phobia of blood test

This sounds like a silly problem but I have a genuine phobia of blood tests. I'm meant to be getting one next week and just the thought of it is making me feel sick. Its not even the needle I'm scared of, I hate the band that they put around your arm to bring a vein up. I hate the feeling of the blood being cut off and it sends me into a panic and I almost faint.
Its got so bad that I take ages to sleep at night because I keep thinking of the blood test and thinking back to the last time I had one (they thought I was going to throw up/faint). They also took a while to find a vein and when the nurse pushed on one to check it was up enough, I could feel it all and it was horrible!
Reading over this I realise that it sounds like a stupid problem but its really worrying me. I keep putting it off because I cant face having one! What should I do, does anyone have some advice to help me get over this?!

Reply 1

quintsy

17

I understand how you feel- I had my very first blood test a few weeks ago and I was absolutely petrified beforehand.

I'm not sure if there's a great deal you can do, other than telling the nurse who does it how you feel; as I'm sure they're used to people finding it unpleasant. Also, you could ask your doctor or whoever called for the blood test to be done whether there are any alternatives. Sometimes they can take a urine sample instead, depending on what they're testing you for.

Good luck! I hope there's a solution, but I thought it was alright in the end even though I was concerned like you. :smile:

Reply 2

User69701

10

Tell the nurse. Jsut say that you're not fond of needles. Nurse will be extra careful.

Reply 3

Smile04

1

Maybe you could ask them not to put the band so tight? I dont like the band so much, one nurse put one on my arm and then walked out the room, I felt like my arm was going to explode with the pressure!
If you dont want them to do it from your arm they can do it from your hand. I had this once, they dont need to put a band on, you just make a fist.
Ive had so many blood tests now that they dont bother me anymore, in fact the only thing I have a problem with is that im always left with a huge bruise on my arm which is there for like a week, not exactly nice looking!

Reply 4

belis

17

Tell whoever is taking blood from you about the problem. It is probably best if you lay down for the procedure if you worry about fainting. I am not a great fun of needles either (I am ok sticking them in other people though lol). My advice would be to have it done as soon as possible so you can stop worrying about it. Think about the worse possible scenario and try to convince yourself that is actualy not so bad. Even if you faint or throw up it is nothing that they haven't dealt with before. Cutting off blood supplay to your hand can be unpleasant but it is not dengerous etc.

Reply 5

Fleece

15

Every time apart from the last time that I've had a blood test, I've always fainted and/or thrown up.
Last time I told them about this and they were really nice to me.

Nothing much you can do but lie down and look the other way.

Reply 6

username68316

3

I've never had a blood test, so am not too qualified to talk about this really. Lets put it this way, it's alot healthier that you dont like the prospect of having a needle put in your arm, than if you were to enjoy the needle! :eek:

But na seriously, whenever ive had injections etc i've just tried to relax. Thats the only real advice I can offer.

Once you get through this one, all the rest you have in your life will become a doddle :smile:

Reply 7

Anonymous #2

I was exactly the same, I hated needles, injections, blood tests etc, until I seriously had to have some done. For me it was more the pain I was scared of, but I found the whole concept of blood tests sickening too. I found something to completely numb the pain, a numbing cream called- 'EMLA' 5g cream, bought from an online chemist. This was great, I'd really really recommend it. You dont feel the needle going in, so for you it could reduce the sensation/thought of have a blood test. Helped me get over the fear and the whole thing went really well. Good luck

Reply 8

Jonatan

13

Anonymous

This sounds like a silly problem but I have a genuine phobia of blood tests. I'm meant to be getting one next week and just the thought of it is making me feel sick. Its not even the needle I'm scared of, I hate the band that they put around your arm to bring a vein up. I hate the feeling of the blood being cut off and it sends me into a panic and I almost faint.
Its got so bad that I take ages to sleep at night because I keep thinking of the blood test and thinking back to the last time I had one (they thought I was going to throw up/faint). They also took a while to find a vein and when the nurse pushed on one to check it was up enough, I could feel it all and it was horrible!
Reading over this I realise that it sounds like a stupid problem but its really worrying me. I keep putting it off because I cant face having one! What should I do, does anyone have some advice to help me get over this?!

Not much you can do than trying to remain calm. Tell them you are really scared about it and they will be more careful so that they don't stress you as much. Also, much of the discomfort is due to the stress it causes you. I've donated blood and I found that the main discomfort was that I felt nervous about it. Physically it really isn't painful at all. The injections you have probably had as a child are a lot worse for some reason. I think it is because injections forcefully put liquid into your bloodstream, whereas at blood tests they just let it flow out on its own.

phobia of blood test

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