Hi Jane
I fully understand appreciate and really do sympathise what you are saying! I have the exact same problem!! It does hurt alot, particularly if you are having a flare up.
When I had blood taken in December at the GP practice, the nurse used a children's blue butterfly with a vaccume syringe (cant spell today, sorry!!) and that was after she tried in my elbow first. She said I should always tell medical staff in future to use that blue butterfly and to insist on this as to use any other way would just be a complete waste of time and pain on my part.
When I was in A&E last week, I asked the dr to use a blue butterfly (explained why) and he said NO!! My family and I were to say the least disgusted! After 4 attempts in several places he went off and got a blue butterfly and hooray, got what he wanted, my blood. He could have saved both his time and my pain by listening to me in the 1st place.
From now on my husband says that I have to only agree to bloods being taken if staff use the blue butterfly and they listen to me and to refuse if they try anything else and that is what I intend to do, in a polite calm way, from now on!
Gettle hugs
Julia