I have a swollen left arm near the bend where blood is drawn. The gal never got the job done. She jabbed around and I felt an excrutiating pain. She jabbed a total of 9 or more times between both arms. I left with stinging arms and crying. I was an Ibuprofen for a leg surgery I has so I didn't notice the left arm until a couple days later after I was off the Ibuprofen. Today I work up and it was swollen and if I bend of move the arm there is a shooting pain that goes up or down my arm. I am in pain. I had an ultra sound and they didn't see a blood clot so what is it? Any ideas?
Hey girl, we meet again! I am sorry that I don't have an answer for you, but I do have plenty of experience being jabbed alot.
For the last 3 weeks, my doctor has ordered 5 sets of labs, several of them needing 5 or 6 vials of blood. I go to the same lab every time, but the last two times, (one being just this morning) I have come out with 3 or 4 sticks each time. This morning they were down to baby butterfly needles to get in, and struggled to draw the vials.
I bruise so easily with stage 4 kidney failure, it looks terrible.
For you however, I suggest you call the lab and/or your doctor to report your condition...AGAIN, just to be sure. Due to the fact that you have just had surgery, your case is different than mine completely. Better safe than sorry, and you are worth it! Let your doc know, this doesn't sound right.
Hi Writeleft! Thanks for responding. I am hanging in there with the arm. I have been taking the Ibuprofen 800 and using the heating pad. It seems to be helping. Tonight is the first time I felt better. I don't want to speak too soon but I think the swelling is subsiding. I talked with someone about it and they mentioned in interstitial fluid (or lymph) that goes to the site of injury and builds up there until the body reabsorbs it. It really does make sense. Expecially since they have ultra sounded the area and found no clots.
I also found out clots from legs go to lungs and heart...not to arms at all. Just as clots from arms go to lungs and heart and not to leg. So we ruled out a surgery complication from my leg vein surgery right away. Thank GOD they said that was impossible! yikes! It just makes sense that the injury was from the blood draw. She hurt me so bad. I can't even describe how she had that needle in there sideways and just sliced her way around. Dear God I was in pain like no other. She was relentless. I left in tears. I still have not gone back for my blood draw. I may go to another clinic. I will certainly not go back to her!!
I hope you are doing ok. I am sorry you are having to go through so much. You are one strong gal. Hang in there! Thanks for the friendship.
I will keep you updating on my healing leg and arm. I call myself the gimp girl right now. lol!
Wishing you all the best too! And all the health you deserve!
That is reassuring...the blood clot thing not being a possibility. I hope you see improvement each day now.
You are right about those lab techs. The lab I go to is strictly based on knowing the person can take my labs without more than one try. There is now another girl there, and I tried her twice, and that's it-for me. She can practice on the other folks!
Nice running into you, after we were sick together before. That darn cold/flu/virus/pneumonia thing took about 6 weeks of my life, in the end. I'm glad we got through that one, aren't you?
