Blown Out Veins Drama

I have been getting weekly CBC blood tests for six months and my veins are getting blown out. I recently did four rounds of IV Rituxan and they had a really hard time getting into my arms. At the last treatment, it took them six times to sink the IV! Last week I was in the hospital for emergency platelet transfusions and IVIG and it was just as bad.

Here is the problem: Every time I get a blood test or IV, I tell the plebotomist that my veins are really scarred. I show them the places to stay away from and they never listen to me. They just stick and stick until they find something. I look like someone beat my arms with a baseball bat. Does anyone else have this problem? I don't understand why they don't listen to me - I know I'm not a plebotomist, but I do know my body and I am very, very familiar with the veins so damaged they won't be able to get in.

Krissy:

I guess I'm lucky because the people who draw my blood usually ask me which spot is good. I don't normally have the same phlebotomist either. I have scar tissue from years of blood draws. I once had to get an IV and they were ready to use my foot (luckily, I stopped that!) One thing I did early on to prevent this problem was to try and spread out the CBC's as much as possible. I actually negotiated this with my hemo at times. I once was hanging in the 20's for months and he wanted weekly CBC's. I said I'd prefer every other week and he just smiled and said okay, so that's what I did. Once you get a handle on how you respond to treatments or you are stable for a while, you can sometimes spread them out.

I have the same problem too. After 17 years of blood work, IVs, PICC lines, mid stream lines and such I finally got my PORT. I love my port. You can draw blood from it and get meds in it. It will leave a small scar on your chest, but if you find you are finished with all the pokes, ask your doctor for a PORT. They can last for years too!

Can you get the plebotomist to do draws with the smaller butterfly needle? It makes a difference. I always ask for it and they will usually honor my request.

I had one of those multiple stick days with Winrho IV, after using the hand, the forearm and the elbow, the hemo's office went across the hall to the Hospitals cancer infusion center and got another nurse to try. Eventually, the forearm was my best bet for infusions. I have much better luck if I drink lots of water and juice in the 2-3 hours before the draw or infusion. Avoid caffinated beverages or add lots of water in between on infusion days.

I've had itp for nine years and I was the same way I had one spot for nine years and eventually was all scar tissue I have horrible veins anyway I got a new doc last year he walked in my hospital room one morning and they had the needle in my wrist he had a fir cause apparently it can paralyze you if fine improperly so the next week I got a port have had it for seven months and I love it it did hurt like hell the first couple of days because they had to go through my jugular vein since they couldn't get a vein but you honestly forget its there

Thank you all for your feedback! I've only been diagnosed with ITP for a year, but it sure feels like it has been a lifetime. My regular clinic uses the butterfly needles with me and they still have a difficult time getting into a vein. I see my hematologist early next week and I will talk to him about the possibility of having a port put in. I have a feeling that I have a long road ahead of me with treatments and blood tests and it is better to be proactive :pinch: Thank you again!