amers Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 I'm really concerned. I went to have my levels done this morning. I have tiny, not so great veins. I've been taking lithium for 9 years and have had several surgeries so my veins have had lots of exercise. Usually they have to use butterfly needles but that usually does it. Today, they used the butterfly...right arm...2 sticks...no good veins, not one drop of blood. New nurse, left arm, all the tricks (I know both nurses, really good) 3rd stick hurt more than any butterfly stick ever has but got a little blood going. She had to move it a couple times to keep it flowing. It began to just drop by drop. We needed 2 vials. Got 1/2 a vial and had to stop because it was so painful and dropping thick slow drops. Took it out and before she found another vein (less than 5 min) the blood in the vial started clotting. Big clots and the rest of the blood was thick like mud. Explains why it hurt and why it took so long. 4th stick got nothing and 5th stick got blood but it began to thicken a bit and they got about a vial and a half and then it dried up. Took about 15-20 minutes to do just 2 vials. I am trying to find some information about why my blood would do that. I've been drinking more than I usually do. It has never done that before. A few months ago I got a physical because I had extreme bruising. Now, my blood is clotting up. What the hell? Anyone anyone? Sorry for the long story...I'm famous for that... amers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saltiest Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 I've never dealth with the clotting, and the only thing that ever makes it difficult for me when having blood taken is when I'm dehydrated. Doesn't sound like the case here. Did they say they were going to do any additional tests on your blood, seeing as how it was not exactly the usual? I'm really concerned. I went to have my levels done this morning. I have tiny, not so great veins. I've been taking lithium for 9 years and have had several surgeries so my veins have had lots of exercise. Usually they have to use butterfly needles but that usually does it. Today, they used the butterfly...right arm...2 sticks...no good veins, not one drop of blood. New nurse, left arm, all the tricks (I know both nurses, really good) 3rd stick hurt more than any butterfly stick ever has but got a little blood going. She had to move it a couple times to keep it flowing. It began to just drop by drop. We needed 2 vials. Got 1/2 a vial and had to stop because it was so painful and dropping thick slow drops. Took it out and before she found another vein (less than 5 min) the blood in the vial started clotting. Big clots and the rest of the blood was thick like mud. Explains why it hurt and why it took so long. 4th stick got nothing and 5th stick got blood but it began to thicken a bit and they got about a vial and a half and then it dried up. Took about 15-20 minutes to do just 2 vials. I am trying to find some information about why my blood would do that. I've been drinking more than I usually do. It has never done that before. A few months ago I got a physical because I had extreme bruising. Now, my blood is clotting up. What the hell? Anyone anyone? Sorry for the long story...I'm famous for that... amers <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted July 14, 2005 Share Posted July 14, 2005 I am trying to find some information about why my blood would do that. I've been drinking more than I usually do. It has never done that before. A few months ago I got a physical because I had extreme bruising. Now, my blood is clotting up. What the hell? Never had this problem. I suppose you could get lab work done to test your coagulation time. They do this for patients that use blood thinners. I would talk with your doc. A reasonably simple blood thinner is aspirin. One tablet a day is recommended. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amers Posted July 14, 2005 Author Share Posted July 14, 2005 They don't do any testing for coagulation at the mental health co-op. State insurance funding and such. I told her I wished they could just send that vial of blood over to the hospital but they had to toss the bad one. Now, the others were thick as well but not clotted. They do a thyroid but that won't help really. I could take a thinner. I know of several since I was making sure to avoid them when I was bruising so badly. I think it would be wise however to find out why I am having this problem before I mask it. I'm frustrated. amers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MellowYellow Posted July 15, 2005 Share Posted July 15, 2005 I don't believe in taking just one aspirin for thinning your blood. Because heart attacks are caused by blood clots, and I have a friend who took many, many aspirin over the course of two days and it literally saved his life because he was having a heart attack. I have diabetes and sometimes it is difficult to get my blood out of a finger prick. So I just take about 3 some aspirin, drink lots of water, and then the blood flows very well. Of course I'm not advising anything if you have some kind of seriousl clotting disorder, but there have been days when I've taken 8-10 aspirin a day for headaches and it didn't hurt me at all. People used to act like aspirin would give you an ulcer until they found out that ulcers are caused by bacterial infections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amers Posted July 15, 2005 Author Share Posted July 15, 2005 I don't believe in taking just one aspirin for thinning your blood. Because heart attacks are caused by blood clots, and I have a friend who took many, many aspirin over the course of two days and it literally saved his life because he was having a heart attack. I have diabetes and sometimes it is difficult to get my blood out of a finger prick. So I just take about 3 some aspirin, drink lots of water, and then the blood flows very well. Of course I'm not advising anything if you have some kind of seriousl clotting disorder, but there have been days when I've taken 8-10 aspirin a day for headaches and it didn't hurt me at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sun_zoom_spark Posted July 15, 2005 Share Posted July 15, 2005 Amers- Have you or are you on any steroid regimen? Prednisone maybe? I know years of steroid use caused my wife's veins to act this way. She had to have a cath implanted in her chest it got so bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amers Posted July 15, 2005 Author Share Posted July 15, 2005 Amers- Have you or are you on any steroid regimen? Prednisone maybe? I know years of steroid use caused my wife's veins to act this way. She had to have a cath implanted in her chest it got so bad. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I am asthmatic and I have Flovent but I haven't even used it recently. I have it to use if I am going to be in an atmosphere where I know my allergies are going to be kicked in like when I was working in the club with ciggie smoke. I was supposed to use that before starting work and then using my emergency inhaler only if i had to. Not working now so not using the Flovent. That is the only steroid. amers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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