i have to get a blood test but have had bad experiences and am absolutely terrified of getting the blood test done.
Can anyne give me any advise on this and what I should do to get through it anything that can help or anything i can ask the doctor.
I have 2 major fears in my life they are
Blood tests and Grasshoppers so this is a very traumatic experience.
heeeeeelllppp
Zaphod
Don’t watch. Look away.
I don’t know you, so I don’t know if you can do this, but I just go somewhere else for the duration. There are bound to be other things in your life that demand a little thought. The thornier the problem, the better.
Good luck!
Well, there are a few things you can do. For starters, you could distract yourself. They only stick you for a quick moment (it’s not like the needle goes in slowly), so what I’ve done in the past is kind of brace myself, look the other way, and think of something else - baseball, Eva Peron, the rock band Molly Hatchet, boll weevils, what have you - and that usually helps.
thanks guys i will try both these. last time was very traumatic and a lot of blood ended up all over the place thanks to the incompetant GP who did it. Am just real scared of the pain and a repeat. arrrghh stupid mouth ulcers i think i would rather put up with the paid of a moth ulcer than find out a possible cause for them.
thanks guys i will try both these. last time was very traumatic and a lot of blood ended up all over the place thanks to the incompetant GP who did it. Am just real scared of the pain and a repeat. arrrghh stupid mouth ulcers i think i would rather put up with the paid of a moth ulcer than find out a possible cause for them.
thanks guys
Zaphod
I found looking away and slow, controlled breathing (like you’d do if you were meditating) have helped with mine. I’m terrified of needles but managed just fine with those.
Looking away and thinking about yourself are both very good but you should also make sure not to move your arm at all, even small movement will make it hurt more and can increase the chances of something like last time happening.
As others have said, look away. I find this particularly helpful when the needle is about to go in. I don’t mind looking at the needle once it’s actually in me, but I don’t want to see it inserted. Look away, find sonething to stare at, and really LOOK at it hard. Chances are you won’t even feel the needle going in.
Tell the nurse/tech that you’re scared of needles. This person will understand, as there are many, many people who are scared to death of getting stuck. Follow the directions s/he gives you (clenching fist, bending or straightening the arm, etc.) If s/he keeps poking your arm with a fingertip, don’t complain. S/he’s trying to find the vein with a finger, rather than digging around with a needle.
Make sure that you’re well hydrated before you go in. This means drink plenty of water for at least 24 hours before going in to get a blood sample drawn. For some reason, it makes the veins easier to find and easier to draw from.
I’ve had my share of incompetent techs digging around in my veins, too. I completely sympathize.
DO NOT look at your arm and think of something to distract yourself or talk to the person poking you. I overcame my fear of needles by talking myself into believing it wasn’t that big a deal and it’s over fairly quickly. By the way, what do I do for a living - I give needles.
Count, from the first person you’ve had sexual relations with, and try to think of the date.
Then goto the next person after that.
It sounds REALLY silly, but its one of the best ways to distract yourself; a combination of counting and sex will keep you uninterested in the needle, and you always remember different moments 
As Lynn and others have said, just look away. I personally enjoy looking at the insertion. It fascinates me, But really, the pain is nothing. Once it is in, try to look at it and observe it for what it really is. Nothing. A cat scratch hurts worse than a needle done correctly.
The strange thing is the pain doesnt bother me so much i have broken arms, legs, fractured my wrists, hands fingers and really badly messed up my knee. I can deal with the pain its the sensation and the stigma i guess.
Its just not right i have fairly visible veins in my arms and can feel the blood pumping out and its just horrible.
i will have no choice but to jsut get through it i guess.
thanks again everyone
Zaphod
Have them put a grasshopper on your face. You won’t even notice the needle.
Nah, he’d be flailing around like crazy, and they’d NEVER get a good, clean stick then.
Hey Zaphod, I know how you feel. I have a huge needle phobia. Blood work is a chore. Depending on where I am at, Most Doctors give me a happy pill. Thats right, I am a total whimp. Being sedated for blood work is not so bad. You do have to have someone to drive you home after.
Plan something absolutely decadent and fun to do right after the test…then spend the time in the test thinking about it!
That’s how I get through my filing at work - I reward myself. Sometimes, only something like a chocolate bar … but it seems to work.
I just went through testing for blood sugar problems with my son which involved three blood draws over the course of several hours. He is very needle phobic. The three things that helped him were looking away during the procedure, meditative breathing, and most importantly he had his iPod with him. I think the distraction of his music helped immensely. Good luck!