Easier blood drawing.

[Julia1996]

Hi everyone. I just wanted to share this for those who have difficult/hard to get veins. Having blood drawn was always an ordeal for me.  My veins are very small and hard to get. No one could ever draw my blood without sticking me at least 4 times and no one can ever get a vein in my arm, they always have to take blood from my hand. On days I was having blood drawn I skipped my morning coffee and drank enough water to fill a lake and they still had trouble getting a vein. Tristan finally gave me a solution that works. When he was still in paramedic school he wanted to practice starting an IV  on someone . The minute Tyler and my dad saw the needle things they disappeared like a fart in the wind of course. I told him it was really hard to get my veins and he ran hot water over a washcloth and then held it on top of my hand for a couple of minutes. A nice vein popped right up. I told Tristan if he ever doubted that I loved him to remember that I let him stick an IV needle in me that I didn't need. It was kind of a gyp though because he didn't have any bags of solution, he only brought home some of the needle cartridge things. If I'm going to get stuck with a big ass IV needle at least give me some saline or something. Lol.  Anyway, I put one of those thermacare self heating wraps on my hand right before I leave the house for my lab appointment. When I remove the heatwrap there is always a good vein that has surfaced. I've done this the last 4 times I've had lab work done and it works every time. You don't have to use a heat wrap, I just do because it's easier. When I was in the hospital for my SRS they filled a rubber glove with hot water and tied it and I held that on top of my hand for a few minuets and that worked equally as well.

I used to dread having my blood drawn because it was such an ordeal but the heat trick has worked every time.

[lilcuddlymouse]

Did they never try using a butterfly needle on you? I always have to get it drawn from the bend in my elbow with the smallest needle they have, which is a butterfly needle. I have even smaller veins after a year on HRT than I used to because my blood pressure is so low with spiro. I've tried the hot water thing, but my veins seem to not care. 

[Julia1996]

Did they never try using a butterfly needle on you? I always have to get it drawn from the bend in my elbow with the smallest needle they have, which is a butterfly needle. I have even smaller veins after a year on HRT than I used to because my blood pressure is so low with spiro. I've tried the hot water thing, but my veins seem to not care. 

They always use a small gauge butterfly needle on me.

[MaryT]

I don't know whether it is appropriate when drawing blood for medical purposes but I remembered reading about how bodybuilders get their veins to stand out during contests.  After starving themselves of sugar for long periods, the bodybuilders would take sugar just before contests and that did the trick.  There is something about it in Step 6 on the campusmen dot com article

How to Get Bulging Veins Fast

However, if doctors want to analyse your blood, it might not be a good idea to deliberately boost your sugar levels.

[Jessica]

Hi Julia 🌸🌸🌸 I just read your post to my wife.  She is a specialist nurse at placing
PICC / midlines  and diabetics teaching.  This is well known in the medical field and valid.
I have had a butterfly needle used also on me, I love them above all.  I am like your dad and Tyler, I can't even watch it on tv, and they are painless!  One thing about butterfly needles is there is s fine line in gauge size, if it is too small it can damage the blood cells (hemolysis).

Hugs and smiles, Jess