Aa
bloodwork today followed by major anxiety. help!!
I had bloodwork done today and they took quite a bit of blood. I started to get anxious during it and got really hot and wanted to jump up and run away. The lady drawing my blood was asking if I was ok which made me nervous so I started feeling dizzy and lightheaded. The bloodwork was done 7 hours ago but I'm still feeling like I'm slightly lightheaded with a headache. Now I'm really anxious and don't know if I am having issues from the bloodwork or its just my anxiety. I'm really scared right now.
I've had bloodwork done before with no problem but when she asked if I was feeling ok I really started freaking out like she was expecting me to pass out or something. Then I read online about adverse reactions to having blood drawn. Help! I'm really freaking out over this.
I've had bloodwork done before with no problem but when she asked if I was feeling ok I really started freaking out like she was expecting me to pass out or something. Then I read online about adverse reactions to having blood drawn. Help! I'm really freaking out over this.
I work in a hospital and draw blood from patients at least 5 or 6 times a day. I deal with people who don't mind it at all, people who have a mild anxiety about it and those that nearly have to be in restraints and are at risk of actually fainting.
I'm sorry, but I had to laugh a little when you said they took "quite a bit of blood." Even when it's necessary to draw 4 tubes of blood, the actual amount of blood is quite insignificant. It certainly is not enough to cause lightheadedness which CAN happen when you donate blood and they take a pint. That amount can sometimes leave you feeling a bit woozy for a few minutes which is why they have you sit and eat a cookie and drink some juice afterwards.
We can tell immediately which patients are "possible fainters" and we watch them very closely. There are a number of signs we watch for and if we see any of them, we will ask if you're doing OK. We don't ask to make you more nervous, we ask because we don't want you to fall or hurt yourself in any way. We can also get you to take some calming breaths and talk to us about what is scaring you about the procedure. This is a distraction that works so well, the patient is usually still talking minutes after the precedure is complete.
They are usually surprised that two more vials of blood were drawn while they were talking and didn't even know it.
Your headache is caused because your entire body tensed up when I came into your room and told you why I was there. The lightheadedness, 7 hours later, is, in my humble opinion, caused by your anxiety in not being able to let the experience go. There is really no other reason for you to feel that way as we have not drawn anywhere enough blood to produce that effect, so what it boils down to is that the litghtheaded feeling is, well, all in your head.
If you were going to have "issues" with the blood draw, and I must say, I don't really know what issues you're talking about, they would happen at the time of the draw, not 7 hours later. The only "issues" I've ever seen are people crying (usually the very young) or very infrequently, someone fainting. And I suppose I should add the folks who just simply don't like needles, period and those who can't stand the sight of blood, most especially their own.
I would very much like to see these adverse reactions you've read about. In my 15 years of experience, I've never seen or heard of a single one. Can you send me a link to this information? I'm sure the head of our phlebotomy dept. would find them interesting.
I have had a number of successful "phobic reversals" while drawing blood by getting the patient involved in the process. By explaining each step, what I'm going to do next, how the vacuum tubes work, why we use different colored stoppers, anything I can think of to make the process less "mysterious" and hopefully less frightening. After I put the tourniquet on, I will have the patient help me find a good vein. You know how sometimes we tap your arm in various places to "raise" the vein? I have the patient do that and we disuss why that helps and I'll ask their opinion if they think we've found a "gold mine." Getting the patient involved, talking to them, encourgaging them to ask questions, to explain which part(s) of the procedure bother them the most, to get them to actually watch and realize that it's really quite fascinating, not painful, and not the bloody gushing mess I think many people think while they have their eyes squished so tightly closed I fear for their eyeballs.
But..........I know that phobias are phobias and there's not much we can do to change that mindset. I still like to try, though.
Perhaps the next time you have to have blood drawn, you could talk with the phlebotomist and see if he/she would be willing to walk you through it. Who knows, you could make a real breakthrough! That would be really cool. I could send you one of our "Very Brave Patient" certificates that we give to kids. It's suitable for framing.
If I can answer any other questions you may have, please ask.
I take it you're not a blood donor! LOL
We give blood all the time at the hospital as we have our own blood bank. It's not mandatory to donate, but most of us are highly competitive and work on acheiving our "Gallon" pins. I'm almost to my 10 Gallon pin, just 4 more donations! Woohoo!
(Don't feel bad. I've had Nam vets faint on me!)
Peace
Greenlydia
I'm sorry, but I had to laugh a little when you said they took "quite a bit of blood." Even when it's necessary to draw 4 tubes of blood, the actual amount of blood is quite insignificant. It certainly is not enough to cause lightheadedness which CAN happen when you donate blood and they take a pint. That amount can sometimes leave you feeling a bit woozy for a few minutes which is why they have you sit and eat a cookie and drink some juice afterwards.
We can tell immediately which patients are "possible fainters" and we watch them very closely. There are a number of signs we watch for and if we see any of them, we will ask if you're doing OK. We don't ask to make you more nervous, we ask because we don't want you to fall or hurt yourself in any way. We can also get you to take some calming breaths and talk to us about what is scaring you about the procedure. This is a distraction that works so well, the patient is usually still talking minutes after the precedure is complete.
They are usually surprised that two more vials of blood were drawn while they were talking and didn't even know it.
Your headache is caused because your entire body tensed up when I came into your room and told you why I was there. The lightheadedness, 7 hours later, is, in my humble opinion, caused by your anxiety in not being able to let the experience go. There is really no other reason for you to feel that way as we have not drawn anywhere enough blood to produce that effect, so what it boils down to is that the litghtheaded feeling is, well, all in your head.
If you were going to have "issues" with the blood draw, and I must say, I don't really know what issues you're talking about, they would happen at the time of the draw, not 7 hours later. The only "issues" I've ever seen are people crying (usually the very young) or very infrequently, someone fainting. And I suppose I should add the folks who just simply don't like needles, period and those who can't stand the sight of blood, most especially their own.
I would very much like to see these adverse reactions you've read about. In my 15 years of experience, I've never seen or heard of a single one. Can you send me a link to this information? I'm sure the head of our phlebotomy dept. would find them interesting.
I have had a number of successful "phobic reversals" while drawing blood by getting the patient involved in the process. By explaining each step, what I'm going to do next, how the vacuum tubes work, why we use different colored stoppers, anything I can think of to make the process less "mysterious" and hopefully less frightening. After I put the tourniquet on, I will have the patient help me find a good vein. You know how sometimes we tap your arm in various places to "raise" the vein? I have the patient do that and we disuss why that helps and I'll ask their opinion if they think we've found a "gold mine." Getting the patient involved, talking to them, encourgaging them to ask questions, to explain which part(s) of the procedure bother them the most, to get them to actually watch and realize that it's really quite fascinating, not painful, and not the bloody gushing mess I think many people think while they have their eyes squished so tightly closed I fear for their eyeballs.
But..........I know that phobias are phobias and there's not much we can do to change that mindset. I still like to try, though.
Perhaps the next time you have to have blood drawn, you could talk with the phlebotomist and see if he/she would be willing to walk you through it. Who knows, you could make a real breakthrough! That would be really cool. I could send you one of our "Very Brave Patient" certificates that we give to kids. It's suitable for framing.
If I can answer any other questions you may have, please ask.
I take it you're not a blood donor! LOL
We give blood all the time at the hospital as we have our own blood bank. It's not mandatory to donate, but most of us are highly competitive and work on acheiving our "Gallon" pins. I'm almost to my 10 Gallon pin, just 4 more donations! Woohoo!
(Don't feel bad. I've had Nam vets faint on me!)
Peace
Greenlydia
Most likely youre fine and its anxiety. Sounds like you had a bit of panic attack during the drawing of the blood and youre still reeling from that.lily
I'm doing a bit better. Got a horrible panic attack at work but I took my xanax and made it through. Thank you, you put my mind at ease
I think your anxiety is from having the blood drawn and not an adverse reaction. I've had the same thing happen to me before while having blood drawn.
If you keep thinking about it and the possible reactions your anxiety is going to stay sky high.
Nurses deal with people all the time that feel anxious during any kind of procedure. It was nice of her to ask if you were alright.
I hope your feeling better now. Remar
If you keep thinking about it and the possible reactions your anxiety is going to stay sky high.
Nurses deal with people all the time that feel anxious during any kind of procedure. It was nice of her to ask if you were alright.
I hope your feeling better now. Remar
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