Giving blood and complications

Former Member

Right well last Thursday I went to give blood. It's been a while since the last time but never had any problems before. Anyways about 3/4's the way through donating the blood stopped coming out. She started playing with the needle to see if a slightly different position would help it start flowing again, whilst she was doing that I started feeling really queezy and apparently went completely white.

Anyways I recovered fine from that had lots of fluids and went on my way. But I had loads and loads of pain in my arm...it couldn't be touched by anything even lightly, couldn't straighten it completely or bend it much without it hurting, couldn't carry anything at all with it all Thursday and it was slightly swollen. After a good nights sleep the bruising came out...it covers about 5 inches length of my arm and 3 inches round and still some amount of pain from moving my arm around.

Anyways now that arm is slightly colder than my other, keeps going tingly and the muscles are tenser in it when I leave it in the same sort of position for a long time...like typing or writing (not good when I'm in the middle of exams). Could giving blood and the complications have caused any serious damage that I need to see a doctor about or am I just being a hypocondriact (sp?) like my bro says and leave it a few more days and see if it sorts itself out when the bruising starts to go down?

Former Member

I would really see someone. Because if it affects your exams you can get a doctors note so that its taken into consideration.
Plus at worse doc says don't worry and you go home again, only 1/2 an hour wasted not like its really terrible to see a doc is it?

Former Member

True I might have to go docs next week anyways to get my xray results back if there's any problems with them just i really hate my doctors and don't think they're very good...my next door neighbour went complaining of pains in his chest and right hand side, they sent him home telling him there was nothing to worry about and he died of a heart attack over night.

Former Member

try NHS direct?

i get similar (but loads milder) symptoms if i've had blood tests and they've either been a bit clumsy with the needle, or taken loads of samples, so it could just be that, and will go away in a few days, but for the sake of a phone call, do you want to chance it?

Former Member

i would definitely get it checked out.im not saying that whats happened to you is necessarily due to incompetence by the nurse who took your blood but twice when ive been to give blood they havent put the needle in properly- basically the needle was pushing up against the top of my vein so no blood would come out- and its been really painful and left me feeling really queasy too. i didnt have such long lasting pain as you've had though.im sure the majority who take blood know exactly what theyre doing but its pretty annoying when ur left in a lot of pain because the nurse hasnt bothered to check why no blood has come out after ten minutes.

Former Member

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Former Member

Bruising is internal bleeding, and if you say it is really big, then she could have tore the vein when she was moving it around..

If it is still sore, then I suggest you go to your doc or A+E

Former Member

girl with sharp teeth wrote:

If you have any complications after a blood donation then you should always ring the Blood Donation helpline, which is 0845 7 711 711.

Yep, and the discomfort you are experiencing is almost certainly due to the bruising and sadly there isn't a lot your GP or A&E can do about that.

If you are worried, contact the NBS.

Former Member

Kentish wrote:

If you are worried, contact the NBS.

Who will no doubt send you to your doc..

Former Member

Panthro wrote:

Who will no doubt send you to your doc..

or advise you on what to do yourself....

Former Member

True.

But everyone wants to cover their backs these days... so no doubt would pass the buck. [God I sound like an old man.... "back in the olden days...."

Former Member

Contact the NBS.

Former Member

Thanks guys. It feels a little better today and the bruising has gone down loads over night so I think I'll leave it and see how it heals on it's own, but I'll give them a ring if the tingling feelings come back cos thats what worried me most.

Former Member

Nerve damage...?????

But contrary to popular belief - nerves outwith the CNS have the ability to regenerate [depending on a number of factors..]

For example, when I have my appendecectomy, about two cm around the scar had no feeling at all, but after a few months the feeling came back.

Former Member

Are you actually trying to worry people MORE than necessary? I swear, someone's going to come in to see you with a headache, and instead of giving them an aspirin and telling them to drink more water you'll assume they have a rampant cancerous growth.

Former Member

Fiend_85 wrote:

Are you actually trying to worry people MORE than necessary? I swear, someone's going to come in to see you with a headache, and instead of giving them an aspirin and telling them to drink more water you'll assume they have a rampant cancerous growth.

No, I would not make rash decisions [pun intended], without the proper investigations..

and you are all hypochondriacs anyway.. need to keep the masses happy...:p

It used to be that no-one had a lot of access to medical information, but with the advent of the internet, people see symptoms they have and assume that is the condition they are suffering. The reason why some docs get pissed off when people bring in print-outs off the internet....

Former Member

My mam went to give blood and no blood came out, basically what happened was the needle went into the vein and straight out the other side :shocking:

She had really swollen arm for a couple of days, couldn't move it or lift anything...sounds a bit like you. I'd wait for the swelling to go down before you panic about any long term damage

Former Member

it wont do you any harm long term. Theyre obviously just not very good at taking blood. Some phlebotomists are better than others.

Former Member

Panthro wrote:

and you are all hypochondriacs anyway.. need to keep the masses happy...:p

You're so sanctimonious. And, no, putting on the end doesn't make it funny.

Former Member

hes right though.

Former Member

rainbow brite wrote:

hes right though.

Former Member

rainbow brite wrote:

hes right though.

Doesn't excuse his attitude.

and panthro ":D" isn't helping you either.

Former Member

Fiend_85 wrote:

Doesn't excuse his attitude.

.

LOL. ahhh, you make me laugh

Former Member

I'm glad, but really, I've been genuinely worried about the advice being given out, and dismissing it as ok because we apparently have a board full of hypochondriacs isn't acceptable.

Former Member

which bit do you have issue with?
I havent come across any advice that I think is harmful. Most seem to say go to your doctor, or phone nhs direct. Occasionally we get someone who works in a medical field, give a bit of advice on what they think it may be judging by the symptoms said. No different to what NHS direct does really.
Whats wrong with that.

Former Member

"I've been genuinely worried about the advice being given out,"

What telling someone to go to their doc or A+E is somehow dangerous...???

Get a grip. The hypcondriac joke was exactly that - a joke.

Former Member

not really interested in digging up dirt. Not particularly impressed with the way you behave generally.

Former Member

LOL again.