United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

thank you kath. i just found out that i also have osteoporosis. my doctor wants some blood work for that and some other things too. where should i get the blood drawn from if not from my arms? is it the thigh? i am also having another type of bone scan just to make sure this other test is correct. finding out about the osteoporosis scares me because of the OT i am going through. i really do not want my fingers or wrist to break. my therapist does not know about this as i just found out this morning. i will talk to her this afternoon. i had no clue about this because i have never had a broken bone in my life except a broken thumb many years ago.

jmar, you can get blood drawn form your foot. (not thigh). But I would let them try in your right arm first, even though it has never been your "good" arm for blood draws. Let them try 2-3x, then if they can't go for the foot. Not a pleasant place to do it, but it works.

sounds very painful but i will try that thanks

You can also ask for the IV Team (if they have one) or for an anasthesiologist to come and try..

My husband went through a period where he was having blood draws multiple times a week to track his medication levels. All his veins were collapsed and it was a nightmare to find a good vein. He was told to request a NICU nurse (I think it was) since they can find even the tiniest of veins in the gentlest of ways. That worked every time

Kate

Kate
That is a great suggestion, NICU nurses are amazing. I was always amazed how they could get blood from my granddaughters on the first stick. I did not think they could take blood from thigh but you can get injections and iv in the leg but extremely painful.

The IV teams cringe when they try to stick me. The cardiologist said they needed a weeks vacation after they found the veins (finally) to use last time...LOL.. All of my blood tests at the labs are taken from the top of my good hand. They use a butterfly needle to take them...

Ask for a NICU nurse all they can do is say no. Good luck! Hope you can get the right person to stick you.

I remember my veins got that way too from a while from all the iv's and blood draws. If you can believe it, I awoke from one surgery and counted 15 puncture marks from them trying to get the iv in. I was a cranky patient in the ICU that day.
I'm still amazed on how the pain of an IV being "installed" really depends on the nurse doing it. Sometimes it hurts a lot or it takes a lot of tries, and sometimes you don't even feel the needle going in. There was one really amazing nurse at Mayo that I wish I could keep on call any time I need an IV. You could sleep through her sticking a needle in......she was that good

Having worked in the NICU, yes it's true.. we can usually get a vein on anyone! I did it my first day in the NICU and was happy I was able to.

well, i just got home from my blood draw! they told me they had to have a dr order to get it from my foot. there was a student nurse there and i asked for a more experienced person. this woman not only got blood out of my right hand the first stick, after i walked across the hospital, my hand started gushing blood. i had to go back and get them to stop the bleeding. wow she was too good

WOW marieke you must be really good if you can do a blood draw with one bad arm