While I was on Revlimid / dex, I could have my labs done during the week. Recently, I had my cocktail changed to Velcade / dex. Due to my oncologist having a very busy office, he has me in for subcutaneous injections on Mondays and Thursdays (days 1, 4, 8 and 11 of the treatment cycle).
He has me do labs at the hospital, where my insurance is contracted, the weekend before starting day 1 and day 8, so I get the weekend person who does the draws at the hospital for the inpatients and walk-ins. I never had any issues while having blood drawn during the week – never felt a thing.
Last Sunday, I had my blood drawn before starting day 1 and had a little more sting than usual, but not bad. I went home, and a couple of hours later, my arm started to hurt from the site where she had drawn, down to my wrist; no bruising or swelling. The next day, I couldn't raise my arm above my head or lift very much due to the pain. 5 days later, it is subsiding, but my elbow still aches. I can't really curl my arm completely.
One other thing that concerns me is the lab tests that were ask for by my oncologist would have had three vials filled. She filled one vial. I asked her why she only filled one when there were two more empty vials that needed to be filled. She said she would just transfer the blood to the other ones.
I would think that the blood should be drawn directly from the patient into each vial and not transferred due to possible contamination. I have never seen this done before.
Next labs will include CBC w/auto diff, CMP, IFE, IGA and SPEP. Who knows what she will do then.
Any thoughts on the arm pain and the lab issues?
Thank You, Castaway
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Castaway - Name: George
- Who do you know with myeloma?: just myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 1/24/14
- Age at diagnosis: 62
Re: Arm pain after last blood draw
One vial? Well, after 5 years of twice-weekly to every-3-months blood draws, all I can say is, that's a new one. In fact, my oncologist draw has a spare hold and it's a separate vial.
I can't address the pain. I recently had a nerve hit when they were trying to get an IV started for Zometa and it caused me some discomfort for a day or so. It was confined to my thumb area primarily, which is where the nerve was headed, I assume. The IV location was the side of my wrist.
I can't address the pain. I recently had a nerve hit when they were trying to get an IV started for Zometa and it caused me some discomfort for a day or so. It was confined to my thumb area primarily, which is where the nerve was headed, I assume. The IV location was the side of my wrist.
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Wayne K - Name: Wayne
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself, my sister who passed in '95
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 03/09
- Age at diagnosis: 70
Re: Arm pain after last blood draw
Did you mention the arm pain to the doctor, to the infusion nurse, or to the lab? One, or all of these, should get a report. You could possibly have developed a blood clot.
I have never heard of such a thing as taking one tube of blood and then transferring blood from it to other tubes. The reagents in the different color tubes react to the blood differently for the tests that have been ordered. There is huge risk of contamination of the blood when transferring it from one tube to another. This also should be reported to the lab and the name of the technician reported.
If you get the same technician again, ask for a different person to take your blood.
All the best to you,
Nancy in Phila
I have never heard of such a thing as taking one tube of blood and then transferring blood from it to other tubes. The reagents in the different color tubes react to the blood differently for the tests that have been ordered. There is huge risk of contamination of the blood when transferring it from one tube to another. This also should be reported to the lab and the name of the technician reported.
If you get the same technician again, ask for a different person to take your blood.
All the best to you,
Nancy in Phila
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NStewart - Name: Nancy Stewart
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 3/08
- Age at diagnosis: 60
Re: Arm pain after last blood draw
Nancy is right.
Have you ever noticed how there are different colored tops on the various test tubes that the technician uses when drawing your blood for a battery of multiple myeloma tests? These different colored test tubes all have different additives in them, depending on the specific test they are being used for. There is also what is known as an "order of draw" that the technicians use to make sure that there is not any undesired cross-contamination between one tube and the next.
Have you ever noticed how there are different colored tops on the various test tubes that the technician uses when drawing your blood for a battery of multiple myeloma tests? These different colored test tubes all have different additives in them, depending on the specific test they are being used for. There is also what is known as an "order of draw" that the technicians use to make sure that there is not any undesired cross-contamination between one tube and the next.
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Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
Re: Arm pain after last blood draw
Howdy,
The arm pain you describe sounds like the nurse taking the blood hit a nerve. It can be quite sore and sharp when this happens, and you can have issues such as you have mentioned afterwards. It is important that you report your symptoms to your doctor if they continue, as you can get permanent nerve damage, which can affect the function of your hand/arm.
With regard to the nurse and her comments around transferring the blood from one tube to another, she obviously does not know what she is doing. Each tube has an additive to either prevent or enhance clotting, the order of draw is always the same to prevent any potential cross contamination from one additive into another, as the same needle is used to draw the blood for all the tubes. The results of your blood test would be inaccurate, and you would not want your doctors acting on erroneous results. Until this nurse knows what she is doing, I would not let her take anymore blood collects from you.
Hope this helps.
Cheers Suzanne
The arm pain you describe sounds like the nurse taking the blood hit a nerve. It can be quite sore and sharp when this happens, and you can have issues such as you have mentioned afterwards. It is important that you report your symptoms to your doctor if they continue, as you can get permanent nerve damage, which can affect the function of your hand/arm.
With regard to the nurse and her comments around transferring the blood from one tube to another, she obviously does not know what she is doing. Each tube has an additive to either prevent or enhance clotting, the order of draw is always the same to prevent any potential cross contamination from one additive into another, as the same needle is used to draw the blood for all the tubes. The results of your blood test would be inaccurate, and you would not want your doctors acting on erroneous results. Until this nurse knows what she is doing, I would not let her take anymore blood collects from you.
Hope this helps.
Cheers Suzanne
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KiwiMum - Name: Suzanne M
- Who do you know with myeloma?: No one
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July
- Age at diagnosis: 47
Re: Arm pain after last blood draw
First, I would like to thank you all for your input. My wife works in lab registration at this hospital during weekdays. She also said that the draw could have hit a nerve. I called the lab and told them of my concerns and they spoke to me about what might have happened, but they also had the controller of all the labs contact me.
He told me that anytime I have an issue during or after a draw, I should go directly to the emergency admitting and let them know that I just had a draw and have them evaluate me. He was very concerned. He also gave me his personal phone number and said to call anytime if I had any issues with anyone in that lab. He also had his manager at the hospital call me and go over my concerns. They told me that they will at times draw through a syringe and then transfer blood from the syringe through a machine that puts the blood in separate vials when they only have a couple of vials.
I had to go in today for CBC,CMP, IFE, IgA and SPEP. Same person again did the draw. Separate vials for each tests this time. I was informed that she was talked to about my situation. No problems today. But my other arm still has a small amount of pain in the elbow area. I was also asked if i wanted another person to do the draws. even though today went ok. I don't feel comfortable with this person doing the draws. I will ask for someone else next time.
I am going to go over all this with my oncologist tomorrow.
Thank You,
Castaway
He told me that anytime I have an issue during or after a draw, I should go directly to the emergency admitting and let them know that I just had a draw and have them evaluate me. He was very concerned. He also gave me his personal phone number and said to call anytime if I had any issues with anyone in that lab. He also had his manager at the hospital call me and go over my concerns. They told me that they will at times draw through a syringe and then transfer blood from the syringe through a machine that puts the blood in separate vials when they only have a couple of vials.
I had to go in today for CBC,CMP, IFE, IgA and SPEP. Same person again did the draw. Separate vials for each tests this time. I was informed that she was talked to about my situation. No problems today. But my other arm still has a small amount of pain in the elbow area. I was also asked if i wanted another person to do the draws. even though today went ok. I don't feel comfortable with this person doing the draws. I will ask for someone else next time.
I am going to go over all this with my oncologist tomorrow.
Thank You,
Castaway
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Castaway - Name: George
- Who do you know with myeloma?: just myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 1/24/14
- Age at diagnosis: 62
Re: Arm pain after last blood draw
Hi Castaway, In the lab where my blood draws are taken, there are labels made up by computer before taking the blood. Thus, there is a delay between the time when you register at the desk and when the technician takes the blood. There is a separate label for each test tube, and they are colour coded. So, if they need six vials, there will be six labels, etc. One syringe is used and then the vials are each attached and used as the blood is drawn (hope you can visualize this).
I haven't had too much pain with blood draws but it's sometimes difficult to find a vein since I have had so many needles inserted by now!
Hope that helps.
I haven't had too much pain with blood draws but it's sometimes difficult to find a vein since I have had so many needles inserted by now!
Hope that helps.
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Nancy Shamanna - Name: Nancy Shamanna
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self and others too
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2009
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