Getting Your Blood Drawn: What You Need to Know

Your doctor simply requested blood test and you're rushing to get it done. This is what you should know ahead to guarantee a comfortable and easy draw.

Before Your Blood Test

Your Lab should tell you whether you have to fast before having your blood drawn. In case you don't know, confirm any prerequisites with your Lab beforehand. At MedQLabs, our Support team will contact you once you book a Test to be clear with the guidelines patient need to follow before the blood draw in order to provide you with accurate report.

Fast Smartly
Fasting for a blood test involves keeping away from all food and (with the exception of water) for 8 to 12 hours before the test. Drink a lot of water and your prescriptions as usual. Note that few tests have stricter requirements, for example, the H. pylori breath test, which includes consuming nothing, including water, for one hour preceding the test. Tip: Keep the snacks ready. In case you're fasting, get your test done early in the morning and keep ready healthy snack to eat following the test.

Drink Water
Many individuals believe they should avoid water before a blood draw, however, this couldn't be further from the truth. Drinking water won't possibly make you feel much improved in case you're fasting, it will also make for a smoother blood draw. Blood is around 50 percent water, so the more water you drink, the plumper your veins become and the simpler it is for the phlebotomist– the specialist trained to draw your blood– to find your veins and remove blood. Urine tests are much of the time requested alongside blood tests, and the fuller your bladder, the simpler it will be for you to give a sample. (Note: The urine test for chlamydia and gonorrhoea necessitates that you do not urinate for one hour prior to the test.)

Tip: Get a head start on hydration. Drink additional water starting the day before your blood draw to guarantee you are adequately hydrated the day of the draw.

What to Expect During the Draw? 

Nobody looks forward to getting their blood drawn, however, the procedure is normally brief and uneventful. Most people are in and out of the Test in less than 15 minutes. The phlebotomist will start by delicately squeezing his or her fingers against your skin to find the best vein. At that point, the person will wear gloves, clean the zone with an alcohol pad, tie a tourniquet around your upper arm to increase blood flow, request that you make a clench hand, and insert the needle.

Tip: Chatting makes a difference. MedQLabs phlebotomist tries connecting with you in discussion to enable you to relax so the needle prick is somewhat less agonizing. Chat up your phlebotomist and divert yourself from the draw!

Shy Veins
Our phlebotomists are skilled at drawing blood from a variety of patients. Some veins are trickier to draw from than others. To urge out a shy vein, the phlebotomist might tighten the tourniquet, spend additional time palpating your veins or spot a warm pad against your skin. Taking the time upfront to find the best vein is time very much spent. A phlebotomist will likely draw your blood as easily and painlessly as possible– and just once! In the event that the phlebotomist isn't successful after two sticks, the person may suggest that you can get your test done another day.

Tip: Know your limits. If you’ve fainted in the past or have a phobia of needles, let the phlebotomist know immediately. They can position you so you're less likely to faint, keep their needles out of your observable pathway, or use right words to calm you during the draw.

After Your Blood Test

Bruising Is Normal After the blood draw is finished, your phlebotomist will remove the needle, hold gauze against the puncture site, and request that you apply pressure. Applying pressure straightforwardly following a blood draw mitigates the normal reaction of bruising.

Indeed, even with these precautions, minor bruising and swelling around the puncture site can happen. Since each individual's veins are different, and veins move every now and again, bruising can happen even with the most experienced phlebotomists. In the event that you do bruise, it ought to leave inside a couple of days.

Getting your Results

At MedQLabs, our phlebotomist will collect your blood test sample for your door step and sent it to our lab. Once the lab processes the samples and sends us the result, we will email you with an interpretation of the results for your reference. This process will hardly take 4-6 hours. If it’s been more than a week since your blood draw and you haven’t received an email, call our office.

NOTE: If you’ve developed new symptoms, have experienced significant lifestyle changes, or are interested in getting a particular test done for any reason, book an appointment with MedQLabs, so you can discuss it with us and determine whether a blood test is the best course of action.

Where do I go for a blood draw? 

MedQLabs provides 24/7 services at your door step in major parts of Bangalore, India. This means that you can have your blood drawn directly at your door step once prescribed by the doctor. You don’t need to visit any Labs or wait in long queue to get your test done. Our Phlebotomist will collect the blood sample and send the report directly to your Email ID within 4-6 hours from the time the blood is drawn.

MedQLabs blog is published by VUEKEN, end-to-end Digital Marketing service provider with office in Bangalore, India.

Any general advice posted on blog is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace or substitute for any medical or other advice. MedQLabs or Vueken make no representations or warranties and expressly disclaim any and all liability concerning any treatment, action by, or effect on any person following the general information offered or provided within or through the blog. If you have specific concerns or a situation arises in which you require medical advice, you should consult with an appropriately trained and qualified medical services provider.