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John Byrne
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Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 135206
Posted: 29 October 2025 at 6:40pm | IP Logged | 1 post reply

I have been getting blood work done (good timing, right?) and a phrase I have really grown to hate—and I was well on my way already—is when a nurse comes at me with a needle and the phrase I use as my title. If that’s “a little pinch” next time I see someone pinch a baby’s cheek I will call Child Welfare!

Better to say “This is going to hurt like hell!” Then when it doesn’t, the nurse seems like a hero!

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Ryan Maxwell
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Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: United States
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Posted: 29 October 2025 at 6:43pm | IP Logged | 2 post reply

When I was a kid, my family doctor used to joke to his nurse, as she was about to give me a shot, “Wiggle it around a bit when you get it in there.” I’m still carrying that around with me.  
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John Byrne
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Grumpy Old Guy

Joined: 11 May 2005
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Posted: 29 October 2025 at 6:46pm | IP Logged | 3 post reply

I have rubbery veins, so they often have to do that to get the blood flowing.
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Brandon Carter
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Posted: 29 October 2025 at 7:36pm | IP Logged | 4 post reply

I've gotten shots or vaccinations before that I can honestly say I barely felt.  "Just a little pinch" would be accurate for those.  However, I've donated blood around 50 times over the years and that moment when the needle goes into the vein has hurt every single time.  



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Doug Centers
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Joined: 17 February 2014
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Posted: 29 October 2025 at 10:44pm | IP Logged | 5 post reply

I'm going to get blood work next Thursday and like John they say I have "shy" veins. Digging, twisting using 3 or 4 spot. The nurse comes in confident and I'll say "let's see if you can get it in 1 try", 2 minutes later she's apologizing profusely. 

Can't wait!
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Vinny Valenti
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Posted: 29 October 2025 at 11:18pm | IP Logged | 6 post reply

One time I donated blood at my job. Now, I can handle the needle and all that, but I'm squeamish about seeing the blood flowing out. So, I keep my eyes closed and my head turned throughout the whole process. You'd think the nurse would pick up on that, right? Well, after we're all done she takes my bag of blood and starts practically juggling it, saying to me "look what you made!!"

Who the hell does that?!?


Edited by Vinny Valenti on 29 October 2025 at 11:18pm
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John Cole
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Joined: 02 March 2008
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Posted: 30 October 2025 at 12:08am | IP Logged | 7 post reply

Annual blood work at the VA for the last 25 or so years.
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James Woodcock
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Joined: 21 September 2007
Location: United Kingdom
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Posted: 30 October 2025 at 12:23am | IP Logged | 8 post reply

Small scratch is what we say in the UK.
We used to have two cats - Kosh and Valen (although Valen’s nickname was
‘Le cute arse of Borg’).
Valen would lay on me and do that thing cats do where they spread their
paws, extend their claws and then close tight on your arm, digging their
claws into you. 20 years of that resulted in the ‘small scratch’ of needles
becoming barely noticeable.
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Jason K Fulton
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Joined: 23 September 2016
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Posted: 30 October 2025 at 1:06am | IP Logged | 9 post reply

I see a hematologist quarterly, and one of my blood thinners is an injection, and my veins are garbage at this point (just bad genes / poor design), so I sympathize. 

I've had too many nurses get frustrated with the state of my vascular system, and too many attempts because "I've been doing this for xxx amount of years, this never happens to me, the next poke will work", so I just have them go through my hand. They can reliably get their vials from my hand at that point. I end up with bruises from it, and its not particularly comfortable, but it solves the problem.
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Bill Collins
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Joined: 26 May 2005
Location: England
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Posted: 30 October 2025 at 1:30am | IP Logged | 10 post reply

Yes as James said it's always a "small scratch" in the U.K.
and it makes me think "If you think that's a scratch you
really shouldn't be a medical professional"in my head i'm
screaming "It's a PRICK" but i guess they're trained not to
use that word!
P.S. love the B5 moggy names James!

Edited by Bill Collins on 30 October 2025 at 1:31am
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Jozef Brandt
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Joined: 03 March 2007
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Posted: 30 October 2025 at 3:09am | IP Logged | 11 post reply


I had a blood draw today, oddly enough, and the last time I was at this clinic, the medical assistant missed my vein 3 times. (They were technically supposed to stop after 2, but I begged to try again because this was my only day off). I ended up having to go to LapCorp where the lady there was so good, she could have probably thrown it from across the room and gotten it in.

Today, I was worried when the same medical assistant who had missed 3 times before, walked in, but she got it on the first try. I silently cheered. She just said "here we go" and did it.   
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Cory Vandernet
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Henchman

Joined: 16 April 2004
Location: Canada
Posts: 864
Posted: 30 October 2025 at 4:21am | IP Logged | 12 post reply

I have hemochromatosis (too much iron in my blood), if you come from northern European stock there's a good chance you'll develop it. The only way to remedy it is with a Phlebotomy (bleeding) and drain me of a half liter every 2 weeks at first, now every 3 months.

It wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for that f*cking horse needle they use, it just rips a hole in ya. My right arm is tapped out (it took the nurse a half-hour to stop the bleeding the last time) now they've started using the left. I don't even want to think about where they're going after that's tapped out.
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