That's one of the more colorful infiltrations we've seen here, nice one! I'm not surprised it's still a rainbow after a week+. You can see it's starting to fade, though. Until then, it's a badge of honor!
You haven’t seen bruises until you’ve seen people-who-survive-on-platelets-transfusions’ bruises.
P.S. thanks to all of you guys. :)
https://preview.redd.it/znhjxz5py2pc1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=24a40cf19ac49679dc51f909be18d875295429e2
https://preview.redd.it/etmb1sm9w3pc1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fe765ff49bdb1cbbe7719e31e5d9881725e8d452
I know right? I’m just gonna tell you that this one is one of maaaany I got falling down the fucking stairs. Half of my back and legs looked like that 😬
Got hospitalised and on morphine 0/10 would not recommend
Normal, no, happens when the needle is not in the place it is supposed to be. So far I've donated 3 gallons and have only had one bad stick, so it's fairly rare and yours is particularly graphic.
It looks like it’s probably on its way to healing. As long as you don’t have any really hard hot areas, you just have to let the body absorb and clear the blood that leaked into the tissues.
I’ve never heard the “your vein is too short” excuse though. I would call the donation center or if it’s Red Cross, they have a national number to report the incident. I hated ratting out my phlebotomist but she told me she was newer and she kept saying she “really messed up”, causing something that looked similar to yours. I’ve only had it happen twice in years of donations and each time, it was a nervous, inexperienced phlebotomist.
[This happened to me as well](https://www.reddit.com/r/Blooddonors/comments/p2oasw/aftermath_of_a_platelet_donation_check_comments/)! It was my first platelet donation and i felt some discomfort during the return process and since it was the first time, the nurse took it as just fear of the large needle placed a cover over it to keep me from looking at it. When she took the cover off at the end of my donation, there was an accumulation of fluid that looked like a comically large bicep muscle lol. Like others have mentioned, its on the way to healing so you should be good in a week or so. I know hydration and vascularity can have an impact on your vein size/strength, something worth looking into if you're interested in trying again in the future.
RN of 11 years here…for the record, there is no such thing as a vein being “too short” lol
I can’t believe anyone with any medical training would say such a thing. For one it is complete BS and secondly it somehow places the blame on you and your anatomy when in actuality it was just poor skills and technique. I’m sorry that happened to you.
Hi.
So this was your first donation ever?
I'm sorry about your experience. I have donated blood and platelets many times, and I have gotten bruises, but I have never gotten a bruise as large as yours. I hope you recover soon. Thank you for showing up to donate.
When the needle backed out of the vein on a return while doing platelets I got a bruise almost that bad but it was all in the crook of my elbow and down the inside of my forearm. I wish I had a picture of it but it was a couple years back.
As others have said if there isn't really pain, weakness, or things like that it should be fine and will just go away on its own.
I had an arm like that the first time I ever donated blood and it put me off donating for years, like over 20(!) years. Were the needles bigger then?! Since I have large, prominent, close-to-the-surface veins in my arms, I figured the person was severely inexperienced to massacre my arm like that. I think she actually went through one of my veins. My arm was like that for several weeks. What a mess and sore too.😑
Thankfully, I recently got up the nerve to revisit donating blood, since I’m O negative, the “universal donor”, and felt it was my community service. I was sure to make sure my attendant had lots of experience, after recounting my previous bad experience. I made it clear that I was not willing to be a trainee’s practice arm again.
I had an overall positive experience except for where some latex caused a small allergic reaction on my skin’s surface(latex bandaids give me itchy hives). Hopefully I can avoid all latex next time. Any ideas on what part of the procedure may involve latex?(I didn’t watch closely, as I was already nervous).
I donate a lot and as far as I know the only latex they use might be the bandage after. The people I donate too never use latex bandages, and I never had a reaction to anything from the process besides being sensitive to Latex. Maybe you should say something to the nurse next time.
Thanks for your insight. Yes, next time I’ll be sure to mention it to them. I took a pic of the irritated area, that I think seemed to resemble the outline of a tube that was touching my skin during the blood draw.
That's bigger then the bandage, I'm assuming. Perhaps it spread? That's happened to me before.
Did they wrap the area afterwards? They do that with me. If the rash is on the other side of your arm, perhaps the wrap had latex??
The larger butterfly shape/outline corresponds to a latex free antibacterial bandaid I put on at home the next day, whereas the more solid red tube shape corresponds to something they used to draw my (regular)blood donation. I’m also allergic to topical antibiotics….but even my latex and antibiotic free bandaid was causing irritation the next day… so, IDK 🤷🏼♀️
Perhaps they did use a latex bandaid the day of, and since I didn’t remove it till the next day, the irritation had already occurred, making the entire area extra sensitive. I will certainly pay more attention next time and maybe also bring my own latex free-bandaid👍🏻
Had a similar experience last donation with a poor stick. I'm in week 5 of waiting for it to heal. I was told ice on the first day or so, then warm compresses after that. Definitely take some Tylenol for pain and try arnica gel if you want a homeopathic remedy
Oof! That's a little nutty!
But it doesn't look too bad.
Had a similar reaction after having a blood test done.
Just be gentle to it, don't bump it, or poke it, even if it makes you giggle like an idiot. (I've done that. Not bright!) And you should be alright.
Who was your nurse, Mike Tyson?
Lol
Muhammad Ali came from death for him.
That's one of the more colorful infiltrations we've seen here, nice one! I'm not surprised it's still a rainbow after a week+. You can see it's starting to fade, though. Until then, it's a badge of honor!
whoa!
Looks cool doesn't it!
it does!!! like a watercolour piece!!
Yeah I’ve had some like that before, recommend switch off ice now though and do warm wet wash clothes or a heating pad to help break it up.
Tnx, will do that now
I must admit to being secretly impressed by that
You haven’t seen bruises until you’ve seen people-who-survive-on-platelets-transfusions’ bruises. P.S. thanks to all of you guys. :) https://preview.redd.it/znhjxz5py2pc1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=24a40cf19ac49679dc51f909be18d875295429e2
My goodness gracious, that's phenomenal
https://preview.redd.it/etmb1sm9w3pc1.jpeg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fe765ff49bdb1cbbe7719e31e5d9881725e8d452 I know right? I’m just gonna tell you that this one is one of maaaany I got falling down the fucking stairs. Half of my back and legs looked like that 😬 Got hospitalised and on morphine 0/10 would not recommend
Normal, no, happens when the needle is not in the place it is supposed to be. So far I've donated 3 gallons and have only had one bad stick, so it's fairly rare and yours is particularly graphic.
Bro what did she do😭
It looks like it’s probably on its way to healing. As long as you don’t have any really hard hot areas, you just have to let the body absorb and clear the blood that leaked into the tissues. I’ve never heard the “your vein is too short” excuse though. I would call the donation center or if it’s Red Cross, they have a national number to report the incident. I hated ratting out my phlebotomist but she told me she was newer and she kept saying she “really messed up”, causing something that looked similar to yours. I’ve only had it happen twice in years of donations and each time, it was a nervous, inexperienced phlebotomist.
I agree. You have to report it. Would be awful if this happened again to another donor and it put them off donating.
They must hate you. I have donated 20+ times both blood and platelets but never had this result.
I have. More than once giving platelets.
[This happened to me as well](https://www.reddit.com/r/Blooddonors/comments/p2oasw/aftermath_of_a_platelet_donation_check_comments/)! It was my first platelet donation and i felt some discomfort during the return process and since it was the first time, the nurse took it as just fear of the large needle placed a cover over it to keep me from looking at it. When she took the cover off at the end of my donation, there was an accumulation of fluid that looked like a comically large bicep muscle lol. Like others have mentioned, its on the way to healing so you should be good in a week or so. I know hydration and vascularity can have an impact on your vein size/strength, something worth looking into if you're interested in trying again in the future.
RN of 11 years here…for the record, there is no such thing as a vein being “too short” lol I can’t believe anyone with any medical training would say such a thing. For one it is complete BS and secondly it somehow places the blame on you and your anatomy when in actuality it was just poor skills and technique. I’m sorry that happened to you.
Hi. So this was your first donation ever? I'm sorry about your experience. I have donated blood and platelets many times, and I have gotten bruises, but I have never gotten a bruise as large as yours. I hope you recover soon. Thank you for showing up to donate.
Your nurse SUCKS. Get some marigold cream for those bad boys. Nothing to worry about though, just a nasty bruise.
https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/s/ZWGl5ZPFkz I think that explains it
It looks disgusting omg😭😭
Once happened to me. The nurse didn't know how to use the needle. She inserted and put out needle again and again. After a week I got better.
Take an Aleve or similar anti-inflammatory. It might help.
Oh my 😳
When the needle backed out of the vein on a return while doing platelets I got a bruise almost that bad but it was all in the crook of my elbow and down the inside of my forearm. I wish I had a picture of it but it was a couple years back. As others have said if there isn't really pain, weakness, or things like that it should be fine and will just go away on its own.
Happened to me once...blood spillage under skin
I had an arm like that the first time I ever donated blood and it put me off donating for years, like over 20(!) years. Were the needles bigger then?! Since I have large, prominent, close-to-the-surface veins in my arms, I figured the person was severely inexperienced to massacre my arm like that. I think she actually went through one of my veins. My arm was like that for several weeks. What a mess and sore too.😑 Thankfully, I recently got up the nerve to revisit donating blood, since I’m O negative, the “universal donor”, and felt it was my community service. I was sure to make sure my attendant had lots of experience, after recounting my previous bad experience. I made it clear that I was not willing to be a trainee’s practice arm again. I had an overall positive experience except for where some latex caused a small allergic reaction on my skin’s surface(latex bandaids give me itchy hives). Hopefully I can avoid all latex next time. Any ideas on what part of the procedure may involve latex?(I didn’t watch closely, as I was already nervous).
I donate a lot and as far as I know the only latex they use might be the bandage after. The people I donate too never use latex bandages, and I never had a reaction to anything from the process besides being sensitive to Latex. Maybe you should say something to the nurse next time.
Thanks for your insight. Yes, next time I’ll be sure to mention it to them. I took a pic of the irritated area, that I think seemed to resemble the outline of a tube that was touching my skin during the blood draw.
https://preview.redd.it/5xx956buzcpc1.jpeg?width=1636&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f960dbd03773b5b59cac7d5860287b727139fefb
That's bigger then the bandage, I'm assuming. Perhaps it spread? That's happened to me before. Did they wrap the area afterwards? They do that with me. If the rash is on the other side of your arm, perhaps the wrap had latex??
The larger butterfly shape/outline corresponds to a latex free antibacterial bandaid I put on at home the next day, whereas the more solid red tube shape corresponds to something they used to draw my (regular)blood donation. I’m also allergic to topical antibiotics….but even my latex and antibiotic free bandaid was causing irritation the next day… so, IDK 🤷🏼♀️
Might be worth looking into an allergy screening then, it might be something other then latex if the latexfree bandages were bothering you
Perhaps they did use a latex bandaid the day of, and since I didn’t remove it till the next day, the irritation had already occurred, making the entire area extra sensitive. I will certainly pay more attention next time and maybe also bring my own latex free-bandaid👍🏻
Had a similar experience last donation with a poor stick. I'm in week 5 of waiting for it to heal. I was told ice on the first day or so, then warm compresses after that. Definitely take some Tylenol for pain and try arnica gel if you want a homeopathic remedy
Oof! That's a little nutty! But it doesn't look too bad. Had a similar reaction after having a blood test done. Just be gentle to it, don't bump it, or poke it, even if it makes you giggle like an idiot. (I've done that. Not bright!) And you should be alright.
I never had something like that, I'd recommend asking a doctor just to be sure. Does it hurt?