What is the white stuff in my blood tube?

Nurses General Nursing

Updated:   Published

Have you ever drawn labs from a line and had some buoyant white goop in the tube? I was thinking it might be propofol, but on this particular pt I had been drawing labs on her for a number of days in a row and she hasn't been on propofol for a long time... What is it???

Specializes in LTC.
Lacie said:
I believe the poster is referring to "prior" to spinning. I have many times drawn for labs and there is large clumps of "white" material in the blood itself. Generally as I previous stated check thier triglycerides, lipid profile, liver enzyme. Bet triglycerides significantly elevated.

:cry:

I had said "those tubes" meaning when those white clump tubes are spun down, you will be able to see the fats even more clearly...

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so a specimen that was so high in fat, the lab actually called to question the origin of the specimen.....'course the patient was also drunk as a skunk......

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RedCell said:
In-N-Out Burger/Jack in the Box/Taco Bell....ask the patient what their poison is. There is a 'ton' of fatty Americans out there exploring the landscape in their motorized wheelchairs. Often they will find their way into the hospitals as well.

I see it quite often in the dirty south.

Wow. I hope you're joking. I'm Southern and highly offended by your attitude.

You might as well say "dirty Jew" or something similarly disgusting as refer to an entire geographical region in that way. :angryfire

Fatness, nastiness, and bigotry are personal choices, not regional ones.

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samanthaeh76 said:
Wow. I hope you're joking. I'm Southern and highly offended by your attitude.

You might as well say "dirty Jew" or something similarly disgusting as refer to an entire geographical region in that way. :angryfire

Fatness, nastiness, and bigotry are personal choices, not regional ones.

I think that the poster was refering to the "south" because of the choice of fast food places. We do not have in and out burger or whataburger or any of those weird name fast food places. We do have gross ole Mc donalds though... EWWWWW

I could be wrong but I think that is what the op was saying!

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Specializes in jack of all trades.

I live in the South and I'm Vegan so......... lol.

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Specializes in COHC.

Maybe she ate too much cheesecake. ha ha.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

Worked for a bariatric doctor years ago. I remember being so surprised that I could actually SEE the fat in people's blood. It's gross.

In-and-Out Burger - if you're going to die of a heart attack you might as well get your burger and fries there! For years we didn't have Arby's or Sonic, but I don't think we missed much. But we don't have Chick-Fil-A :crying2: :crying2:

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Specializes in CRNA.
samanthaeh76 said:
wow. i hope you're joking. i'm southern and highly offended by your attitude.

you might as well say "dirty jew" or something similarly disgusting as refer to an entire geographical region in that way. :angryfire

fatness, nastiness, and bigotry are personal choices, not regional ones.

first of all, i never joke about the dirty south as i am a proud member of this extraordinary group of states. second, i believe you are getting extremely close to proving godwin's primary law. of course, i must admit that by pointing this out to you, i have invoked simpson's corollary.:loveya:

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Specializes in med-surg, psych, ER, school nurse-CRNP.

Well, I was born and raised in Alabama, have never eaten a hamburger or a hot dog, won't go near red meat, and concur with RedCell.

Oh, and I take a bath every day, whether I need it or not! :D

1 Votes
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
samanthaeh76 said:
Wow. I hope you're joking. I'm Southern and highly offended by your attitude.

You might as well say "dirty Jew" or something similarly disgusting as refer to an entire geographical region in that way. :angryfire

Fatness, nastiness, and bigotry are personal choices, not regional ones.

As I am from California, we are subject to stereotypes as well. Usually it has something to do with the entertainment industry, "left coast" values, or an imploding incompetent state government. Alot of people would be surprised to learn that a huge swath of our state is just as rednec---oops, I mean rural, farm-based socio-economic indicated as say, Missouri or Kansas. I don't take it too personally.

1 Votes
Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
CNA2day said:
I think that the poster was refering to the "south" because of the choice of fast food places. We do not have in and out burger or whataburger or any of those weird name fast food places. We do have gross ole Mc donalds though... EWWWWW

And I reiterate that the North and the West are just as bad or worse.

As a "native" Floridian (born of Florida parents, descended from more Floridians), I grew up picking out strawberries, peas, growing much of our produce including citrus fruit, and home canning most of our "canned" vegetables. I see little of that ethic in the North. I do see plenty of Philly cheese steaks, buffalo wings, New York deep dish pizza, and the ever present PA favorite, scrapple, up here.

As far as dirty weather/air condition, the South has little that rivals the dirtiness of NYC air, or industrial areas in Maryland, PA, NY.

I haven't seen an In or Out/Whataburger in most of Florida since the 80s. I do see Checkers/Taco Hell/KFC/Wendy's frequently in both the North and the South. But add in the ubiquitous Gino's/Vinnie's on every other corner in Northern cities, and they probable can easily match the fat content of any Southern town.

The other issue, in regards to Florida....a huge percentage of Floridians are transplants, from the North. Maybe we should start weighing them and do a cholesterol check before they enter the state.

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

now there's nothing wrong with philly cheese steaks when you add mushrooms, lettuce and tomatoes.... weekly.

skip pats and geno's. tony luke's, leo's or fresh works :yeah:

the best philly cheesesteaks:

best scrapple: habbersets

Quote

scrapple is probably the first all american pork food. it was "invented" in chester county, pennsylvania's oldest settlement--and was the logical result of thriftiness and love of good eating that characterized chester's early dutch settlers.

the nourishing liquid and succulent meat bits that remained in the big iron kettle, after liverwurst and other pork products were prepared, could not be wasted. cornmeal and spices were added, and the mixture was cooked, then jelled in loaf-shaped tins. some people confuse its name with the word , scraps, but scrapple was never made from scraps, i.e., defined as waste. at the time the name was given to the then new pork product. it meant small bits or pieces, left-overs or "remnants of value"....

habbersett's is real old-fashioned country scrapple, a generous blend nutritious flavored lean pork, stone ground whole wheat flour, highest quality cornmeal, salt and natural spices

loved to smell their product on daily drive to college in the 80's.

last cholesterol: 173.........everything in moderation. :D

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