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Where is the Strangest Place You Had An IV Placed?
I know that when kids are younger, sometimes IV’s are placed in the strangest places. When there isn’t that much to work with (let’s face it, many of us have really tricky and difficult veins) sometimes the nurse anesthetist or whoever is putting in the IV needs to get creative.
I am currently in the hospital waiting on my surgery in my arm and will be admitted for probably about a week or so to be monitored for my GI issues as well as cardiac and vascular surgery care. I am just sitting here thinking about “weird” placements of an IV. Usually the strangely placed IVs are to get the medication running through and then once asleep they can get better access to veins.
Some “strange” locations I have had for IVs include my thumb vein, other fingers, feet, and when I was younger I had an IV in a vein in my HEAD! Yes, you read that correctly.
Have you ever had to have an unusual placement of an IV because of difficult vein access? What are some spots that are “creative” places they were able to find a vein? I guess desperate times call for desperate measures haha!
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20 Replies
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just wishing you the absolute best of that that is……… peace
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Thank you so much Dan,
I really appreciate the well wishes and the kindness. It helps to know that there is a community out there (like these forums) that are behind me and my journey ! Thank you again for the encouragement and the peaceful wishes !
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Dear Brittney,
You are a hoot – I think you have to get the prize for the strangest places for IVs. For you to be thinking about what other strange places while waiting for your surgery just shows again what a wonder you are! Like everone one else my husband and myself wish you the very best out come and we send gentle hugs,
Carol and Dick -
My absolute worse place is my neck. For whatever reason I have very small and tiny veins and the neck is the easiest for them to work with. I guess we do what we have to in order to see another day. I wish you the best of health and I hope they find your veins easy and quickly! Stay strong
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Ouch Shannon, I know with my caths they say my neck veins are really tough because they’re tiny. Reading that just makes me cringe, lol
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Isn’t that odd that your neck veins are tiny? Everyone has such different bodies. They always say the veins in my neck are “juicy” so gross! It makes me hate that word. Lol 😂 I wish everyone has easy to find veins. It would make life a little easier. For us and the nurses, and the IV team. 👍🏼
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Brittany…What?! No, seriously, and IV in your head! Wait until I tell my son that one. The worse for him was in the foot and we thought that was cruel and unusual. I believe he has had one in the knuckle once too that was painful.
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Wow, Britany, in the head? I thought the foot was bad!
I agree with Carol, you’re the winner, lol
Best of luck to you ,our inspiring beautiful young lady! ❤️
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Brittany- I, too, have had several in my head as a child. I have four very large “cut down” scars from them literally cutting the skin to expose the vein from when I was young. They rarely do cut down anymore. Now days my hand or wrist area is the go-to.
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Today when I was in the hospital they ended up getting an IV into my pinky finger. It was very uncomfortable but there’s always that sigh of relief when they actually get SOMETHING ! At this point I don’t really even care where they can go. As long as they find a vein. I am limited to only using my right arm too because the left is not a good side due to surgeries and my bypass graft that is 50% occluded on the left.
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Brittany, they really like to find unusual places for your IV’s. Maybe the staff has bets going of who can successfully find a new place to get you, lol. I know my son doesn’t care anymore. He just tells them to do what they need to do so he can get it all over and done with. However, to this day he refuses to let them consider his feet as an option. That happened one time when he was little and he said, “NEVER AGAIN!” I think they got him one in his index finger but not the pinky. I bet that didn’t feel so great.
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They probably DO have bets going LOL! I like how nurses that I see have a limit of how many times they are willing to try a good place to stick. Usually the max they will give is 2 attempts unless they feel like they will definitely be able to get it on the 3rd try. Usually they try to plump up the veins with fluid before trying to get any other IVs or bigger ones in like the ones they have to use for the contrast or for surgeries
So as long as it works and can run some fluid through then I’ll take what I can get too! Heat packs also help plump them up too. The feet hurt a LOT so I don’t blame your son for not wanting that. The worst one was when they got an IV through my groin. Really hurt a lot and the area had to be numbed up first. -
They probably DO have bets going LOL! I like how nurses that I see have a limit of how many times they are willing to try a good place to stick. Usually the max they will give is 2 attempts unless they feel like they will definitely be able to get it on the 3rd try. Usually they try to plump up the veins with fluid before trying to get any other IVs or bigger ones in like the ones they have to use for the contrast or for surgeries
So as long as it works and can run some fluid through then I’ll take what I can get too! Heat packs also help plump them up too. The feet hurt a LOT so I don’t blame your son for not wanting that. The worst one was when they got an IV through my groin. Really hurt a lot and the area had to be numbed up first. -
Ouch, Brittany! I can relate to feeling a relief that they find a vein and get what they need, LOL
My veins are scarred and tiny, but I cannot even begin to imagine yours with the complications you have had. I am sure your sticks are just that more intriguing.I agree, Colleen, I bet the nurses do make bets. I have heard some say that when I have been in the hospital for long stays.
I am like your son, “just hurry, get a vein, and get out”, LOL
Isn’t is hilarious what we find amusing? Not just anyone can laugh at these things, HeHe
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So true, Jen!
We really DO find humor in the strangest of places even if that means getting stuck with an IV. I usually give them the “good luck finding something” challenge. Usually they take it as a challenge instead of just using the ultrasound machine in the first place like I tell them to! I’d rather just use the ultrasound machine and have them get it on the first try than be a pin cushion for multiple attempts. IV sticks really don’t bother me but I’d rather not getting 10 of them before actually getting my medications and what I need to feel better. Usually the “reward” after getting an IV is getting medicine to help relieve my symptoms so that’s why I tolerate it more ! -
I’m glad that we can laugh about these things, Brittany! I agree, simply finding a vein so they can administer whatever we are in need of, is the important part.
@jimi, ouch, the feet hurt! But, we do what we need to do to keep going. You’re such a sweet guy and I enjoy reading your posts. You’re compassionate and a PHighter. You’re a great part of the forums here.
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The strangest place was in the top of my foot, everyplace else was being used by blood transfusions, iron infusion or
Were collapsing. Now I try and tobkeep
My left arm available. I was a medic and lab tech in the military and I have placed an IV in other strange places.-
Jimi,
I cringe at the mention of the top of the foot! I have had them in my ankles when I was a younger kid and it was just awful! I woke up with them in my foot after one of my heart surgeries probably because they had trouble getting access. I’m sure you have given them in some unusual places!!! I guess whatever gets the job done !
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Brittany you are my hero, you have a giving soul and God is not thru with you. You are a binding force, that like the “Bunny”, you keep going. Your spirit is like my Kimberly, never complained, never quit, lived her life to the fullest. They told her that having a baby with Lupus was dangerous,
She left us with 2 amazing kids.Brittany, all I ask is that you take some time for you. Your greatest days are just around the corner, your prayers will be answered. I am happy to to have met you and glorified in the wisdom of an old wise person in a young person body.
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Jimi,
Thank you so much for this beautiful message to me. I definitely am a fighter and never quit and don’t accept “there’s nothing else” as an answer to ANYTHING medically. I still have hope even with everything going on that things have to get better or that things will improve somehow or someway even if it means having to fight for it a little harder. These forums and being given as much support as I am here give me a lot of strength too and your words really help to keep me moving forward. It’s great to know the impact that we all have on each other.
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