Blood Draw Question

[stacee]

I went to get my labs done this morning for my one year(alittle early its next month) it was a hard draw. Made sure I was well hydrated, it took 4 pokes and 2 lab techs. My blood kept clotting the first 2 times and was slowwww the next two. It took a little over an hour to get all the little vials filled..My question is: this happened the last two draws, which was after I added vitamin k2 to my vitalady plan. Is there a connection? or is it just coincidence? or is there something else going on?

[Sandra C.]

I have never had a difficult blood draw like you describe. I am hydrated as advised min 64 oz a day or more. I don't take K2. I am a difficult stick, with small veins, always ask for the most experienced to draw my blood. Makes all the difference. At my new docs, last month they rotated my arm a bit to the side, helped a lot, first stick worked.

Sandra

[stacee]

Jan 23, 2012 11:29:51 GMT -5 Sandra C. said:

I have never had a difficult blood draw like you describe. I am hydrated as advised min 64 oz a day or more. I don't take K2. I am a difficult stick, with small veins, always ask for the most experienced to draw my blood. Makes all the difference. At my new docs, last month they rotated my arm a bit to the side, helped a lot, first stick worked.

Sandra

This was my worst one yet, I always get my 64 oz in and the week before my draw I do minimum of 90oz a day. I am wondering if it is a specific vitamin causing it. or an amount of specific vitamin. I am gonna bruise bad from this draw I know it!

[Girlrocker]

Jan 23, 2012 11:29:51 GMT -5 Sandra C. said:

I have never had a difficult blood draw like you describe. I am hydrated as advised min 64 oz a day or more. I don't take K2. I am a difficult stick, with small veins, always ask for the most experienced to draw my blood. Makes all the difference. At my new docs, last month they rotated my arm a bit to the side, helped a lot, first stick worked.

Sandra

Same for me, all surgeries I had; I'm well hydrated, always have had good labs, I'm just a hard stick no matter what. I always look like a junkie when I come out of the hospital after surgery, between the blood draws and heprin shots.

[sandyv63]

I think it would be the K1 rather than the K2 causing a clotting issue. Hopefully it was one of the things tested in your blood work so you will soon find out.

[pktwatch]

Do they have everyone stop taking all vitimins for a couple of days before these blood tests? I got my first orders today and that is what I was told, never heard anyone talk about it before..........

[stacee]

Jan 23, 2012 17:17:44 GMT -5 sandyv63 said:

I think it would be the K1 rather than the K2 causing a clotting issue. Hopefully it was one of the things tested in your blood work so you will soon find out.

Thank you Sandy. Vitamin K was on the lab list so I should know by Friday. Come to think of it I upped my K1 before last labs were done too..

[stacee]

Jan 23, 2012 18:22:09 GMT -5 pktwatch said:

Do they have everyone stop taking all vitimins for a couple of days before these blood tests? I got my first orders today and that is what I was told, never heard anyone talk about it before..........

My doc has me stop taking them the day before..

[mesa0102]

For me, a lot of it has to do with the experience level of the person doing the sticking. When I've gone in for draws or infusions, it seems some individuals have problems finding my veins, while others hit the motherlode on the first try. I have a two-stick rule, that after the second unsuccessful stick, the first person is done and someone else gets to try.

Opinions are split on whether to stop vitamins or not. I believe most do, but some are of the opinion that your blood levelsare best represented by when you're taking them , and do everything as usual. I stop for 12-24 hours prior.

Edited to add: It probably took so long because they probably didn't get a very good vein.

[stacee]

Jan 23, 2012 21:13:19 GMT -5 mesa0102 said:

For me, a lot of it has to do with the experience level of the person doing the sticking. When I've gone in for draws or infusions, it seems some individuals have problems finding my veins, while others hit the motherlode on the first try. I have a two-stick rule, that after the second unsuccessful stick, the first person is done and someone else gets to try.

Opinions are split on whether to stop vitamins or not. I believe most do, but some are of the opinion that your blood levelsare best represented by when you're taking them , and do everything as usual. I stop for 12-24 hours prior.

The first stick got a vial before it stopped, this gal has been a vampire for 12 years.. She tried another time got another vial. New gal been a vampire for almost 5 years got other 12 in two pokes.. They found veins with no problems.. just a weird draw I guess..

[inge]

Jan 23, 2012 21:17:27 GMT -5 stacee said:

Jan 23, 2012 21:13:19 GMT -5 mesa0102 said:

For me, a lot of it has to do with the experience level of the person doing the sticking. When I've gone in for draws or infusions, it seems some individuals have problems finding my veins, while others hit the motherlode on the first try. I have a two-stick rule, that after the second unsuccessful stick, the first person is done and someone else gets to try.

Opinions are split on whether to stop vitamins or not. I believe most do, but some are of the opinion that your blood levelsare best represented by when you're taking them , and do everything as usual. I stop for 12-24 hours prior.

The first stick got a vial before it stopped, this gal has been a vampire for 12 years.. She tried another time got another vial. New gal been a vampire for almost 5 years got other 12 in two pokes.. They found veins with no problems.. just a weird draw I guess..

Hi, your K2 has nothing to do with Blood clotting. K2 is for Calcium absorption.
So that isn't it. I've found that taking blood is a talent not a actual learned thing. 'Cause I've come across some that are really good that have not done it for very long and others that have lots of time put in and still hurt you, bruise you, can't get a good vein etc

[mesa0102]

Jan 23, 2012 21:17:27 GMT -5 stacee said:

The first stick got a vial before it stopped, this gal has been a vampire for 12 years.. She tried another time got another vial. New gal been a vampire for almost 5 years got other 12 in two pokes.. They found veins with no problems.. just a weird draw I guess..

Hmm, that is odd. Could it be the location? I've found that the best, most efficient draws I've had have been in cancer centers (for infusions) or hospital labs. I think they do such a very high volume of sticks and draws that they can't help but get awesome at it. PCP's offices are the WORST. I won't get labs at mine ever again- the last time, I had a golf ball-sized hematoma from them screwing it up.

Or, you could just have tricky veins. Sucky if that's the case.

[Melinda]

I have never been told to discontinue my vitamins before my annual lab draw. I would want an accurate "daily" profile of what my blood is like. I mean what if I quit my vitamins, and then a few days later it said I was low in say, zinc, when if I had been taking it all along my zinc levels would be perfectly fine? I don't want to make myself deficient in something on purpose, be told to increase that particular vitamin, and then have it too high. I don't know - it just doesn't make sense to me. I know alot of our vitamin and mineral values won't change by a few days of not taking something, but some things technically could not give an accurate result if I stopped it a few days before a blood test.

[bldeck]

I don't quit my vits either. I have my draw first thing in the morning at the local hospital (Drs office never has the right tubes) and I don't start taking my daily vits until the draw is done.

Betty