ABG Advice

[Ready2Dance]

My friend is getting an ABG soon and is starting to get a little worried. She's had them before and they've hurt her alot. My experience with them is limited since I only had a couple right before I was transplanted, so I don't have much advice to give. I was just wondering if any of you out there have any tricks or tips to make it hurt any less? Thanks!

 

[Ready2Dance]

My friend is getting an ABG soon and is starting to get a little worried. She's had them before and they've hurt her alot. My experience with them is limited since I only had a couple right before I was transplanted, so I don't have much advice to give. I was just wondering if any of you out there have any tricks or tips to make it hurt any less? Thanks!

 

[Ready2Dance]

My friend is getting an ABG soon and is starting to get a little worried. She's had them before and they've hurt her alot. My experience with them is limited since I only had a couple right before I was transplanted, so I don't have much advice to give. I was just wondering if any of you out there have any tricks or tips to make it hurt any less? Thanks!

 

[Brad]

Jen

Just tell your friend to try and Relax as much as She can
and try not to Move so the Tech can hit the correct spot on the
first poke..

I have had more that can remember, Some have been painful
and I have had others that hurt less than a flu shot.It depend on the tech.
I try and put my mind on something I enjoy doing, For me it is Fishing.

I would say for Her to Give the Tech 2 pokes, if they Do not get it
Request another Person,, It is Her Right to Do So...

Good Luck to Your friend.

 

[Brad]

Jen

Just tell your friend to try and Relax as much as She can
and try not to Move so the Tech can hit the correct spot on the
first poke..

I have had more that can remember, Some have been painful
and I have had others that hurt less than a flu shot.It depend on the tech.
I try and put my mind on something I enjoy doing, For me it is Fishing.

I would say for Her to Give the Tech 2 pokes, if they Do not get it
Request another Person,, It is Her Right to Do So...

Good Luck to Your friend.

 

[Brad]

Jen
<br />
<br /> Just tell your friend to try and Relax as much as She can
<br /> and try not to Move so the Tech can hit the correct spot on the
<br /> first poke..
<br />
<br /> I have had more that can remember, Some have been painful
<br /> and I have had others that hurt less than a flu shot.It depend on the tech.
<br /> I try and put my mind on something I enjoy doing, For me it is Fishing.
<br />
<br /> I would say for Her to Give the Tech 2 pokes, if they Do not get it
<br /> Request another Person,, It is Her Right to Do So...
<br />
<br /> Good Luck to Your friend.

 

[cf4life]

Yup, the person doing it makes the world of difference. Also, it is not always the easiest thing to do so be patient. You could request some Lidocaine first, which feels like a bee sting, then it can be painless, assuming the lidocaine was administered properly.

Brad,
Thinking of fishing caught me as pretty funny, considering the tech may be just doing that, fishing for your artery.

 

[cf4life]

Yup, the person doing it makes the world of difference. Also, it is not always the easiest thing to do so be patient. You could request some Lidocaine first, which feels like a bee sting, then it can be painless, assuming the lidocaine was administered properly.

Brad,
Thinking of fishing caught me as pretty funny, considering the tech may be just doing that, fishing for your artery.

 

[cf4life]

Yup, the person doing it makes the world of difference. Also, it is not always the easiest thing to do so be patient. You could request some Lidocaine first, which feels like a bee sting, then it can be painless, assuming the lidocaine was administered properly.
<br />
<br />Brad,
<br />Thinking of fishing caught me as pretty funny, considering the tech may be just doing that, fishing for your artery.

 

[JustDucky]

Here is one tip that should help, have the tech or RT, who ever does the blood gas, to inject a little lidocaine near the artery really close to the skin. It doesn't hurt, trust me....once they do that, give it a few minutes, the area should be numb and the ABG should not hurt. I find that if I don't feel it, my artery does not spasm and they are able to get it first poke. I have had many of these done, this is the most merciful way of doing them. HOpe it helps..
Jenn

 

[JustDucky]

Here is one tip that should help, have the tech or RT, who ever does the blood gas, to inject a little lidocaine near the artery really close to the skin. It doesn't hurt, trust me....once they do that, give it a few minutes, the area should be numb and the ABG should not hurt. I find that if I don't feel it, my artery does not spasm and they are able to get it first poke. I have had many of these done, this is the most merciful way of doing them. HOpe it helps..
Jenn

 

[JustDucky]

Here is one tip that should help, have the tech or RT, who ever does the blood gas, to inject a little lidocaine near the artery really close to the skin. It doesn't hurt, trust me....once they do that, give it a few minutes, the area should be numb and the ABG should not hurt. I find that if I don't feel it, my artery does not spasm and they are able to get it first poke. I have had many of these done, this is the most merciful way of doing them. HOpe it helps..
<br />Jenn

 

[NYCLawGirl]

Ask for lidocaine. The tech at my hospital always uses it by default, but for a short while there was a question as to whether I was allergic and I had to do the ABGs without it. Not terrible, but why not spare yourself the pain? I think they'll be pretty responsive -- they know it hurts.

The other helpful thing (lesson learned from a tech who gave me this advice, and it's awesome) is to pre-medicate 30 mins before with a little advil or tylenol. It won't affect your results at all but it will help with the soreness afterward, which personally I think is worse than the draw itself. Even if I have lidocaine I pop two regular tylenol in advance, just to help with the weird itchiness/soreness of the numbing med wearing off.

Between the lido and the tylenol I've never really had a bad ABG experience. Even the ones without the lidocaine weren't bad, probably b/c of the tylenol.

 

[NYCLawGirl]

Ask for lidocaine. The tech at my hospital always uses it by default, but for a short while there was a question as to whether I was allergic and I had to do the ABGs without it. Not terrible, but why not spare yourself the pain? I think they'll be pretty responsive -- they know it hurts.

The other helpful thing (lesson learned from a tech who gave me this advice, and it's awesome) is to pre-medicate 30 mins before with a little advil or tylenol. It won't affect your results at all but it will help with the soreness afterward, which personally I think is worse than the draw itself. Even if I have lidocaine I pop two regular tylenol in advance, just to help with the weird itchiness/soreness of the numbing med wearing off.

Between the lido and the tylenol I've never really had a bad ABG experience. Even the ones without the lidocaine weren't bad, probably b/c of the tylenol.

 

[NYCLawGirl]

Ask for lidocaine. The tech at my hospital always uses it by default, but for a short while there was a question as to whether I was allergic and I had to do the ABGs without it. Not terrible, but why not spare yourself the pain? I think they'll be pretty responsive -- they know it hurts.
<br />
<br />The other helpful thing (lesson learned from a tech who gave me this advice, and it's awesome) is to pre-medicate 30 mins before with a little advil or tylenol. It won't affect your results at all but it will help with the soreness afterward, which personally I think is worse than the draw itself. Even if I have lidocaine I pop two regular tylenol in advance, just to help with the weird itchiness/soreness of the numbing med wearing off.
<br />
<br />Between the lido and the tylenol I've never really had a bad ABG experience. Even the ones without the lidocaine weren't bad, probably b/c of the tylenol.

 

[coltsfan715]

I don't have much advice to offer I guess in how to make it less painful. I have been VERY lucky in regards to ABGs because of all the ones I have had done the people have never hurt me.

One thing I do notice though is that once they find the pulse and figure out where they are sticking every person that has done an ABG on me holds my artery in place by placing a finger firmly beside the artery or directly at the base of where they are sticking me. Even if they don't hit the artery the first go round it has never hurt, but they have only missed twice in the past almost 4 years.

I think a lot of it is getting someone that does them more often as well. For me at Mayo the only people that have ever stuck me for an ABG were respiratory technicians that do my PFTs or Bronchoscopies.

Lindsey

 

[coltsfan715]

I don't have much advice to offer I guess in how to make it less painful. I have been VERY lucky in regards to ABGs because of all the ones I have had done the people have never hurt me.

One thing I do notice though is that once they find the pulse and figure out where they are sticking every person that has done an ABG on me holds my artery in place by placing a finger firmly beside the artery or directly at the base of where they are sticking me. Even if they don't hit the artery the first go round it has never hurt, but they have only missed twice in the past almost 4 years.

I think a lot of it is getting someone that does them more often as well. For me at Mayo the only people that have ever stuck me for an ABG were respiratory technicians that do my PFTs or Bronchoscopies.

Lindsey

 

[coltsfan715]

I don't have much advice to offer I guess in how to make it less painful. I have been VERY lucky in regards to ABGs because of all the ones I have had done the people have never hurt me.
<br />
<br />One thing I do notice though is that once they find the pulse and figure out where they are sticking every person that has done an ABG on me holds my artery in place by placing a finger firmly beside the artery or directly at the base of where they are sticking me. Even if they don't hit the artery the first go round it has never hurt, but they have only missed twice in the past almost 4 years.
<br />
<br />I think a lot of it is getting someone that does them more often as well. For me at Mayo the only people that have ever stuck me for an ABG were respiratory technicians that do my PFTs or Bronchoscopies.
<br />
<br />Lindsey