I’m a little embarrassed to say, but I have passed out a few times after getting my blood drawn for lab work. I used to really dread the whole ordeal so I avoided all bloodwork as much as possible.
But quite often, blood work can give you great insight and helpful information for maintaining optimal health. Having baseline information for your blood markers can be incredibly helpful over time to see trends.
You can request your medical doctor to order various tests they feel are important. Depending on the state you live in, you can also utilize direct to consumer labs and purchase a whole array of tests you want to have done. It is surprisingly affordable and a great way to be proactive in improving your own health.
One of my favorite direct to consumer labs is Ulta Lab Tests. You place an order and then walk into a lab with the form they provide you. You will then receive your results 🙂 If anything looks concerning, you can take the results to your doctor. If all the blood work results are in the normal lab range, you can get a functional analysis to see if there is anything you can do to further optimize your health.
5 Tips to Reduce Discomfort
- Make sure you are well hydrated prior to the blood draw. Please double check to make sure water is allowed as some tests may require you are fully fasted for a few hours. Being hydrated helps greatly in the collection process as well as your comfort level.
- Prior to the blood draw, consider learning about and using homeopathic hypericum for nerve sensitivity/needle pain. You might need to take it the night before as there is a little sugar in the pellets. Consider researching and using homeopathic ledum after the blood draw for any pain from the needle.
- Take some fruit juice in a tetra pack (kid’s fruit juice lunch pouches) to drink right after the blood draw. This helps me from passing out- I think my blood sugar drops a bit too much.
- Always know you can ask them to STOP taking more blood if you don’t feel good or get light headed. It is for your own safety to speak up. Take someone with you and have them watch for any signs you are starting to pass out so they can intervene on your behalf. If you end the blood draw early, Ulta Lab will run any tests they can with the collected blood and issue another form for the remainder of the test for another day.
- If you know you have finer veins or have had trouble with blood draws in the past, let the phlebotomist know. You can also request a finer needle (a nurse told me she calls them butterfly needles). These needles are less painful and have flexible tubing so you don’t feel any extra movements.
