November 6, 2008
...and then I went all vasovagal 'n shit...
I had to go to the doctor this morning for to get my blood drawn to check my cholesterol and thyroid. Walked in, felt fine yadda yadda. I was just telling the nurse that my veins are kind of difficult but she seemed confident. So she goes for my right arm...it rolls and she misses...digs around, can't get it. Switches arms, finds a good one...WHOOPS...there it goes...starts digging...finally gets it. I still felt fine this whole time. I open my hand and relax my arm while she's taking the blood out and I start feeling kind of hot and only a little light headed.
She's done, I ask if I can sit there for a minute...(sure! do you want some juice? sure!)...she leaves and I start feeling a little worse. I drink the juice, still don't feel too bad. She tells me she'll be back in a second because she has to grab something in the next room. I start feeling suddenly REALLY dizzy and sick. I remember deciding that I needed to go lay down on the table 2 feet away from me.
Next thing I know, I'm on the floor and there are people saying my name and asking if I'm ok. I was halfway under the counter that I was sitting next to and my head hurt. Apparently when I passed out I hit my head on the counter on my way down.
A doctor came in and checked me out and my head was sore and my neck was getting really tight and sore. He made me go get a neck x-ray and drink a soda.
X-ray was fine. I feel a lot better but have a headache and my neck kills. Diagnosis: another vasovagal reaction. This is my 5th now - but it's been a looong time.
Oh! And also when the nurse was leaving the room to grab whatever she forgot, I was reading a text message from a friend asking if I was pregnant. I was closing my phone as I was about to go over to the table but passed out instead.
Goodtimes.
I was supposed to give blood at my friend's blood drive tomorrow, but that is not a good idea for me (or anyone involved, probably) now.
First time: Age 17, I went to give blood for the first time, they pricked my finger and I passed out.
Second time: Age 21, wisdom tooth removed...was sitting there 10-20 minutes after it was done. I was fine, laughing and talking with the nurse, then (according to her) I turned about 6 different colors and passed out.
Third time: Age 22, on a field exercise in the army staying in a building in the woods. I was sitting on the stoop outside talking to Corey and a friend of mine. Got up to go inside, felt dizzy suddenly and told myself I'd make it to my bunk. Instead I passed out and hit the fire extinguisher bracket on the wall, the fire extinguisher on the floor and then landed on the concrete floor with blood gushing from my head. I got a helicopter ride out of that one. no real explaination for it other than *maybe* due to medication I'd only been on for a few days. It would have been much cooler if that German hospital would have given me a room instead of kept me in the hallway for 3 days. That experience is only balanced out by the fact that the German paramedic in the back of the helicopter with me was HOT.
Fourth time: Dentist office, wasn't numb enough (my mom and I both take a TON of novocaine to numb up) and started freaking out. The dentist stopped and let me sit up for a second to wipe my eyes while he got some more novocaine - passed out.
This time: Also *might* have something to do with new medication that I've been on for 2 days. Or the digging around for my sheisty veins with a needle. Or both.
I've donated blood probably 6 or 7 times, had numerous blood draws, and have 3 tattoos and have been fine (or mostly ok) for all of them. I also see and wipe up a lot of blood and open wounds in my line of work. No big deal - actually I'm kind of fascinated by it (which you might find disturbing - sorry!).
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7 comments:
Wow! That is quite the interesting doctors visit!
I have fainted twice and it was so weird waking up, hearing people say your name.
I hope your neck feels better!
I’m glad you’re ok Mo! It made me laugh though because you tell it so well. When you do get pregnant, you might experience a lot more of these spells, sorry to tell you that.
Oh well…at least I know to expect them, right? I’ll have to put bumpers and pillows over all the furniture and make sure I’m never holding sharp objects.
I almost always pass out from giving blood or having it taken. If they let me lay horizontally while it’s being drawns it is much better. I have no idea why, but it seems to work.
Melaina- basically it works because when you have a vasovagal reaction, your blood vessels in your limbs (especially your legs) dilate and if you are upright all of your blood flies down there and your brain doesn’t get enough blood. If you are laying down or have your legs elevated it uses gravity to keep the blood in your head.
What’s weird to me is that it doesn’t happen to me all the time. It’s really only happened from having blood drawn twice. I’ve had many many blood draws.
Huh. Weird stuff.
I’ve had only two reactions like this in my life - once was randomly in church, the other was also after a blood draw.
Who knew!
Hah, I get vasovagal reactions too. Watch out for the eye doctor.
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