Newbie But Nervous

[dukenewcomb21 7]

Hello All!

I am new to the forum but have been reading for a while. My date is December 20th and I am super excited. I was approved by insurance on the first try and everything has been smooth so far! I really am very excited and all I have left is the liver shrinking diet (starts Thursday) and some lab work. I went to my educational classes my hospital makes us you do and they were fine but something they said made me nervous. Normally I am not afraid or nervous about shots or needles (and have a pretty high pain tolerance) but other patients in the class kept talking about blood they draw from the artery in your wrist during lab day and how painful it was. Well my lab day is Monday and for some reason now I am freaking out about this. Anybody else had this done? What was your experience?

Other then that I am super excited and cant wait to be on the losers bench!

[rswa3319 69]

That's really weird... I just got my labs done on Tuesday and they just drew it out of my normal spot in the nice big vein in the crook of my elbow.

Did anyone say why they were pulling out of an artery?

ETA: When I was in the hospital having my daughter 4 years ago they put an IV in the artery in my wrist and YES that sucker hurt like a little son of a gun!! Not all together unbearable though. Just kinda like hitting your "funny' bone.

[Ms.Cali 56]

I had my labs done a few weeks ago - surgery scheduled for the 12th - they withdrew the blood from my arm - like they do any other tests. They took about 11 vials full of blood - but nothing that was too painful. You should tell them you want it taken out of your arm vs wrist. If the lab technician is not trained to - ask for another that could.

FYI... I have small viens - so I ask them ahead of time to use the children's size needle :-).

[GlendaLee 44]

Same here, withdrew from site where they found a vein, crook of elbow, and yes they took a ton of vials of it...

[dukenewcomb21 7]

Yea they are taking the blood from my arm vein but they are doing the arterial blood gases test as well. Not sure why ( that's the artery blood test) not looking forward to it at all.

[toy27 62]

Sounds scary i have not had any blood drawn but my surgery is suppose 2 be feb 2013