I HATE BLOOD TESTS

Yes @MicheleR I think I might have to . The thought of going back there is icky.  Might have a word with the manager of Melb path where I went yesterday too.  Not good enough. 
Caz xx

Hi @Caz1, 

I have a blood and needle phobia. I have been known to faint and frequently want to run away.  Have had it for about 40 years and has been a challenge during treatment. I had to have people in surgery hold my hand whilst anaesthetic given as ready to leap off the table and run away.  I fainted on the toilet after my mastectomy seeing drains.  When i had my port put in, my surgeon made sure i was first on the list to make sure i didnt do fainting or have excessive anxiety. Forst chemo my husband stayed to distract me. 

I have found that if i say in the pathology places that this is the case they generally get the most experienced person in the place because no-one wants to cause a faint or make it more unpleasant than it has to be.   They lay the chair back for me and talk to me about pleasant things.

By the sounds of it you are now having anxiety from all the bad experiences so it wouldnt be a lie to say that you fear getting blood drawn. Its very insensitive in my view that they dont help you. Can you go somewhere else? 

@AllyJay she certainly does sound lovely  :)

I will think of these women as Dracula’s brides haha at least I will cheer myself up.....and I will try to be more courageous next time

@June1952 yes I’m seriously considering going somewhere else. 

@Afraser I did that too once, but unfortunately the manager wasn’t there today.  Maybe that’s why I got the crap service.  
I mean, surely it is basic training for path collectors to know about this. 

@arpie, last time  I drank so much water so my blood would flow easily that my onco  asked me what was up with my kidneys and was I drinking heaps of water?! She advised me to drink Gatorade before my tests instead of drinking gallons of water, I guess she’s seen it all! I also put a heat pack on the vein about 10 minutes beforehand. And even take a Panadol in preparation beforehand if I remember ...the Lengths we go to to avoid trauma, eh?

@Zoffiel heaven forbid I have ticklish feet!!!!!!!

Thanks for your support ladies, I knew I wasn’t the only one. You girls give me strength!!!!

Caz xxxxxx
..

I can certainly identify with you. I've been on warfarin (blood thinner) for over twenty years now, and need my blood taken on average once a week or once a fortnight if things are stable. When I was diagnosed with the cancer, they put in a port as my veins were, to put it mildly...rather fornicated. Although I still have my port for hospital use, the phlebotomists at the pathology labs are not port certified, and I too only have the one arm that can be used. I go to the same place each time, and insist on the same lady taking my blood. I've had more than a few of Dracula's Brides poking, stabbing and generally stuffing up in the past, and I don't give a toss about hurting their fragile egos. I make sure I'm not dry, and also, while waiting. I keep my right arm dangling straight down so the blood pools in that arm. My lovely lady then rubs my best looking vein in steady strokes from upper arm to fingers. She then palpates the vein with eyes open. Then she closes her eyes and feels ever so carefully the best spot, opens her eyes and then slips in an infant sized butterfly needle. She gets it in first shot every time. Hope some of this info may help.

I ask if there are any staff who can use the veins in my feet if I have to use a pathology service. BC V2 my veins were so fucked I had a port in, but most units can't access them

Oh dear, I am so sorry .... some blood people actually make Dracula ‘look good’!

I had one where they missed the vein completely and squirted it into the tissue .... then had to try again in the vein!  :( 

you are within your rights to ask to ask for someone good

always make sure you are well hydrated before going in so the veins are as plump as they can be!!  Even if you are nil by mouth ( but double check)

I don’t mind blood tests but my tolerance for trained staff who won’t/can’t acknowledge my veins are fugitive and fossick around with a needle is about zero now. One arm useable only and eight years on, hitting a vein successfully takes some basic skill. I had one unfortunate at my local pathology centre and I didn’t hint, I just politely indicated to the manager that I could not have that particular staff member again. And that was that. Just be firm! 

@June1952 we definitely need more of those ladies around. I don’t think some nurses understand just how painful it can be. One of my thick woolly jumpers got saturated by blood in the winter from a blood test jab. Went right through the bandage and then the jumper, big ball of blood. Mind you, I had that test to see why I was bleeding so much from needle jabs and bruising 😆😂🤦🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️

Oh I can relate. My good veins are on my bc side so can’t use them after axilla clearance. One good vein on non bc side has been stuck ( I counted) 28 times this year and cannulated 6 times. This week I had my 3 monthly CT and my trusty vein gave up. I lost it after a few attempts of shoving and manipulating and shed a few tears. I am so tired of all this. Then the waiting for the CT results. Aaahhh!!!