker needles or something. The pain is really bad and sharp. It will go in a few days.

Last time that happened, it gave me pins and needles as well. But I have had these for 2o years and can assure you it was just the way the person did it - some are a bit rough

[gtrgrl3369]

Sorry to hear you had a bad time with it. The pain will depend on what size gauge the needle was. If there is a bruise is there the needle may have gone too far in the vein which could cause the pain that you are having. The muscles could be sore from the blood draw too, its like getting a shot in the arm and it hurts for a few days. There are tendons and muscles where blood is taken from and if you are tense it will make it sore. Give it a few days and try some heat or ice on it. Take care.

[biscuitlover]

Thanks so much. I don't feel so worried now. Or at least give it a few more days before i get so worked up about it!

[Typer]

Honest, it has happened to me so many times I cant count. It will be fine

[Cat80]

My sister once had a bad blood test, it left her arm covered in a huge purpley yellow bruise from elbow upto her shoulder. It was painful but went down.

You'll be fine, just don't do any heavy lifting etc and the ache will stop soon

[Lauz]

Please do not be worried. I had a blood test and the area was in pain and bruised for about a week.
I do bruise very easy but I am quite good with pain and it was just very tender for a couple of days, it will get better probably after about day 3 or 4. :)

[countrygirl]

I have to have blood tests frequently cos of a thyroid problem and they always have great problems getting blood out of me and i have had some awful arms from this and until the bruising comes out it is very very painful - also you have to keep your arm in a very unatural position while they take the blood and this can make your whole arm ache for a few days.

I had a gastrosocpy on Friday and it was horribly painful when they put the cannula in ( think the Dr needs more practise!) and he put it in side of my wrist right on bone. I was begging them to take it out after the test as it was so painful and that night I could not bear to touch the wrist. later the next day the bruising started to come out and at this moment I have a huge bruise from top of thum to about two inches above wrist and around half of my wrist thats black and purple but it doens't hurt so much to touch now. Can take up to two weeks to clear so be patient.

[stu2]

I have just read the above posts and i think they answer my question too.

I had a blood test done yesterday. When the nurse withdrew the needle it was so very painful. It hasn't bruised much, but my arm feels like its been punched, like its a little heavy, feels like a dull ache from the shoulder to the wrist. It also hurts to bend it too

I have had quite a few blood tests done in the past, but this is the first one where i have actually been in pain with it, and this has worried me no end. Only 24 hours has passed since the test, so I hope it will get better by tomorrow or the day after, fingers crossed.. Next time I will make sure the person taking the blood from me knows exactly what they are doing.

[countrygirl]

Bet in a few days you get a nasty bruise - I posted previous reply and I find that once the bruise comes out the pain goes away.

[stu2]

Hi countrygirl, thanks for your reply. Yeah, a massive bruise is coming out now, about the size of my hand on the underneath of my lower arm. The aching hasn't stopped either.
This is the second day, looks like this is going to take a while to calm down :sad:

Merry Xmas :D

[stu2]

I'm on day 6 now since the blood test, there is now a massive bruise that has come out has covered half of my lower arm, and there seems to be a lttle "bump" in the corner of my arm where the needle went in last Thursday.

I'm just worried now that the needle broke and is still in there, or I might have an infection. Or - it could be just the tendon which is till swollen, I just don't know what to think anymore, and its getting me down now, :weep:

I've tried ice packs, but they haven't help much

Can anyone advise me? Ive had dozens of blood tests before, but nothing has never happened like this

[biscuitlover]

Hope your arm is better now.

The bruise and pain from my arm lasted 5 weeks in the end and i was so depressed about it. I couldn't carry anything, open doors or lay in certain positions at night. I went to the dr's after 7 days of the start and the locom dr basically told me I was wasting his time!

4 weeks later and my mum (who initially thought i was being paranoid) was worried it hadn't gone and sent me to my regular gp. Turns out i had a haematoma in my arm and was given warfarin cream (blood thinning) to try to break it up. She said its rare but can happen after a bad blood test. I also wrote a letter of complaint to the hospital about my blood test, nothing came of it but it made me feel better!

Basically don't worry about it, its just bruised and could be a small surface clot (nothing to worry about but can cause alot of pain). If it persists do go to the doctors as they can do something about it.

[stu2]

Hi biscuitlover :)

Thanks for your advice. It has been nearly 3 weeks since the blood test and my arm has began to calm down, the swelling has nearly gone, but still got bits of bruising.

I had that blood test done by a nurse at my docs, and I can honestly say I have never experienced anything quite as bad.

I nearly jumped through the ceiling when she took the needle out, it started swelling up straight away, and I knew i was in for a bit of pain with it but I didnt expect having a useless arm over Christmas. It spoilt things quite a bit. I wont let that nurse near me again

[klobie]

I found this thread because I had blood drawn yesterday and Im still in serious pain. I cant straighten my arm or lift anything without bad pain (and I have a high pain tolerance -- I have the painful hyper-mobility type of Ehlers-Danlos).
It feels like she punched the needle thru that tendon you feel inside your elbow when you tense it. Im not sure if this was my fault, like someone said in a previous post, I was tensed up when she did it. It doesnt matter how many thousands of times Ive gotten blood drawn, I still tense up and look away. But this has never happened to me before. I feel like she should have been able to avoid hitting it, but Im not a phlebotomist so what do I know.
Oh, and as of yet, I still dont have a bruise or any visual mark. Im really in pain though, I was worried. Hence, finding this thread.