Blood Work Reaction - Is This Normal?

[Tazicket]

I have a thyroid condition that requires me to have blood work done every three months or so. I've gotten to a point where I'm not freaking out every time I go in (I really don't like needles, but I'm better with that now). My problem is that every time I have blood drawn, I get really wonky for the rest of the day.

There was a stretch where I was fainting after every time they had to draw blood. That finally quit (yay!), but I still am left feeling faint, nauseous, and dizzy for the entire day after I go in for blood work. The last couple of times, I've had to fast before hand, but I've eaten something right after. It just doesn't seem to be helping. I prefer to do the blood tests in the afternoons for this reason, but that's just not realistic when I have to fast before the test.

Today, I went in for more blood work. It was a fasting test, so I scheduled it for as early as possible (7:30 this morning). We got done and I ate something right afterword (a sandwich on toasted multi-grain bread with egg and ham and cheese, as well as a granola bar), but I still felt really cruddy for most of the day. I wound up having to leave work early to come home, where I promptly crashed on the couch for almost 3 hours. I'm still feeling pretty off.

Is there maybe something else wrong with me? I know they don't draw a lot of blood for these tests - there were just two vials today. Am I just weird? Is there anything else I can do to make the aftermath any better?

 

[Chelley00]

I go in every 3 months for testing, and do anyhere from 6-8 tubes done. I take a bottle of OJ with me, and crack it open as soon as I get done. Glucose tablets are good, as is peanut butter.

 

[chell]

If it makes you feel any better I do pretty much the same thing. I've noticed that I need to eat beef the night before and the lunch or dinner afterwards. It really does make me feel a lot better to do this. Before I figured out to eat the beef I would even vomit the next day. For me I think it is getting in the combo of the iron and the protein.

 

[disfan07]

That used to hapen to me b/c i get btw 8 and 10 vials drawn once a month but it doesnt happen anymore. I think my body has just gotten used to it b/c its been over a year since i started havign this done.

When i started gettign bloodwork done i would bring a bottle of apple juice, a banana, string cheese and crackers with me to eat right afterwards.

If i did not have at least the apple juice and banana right afterwards i would get dizzy and throw up.

Now, i don't do anythign but drink the apple juice afterwards and i'm fine.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I have a dd and dh that faint.

Have to eat right, have your draws laying down and the most important be well hydrated. Since you had a fasting draw that is tough.

Need to drink, have a snack, etc...right after the draw. Get yourself a system that works for you.

 

[Tazicket]

Thanks for sharing how you guys (and your families) handle it. I'll definitely be trying out those strategies next time.

I've been having to do the whole blood draw thing since I was diagnosed back in January of '07. I was kind of hoping that I would have adjusted to the whole deal by now.

When I started fainting, they had me lie down for the draws and that helped with at least the fainting part. Since I quit fainting a while back, I've done the last 3 or 4 sitting up. Yesterday's was the worst one since I started sitting up again. Maybe I'll switch back to laying down next time and see if it's any better.

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one with issues. I even Googled it and didn't really find anything. Thanks for helping me feel a little better about it.

 

[mjkacmom]

Part of it might be the fear of needles. DH gets woozy after bloodwork, but I have no needle issues (allergy shots as a kid), and used to give blood on a regular basis without any problem. Shots, bloodwork, IV's - don't bother me a bit.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Part of it might be the fear of needles. DH gets woozy after bloodwork, but I have no needle issues (allergy shots as a kid), and used to give blood on a regular basis without any problem. Shots, bloodwork, IV's - don't bother me a bit.

Or just medical procedures. My dd has a fear of that. She has passed out getting her blood pressure taken. She did have a fever but nothing severely high. Let me say it does freak them out when someone passes out in the office. They did an EKG right away. After several tests, she has been diagnosed with vasal vagal syncope.

DH just had a cortisone injection on his back on Mon. and he almost passed out there as well. He was "white" all day.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I have a needle phobia and I will pass out from anything involving a needle if I don't take proper precautions that a physician advised me on the last time I passed out at age 17.

*I have to tell whomever is needling me of my history of passing out.

*I MUST lie down. I cannot be upright at all.

*I cannot look at the needle and they cannot tell me anything about the procedure. I cannot have any visuals of what they are doing b/c I can still pass out.

*Then--we have to have a conversation completely unrelated to what is going on to distract me if I am incapable of destracting myself.

*And finally--I am given as much time as needed to allow the episode to pass. Sitting straight up and going on my way can still set me up for passing out walking around (as happened when I was 17.)

I am completely pathetic.

What you are describing sounds like a reaction to a phobia as opposed to the blood work if that makes sense.

It is how I felt the last time I passed out and a time or two when we didn't do all of the above precautions.

I have gotten better over the years--and some instances are worse than others.

I have managed to not pass out anymore--but sometimes when I don't follow each rule that I have, I do get woozy.

I don't think there is anything wrong with you b/c everything you describe is what I deal with.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Or just medical procedures. My dd has a fear of that. She has passed out getting her blood pressure taken. She did have a fever but nothing severely high. Let me say it does freak them out when someone passes out in the office. They did an EKG right away. After several tests, she has been diagnosed with vasal vagal syncope.

DH just had a cortisone injection on his back on Mon. and he almost passed out there as well. He was "white" all day.

The last time I passed out was in a military clinic and they went "code blue" on me. I think they were somewhat excited about it. I woke up and was still on the floor surrounded by half the medical staff.

My mom knew what it was. I knew what it was--but it was kind of funny except for the part where I fell flat on my face.

This is why I inform all staff--I'll still get treated if I pass out. But at least they get a warning.

I have only had one doctor who was rude about it and that was when I got my first epidural (since you can't lie down for that). I felt I was getting reprimanded. I had to tell him several times to shut up about what he was doing. He was a big ol' idiot.

 

[LindaR]

Sounds like you just don't fast "well." My boss is the same way. The taking of the blood is not as much of a problem as the fasting is. Getting up, getting ready, and having to function for a few hours WITHOUT any "fuel for your engine" is very difficult for lots of people.

Those blood tests are a necessary evil, so you will just have to try different things to see if any are more effective for YOU than others. Good luck!

 

[Disney Doll]

2 vials of blood should not cause that type of a reaction. That's only about 60 cc's tops, which is not a lot...think of the little medicine cups that come with cough medicine...they are 30 cc's, so 2 of those....not a large enough percentage of your overall blood volume to cause that kind of reaction. Even with fasting...if you get blood drawn early (like 730am) and eat immediately after, it's not like you've been fasting all day...heck, some people don't even eat breakfast till 9am! Unless you are hypoglycemic or something along those lines.

I would say there is something else going on, whether physical or psychosomatic (Like a Lisa and Pooh case). have you discussed your reaction to blood work with your MD? He/she might want to check for blood sugar issues to rule out hypoglycemia.

 

[Tazicket]

2 vials of blood should not cause that type of a reaction. That's only about 60 cc's tops, which is not a lot...think of the little medicine cups that come with cough medicine...they are 30 cc's, so 2 of those....not a large enough percentage of your overall blood volume to cause that kind of reaction. Even with fasting...if you get blood drawn early (like 730am) and eat immediately after, it's not like you've been fasting all day...heck, some people don't even eat breakfast till 9am! Unless you are hypoglycemic or something along those lines.

I would say there is something else going on, whether physical or psychosomatic (Like a Lisa and Pooh case). have you discussed your reaction to blood work with your MD? He/she might want to check for blood sugar issues to rule out hypoglycemia.

That's what I was thinking (and what my DH wonders about the whole thing - he always has to drive me when I have blood drawn). I haven't really mentioned it to my endocrinologist (which is who this draw was for), but I'm planning on talking to her about it during my follow-up appointment next week to go over the results. This last reaction was bad enough that I'm curious to see what she thinks.

I've never actually passed out at the endocrinologist's office. My actual fainting spells all happened at my primary care doctor's office early after my diagonsis. (He caught me when I fainted the first time - great doctor!) I thought I was doing better, but I'm apparently not doing as good as I thought.

 

[scrapquitler]

Is it possible that you are actually having a reaction to something in the equipment? Like maybe the stuff they clean your arm with, the tube thing they tie around your arm, the gloves they wear or something like that?

Or maybe its just a dehydration thing....find out if you can drink water while you are 'fasting' maybe you just need to drink a lot of water the night before.

I think you should mention it to your doctor.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

psychosomatic (Like a Lisa and Pooh case).

Does that make me psycho?

 

[Disney Doll]

No, L&P, it doesn't make you psycho at all. It just means you have a physical reaction to a psychological event (fear of needles in your case...the fear being the psychological part). It's actually quite common.

Ever known anyone who, when they hear bad or anxiety provoking news, suddenly has to use the bathroom because of "stomach" (ie-diarrhea) issues??? Psychosomatic.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

No, L&P, it doesn't make you psycho at all. It just means you have a physical reaction to a psychological event (fear of needles in your case...the fear being the psychological part). It's actually quite common.

Ever known anyone who, when they hear bad or anxiety provoking news, suddenly has to use the bathroom because of "stomach" (ie-diarrhea) issues??? Psychosomatic.

I know--I was kidding.

 

[Disney Doll]

I know--I was kidding.

Oh, OK. I just didn't want you to think I was being insulting or something.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Oh, OK. I just didn't want you to think I was being insulting or something.

Never would I think that.

 

[Tazicket]

Just had a thought - when I'm in a very stressful situation, my blood pressure will drop instead of spike. Is it possible that this could be related to my issues with having blood drawn?