• Replies 13 replies
  • Subscribers 79 subscribers
  • Views 3667 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

What happens during a blood test - reassurance needed

Hope

Today I had that dreaded doctor's appointment, but it went better than expected. I was concerned because I have been experiencing stabbing sensations in the left side of my chest, and was worried in case there was something wrong with my heart. You know that never ignore chest pains advice? Well, I was petrified I was going to die, and I am only 26 years old. But the doctor checked my blood pressure, which was completely fine, as was my oxygen saturation. She took my heart rate on my front and back, and said my heart sounded healthy.

The doctor said that she had no concerns from the tests and from what I was telling her, but offered me the chance to have a heart trace EEG and a blood test at the doctors nexr Monday. She told me that she is not concerned, and thinks that the tests will show nothing is wrong, but that it will help put my mind at rest, so I accepted the tests. But I am worried about the blood test - what do they involve, and how can I reassure myself?

Parents

  • Regarding whether you're likely to feel faint, I think it's very unlikely that you'd feel faint due to losing such a small volume of blood.  It's nothing like the same as giving blood.  It's being nervous that's more likely to make you feel faint.  Personally, if it's a procedure that you're going to find difficult I'd make sure that there's time to go somewhere for a coffee or something afterwards rather than having to travel straight home.

    I think that whether you have to strip to the waste for the ECG will depend upon what kind they do.  A normal three-lead ECG I don't think that you'll need to.  Perhaps wear something with short, loose sleeves though so that, to try to put it mildly, there's more chance of getting the electrodes to the appropriate places without having to actually fully remove it.  (The electrodes are just sticky pads that the leads clip onto, nothing scary).  They can also do 12-lead ECGs which I think they may well need you to take your shirt off for.  I'm fairly sure that you're OK with the trousers though.  You could try ringing to ask whether you're likely to need to remove clothing or not, or frame it as "is it easier if I wear a sleeveless top?" or something.

    Regretably, with my past experiences, I wouldn't count on any medical professional to have read my records.  Let alone to remember them and act appropriately.

    I've never had the slightest problem with them finding my veins.  They usually comment on how easy they are to find instead.

Reply

  • Regarding whether you're likely to feel faint, I think it's very unlikely that you'd feel faint due to losing such a small volume of blood.  It's nothing like the same as giving blood.  It's being nervous that's more likely to make you feel faint.  Personally, if it's a procedure that you're going to find difficult I'd make sure that there's time to go somewhere for a coffee or something afterwards rather than having to travel straight home.

    I think that whether you have to strip to the waste for the ECG will depend upon what kind they do.  A normal three-lead ECG I don't think that you'll need to.  Perhaps wear something with short, loose sleeves though so that, to try to put it mildly, there's more chance of getting the electrodes to the appropriate places without having to actually fully remove it.  (The electrodes are just sticky pads that the leads clip onto, nothing scary).  They can also do 12-lead ECGs which I think they may well need you to take your shirt off for.  I'm fairly sure that you're OK with the trousers though.  You could try ringing to ask whether you're likely to need to remove clothing or not, or frame it as "is it easier if I wear a sleeveless top?" or something.

    Regretably, with my past experiences, I wouldn't count on any medical professional to have read my records.  Let alone to remember them and act appropriately.

    I've never had the slightest problem with them finding my veins.  They usually comment on how easy they are to find instead.

Children
No Data