How to survive blood work?

Question

Today I had my first appointment at 6+5 but when they went to draw my blood for the blood work my nurse missed my vain and I ended up getting super nauseous and light headed, I asked him if I could eat a granola bar and drink some water, he agreed and went to grab another nurse who might have better luck at getting a vain but by the time he came back I felt worse, he asked if I was okay and I told him no. So he got me some juice and we waited it out for like 10 minutes until I was okay again.
I decided to reschedule the blood work for a different day because I was alone and needed to walk 1½ miles home and I just didn't want to over do it.
But now I'm super nervous about it,
I've donated blood before and never had a problem with blood or needless so I'm not sure why my body reacted the way it did because he didn't even end up getting any blood out. 
Just looking for advice on how to avoid this next time, or want to hear if any of you have had something similar happen and how you dealt with it.
Thanks in advance ☺️

Answer

Ugh, sorry that happened.. you commented on my post earlier and I actually did faint yesterday while getting bloodwork - it was absolutely awful and very scary - no amount of trying to distract myself helped. I read about it after and next time will eat more:
-iron rich foods
-sports drink
-sugary drink
-salty foods
I also found this and thought this was worth a try for next time:
“We also ask donors to undertake something called ‘applied muscle tension’ or AMT. This is a simple behavioural technique that helps to maintain blood pressure, and so stops you from feeling faint or unwell. It is also a brilliant distraction technique! AMT involves tensing and relaxing the body’s major muscles during the donation process. A favourite of ours is clenching and unclenching your buttock muscles (no joke!).”
https://www.blood.co.uk/the-donation-process/preparing-to-give-blood/
Good luck - I felt like I was dying yesterday and slipping in and out of consciousness. Not looking forward to my next blood draw. You got this!!

Answer

Funny story, 
The same thing just happened last week during my blood work routine. I went back to the same clinic hoping to get the same girl (who did a phenomenal Job the first time, I didn’t even feel when she stuck the needle in) 
Anyways come to find out she was out on vacation and someone else had to assist me. 
I was hoping it would be easy breezy but no! Idk what happened! Something went wrong and blood stopped coming out altogether. She then moved the needle around or something and I felt like I was going to pass out! I felt myself getting pale and just like paralyzed and her coworker noticed and asked “oh my god are you ok?” 
So the lady stopped altogether lol 
She asked if I wanted to proceed and I said yes but to try the other arm. 
She then went ahead and did so and it was a success! 
What I did at that point is just talk to myself in my head and say positive affirmations/ tell myself I could do it that I will be strong and that it will be okay. 
You got this! Good luck’ 🍀

Answer

I bet that it won’t happen again. Just make sure to eat something about an hour before, and drink a lot of water. As long as you get a more experienced person next time, it should be quick and easy. I’ve totally had the same reaction as you before, for something as small as getting a vaccine. Then other times I am totally fine with getting a lot of blood drawn. I think you just mentally have to be in the right state. Good luck!

Answer

I went for my prenatal appointment a couple weeks ago and they wanted to draw blood. Here’s the thing I have VERY tiny veins, baby veins if you will. So the women tries my right arm, nothing. Then my left, also nothing. Then my hands because hey sometimes they get it for there so go a head, nothing. She repeated this twice then they had my husband and I drive 15 mins to their other building. Super sweet ladies, but again nothing. I now look like I have track marks on my right arm 🤦🏼‍♀️ still haven’t had blood draw at my last appointment they told me they wanted to wait... idk what happened I have small veins but I usually eventually bleed.🤷🏻‍♀️

Answer

The nurse missed and bruised a vein trying to go in and out and caused this bruise.  Next time i got a more experienced one and after they saw my bruise i think they were extra careful.

Answer

It sounds like anxiety which can be increased due to hormones just make sure you breathe in your nose out your mouth and count to 7 as you breathe in then. Count to 7 as you breathe out. Slowly. 
Usually when you pass out or get lightheaded oxygen isn’t getting to your brain. When we panic we don’t notice but breathing is the first thing to become compromised. Goodluck !

Answer

Oh man I am level 10 terrified of having blood drawn but had an okay time of it (after worrying for 10 days) last week. I drank tons of water and ate a big meal before going in. Husband also put The Office on his phone for me, which was an awesome distraction. 
I like the butt clenching technique mentioned below- I’ll try that next time!

How to survive blood work?

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