Medical peeps- collapsed vein?

Not a medical person but it happens to me all the time (I'm not an intravenous drug user and I'm not that old ?). When I had emergency surgery recently the A&E doctor tried five times to get a line in and eventually had to get a medical student to do it.

I do find lying down seem to work much better for me when blood's being taken. My FIL (retired DR) told the vein 'collapses' if the needle goes right through-sorry if that's TMI

You'll be fine, my arm hasn't fallen off....yet.

Ah thank you ladies ? I feel better knowing I'm not alone!

Is ridiculous because my skin is so pale you can SEE blue veins lying there invitingly, they just refuse to 'give up the goods', as it were ?

As the others say- nothing to worry about.

I have just had two days of people trying to get blood from me for one set of tests- nightmare, in hospital they spent 4 hours trying.

I do have some tips,

Make sure you are well hydrated and if your tests don't need you to fast, eat before hand.

Try to keep your arms nice and warm- hot bath, then long sleeves till you get there, you could put them in hot water at the surgery, or maybe have a hot water bottle on your arms (people do look, but sod them)

Also it sounds daft but moving your arms around lots- flapping and circling them, looks a bit daft but I have been known to do it in the car park.

Lots of love to you x

It's very normal, distressing but normal. ?

MF and I have related veins I think. ? If it's just for routine bloods, I wouldn't worry too much. xx

I only have one "good" vein and it really is very good lol. I recently had to have bloods done every 48hrs for just over a fortnight.

On the afternoon before I was due to have surgery a Dr tried to take more blood and told be she couldn't as it had collapsed. A few hrs later another Dr was trying to put a cannula in for surgery but avoided the vein as he had been told it was collapsed. When he had no luck anywhere else he mananged to get it into the previously collapsed vein

Totally normal. Not sure why she gasped tbh! Happens all the time and will quickly 'reinflate'. No harm done whatsoever.

MF gives good advice on getting bloods taken. Warmth, movement and plenty of fluids on board are the key to making it an easier job for your doc/nurse/phleb.

I have crap veins and give blood - I always try and down a few mugs of tea before the staff start looking - only problem is I need to wee half way through ?

My veins are always worse when I'm poorly too. It's actually quite a good indicator of my general health.

I find it always good to warn the plebotomists (sp?) as the take more care choosing which vein to try. I always present both arms and they know the rules that they don't get to go to my hands unless they've tried at least once in my arm and get me a glass of water. I did have a tremendously huge needle phobia but can now cope with arms and then hands at a push. If it gets really bad, ask for a butterfly needle, although not all plebotomists are trained to use them.

I won't bore you with some of my tales but I can say one of the worst evenings of my life was spent barely concious in A&E the day after the junior docs started rotation. ?