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lola

lola

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 24, 2011
Messages
189
does anyone else have a fear of needles and blood work. I have to get blood work because of my thyroid problem and i sometimes get shots at the doctors. how do you cope with it i usually freak out then after a while let him do it. how do you cope with them for thoes of you who are afraid?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! also what are some other fears
 
Whenever I have to give blood I always remember my mom telling me to imagine myself on a beach!

I am afraid of porta pottys. I refuse to use them & I can not even step inside without feeling panicked!! I'm not claustraphobic or anything I just have a porta potty phobia!
 
i don't fear needles, but i don't necessarily like them. when i'm getting shots or blood work, i look away from the needle. but if it's a tattoo i like to see the needle.

my fears... well.. mine are bugs, big things of water (anything bigger than a river), reptiles, arachnids, big dogs, drowning, dying, etc.. this list goes on and on. hahha.
 
I worked as a phleobotomist, I've seen a lot of people with needle phobias. Start by trying not to get yourself too worked up. Tell them that you're a difficult draw (whether you are or not, usually if you do you'll get the person who does good with difficult draws and is more comfortable working with you ) and are scared of needles. Also ask them to use a 23 gauge butterfly, it's smaller than a straight needle. Before you go in drink lots of water, this makes it easier for them to draw your blood, your veins will pop up better and it will flow better.

As for shots not a lot of help there, you can ask them to use a pediatric needle which can reduce the pain some, let them know exactly what you expect or want. Do you want them to tell you or just do it? Let them know and they'll be glad to help make it easier on you. If the shots are in your arm they should grab the area and kind of "pinch" it up. This prevents hitting any bone, and helps to decrease the initial pain.

If you want you can also take 2 tylenol before you ( assuming you don't have any health issues that would contradict the use of it), they are known to help reduce anxiety as well as pain!
 
I used to have an extreme phobia of needles. I have slowly gotten over this to the point where now I don't cry, or beg and plead them not to do it. I still dread having blood drawn and getting shots, but I am able to just suck it up, not look, and get it over with. The main way I have become desensitized is by working multiple jobs that have required me give animals shots and draw their blood. Now that I have moved into the human medical field, I have performed phlebotomy on people. The first time I drew blood from a person, I cried. Now its no big deal. Aside from the desensitization, I have found that it really is much less traumatic if I can find it within myself not to panic, and not to delay by giving the nurse/phlebotomist a hard time. Just try to relax, BREATHE, look away, and get it over with.
 
I had a really bad needle phobia, but now it's so much of a part of my life (cancer), I have learned to deal with it by thinking of something calming, and focusing on a mental image in my mind, whether it be one of my kids, my garden, whatever. I always tell them I want the best person they have! At least now I am less of a knee jerk type of person, and don't jump or kick anymore! LOL
 
wow thanks so much :D still nervous but ill try not to freak
 
as a child, i don't ever recall having a needle phobia. throughout my elementary, junior and high school, the school system/health system were in cahoots and all immunizations were done at school. i can't remember what shot it was in grade 9, but i remember being terrified all of a sudden of getting it! that was the only needle ever that i had fear. when i was pregnant with my daughter and had to have bloodwork done, i just sat there and watched the nurse do it. with dental work recently, i could've cared less about the needle for the freezing - it was just a 'lil poke' as the dentist said it would be.

i think looking away is good for those that are squeamish and get nauseous about needles/seeing blood, but if it is fear that you don't understand the reason for, would making yourself look while they do it help you get over the fear?
 
I see blood and I faint. I have to get a lot of injections and I have had to get my blood drawn a whole heck of a lot in my life, unfortunately.

I don't look at the needles at all ever...even when they are just holding them there before a shot or drawing blood. I don't think about it or I could throw up or pass out.

Don't look, don't think about it, just go blank and sit still. People, who do not have a problem with needles or blood, think this is really easy to do. It's taken me years to be able to block out everything to get blood drawn. Those times that I have had to have 10 vials of blood drawn are the absolute worst and it takes all the self control I have to sit there and wait it out. It really does take practice if you are scared of needles, and NEVER look at them putting the needle in. I can't even look at the vials of blood.

I'm mostly just freaked out by the sight of blood, but I am scared to death of spiders and most bugs.
 
I take klonopin. It's a strong anti anxiety. Kick the nurse in the chest just once and she'll make sure you don't ever do it again lol I always ask them if I can lie down while they do it. They're usually very compliant. I also bring juice with me to sip on before sitting/standing up. If it helps you, promise yourself something for getting through it without troubles. It doesn't work for me because I always think to myself, "well, I could have ice cream regardless of whether or not I get my blood drawn." I always take tylenol beforehand because it helps with any afterpains (which there usually are none, but it's calming) and I never go alone and try not to drive myself. I also put headphones in while they're doing it so I can listen to a favorite song. I don't want any of that "ready? 1 2 *stick*" nonsense. I just want to pretend I'm not even there. Of all of these things, lying down is the most helpful. Good luck!!!
 
My boyfriend's deathly afraid of needles, especially of them going into him. He's fought out of restraints and run out of the doctor's office/hospital before! He might have a thyroid problem too, but he can't get his blood tested, he just won't do it. Ironically he's covered head to toe in tattoos, but he explains that that is different, because the needles aren't actually going in and under your skin. Guess he had a bad experience with someone drawing blood when he was younger....and he won't accept any help to get over it! I think the biggest step is to decide that you want to get over your fear.

I have a phobia of taking exams, I have a panic attack every time so I get accommodations at my school to take them in a separate room from everyone else. I'm also really scared of being alone and taking a taxi/elevator ride/etc when it's just me and that one other person who I don't know.
 
I pass out when I have blood drawn. I ask to lay down for the procedure, sometimes they bring me juice. The best thing I can do is not think about it too much. I look away during the procedure and ask them to let me know when its going in. I would love to get some anti-anxiety meds for this and other procedures but haven't found doctors to be too sympathetic to my fears. Maybe I'll try Tylenol as Nicole suggested. As it is, I have doctors orders to have blood drawn to test for anemia, but I've been waiting over 6 months for my husband to take a day off and accompany me. Tunnel vision and driving are not a good combo!

Good luck, I hope you have someone that can come to your appointment for support. I can definately sympathize!
 
i got my bloodwork done today and i was totally fine :) a little dizzy but thats it
 
great to hear!

and yeah, i get a little lightheaded if they take a good amount of blood. that's what the juice and cookie is for, lol.
 
rainey said:
Ironically he's covered head to toe in tattoos, but he explains that that is different, because the needles aren't actually going in and under your skin.
Click to expand...

I agree with him there, I have had tattoos and lip piercings too and didnt freak out at all but I faint when I have to have needles and usually avoid them like the plague.

Last time I needed a blood test I was heavily sedated on valium and told them to test for everything because they were not getting close to my blood again!

I am also incredibly phobic of the brown dust that moths have coming off their wings and moths and butterflies in general, It´s silly but the reason behind that is that I am afraid I will take a really deep breath and breathe them in. It´s stupid because I´m sure I´ve eaten bugs before while jogging with my mouth open (lol, charming mental image there) and it doesnt really bother me but whenever I see a butterfly or moth I freak out and cover my mouth. The butterfly house at the zoo is my own personal nightmare, refuse to enter it.
 
that's what the juice and cookie is for, lol.[/QUOTE]

i didnt get juice and a cookie :cry3: unloved... :p
 
I used to be horribly afraid of needles, I would throw tantrums when I was a kid. Then I went through 5 years of weekly/bi-weekly/monthly allergy shots and had to just deal with it. I still can't LOOK at the needle when I get shots or blood drawn, but I don't freak out anymore.

My biggest phobia is bees of any sort. It's not even just being afraid it's a true, true phobia. I will freeze up and start panicking. I'm also afraid of most bugs, but not to the extent of bees.
 
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