Thank you for all your comments. It’s great to know I’m not the only one ????

I sqeeze my fist whilst I’m waiting to have it done

Some places are now using a method that sucks the blood out. It doesn’t work with me. Next time I am asking them to use the syringe method. We could both see the vein very clearly. I have the biggest bruise I have ever had this time. It is almost 2 weeks ago and part of it is still purple. My Mum had what they called Jumping Veins. They would get the needle almost into it and the vein would move to one side. On a couple of occasions they got the needle into the vein just before it moved and took the needle sideways with it. She ended up with huge bruises.

Me… i hate blood test so much and have to go for so many cos each pregnancy has been high risk. Ive had multiple attempts each time, sometimes they wiggle the needle to jolt the vein, half the time my veins collapse. Ive had them try both arms only to have to go through my feet. Once they went through my hand between the thumb and forefinger… ugh…the best thing i can do is drink 2 litres of water up to an hour before each test. I now tell them in advance and ill end up with the most experienced person to do it. Its been slightly better that way.

My husband is the same, they found that in some cases they had to get out an ultrasound machine to find the vein. They have also tried in different veins which is hit or miss: such as in the hand rather than arm, they have even used the vein on his foot.

Not me. Not much you can do I think.

Meeeeeeee! They told me it could be because I’m dehydrated. When I was in hospital, I had an anti biotic drip. It was in my arm for a while til it went wrong. They couldn’t find a suitable one in my arm to put it back in so it had to go in my foot!

ME too unfortunately. I have deep veins which runs in the family. I hate how they guess they can feel it, miss & then dig around. so painful. I make sure I am hydrated, try not to be cold, relax, I prewarn them I can be difficult and to make sure they just don’t guess! Also found taking it from the hands to be easier, have had more success from there.

OMG I feel your pain OP. I once had 4 different people each have 2-3 goes each including the senior phlebotomist. I have really deep veins which runs in the family and I always ask for a senior when I get tests now and warn them of my issue.

I’m lucky, never had that problem – my sympathy, it must be painful.

I’m on the other end of the scale. I was recently told I had wonderful veins. The nurse described them as ‘crackers’ and ‘juicy’. I suppose it’s just the luck of the draw and maybe some genetics thrown in.

Drinking water definitely helps and it seems that a child’s needle often has more success with collapsing veins.

Yes! I have this problem all the time. I was told I have very thin veins to begin with so they are better to use a childs needle which doesn’t solve the fact they still can’t find them. One time I had been running around chasing after my toddler at the time before a blood test and straight away she found a vein. Tried it another time, didn’t work. In conclusion I just have crap veins.

Maybe you are dehydrated overall, and to have healthy veins you need to eat healthy too.

Yep! My veins are shocking. Both blood tests and for iv cannulas. Now when I’m in hospital they don’t even try as it’s on my file to get the anaesthetics team and they have to find a vein using ultrasound. It’s sucks. I’ve been poked and had needles and Ivs in the worst places. They go my feet now which is really painful and uncomfortable. Last time I was in hospital they ended up putting a PICC line in as I needed 2 cannula and they kept failing.

Agree for blood tests the butterfly needles have more success. And a heat pack or any form of heat does help bring veins up.