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Blood draw
Hello. I had what I consider would be a rather scary blood draw. I have had HIV anxiety and this test was supposed to help me with that (tested neg). I have also posted in the anxiety forum, but thought this would be more specific.
The phlebotomist used a vacutainer/straight needle (not sure if new). She tied a tourniquet real tight and swabbed. Then she inserted the needle followed by a vacutainer, and nothing! She removed needle and discarded the vacutainer (not the needle). She then said I had good veins, but they are 'slipping'. She then asked an assistant to hold my arm tight at the bicep in order to 'hold the vein' (drawing near elbow). She then proceeded to draw from a different vein and obtained the sample.
What scares me is that I have had countless tests and its mostly the same vein, and never has it been missed. Even the mark is right on it for this one.
This may sound a bit extreme, but my mind is now convinced that the needle had blood in it, and the (first) vacutainer had positive pressure. Also, after she infected me, she recruited someone to hold my arm to prevent me from moving to avoid a needlestick. Sorry for being thia frank. I could go into the why they would do this but that would make for a very lengthy post.
I'd like to know if phlebotomists do recruit someone to hold the arm tight in order to prevent nerves from slipping, and if it is possible for me to be infected in the manner my mind says is possible.
The phlebotomist used a vacutainer/straight needle (not sure if new). She tied a tourniquet real tight and swabbed. Then she inserted the needle followed by a vacutainer, and nothing! She removed needle and discarded the vacutainer (not the needle). She then said I had good veins, but they are 'slipping'. She then asked an assistant to hold my arm tight at the bicep in order to 'hold the vein' (drawing near elbow). She then proceeded to draw from a different vein and obtained the sample.
What scares me is that I have had countless tests and its mostly the same vein, and never has it been missed. Even the mark is right on it for this one.
This may sound a bit extreme, but my mind is now convinced that the needle had blood in it, and the (first) vacutainer had positive pressure. Also, after she infected me, she recruited someone to hold my arm to prevent me from moving to avoid a needlestick. Sorry for being thia frank. I could go into the why they would do this but that would make for a very lengthy post.
I'd like to know if phlebotomists do recruit someone to hold the arm tight in order to prevent nerves from slipping, and if it is possible for me to be infected in the manner my mind says is possible.
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