What happens when you get blood taken?

I had blood taken at the doctors office today. It didn't go too well. I've never been too good with blood, especially my own. The put the needle into my arm, but couldn't get any blood from it, so they had to take it out and get it from the back of my hand. I got really light headed and "went all casper on them" (that's what the lab tech said, in other words I was ghost white). Then I threw up. They moved me into another room and laid me down. They put wet paper towels and ice on me, I was sweating like crazy.

So what happens when YOU get blood taken?

I'm not sure what happens, but I had to get a blood checked yesterday due to my thyroid. My thyroid quit working so they have to make sure I'm at the normal thyroid level, but when they take the blood out it usually never bothers me.

Maybe you have low blood or something.

I hope you feel better now.

I always ask them to let me go in the children's room. It feels more comfortable, and you get to lay down, whereas in the adult room you can only sit on a chair. They put an elastic on my arm and take the blood. The first time I had my blood taken, it hurt really bad. I had a panic attack. I couldn't breathe and just cried. Now whenever I get a blood test I use an Emla patch to numb my arm. You can't feel a thing. You never even know the needle is in there. Luckily, the doctor says my vein is really easy to see, so she doesn't have to poke around to find it.

If you ever have to get your blood taken again, get the Emla patch or Emla cream, and dont look while it's being done. Just close your eyes and look away. You'll never know there's a needle in your arm. :) I'm terrified of needles, and the Emla patch makes me really confident.

I had to give 2 pints of blood before my knee replacement surgery. Giving blood doesn't bother me. I just watch them take it out. I'm also not afraid of needles.

It doesn't bother me at all unless the person stabs my arm with the needle lol. But that doesn't happen often.

:rolleyes: I have an aunt and uncle who are paramedics, and another aunt and uncle who are both nurses so I've been doomed into "I don't care"-ness, and "oh, thats all?" since birth lol.

It doesn't bother me at all.

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Originally posted by LKPike
[BIt doesn't bother me at all. [/B]

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Me either. In fact because i have a rare blood type, I let them take blood regularly. :)

I absolutely hate giving blood. The feeling just makes me cringe. The last time I had to give blood the lady couldn't find my vein, and when she did my vein kind of bubbled up? Not sure how to explain it, but she had to take it out and do it over. She must have did it like 5 times.

I try and do it for organizations and such, and I want to do it for school but im so terrified of giving blood.

I've had so many IV's and so much blood taken, I've gotten used to it. It used to be so routine to me.

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. :( Hope you're feeling better now.

I used to be terrified of needles as a kid. I think that's because I was always being stuck, having my blood checked and stuff cuz of a kidney problem.

Now it doesn't bother me at all. In fact, I'd rather have them take it out of my arm them prick my finger!!

For some reason when I was younger, getting blood was always a task, finding my veins, but after having the children I have no problem, I always get really nervous before it though, but then I get nervous about everything lol, or excited , not sure which it is, both feel the same to me, but usually I have no problems, I never watch the needle going in though.

my daughter is excellent with needles, she is not even scared, way braver than me, she has had quite a few scarey hospital experiences, where needles and drips were needed, and for some reason it has not created a phobia of them, quite the opposite.
Donna funny you should mention the finger pricks, because that is what my daughter remembers most, she had those done a few times a day, she was only four at the time and she still remembers how awful it was, the drips and others things did not bother her near as much.

Some people just faint at the sight of blood, I am sure you are not unusal in your experience, just hope next time things go a little better for you, cheers.

I handle it pretty well, which is a good thing since I have to get blood tests every 3 months for my life.

Last week was the first time they've ever had trouble. I think it was just the nurse because she seemed young and inexperienced. She made sure I was okay and was SO nice about it so I didn't freak out at all. I got really nervous when she said she was going to try my hand. I started to shake but she calmed me down and it was fine. She rolled over my vein and couldn't get it from my hand either. She didn't want to stick me again so she got my doctor who came and did it on the first try. Other than a bruise on my hand, it was all fine and good. I didn't mind at all that I had to be poked 4 times.

So yeah, I don't have too many problems with it. I just can't watch. I turn my head the opposite direction and concentrate on something else.

I have to give myself shots and prick my finger several times a day as well. Right now they feel like pin cushions because I've been doing it a lot lately. Before I was diabetic, I never thought I'd be able to do any of that. I almost fainted when I just saw a boy's diabetic supplies in high school. But you gotta do what you gotta do and I'm fine with it now.

I must have good veins, because I'm in and out in ten seconds flat. Then I stop and treat myself to a water ice or something - must keep that sugar level up! ;)

Well I'm fine with needles but not with loss of blood. Thanks to my anemia I pass out pretty quickly with any loss of blood. That or I get an instant migraine.

tomorrow i'm scheduled to give one pint o positive blood at 7pm. not my favorite thing really, but someones' gotta do it.;)

I close my eyes and don't look! I had the same reaction as you. The first time I had my blood taken when I was a kid, my dad was a lab tech and took my blood in our kitchen - I passed out! Ever since that day, I just don't look and tell them to get it over with as quickly as possible.

I also donate blood, I guess im one of the fortunate ones that it doesnt bother at all.
Besides if you give a pint of blood you get free orange juice and little debbie snacks and an occasional t- shirt.

I passed out cold when I had my pre-marriage blood test. In retrospect, I should have taken it as an omen. :D

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Originally posted by CatsinDenver
I passed out cold when I had my pre-marriage blood test.

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There's a pre-marriage blood test? :eek: Does everyone have to get a blood test before they get married? Or is that just something they have in the states?

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Originally posted by CatsinDenver
I passed out cold when I had my pre-marriage blood test. In retrospect, I should have taken it as an omen. :D

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Now that's funny.:D :D

I cannot donate blood, but if it's taken for testing, I can't look
or I pass out cold. I turn my head away & talk to them the whole
time.:)

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Originally posted by wolfsoul
There's a pre-marriage blood test? :eek: Does everyone have to get a blood test before they get married? Or is that just something they have in the states?

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I think most states have eliminated the blood test requirement--I got married back in the early 1980s.

I have had so many needles in my life and am also an RN, so needles are nothing to me - though I DO have to look so I am not startled by the stick (and to make sure their technique is good;) )

But, I took in my then 16-17 year old son for some bloodwork...a big football player type. He turned "caspar" too! A few minutes later we were walking down the hall...and suddenly I was walking alone. He had passed out back behind me :eek:

Hubby is also awful about needles. He needs draws regularly because he has thyroid disease - but is always late and I usually have to drag him in:p

Everyone is different about pain and the types of pain. I think the only things that really *hurt* me are migraines, nerve pain from sciatica or pinched disk and arterial blood gas sticks. I had my three kids and then got up and went home. It simply did not hurt me. I also am a wreck when I have nausea or a stuffed nose.:rolleyes:

I look away when the needle is put in my arm.

I'm fascinated with it and must watch. I just think it's cool to watch my blood shooting into the tube. :)

Recently, I've had some rather serious health problems and have had a lot of blood work, CT scans with dye (they inject it in an IV), and have been in the hospital enough times that none of it bothers me anymore. :/

I just had blood taken the other day.. Reckon I am a old hand at it, I watch them stick me and watch the blood fill the tubes. I find it facinating to watch. The have to use the butterfly needle on me, the big ones just make my vains roll and I tell them if I see them pull out the big ones that THAT won't work on me, they have to use the butterfly needle. One lab teck told me that after years of poking the same vains, they get scarred up and that is why the big needles make mine roll with the big needles.

My sister does the turning pale, getting dizzy and almost passing out stuff like you do. She is scared of needles, I am not.. Is that because I sew and she don't? Who knows!

No big deal for me. It's always difficult to find a good vein, but I always try to relax! Being a "blabber-lady" sure helps ;) :p ;)

I was 14 and had to have blood taken twice a few months prior to surgery I was going to have.

The first time went smoothly.

The second time....well... they took the blood and I remember leaning my head against the wall. Then I felt fuzzy.

When I woke up I was on the floor and I felt nauseous.

I had had a seizure. :eek:

Ever since then, I have to lay flat when getting an IV or giving blood because I'll pass out.

Haven't had a seizure since though.

Even so, I'm not a big fan of needles because of what had happened.

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Originally posted by Laura's Babies
I just had blood taken the other day.. Reckon I am a old hand at it, I watch them stick me and watch the blood fill the tubes. I find it facinating to watch. The have to use the butterfly needle on me, the big ones just make my vains roll and I tell them if I see them pull out the big ones that THAT won't work on me, they have to use the butterfly needle. One lab teck told me that after years of poking the same vains, they get scarred up and that is why the big needles make mine roll with the big needles.

My sister does the turning pale, getting dizzy and almost passing out stuff like you do. She is scared of needles, I am not.. Is that because I sew and she don't? Who knows!

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My husband likes to watch it too.
Yeah, they had to use a butterfly needle on me too.
I'm not really afraid of needles, it's the blood. In high school I had several piercings and I have a tattoo, but only one of the piercings bothered me and that's because it was bleeding, and the tattoo hardly bothered me at all. Yesterday I told them I wasn't good with blood and I didn't watch, but I knew what they were doing and I could feel it so I had a hard time. Next time I'll ask if I can lay down while they do it.

When I get blood drawn.... I get really, really light-headed, so bad that i have to lay down when they are doing it!:rolleyes:

WHEN I NEED BLOOD WORK DONE, THE PHLEBOTEMIST HAS TO USE A BUTTERFLY NEEDLE ON ME. IT WORKS EVERY TIME.:D I CAN ONLY USE ONE ARM, BECAUSE I HAD BREAST CANCER IN MY RIGHT BREAST. MY DOCTOR SAID I HAVE TO AVOID GIVING BLOOD IN MY RIGHT ARM BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE INFECTIONS. THE LYMPH NODES WERE REMOVED UNDER MY RIGHT ARM, AND THAT FIGHTS INFECTIONS. I KNOW, TOO MUCH INFORMATION. BUTIT IS GOOD INFO. I AM A CA SURVIVER 10 YEARS NOW!!:D

I have very small veins that are hard to see, so it's difficult to get any blood out of me. I am also anemic...I've never passed out but I have come very close. Last time (And it will probably remain the last time because of this) someone in the room with me threw up....I have a SEVERE phobia...Fortunately, they had just bandaged my arm, because I blacked out and didn't get back to myself until I was almost out to the parking lot.

My best friend was wonderful, he drove his car illegally to come retrieve me, then took me home and fed me.

*Shudder* never again...

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Originally posted by Chica
I AM A CA SURVIVER 10 YEARS NOW!!:D

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That's great. Congrats! :)

Yes very inspiring to hear about your ten years cancer free, my mother has had breast cancer too, and is two years all clear so far, fingers crossed.