# Why did my vein get hard?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-vein-get-hard/158825>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 3, 2003, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-vein-get-hard/158825 "2003-03-03T20:22:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![RipRiley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/90db22/32.png) [@RipRiley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RipRiley)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-vein-get-hard/158825/1 "2003-03-03T20:22:36Z")

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Two weeks ago I had a kidney stone and went to the ER. I was fed morphine and something for nausea through an IV. Now my vein has hardened a few inches upstream of where the IV was and my arm is tender in the area of the hardened vein.

Should I be concered?  
Is this normal?  
Is this temporary?

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**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-vein-get-hard/158825/2 "2003-03-03T20:43:17Z")

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Could you please hold your arm closer to the keyboard? 😉

Call your doctor’s office and ask a nurse this question. Far better than a message board diagnosis. If you don’t have a regular doctor, call the hospital where this procedure was done.

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**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-vein-get-hard/158825/3 "2003-03-03T22:09:21Z")

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it sounds like a clot has formed.  
if the pain is worrying you, get it checked.  
BTBSTS

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**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-vein-get-hard/158825/4 "2003-03-03T22:54:58Z")

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If someone told me this story, I would, after examining the person, likely attribute it to a bit of superficial phlebitis (not to be confused with the more sinister deep vein phlebitis/thrombosis). In other words, the vein is inflamed from the IV and will likely get better with mild analgesia and hot compresses.

However, **in the absence of a proper history and physical, the possibility of a more serious condition could not be excluded**.

So, in your case, I’d contact your doctor.

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**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-my-vein-get-hard/158825/5 "2003-03-03T23:14:16Z")

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You’re getting follow-up care for you stones, right? Point this out to your provider----it sounds like a normal, temporary phelbitis----your tissue was peirced, irritating solutions (MS, Anzemet?, Reglan?, D5LR?) introduced into your vein and maybe a little leakage/ infiltration, all typical of IV therapy.  
Cyn, RN