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ABG test rant

charley27

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charley27    164

charley27
Posted

So I went to get my preop blood work and EKG done today. Thy also told me I need an ABG (arterial blood gas) test. I freaked out at the unknown, naturally. It was the most painful experience I've ever had. The tech was supposed to draw blood from the artery in my wrist. Not the blue ones you can see, but they had to go digging. DIGGING. I passed out when she got deeper in my wrist looking for the vein. She never actually found it after trying and digging for a solid 10 minutes. She said that she wasn't able to get anything so she will tell the doctor. She said sometimes they don't need it, but if they do, they'll have to do it when I'm in the hospital for surgery.

End rant.

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Valentina    2,642

Valentina
Posted

So sorry that happened to you because there's on need for that "digging"

Are you a person who normally presents with a "difficult" blood draw? Even if you're not, when drawing an ABG, it was always recommended (in my multi-surgeons' offices) to call "anesthesia.

Those folks are wizards when it comes to drawing blood and starting IV lines.

Hopefully, you can make this painfully experience a "learning one". Next time you have to have an "ABG" or a difficult blood draw or a tricky IV placed, please ask for a tech. from anesthesia.​

Once again, I am sorry you had such a bad experience.

Prayers going up for a joyful WLS journey--from here on out.

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Bufflehead    6,358

Bufflehead
Posted

What a horrible experience! Challenge whether they truly need it. I had a friend in the hospital who was very ill and weak and decided he didn't want any more ABG tests run because they were just too painful and he was dying anyway. He tried to refuse the test and the techs kept trying to give it to him over his protest -- I had to physically stand in front of his hospital bed and push people with needles away from him! Ugh! You have the right to decline any procedure you don't want, so at least try standing your ground -- though if I were in your shoes I would probably back down if it meant the difference between getting the surgery and not. I might at least try to insist on pain killers/tranquilizers if I absolutely had to get one.

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Valentina    2,642

Valentina
Posted

Don't kill the messenger but:

ABGs usually have to be repeated---a few times. ugh. :(

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charley27    164

charley27
Posted

Unfortunately, that lady was the only one who does it there. If I need it to have surgery, I will have to be knocked out. I have the easiest veins so it's never a problem. Now I'm FREAKING out for the iv in my hand

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Valentina    2,642

Valentina
Posted

Unfortunately, that lady was the only one who does it there. If I need it to have surgery, I will have to be knocked out. I have the easiest veins so it's never a problem. Now I'm FREAKING out for the iv in my hand

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

In the hospital? Anesthesia dept. will probably be the ones to start that one.

However, ASK. Can't hurt to ask for someone from anesthesia to come and start your lines. Believe when I say that they are the very, very best at it.

Rest easy. You know what to do now.--Just ask.

I hope you find out just why an "ABG" was needed. Please come back and post the reason.

Yes, I'm nosy, but I really care too! :)

Prayers going up.

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charley27    164

charley27
Posted

Thanks!! Oh I will! Is the hand iv painful? I've had one in my elbow pit before, but not hand

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Kyn13    215

Kyn13
Posted (edited)

In my hospital I work at respiratory draws our ABG, but sorry you had to go through that digging is never good

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Edited by Kyn13

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Valentina    2,642

Valentina
Posted

Thanks!! Oh I will! Is the hand iv painful? I've had one in my elbow pit before, but not hand

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Yes, Friend. Hand IVs/Blood draws are generally more painful.

Your hospital IV won't necessarily be in your hand.

It's still better than a swig of whiskey and a bullet to bite on, right? :) I don't mean to make light of your pain. I know you were in a lot of pain. For that, I am sorry. :(

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charley27    164

charley27
Posted

In my hospital I work at respiratory draws our ABG, but sorry you had to go through that digging is never good

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Respiratory did mine too.

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Bufflehead    6,358

Bufflehead
Posted

I've had hand IV's a couple of times and they were never painful for me, so you may not have a bad experience with that.

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rdharri    46

rdharri
Posted

Sorry for your bad experience. I work in the hospital and am also curious why an ABG is part of pre op lab and thankful that it's not of the pre op lab here. Very painful lab draw.

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charley27    164

charley27
Posted

I've had hand IV's a couple of times and they were never painful for me, so you may not have a bad experience with that.

Thanks! I'm hoping it's fine!

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Go To Topic Listing PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A

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    • Alisa_S

      Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Alisa_S

      Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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