"Is it okay to bend your elbow when there is an IV in your arm?"?

Question

This isn't a question, just a comment from an earlier closed question. WHAT?? Since when is a needle 'still' in the i.v. cannula as portrayed in one of the answers? I shrill at the amount of people who think they know everything about the medical profession. The second answer was just as laughable. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't ask the nurse to take a perfectly viable i.v. out (one that you ALREADY took the pain to get) just to be more mobile. Lets face it, you aren't going to be doing cartwheels while recieving your dose of meds/fluids, right? It is OK to bend your elbow, there isn't a needle in your arm, rather it is a flexible tube so you CAN bend it. The blood in the i.v. will eventually be flushed back, dpending on the rate of your infusion. Thanks, have a nice day.

Answer 1

Right on, brother!

Answer 2

Actually, sometimes bending your elbow will cause the IV fluids to stop if the IV catheter is in the bend of the elbow (antecubital area) so it's not the best idea to bend your elbow, but it isn't known to cause any harm to the body other than it not receiving the necessary IV fluids, which it in itself can be disastrous if it's something like insulin or blood pressure medicines, in which case you could die as a result of not receiving the necessary IV fluids. Sooooo, the best thing to do is keep your elbow straightened if you have an IV catheter in your antecubital area.

Answer 3

I wouldn't imagine the point of their question was to imply that they knew everything about the medical profession, but rather to inquire if it was okay for them to bend their arm when hooked up to the IV. It sounds like an innocent question. Calm down.
We don't all know the answers like you do, that's why we're here.

Answer 4

Did that, recently, in my sleep.
Pulled it loose.