No blood for blood test

Status
Not open for further replies.

kenneva

Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2008
Messages
12
Reason
CALS
Diagnosis
06/2008
Country
CA
State
Alberta
City
Grande Prairie
When homecare was here on Tuesday,they decided to do my pals blood test. He is on Rilutek. They got 1 tube from his arm then the flow stopped. Moved to the back of his hand and could not get a full tube from there,they got just enough to do the test. Has this happened to anyone alse and if so why.
 
Sometimes if you are dehydrated the blood comes out very slow and it is hard for them to get it.
 
I've had it happen where they will have to switch arms for multiple tubes, as the first arm gives out. Don't understand why, but I'm sure Crystal is correct, dehydration could very well be a factor. I wonder if sometimes low temperature (in the patient or in the room) might cause this, too.
 
This has happened to me more than a few times. ... I actually have a rare blood type, and used to try to donate to the Red Cross, and they asked me not to come back! :-?

As the others said, hydration is most helpful, and keeping warm as well. I'm not a doctor, but still would urge you not to worry, or think it might be a new development with his ALS. It could be good to re-examine how much fluid he is taking in though.
 
I actually have a rare blood type, and used to try to donate to the Red Cross, and they asked me not to come back! :-?

aw, that's sad and yet funny, rose.

My mum has a rare blood group too, so she can't donate. Negative B. She has to carry a little card with her in case she's in an accident.
 
Yes, hydration is important for a successful blood draw, and also, sometimes, in my own experience as a nurse,

the vein just collapses, so to speak, some of you may have heard "the vein blew", many times the needle is up against the wall of the vein, and the vein just doesn't "like it"-

It is not any fault of the patient, nor any fault of the person drawing the blood, sometimes...it just happens.


Didn't want anyone to feel "bad" about this subject,
Hope I helped,
brenda
 
I have B neg blood, too, and when I had emergency heart surgary, and they transfused 18 units of blood, I was sure it had to be "universal donor" blood. That surgery was when I first became aware of bulbar symptoms, and secretly, I have thought maybe it was the blood tranfusions that upset my body chemistry and released lurking ALS symptoms.

Of course, there is no proof of any of that, and the "cause," if any, really doesn't matter. What matters is managing symptoms and living day by day now.
 
Beth, about blood transfusion connection.... my dad was a universal donor, he was type O Rh neg. He donated on a regular basis throughout his lifetime, and I have a brass relief medal which was his, given to him by the Red Cross in commemoration of him donating over gallon of blood. I remember him having it on his keyring when I was little, so who knows how much he eventually donated. (I'm A neg, which is not quite as rare as B neg)

Statistically, people who have either type A, B, or AB have a higher risk of pancreatic cancer. My uncle ~ my father's brother, died of pancreatic cancer. He was not type O.... Don't know what all of this means, but blood type does matter! There was no association seen between Rh type and risk for pancreatic cancer

rocmg, I agree, I was trying to do the right thing, and the R. Cross was completely serious, it was not worth their effort for the amount they were able to get from me. (I was a repeat attempter) I think if a certain amount is not drawn ~ as in just a little dribble into the tube LOL~ it has to be discarded anyway.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top