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EMLA cream uses - question for ya

CollieJadeCollieJade
in Austin Babies
Sooo, the instructions say to put on a thick layer... I'm imagining myself driving to my blood draw tomorrow in short sleeves unable to bend my arm so as to avoid messing up the thick layer.  Do you use that thick of a layer or just kinda smear it on and forget it?  Do you wipe it off before the draw or do they just stick it in through the cream?  Sorry for the stupid questions, but I really have no idea how this is going to work, and I'd like to avoid the pain of the bruising that comes up 10 minutes post-draw....
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Re: EMLA cream uses - question for ya

  • mcurbanmcurban member

    I haven't used it, but I just did a google search and came up w/ the following (all from the manufacturer or other credible site):

    - "thick" layer means 1/4 of an inch. that's REALLY thick. they recommend securing w/ saran wrap wrapped around the area. 

    - cream should be in place for 60-90 minutes. it should be removed by health care provider (skin will remain numb for ~ 1 hr after removal)

     

    I also saw that it said to tell your dr. if you're pregnant. I'm assuming this is a blood draw that your ob is requesting?

     

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  • Temp919044062507573Temp919044062507573
    Many of our patients use EMLA cream for drawing blood from their ports. We always tell them to secure saran wrap over the cream so it doesn't rub off onto clothing and such.
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  • TayteeTaytee

    When we use something similar for kids stitches, we secure it with
    "tegaderm" which is pretty much sticky plastic wrap that happens to be "bio-occlusive" which means it supposedly lets the skin breathe.

    But yes, it does need to be thick!

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  • TayteeTaytee
    BTW, yes, it gets wiped off before the poke. You wouldn't want us poking blind now would ya???
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  • CollieJadeCollieJade

    Saran wrap...hmmm I guess that makes sense but that makes me laugh! I hadn't thought of that, and the directions I have say nothing of the sort.  But makes sense so that's what I'll do I suppose!

     Yes I did read the directions as I mentioned (1/4inch thick, 60-90min etc) but I was wondering if anyone who had used it did it exactly that way or if they just used a thinner layer.  Wasn't sure if maybe someone else had tried it a different way or had gotten different instructions from their doc.  Yes my OB prescribed it.

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  • CollieJadeCollieJade

    imageTaytee:
    BTW, yes, it gets wiped off before the poke. You wouldn't want us poking blind now would ya???

     Um, yeeeahh.... LOL.  Excellent point.  I was just so preoccupied with the idea of this crap on my arm that it honestly did not occur to me that they would have to wipe it off!  Me = pregnancy brain fart.

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  • kiarox2002kiarox2002
    My brother used to use it when he used his insulin pump (he's diabetic) and I have used some when we were doing our injectable meds.  I just smeared a bit on my are, it certainly wasn't 1/4 of an inch thick, and it worked just fine.  I would leave it on for 30-45 minutes.
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