vein problem? | Arthritis Information

Anyone else have a problem with your veins? The nurse/doctors have a hard time getting blood...and also have a problem getting a vein for Orencia.

I drink a ton of water, and use a hotpack........frustrating.

Yup, I have similar problems with my veins. Whenever I have labwork, blood drawn, they always use a butterfly needle (its small) and use the top of my hand.

When I had remicade infusions, I would only let certain nurses insert the IV needle, and if they weren't there, I would ask for IV therapy. (I was at a hospital's outpatient unit) I've learned over the years to speak up and not let someone less skilled repeatedly poke me -- I know, from years of experiences, that I'm a hard stick.

When I've had surgeries or been hospitalized, I also request IV therapy. This last time I went into the hospital, the IV therapist used ultrasound to locate a vein.

I too drink plenty of water and try to keep warm, and just hope I've got a skilled person drawing my blood or inserting a IV needle. I agree it is frustrating and causes anxiety. I must say though, there are some very good "needle" people out there -- thank goodness.

Last infusion it took the IV nurse 3 times before she passed it to another one. She then got snippy and said I don't drink enough. I have one cup of coffee in the morning, and about 12 glasses of water a day. I happen to like drinking water It definitely causes anxiety as I don't like people to get aggrivated when I'm doing what I can do.....sh*tty veins..
I go once a month and it's always a struggle to find my viens. There has been maybe one nurse who has been able to do it without poking me a million times or leaving me all bruised up. My thing is my veins roll. It's a clever talent I inherited from my dad. Does anyone elses veins do that. When I was in the ER this last time the nurse there tried once on my arm in the bend part and then said I hate to do it but I will have to start one in this vein here just above the wrist and said it's probably the most painful place to start one and boy was she right. Darn it I am not a person taken to swearing but man I think I may have said a few colorful metaphors with that one.
Yeah I have also gotten the frustration and made to feel like I am not cooperating but what can I do.

Edited to fix errors again (rolling eyeballs)
mom2threeinaz2009-03-22 16:49:11You are doing what I've heard of- drinking lots of water to be hydrated. I'm one of the lucky ones with large, visible veins that give blood eagerly. I've heard some people with your situation have either butterfly or pediatric needles used. Have they tried those? Hi Debra, are you on pred, the Drs tell me that my veins have collapsed due to prednisone, I have at least 4 tries when receiving a drip, they usually have to go to my inner elbow which is really annoying when wearing a drip, you have to try and keep your arm straight or the lne keeps getting kinked, and my Rituxan infusions take 40 hours! regards Janie. Yup, rolling,deep veins here. And of course I hear deep veins and I really stress cause I'm thinking...damn, I know I'm overweight, I don't need to hear that, lol. They also use the butterfly/pediatric needles. Guess I'm doing all I can do. Thanks. I was hoping for some miracle, lolI used to have that problem...I solved it by getting a port. I did all the usual tricks finally to no avail...no vein would hold an IV needle without blowing. When I went in for the port they had to start an IV and the nurses were rather snotty insisting they could find one where the infusion nurses couldn't. It took 3 nurses, 45 minutes and 6 sticks before one could get started. All 3 nurses conceeded a port was a good idea.

I love the port..I can deal with the momentary sharp poke to access the port far easier than the multiple sticks it took to get a very iffy line going in my hands

teeeny tiny rolling veins that hide. They are very visible but there are techs who just cant hit them.

I need a pediactric butterfly needle.

There is one "tech" at the hospital who I have actually told." No offense, you are a nice lady, but I can not let you try to draw my blood." she will slap at my arm for 5 minutes or scrub at it with an alcohol wipe trying to find a vein. When t she THINKS she has one she usually misses about 3 times and then calls for help anyway.

now I just go to the lab and ask them to call Kathy or charlie in.. they both take about 30 seconds to do the whole job with me.

For some reason my nurse Joanie at the dr office has missed the last 3 infusions.. my veins simply wont cooperate, and its very upsetting for us both since she takes pride in her skill at finding the right vein first time every time.. She keeps apologizing, and she reaslly doesnt need to.. it isnt her fault.

I've been on both ends... forever a challenge as a patient... no matter what my weight over a lifetime, hard to find my veins... 40years as a nurse... usually one of the best at IVs, but not always.. (no ego about it, I'd call for help, for patient's sake).

CathyMarie

I have questions about the port, since I know absolutely nothing about them. Where are they located? What maintenance to you have to do? How about swimming, like in lakes or rivers?

Thanks
I'd be interested in knowing more about a port too. The last time I was in the hospital and they were having difficulty with my veins, they mentioned a port. I may in the future have to resort to one. [QUOTE=CathyMarie]I've been on both ends... forever a challenge as a patient... no matter what my weight over a lifetime, hard to find my veins... 40years as a nurse... usually one of the best at IVs, but not always.. (no ego about it, I'd call for help, for patient's sake). I can't count the number of times I've suffered through blood work. What I hate most is when you are telling the nurse my veins are hard to find and she still pokes you 4 times or more just to prove she can find that doggone vein and then has to get someone who actually can find, usually on the first time.
Would be great if there were more nurses like you.
My port is located in my left upper chest about 2 inches below the collerbone. To put it in is a very quick outpatient procedure. I think I was there at 7 and home by 10. The very small incision heals quickly.

The nurses need to use extra sterile caution when accessing the port. The wear a mask and use sterile needles and such from a kit. The needle is about an inch long and bends at a 90 degree angle. It is designed to reach the back of the port. It only takes them one try. For me the poke is sharp but its so quick that it is much better than trying an insertion on the back of the hand.

Once accessed they flush the port with saline unless they are also drawing blood which they draw first. After the infusion the port is again flushed with saline and then heperin to prevent it from clotting up. It needs to be flushed at least every 8 weeks whether you use it or not. My infusion nurses flush it for me in between rituxan infusions. If you are on orencia or remicade then it gets flushed often enough

While the port protrudes a bit I never notice its there . Swimming is fine the only real risk is while it is being accessed.

buckeye2009-03-23 14:22:39I go thru the same when they take my blood. One time they used my wrist after I told then not to mess with the hands. But there are some people who get it the first time. I always remind them to use the butterfly thing. I think it is experience and patience to find the vein. Yeah, when they can't find it, they seem to get attitute--like that is going to help the situation.

Do you need specially trained person to access the port or can all of them do it?

Catnip... I probably shouldn't be answering this since I haven't worked in a normal nursing job for over 10 years (last position was as forensic nurse). But when I got RA and nursing was too physically demanding, I did take half of a course to become certified as an Infusion Nurse until I discovered there are only 8hr day positions. But that makes me think that either you go to an ambulatory care center where you only stay hours and the nurses are trained, or if having home care, you definitely have an Infusion Nurse. It is not the training for a simple starting-an-IV procedure, that all nurses get. Unless, things have changed since I was there.

CathyMarie

Everybody....

From experience on both sides of the butterfly, about the best help to getting veins to plump up better, especially in the hand, is heat... more than the little heat pack and for a longer time than they usually do. Instead of just applying heat on top, I find it is best to soak my hands in hot water for minutes. Of course, I make sure I've had lots of fluids, like all of you too, and I try the gravity thing of hanging my hands down. RA won't let me pump a fist like they sometimes ask, if they don't know me. Even my regular gal that draws my blood every 8 weeks sometimes has a hard time. Now, I go into the restroom first, put heat on my anticubital (inside elbow) and soak my hands.... for many minutes. It helps. (unless you have the misfortune of rolling veins).

CathyMarie

Thanks for the tip Cathy........mine are "deep", even when thinner, and my veins roll....why do they do that????I know my niece learned to access a port during her nursing clinicals...Not every place has the port access kit but any infusion center should have them since they are common in chemo patientsI also need a butterfly needle for my monthly labs. I can actually tell the girls that do my labs just wear to go with it. I pretty much see the same girl all the time now...so it's not much of a problem anymore.Buckeye, thank you so much for the info on ports. For some reason, it was something I really feared, ignorance I guess.
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