Blood test phobia. please help me.

I know i am being pathetic. But this is a massive fear of mine. And i have to get one on monday. I am really scared of needles, and hate anything medical.
This is my first time, so don't know what to expect. :confused:

Will it hurt? What will happen? Is it a big needle? :eek:

please be honest with your answers, because i am feeling sooo scared, and thinking about chickening out. lol

Reply 1

G4ry

So many blood test threads lately. You probably don't want to hear what i have to say on them :p:

I've said in some of the others so try looking back a page or two...

Reply 2

The Guru

isabella

Will it hurt? What will happen? Is it a big needle? :eek:

please be honest with your answers, because i am feeling sooo scared, and thinking about chickening out. lol

Wow isabella, how many blood tests are you having? You asked us about this last week!?

Reply 3

everylittleting

It probably will hurt, but not that much.
They'll stick a needle in you and take out a little vile or two of blood.
Bigger than vacination needles.

I'm needle phobic too and you'd think that I could give you some helpful advice but I'm **** too. I just have a panic attack and feel like a knob. Try thinking about how having it will help you and that it will be over soon. Try to distract yourself beforehand too.

Reply 4

ABeautifulMind

i have a needle phobia and had a blood test last month and i'm getting another on monday

dont worry. the doctor said i handled it better than most middle aged men lmao. it hurts a tiny bit but u dont get a fright when it goes in u just feel a gradual dull pain but nothing over the top :smile:

its over before u know it.

Reply 5

puppy

Go to your doctor a get a dose of valium prescribed then scream the whole place down when you have the test done anyway- worked for me.

It doesn't really hurt- not that I really cared about that, I'm scared of needles, not pain. I'm completely phobic so the only way for me to get through things like that is to release all my fear by crying and screaming the whole time they're doing it. The nurses think you're a nutcase but when I've got a needle in my arm I really don't care.

Just explain to them that you're scared before hand so they know you might be a bit difficult and ask any questions you want so that they can reassure you. The important thing is that you sit still while they do it so they don't make a mess, that's why I tend to externalise my anxiety by crying and screaming a lot because I can get out all the tension without moving about.

Reply 6

ABeautifulMind

Bear in mind though that being tense can make it more sore. try and relax your arm. It helped me when i had my headphones on and had a relaxing song on :smile:

Reply 7

Hev456

the needles about an inch but they only put the tip in until they hit the vien. yes it does sting a little, but its nothing more than a papercut, and then a bruise will be left which will make your arm ache a little for the next few days.

no big deal at all, good luck! :biggrin:

Reply 8

Smile04

all you feel is the slight scratch of the needle going in, which is like if you blink you miss it. sometimes i dont even feel it at all. the needle looks more like its going to hurt than it actually does so dont let the look of it put you off.

Reply 9

hhhhhhhhhhppppp

Mine was TERRIBLE! I actually fainted! Whatever you do don't look at them doing it. I was fine until I looked down and saw all my blood being sucked out... then the next thing I remember is waking up with the nurse holding my legs up in the air! It was most unpleasant and I am now going to try and avoid blood tests at all costs *shudders*

Reply 10

*River

I used to be TERRIFIED of needles, and I had to have a blood test about 3 weeks ago. Basically, it's nothing to be scared of (honestly!). I have low blood pressure, so they made me lie down. I didn't look, there was a scratch (not even a particularly painful one) and then it was done. Seriously, try not to get yourself worked up over it, and DON'T look.

Reply 11

Smile04

Ive had to have a blood test every 2-3 months for the past 4 years and ive had no problems with any of them.

Reply 12

Anonymous #1

Wow you really dont want to get addicted to heroin.

Basically you need to remember that pain is temporary. However death is permanent.

Reply 13

Happy_Holidays

I really hate needles to. Last time I had to have a blood test I bend my army everytime the nurse came near me with the needle. I think she was getting abit annoyed after the 10th time I'd done it. All I can suggest is you close your eyes so you don't know when its coming.

Reply 14

slackerbeeatch

It's not that bad... I had roughly 15 needles put in me over 5 days about a week and a half ago (having very scary antibiotics via an iv and having to get blood tests to check the antibiotic levels, plus tropical disease blood screens).

Honestly. The needle looks a whole load scarier than it is and things are better if you don't look but it seriously just feels like a scratch, a dull ache and then it's done.

To avoid bruising you need to press on the cotton wool that they put on your arm after. Pressing on it for about a minute should stop any bruising at all.

Also, if you can, get a nurse or a phlebotomist to do it... they do it more often than doctors and therefore more practised and better at it! The doctors will look at you like you are nuts but they will find a nurse if they can.

Trust me. It's not that bad :smile:

Reply 15

NO NEEDLES!

“No more than a paper cut” UH HEY WHATEVER DUMBASS GENDER YOU ARE! IT’S WORSE THAN THAT! WHAT MAKES IT HURT WORSE IS THAT NURSES AND DOCTORS NO LONGER *CARE* ABOUT YOUR FEAR AND JUST LAUGH AT OR EVEN *YELL* AT YOU FOR IT! WHY IS YOU LYING HOE?!

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 16

NO NEEDLES!

As someone on the autism spectrum who has been PINNED down, YELLED at, and LAUGHED at all my life, let me be the first person to tell you the truth. THE NURSES AND DOCTORS DON’T CARE! YOU HAVE THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS TO SAY NO TO EVERY PROCEDURE INVOLVING A NEEDLE AND THE LOSS OF THE FLUIDS YOU NEED TO SURVIVE! THANK GOD I’M TOO SMALL TO DONATE CAUSE THEY CAN SCREW THEMSELVES ANYWAY!

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 17

Anonymous #2

For all the people who are saying it’s like a sharp scratch or paper cut. I am here to tell you that that’s not necessarily the case. The last time I had a needle in me I jumped, screamed, cried and had a panic attack that lasted the rest of the day. Not everyone can and will experience it as a papercut