Another reason to stay hydrated pre -op is because it's easier to palpate your veins. With luck and a good Phlebotomist / Nurse you'll only get stuck once for your bloodwork and once for your IV. I'm a Nurse, and I hate needles, especially in my hands. We start high and work down. You'll be more comfortable if they can put your IV in your forearm rather then your hand. The anticubital space (the bend in your elbow) is easiest for the blood draw. Infiltrations are painful, and you don't want to go home bruised and looking like you've been beat up.

Another reason to stay hydrated pre -op is because it's easier to palpate your veins. With luck and a good Phlebotomist / Nurse you'll only get stuck once for your bloodwork and once for your IV. I'm a Nurse' date=' and I hate needles, especially in my hands. We start high and work down. You'll be more comfortable if they can put your IV in your forearm rather then your hand. The anticubital space (the bend in your elbow) is easiest for the blood draw. Infiltrations are painful, and you don't want to go home bruised and looking like you've been beat up.[/quote']

Thanks

So true...I ended up having to get an IV in my wrist for my surgery and it was sooo uncomfortable after the surgery. It actually hurt more than my incisions (at least while I was still on the morphone pump). Once I was hydrated they were nice enough to move it to another spot.

Agreed!!

When I had my EGD (EDG?) I thought drinking a full glass of Water the night before would be fine but the next day I couldn't drink anything and my appt got pushed back to that afternoon instead if the morning. When the nurse tried to get the IV in my left arm on the inside of my elbow area she couldn't get in she then tried the back of my left hand and was poking and digging around in there until I just couldn't take it anymore. She went and got a surgical nurse who used a pediatric needle in my right arm about half way down and on the top of my forearm. It all hurt and they said it was bc I was dehydrated. The next day and for almost two weeks I had big nasty looking black purple and yellow bruises in each place.

So my advice... Drink your water!! Lots of it!!