Comments on: The complexities of drawing blood http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/complexities-of-drawing-blood.html medical blog Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:15:05 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/complexities-of-drawing-blood.html/comment-page-1#comment-113187 anonymous Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:54:12 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/the-complexities-of-drawing-blood.html#comment-113187 Fuck anyone that thinks its a stupid phobia. I don't have a problem with vaccine shots but I have a major problem with getting blood drawn. I had Too many traumatic visits to ER when I was a kid for accidents, and parents that told me to suck it up. You have 4 doctors hold you down to give you stitches right next to your eyeball and see how you react to medical procedures the rest of your life. Fuck anyone that thinks its a stupid phobia. I don’t have a problem with vaccine shots but I have a major problem with getting blood drawn. I had Too many traumatic visits to ER when I was a kid for accidents, and parents that told me to suck it up. You have 4 doctors hold you down to give you stitches right next to your eyeball and see how you react to medical procedures the rest of your life.

]]> By: danaigh http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/complexities-of-drawing-blood.html/comment-page-1#comment-91706 danaigh Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:54:52 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/the-complexities-of-drawing-blood.html#comment-91706 The last time I had a blood draw I was sitting in a chair watching the proceedure, trying to be rational as I was not able to control a general sense of horror encroaching. The nurse said, 'you don't look too well, come over & lay down'. Next thing I recall was looking up at frustrated faces as I lay on the floor. It's not a rational response but the body/mind seems to 'exit stage left' anyway. I need to get another blood test but will probably be dead before any blood is drawn. I just can't do it. End of story. The last time I had a blood draw I was sitting in a chair watching the proceedure, trying to be rational as I was not able to control a general sense of horror encroaching. The nurse said, ‘you don’t look too well, come over & lay down’. Next thing I recall was looking up at frustrated faces as I lay on the floor. It’s not a rational response but the body/mind seems to ‘exit stage left’ anyway. I need to get another blood test but will probably be dead before any blood is drawn. I just can’t do it. End of story.

]]> By: Bijoux http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/complexities-of-drawing-blood.html/comment-page-1#comment-86127 Bijoux Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:21:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/the-complexities-of-drawing-blood.html#comment-86127 One more thing!<br/>I have had needle phobia all of my life but I have done many different therapies to combat it.<br/>The best advise to someone who has to deal with a needle but is afraid and might faint...is to tighten all the muscles in one of your legs and release it and then tighten it again during the procedure. Do this while you are lying down. If you have a sensitive vaso-vagil nerve, then this exercise will help you not faint. And you MUST tell your tech ahead of time about your fainting...even if they aren't compassionate or understanding they do not want you to move during the procedure so they will assist in helping you lay down. One more thing!
I have had needle phobia all of my life but I have done many different therapies to combat it.
The best advise to someone who has to deal with a needle but is afraid and might faint…is to tighten all the muscles in one of your legs and release it and then tighten it again during the procedure. Do this while you are lying down. If you have a sensitive vaso-vagil nerve, then this exercise will help you not faint. And you MUST tell your tech ahead of time about your fainting…even if they aren’t compassionate or understanding they do not want you to move during the procedure so they will assist in helping you lay down.

]]> By: Bijoux http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/complexities-of-drawing-blood.html/comment-page-1#comment-85652 Bijoux Sat, 17 May 2008 15:27:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/the-complexities-of-drawing-blood.html#comment-85652 I am astonished at the number of people who seem to think that people ith blood and needle phobia should just stop whining and get over the "little needle stick". <br/>Obviously, they do not understand phobia's. <br/>People afraid of needles and blood can faint and have seizures which in turn can be life threatening in this situation. Telling someone to "buck up" is the worst thing to do for a phobic patient. They can't.<br/>If patients aren't losing consciousness, they can become combative as well...which is not safe for them or the tech. <br/>People, get real...compassion and understanding for the patient come first! I am astonished at the number of people who seem to think that people ith blood and needle phobia should just stop whining and get over the “little needle stick”.
Obviously, they do not understand phobia’s.
People afraid of needles and blood can faint and have seizures which in turn can be life threatening in this situation. Telling someone to “buck up” is the worst thing to do for a phobic patient. They can’t.
If patients aren’t losing consciousness, they can become combative as well…which is not safe for them or the tech.
People, get real…compassion and understanding for the patient come first!

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/complexities-of-drawing-blood.html/comment-page-1#comment-81084 Anonymous Wed, 17 Oct 2007 20:38:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/the-complexities-of-drawing-blood.html#comment-81084 Overcoming needle phobia is not as simple as turning ones head away and putting ones thoughts elsewhere. I never knew of the existence of needle phobia until I met my husband, who is 6'5" and a professional athlete. His experience is really physiological wherein in its not the pain but the process and he gets dizzy and hot before the process even begins, he has even passed out. It's not at all rational behavior it only a little needle. I have to admit it is hard for me to understand but I can't deny the way he feels and the turmoil he goes through before taking a blood test. Overcoming needle phobia is not as simple as turning ones head away and putting ones thoughts elsewhere. I never knew of the existence of needle phobia until I met my husband, who is 6′5″ and a professional athlete. His experience is really physiological wherein in its not the pain but the process and he gets dizzy and hot before the process even begins, he has even passed out. It’s not at all rational behavior it only a little needle. I have to admit it is hard for me to understand but I can’t deny the way he feels and the turmoil he goes through before taking a blood test.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/complexities-of-drawing-blood.html/comment-page-1#comment-77741 Anonymous Mon, 16 Jul 2007 18:55:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/the-complexities-of-drawing-blood.html#comment-77741 There are people that can get blood very easily, and should be little pain involved. I have been a Lab Tech for over 20 years now, and I still miss people on occassion, but I have alot of sympathy for them, and I am really sorry when I can not find their veins. Anyone trying to collect blood should be able to sympathize with their patients. Where I went to school we had to train on one another, before we stuck real patients. So, I know what it's like to be stuck alot. From my school experience I do not let any one draw blood from my left arm, because when we were in training, someone hurt that arm, so bad that it was painful for almost a month. So, if someone is trying to draw your blood and they tell you to stop whining, request to speak to their supervisor, or go some place else, because they are evidently not a professional. Do not put up with that kind of treatment from anyone. There are people that can get blood very easily, and should be little pain involved. I have been a Lab Tech for over 20 years now, and I still miss people on occassion, but I have alot of sympathy for them, and I am really sorry when I can not find their veins. Anyone trying to collect blood should be able to sympathize with their patients. Where I went to school we had to train on one another, before we stuck real patients. So, I know what it’s like to be stuck alot. From my school experience I do not let any one draw blood from my left arm, because when we were in training, someone hurt that arm, so bad that it was painful for almost a month. So, if someone is trying to draw your blood and they tell you to stop whining, request to speak to their supervisor, or go some place else, because they are evidently not a professional. Do not put up with that kind of treatment from anyone.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/complexities-of-drawing-blood.html/comment-page-1#comment-72914 Anonymous Thu, 15 Mar 2007 23:23:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/the-complexities-of-drawing-blood.html#comment-72914 Carol is exactly the type of person that makes a phlebotomists life that much tougher.<br/>Phlebotomists are now trained and certified to so the job, at least where I come from. Pleezzze be quiet and let them do their job. Carol is exactly the type of person that makes a phlebotomists life that much tougher.
Phlebotomists are now trained and certified to so the job, at least where I come from. Pleezzze be quiet and let them do their job.

]]> By: emmy http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/complexities-of-drawing-blood.html/comment-page-1#comment-72833 emmy Tue, 13 Mar 2007 20:51:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/the-complexities-of-drawing-blood.html#comment-72833 Waaa, Waaaa! Y'all never get cancer! It's a hundred million needles and then you stop counting. And inevitably you will get the idiot who couldn't draw from a fire hose. But it is only a stick and I hear that it is very rare that anyone dies from it. Waaa, Waaaa! Y’all never get cancer! It’s a hundred million needles and then you stop counting. And inevitably you will get the idiot who couldn’t draw from a fire hose. But it is only a stick and I hear that it is very rare that anyone dies from it.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/complexities-of-drawing-blood.html/comment-page-1#comment-72809 Anonymous Tue, 13 Mar 2007 05:50:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/the-complexities-of-drawing-blood.html#comment-72809 Compassion and a little patience goes a long ways. My guess is that most of the "stickers" have not had significant numbers of sticks themselves. Having been a cancer patient, I can attest to the difference in methods and attitudes of the "stickers".<br/><br/>It is just another un-necessary pain in an already crowded landscape. Compassion and a little patience goes a long ways. My guess is that most of the “stickers” have not had significant numbers of sticks themselves. Having been a cancer patient, I can attest to the difference in methods and attitudes of the “stickers”.

It is just another un-necessary pain in an already crowded landscape.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/03/complexities-of-drawing-blood.html/comment-page-1#comment-72669 Anonymous Thu, 08 Mar 2007 19:35:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2007/03/the-complexities-of-drawing-blood.html#comment-72669 Well, I hate to break it to you but even people who are really good at drawing blood miss from time to time. You are probably increasing the odds that the person is going to miss when you give them a lecture before they begin. I have only had one adult cry when I drew blood and it was the patient with the tattoo who I approached with a butterfly needle. I think most of us, doctors and nurses included, have experienced having someone dig around for a vein. While I can't say it's the most pleasant experience in the world it's certainly nothing to cry over. Well, I hate to break it to you but even people who are really good at drawing blood miss from time to time. You are probably increasing the odds that the person is going to miss when you give them a lecture before they begin. I have only had one adult cry when I drew blood and it was the patient with the tattoo who I approached with a butterfly needle. I think most of us, doctors and nurses included, have experienced having someone dig around for a vein. While I can’t say it’s the most pleasant experience in the world it’s certainly nothing to cry over.

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