I gave blood 5 days ago. A bruise formed after 2 days and I had it checked out at medical (it was kinda nasty). He said it was fine. It's about twice as big now and my family is begging me to go to the hospital. Think I can hold off another day and do it in the morning or am I gonna die in my sleep?

(This is what happens when you trust the Army with a needle)

10/12/2009 3:16:09 PM

Dude, go now.

10/12/2009 3:18:24 PM

Looks like you fell asleep on a magazine and M&Y made love to your arm.

10/12/2009 3:19:13 PM

amputate

10/12/2009 3:19:24 PM

It's been like that for a few days and I've been fine. It's a tiny bit sore but my hand isn't cold or tingly and the bruise isn't warm.

10/12/2009 3:19:37 PM

AIDS

10/12/2009 3:20:03 PM

^probably right.

But I can't trust a diagnosis from someone with <1000 poasts

10/12/2009 3:20:43 PM

NICE hematoma


any loss of sensation anywhere?

would be interesting to know what your coags are or your platelet count


go get it checked out if it will make you feel better

10/12/2009 3:20:56 PM

does the skin turn white when you press on it or does it stay red?

10/12/2009 3:23:30 PM

that's a symptom of the larval stage of the infinity worm, slowly gestating in your arm meats as is feeds on your desires

10/12/2009 3:23:32 PM

Not that I know of. My fingers were a little numb on the insides between the index and ring finger, which would be a sign of nerve damage where they stuck the needle - but I think that was only from sleeping on my arm because that went away after a few hours. Other than that the area is a little swollen and sore but nothing else is different.

Skin stays red/purple when I poke it.

[Edited on October 12, 2009 at 3:25 PM. Reason : .]

10/12/2009 3:25:00 PM

The thing that I find alarming about that bruise is the thready/spidery look of it, but that's only because I've never really seen bruising like that from a needle prick.

10/12/2009 3:27:01 PM

It used to be more spidery like that.. in the last day or two it has spread a little further but the lines faded. This is a picture from yesterday:

10/12/2009 3:28:55 PM

i'd go just to have it checked, at least to something like student health...

you must be a bleeder

10/12/2009 3:31:45 PM

looks like someone whipped the shit out of your arm

10/12/2009 3:31:51 PM

wow. that looks gnarly.


i'd get it checked out....

[Edited on October 12, 2009 at 3:33 PM. Reason : nm def not a rash]

10/12/2009 3:31:55 PM

You got dat 1100 brah

10/12/2009 3:32:25 PM

10/12/2009 3:32:55 PM

i am guessing they had to fish for your vein.


they probably poked straight through it a couple of times.


are you taking aspirin or plavix by chance?

10/12/2009 3:33:08 PM

The last time I had a bruise so large and impressive from a needle prick, I was inpatient in the hospital and the doctor wasn't really alarmed about it, but wanted to run some tests because he thought that I might have some kind of clotting problem. I ended up simply being anemic.

10/12/2009 3:33:32 PM

just remember: all bleeding eventually stops

10/12/2009 3:34:25 PM

you just might be dead at the end of said bleeding

10/12/2009 3:34:52 PM

^^^^ or coumadin (warfarin)?

[Edited on October 12, 2009 at 3:36 PM. Reason : sdfds]

10/12/2009 3:35:28 PM

He hit the vein the first try and it was a pretty quick process. When he pulled the needle out I had some unusual pain because I think he kinda pushed the needle down and out, which raked the vein. Last time I gave blood I had a tiny bruise that went away after a day. Not sure exactly what happened here.

The thing is I can't just up and go to the doctor, I have to call my Chief to get permission... then possibly have the duty corpsman check it out. I hate my healthcare. If you want to know why government healthcare is a bad idea, ask someone in the military.

[Edited on October 12, 2009 at 3:38 PM. Reason : and no, the only thing i'm taking is mom's home made oatmeal cookies ]

10/12/2009 3:37:25 PM

well if it makes you feel better i took care of a lady last week that bleed for 2 days from a femoral artery puncture( she had a stent placed in the cath lab) she was taking aspirin and plavix because she needed to



anyway the point is she leaked for 2 whole days............she didnt die


if you go numb in your hand, or your hand gets pale/cold......get thee to thee ER

10/12/2009 3:46:16 PM

Well my hand is pale and cold.. but only because i'm scottish so i'm pale in general, and both of my hands are cold for some reason. I think it's just cold in this room.

10/12/2009 3:47:44 PM

Uhhhh, you need to take your ass to the hospital ASAP!!

10/12/2009 4:51:14 PM

it sounds like you might have a staff (sp?) infection....I would go.

10/12/2009 5:29:37 PM

staph, just so you know. short for staphylococcus.

10/12/2009 5:31:09 PM

I kinda figured....no time for google search...he may die.

10/12/2009 5:33:11 PM

you're probably another one of those hush-hush army experiments

lemme know if you develop laser eyes or something neat, i'll sign up for that shit

[Edited on October 12, 2009 at 5:34 PM. Reason : great now i'm going to be making the laser eye sound effects for everything i look at today]

10/12/2009 5:33:40 PM

dead.

10/12/2009 6:39:56 PM

Are you posting from the afterlife????

10/12/2009 6:41:28 PM

secondlife, is it fun?

10/12/2009 6:42:31 PM

Quote :

"just remember: all bleeding eventually stops"

one of my favorite quotes

10/12/2009 6:51:32 PM

liver failure.

10/12/2009 6:58:48 PM

damn that looks pretty rough. i'd get it checked out soon, since you did have an invasive procedure done to that arm. no other trauma to the arm? did the site he took blood from bleed a lot over the course of that day? do you have any bleeding problems or easily bruise? it doesn't look like thrombophlebitis but if that skin is hot or you are having fevers you better get to the ED

10/12/2009 8:06:24 PM

it's a tumor.

10/12/2009 8:09:51 PM

Lupus

10/12/2009 8:11:58 PM

Its not a tumah!

10/12/2009 8:13:19 PM

^^ goddammit, i was going to post that

10/12/2009 8:17:00 PM

you might want to take the photos you've taken of your arm with you when/if you go to the doc. it might be helpful for them to understand what it looked like at different intervals

10/12/2009 8:20:51 PM

10/12/2009 8:22:02 PM

Aw, slingblade, you poor thing! I hope you get this figured out & it gets better soon! This is one good reason why I never give blood (but i hate needles anywaaayyyy!!)

10/12/2009 11:03:12 PM

I tried to get it looked at. First I went to the quarterdeck to hunt down the duty corpsman. He wasn't around. Then I called the naval hospital for advice, she transferred me to my primary healthcare provider's hotline, who had me on hold until I couldn't stand it any longer. I hate this, I wish I could just go to a doctor like a normal person

If I die in my sleep I want you all to know that I will return and post in threads from the other side.

There is a bright side. Going to sick call tomorrow I might get to miss out on the quiz in my first class

10/12/2009 11:12:01 PM

If you die can I have all your stuff?

10/12/2009 11:45:26 PM

I'm 57,000 dollars in debt. If I die, the bank gets all my stuff

However I do have a 400k life insurance policy, maybe you could weasel some of that out of my parents.

10/12/2009 11:47:23 PM

I'm thinking the $400,000 life insurance policy is the culprit and not the blood donor. has your mom been cooking with rat poison lately?

10/12/2009 11:52:59 PM

Don't live at home.

10/12/2009 11:53:44 PM

^^ what in the hell do you have $400k of life insurance for?

10/13/2009 1:34:57 AM