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Drink a Lot of Water Before a Blood Draw
Scheduled for a Blood Draw?
Have you had a blood draw (blood tests or donating blood, for example) and been poked a lot trying to find a vein? Make it easy to find your veins when having a blood draw.
For a good poke in a vein, drink a lot of water before the blood draw. Start drinking the day before and not only on the day of, because water will build up and stay in your system into the next day. Stay off diuretics for those days (like alcohol, tea, soda, or coffee) because they tend to remove water from your body.
I had a dry system once and it was hard to find a vein that could pull blood, and then it was very slow. I knew from then on that I need to drink more before a blood draw. I found out from my acupuncturist that I do not retain water well, but that I need to drink the day before to build up loose blood in the veins. I also add electrolytes into my water to help retain more.
I just had a blood draw after drinking a lot the day before and in the morning, though by the time I was called to the lab, my mouth was dry, because I forgot my water bottle. However, the technician found a vein easily and pulled several vials of blood very quickly. I mentioned that I drank a lot the day before and she said that was really good, and people need to know to start drinking earlier the day before. Well, I’m letting people know!
For any blood draw, drink a lot of water (and electrolytes), starting the day before you are scheduled, and up until you head to your appointment. Do not drink diuretics, starting the day before and into the day of – wait until after the blood draw.
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