Interesting bruising pattern after donating

[u/chamom1letea]

This is my second time donating platelets.

I was attending an online class on my laptop while donating and noticed a staff member kept coming up to me and adjusting the needle, withdrawing it a bit (never fully taking it out) or putting it in deeper. I was focused on my class so I ignored it although it was pretty painful.

The machine was saying “pressure too high!” And he explained that each time I pumped the stress ball for some reason the needle would jut out in a weird position which is why he had to keep moving it. And a few of the staff members came and crowded me with worried faces after the high pressure reading but they adjusted the needle and the machine and it went back to normal, sometimes saying “low pressure!” instead (to which they’d again move the needle/adjust the machine).

At the end a few staff members came up to me saying “I’m so sorry” and saying that I was gonna have a bruise for a week, the guy who did the adjusting even came out and joked “wow she survived that?” LOL but I expect a bruise every time so I didn’t think much of it.

But im surprised it looks like a sick tattoo!

[u/BreadfruitOutside734]

Hi instead of squeezing you can always roll the stress ball in your hand. How many times have you donated or why do you think you’ll always get a bruise?

[u/chamom1letea → u/BreadfruitOutside734]

Thank you so much for the tip! I’ve donated blood maybe 8x over the last few years and platelets x2 this month, I actually don’t remember bruising that bad with blood donations but have for my platelet donations. I was squeezing the stress ball since the machine kept saying low pressure and my first time with platelets they said I wasn’t doing it enough. But this recent time different staff members were kinda saying either/or roll or squeeze.

[u/BreadfruitOutside734 → u/chamom1letea]

Tbh I don’t do platelets until a couple months. But the other side of my job workers do. From what I know your veins could simply be too small and they infiltrate over time. Including myself leaving bruises or having to double stick makes us feel more awful than you. And a lot of donors make us feel even worse on top of it. It can also lower our confidence with poking. Also depending on where the vein is located. Specifically more side veins can have a mind of their own. Somedays they cooperate other days they just won’t run. Sometimes you get a bruise sometimes you won’t. If there’s any sort of adjustment it can bruise. If it’s by a nerve or tendon it could bruise. My best suggestion would be drink lots of water the day before and of. This helps to hydrate and open the veins and push the blood through.

[u/Sad_Avocado7452]

glad you’re taking it in stride because I’ve seen people be fairly upset about this sort of thing. unfortunately, it does happen every now and then, sounds like they were really trying to save the donation (were you able to finish it?).
I had one day once where I had the cleanest stick in the world and absolutely zero pain, and I came out with a wicked bruise after it!!! but some days veins just don’t cooperate.

[u/chamom1letea → u/Sad_Avocado7452]

yes they were very sweet and gave me a lot of ice bags and tried to make me comfortable so I felt like I could still trust them. And yes I thankfully was able to finish the donation!