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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic

Need veins for blood draws. All mine are destoyed

ryand123

ryand123

Bluelighter
Joined
Jul 8, 2011
Messages
206
I heavily IVd a lot of drugs over the course if 4 years. Mostly heroin, but a ton of suboxone strips and subutex. And the worst thing i used to mix my shots with diphenhydramine gel caps (unisom). This led to severe sclerosis and ultimately the collapsing of all my veins in both arms, both hands, and both feet. Getting blood drawn for routine tests is a nightmare now. Even going to the ER the few times i have had to go, the ultrasound vein finding machines failed at finding veins so they have ended up using the vein under my collarbone (subclavian vein i think). I need some blood tests done soon and none of the nurses can hit me or even find anything despite really trying (yeah it effin hurts). What the hell do i do?
 
That sucks man, sorry for that. Since they needed to use an ultrasound at the hospital, can you tell your doctor this happened? I would hate to see you go in and the nurse not being able to find a vein.
 
I feel your pain man. They always have trouble hitting me too.
 
Oh, man. I'm pretty much in the same boat. I had to have surgery and the doctor inserted a picc line into my subclavian. The sensation of having something punched through your chest wall is :!

If it's just for blood draws, IMO, it's all about the skill of the person sticking you. I've been poked for hours in the ER, but the last time I had a blood draw at the doctor's office, the MA was able to do it first shot with a butterfly needle. How she found that vein was a mystery to me, I didn't know it was there!
 
I've been stuck 20+ times to the point where I'm like give me the damn needle I know I can hit lol
 
Undoubtedly lol, low blood pressure and shitty veins will make any phlebotomist cringe.
 
I really dont know what to do at this point. I myself am a phlebotomist ironically. I have a vein in my ankle that is visible every now and then but in the cold rooms of the doctors office and ER it doesnt pop out. Does anyone know if a general practitioner can send an order to a hospital for bood tests, that way my subclavian can be used if neccesary?
 
Have you tried a hot compress on that vein in your ankle?
 
And i have had ONE nurse in my lifetime hit my cephalic on the upper bicep. Dont know how she found it. But since then ive done more damage to my veins and think it has gone for good. And yeah the compresses dont seem to help, if i am very hot and sweaty it will appear somewhat, but i cant go for a run aand then get my blood drawn 10 min after i stop, so it goes away. Didnt mean to double post but my phone wouldnt let me edit my previous one.
 
Yeah that sucks, I do feel your pain, gets really bad in the summer when I get tan.
 
I have the same problem. They even put a port in me, but it flipped a few months later so it's inaccessible and my old surgeon left the area and the new one refuses to replace it. Your doctor should be able to give you lab orders you can take anywhere you want, including the hospital. Call ahead before you go to find out if they can do an arterial stick in the lab or if you have to go to the ER for that. Arterial sticks are the only way they can get blood from me for labs, and it's usually a respiratory therapist that does them. Like I said, even the lab at the hospital might not do them (mine wouldn't even access my port the few months it did work), so I always have to go to the ER for labs. Pain in the ass, but that's the price we pay for abusing our bodies beyond repair :p
 
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