Wondering how the other MM's veins are?
Mine are terrible and it seems like everyone I talk to w/ MM has the same problem...I have the smallest, rolling veins...It takes them like 2 hours to get an IV in me...It is also a nightmare to have blood taken..that usually takes like and hour at least...I am always very hydrated and have even used a heating pad to warm up my veins....When I came out of my direct bypass surgery, I had a central line IV in my neck, an IV in the top of each foot, and IV in each hand and in each arm....The IV nurse looked at me and said "you must be a horrible stick"......ya think???  Anyone else have the same problem?
Gretchen 8-)

Hi Gretchen and welcome to the MM family.

Interesting question.

My brother Cubbie has MM and he too has the "rolling" veins but not to the extent you do. You win the prize for rolling veins. lol!

I never gave it much thought and I didn't think to ask Dr. Steinberg or Teresa about it when we were at Stanford in April. It will be interesting to hear if other MMers experience rolling veins and to what extent.

Lore   

My veins have always been outstanding. Never had a problem with either donating blood, which I don't do anymore, or IVs or blood tests. However my coronary arteries have been having this nasty habit of blocking up, but the five stents have opened them up.

Very interesting....My daughter has Down syndrome so I've always attributed it to that. She is a really difficult stick.When she was in for ehr surgeries they even brought in a PICU nurse to try and get an IV in,she would blow her IV at least once a day and It was horrible watching them try to get another IV in.Finally they decided to try a line in her neck while under anasthesia for her second surgery,they couldn't even get that in.Thank god they found a couple of good veins in her feet and put a couple of lines in while she was under so they could just hook it up when she blew the next IV.I've tried hydration and warming but it's still tough to get it.She aslo has the appearance of livido reticularis(never a real diagnosis) which I know others here have mentioned.
Mary Grace

Chiming in on behalf of my daughter . . . Tara is a VERY hard stick.  She, very consistently, must be poked multiple times to find a good vein.  She came out of both surgeries with IV's in her feet.  The central line is typical (at least for MM patients at Stanford), for quick delivery of meds, if necessary.  Tara is one of the most hydrated people I know, so the difficulty is not attributable to that.   Warmth seems to help sometimes but, as Mary Grace said, it's still tough.

You're not alone Gretchen . . . hang in there!

Jill   

Hi. I had my surgery at Stanford Feb.2008 on left side and I am a terrible stick and have been always! My veins are tiny, they roll and getting an IV is a nightmare. I have bruises everywhere from so many failed attempts. It might be related somehow to the disease; is interesting......

Yep, me too. Though not so bad as some. I think my veins dive deep when I'm stressed - which would be anytime I'm approached by someone with a needle. I don't much like needles. There is a "sweet spot" in the crook of my left arm that seems to be a pretty good outlet for drawing blood. I was warned to use it sparingly (like I have that option) as it could eventually develop scar tissue and not work so well. Applying warm heat is helpful. MOre recently the phlebotomist is using some device with a plastic tube attached instead of a syringe-not sure what it's called; a butterfly something or other, very tiny needle.

Hello to all you 'don't stick well' folks!

Me too.

I've had nurses either clench their teeth and jab harder, or slink out and ask for some other brave soul to try it.

Meanwhile I'm enduring (but used it actually) this prick and trying to be helpful by imagining scenes of flowing water, tranquility, rising tides...until I'm ready for a 'rest stop' after thinking of all this liquid!
So my sympathies,

La

I also have rolling veins that are apparently small.  I used to have no problem with an IV or having blood taken.  I did ask about it and was told it's something that develops because of the number of needles and IV's that I've had to have.  I was also told that sometimes the veins will come back after a period of "inactivity" but sometimes they don't.  Not sure if this is true or not but it was the answer I was given

Never really had a problem but I do remember when I was in hospital when I was 11 having bruises on both my arms but I think that was more to do with being the guinea pig patient for the trainee doctors rather than my veins but that has put me off needles for life :)

I have veins that like to hide and colaps. They have to use a butterfly needel to take my blood. When I was hospitalized for my stroke they keept me there for a week trying to figure out why i had my stroke. The nurses had to move my IV everyday and I had huge bruses where the IV was. For me the crook of my right arm that seems to be a pretty good outlet for drawing blood. Hydratration never is a problem and a heating pad never worked. I just ask for the most experienced "vampier" they have and explain I have difficult veins, that seems to get me someone who won't hurt or bruse.
Becky

It sounds like I'm the rare and lucky one here, as far as veins go. My body also tends to revascularize itself, not as much as I'd like obviously, but enough to stave off coronary bypass surgery a few years ago.

My daughter is a very hard stick. At one hospital they tried 9 times. We have heard everything from her veins hide when she is scared, to I really thought I could get it. I had it, but it wouldn't thread..... It's awful. The best result she had was in the use of lidacaine given first, which does sting, but numbs really quickly.
Pam :'(