Ouch! Needles...

[Lindsey]

Is anyone as terrified of needles as I am? I can not STAND even the thought of a needle going into my body.... I got my last hepatitis A shot today before my Mexico trip. I was actually due to get it a year and a half ago but never went because of my fear... but now at least I am immune for 20 years!

You'd think I'd be used to needles by now because I have them so often... when I was younger (4 or 5) I had a lump in my neck that doctors were worried was cancer, so for about a year I was getting blood tests at least once a month... and even now I'm tested yearly because of my kidney problems. But every single time I get so scared, I get light-headed and start to feel nauseous.

I can never watch the needle, and I can't watch other people getting needles either. Scott was right beside me and I had to turn my whole body away so I couldn't see it.

I hope I can get over this fear before I decide to have children... I think the thought of having an IV stuck in me is more terrifying than the thought of pushing out a baby

[gja1000]

Lindsay, this isn't an uncommon fear - LOTS Of people have a fear of needles - you have no idea how many there are. Don't beat yourself up about it at all. Just like you are doing, know how to deal with it - and you'll be anxious, but you'll be fine!

Oh and I can stick anything into anybody but I don't watch them put the needle into me either. I can look after it is in, but I don't want to see it go in. Now THAT is kooky! LOL!

[Lindsey]

Lol yeah that's weird Gayle I had a student nurse take my blood once, and he forgot to close it before pulling the needle out and it spilled out... there was a puddle of my blood sitting there and I felt like I was going to either throw up or pass out!

It's funny that I'm okay with tattoos, and I have peircings too. I let someone stick a 14 guage hollow needle through my tongue I will never do it again, but I did it once! It seems different to me somehow when it's a peircing needle as opposed to a medical needle.

The woman who gave me my shot today gave me the tip of my needle, saying she is supposed to throw it out but they are great for digging out slivers. Scott was like "Awesome, we'll take it" but it creeps me out!

[paula1961]

I am also terrified of needles Lindsey. I just turn my head and don't look.

[gja1000]

Originally Posted by Lindsey

I had a student nurse take my blood once, and he forgot to close it before pulling the needle out and it spilled out... there was a puddle of my blood sitting there and I felt like I was going to either throw up or pass out!

Alot of people can't stand to see their own blood - and alot of them pass right out when they do. Blood, even my own, doesn't bother me one bit.

OK, I'll let you all in on another secret of mine. Being a nurse I have seen EVERYTHING! But I don't work in the ER, I couldn't work in the ER because when I see injured people in street clothes or medical people doing things to people in street clothes, it REALLY bothers me. I'm really bothered at the scene of a terrible accident - I'm OK with minor accidents or minor trauma - but major trauma before the hospital just really bothers me. I can take care of people but it haunts me for days. I coud NEVER be an EMT or paramedic.

However, I worked for years in ICU so when people come up to me after major trauma, they are either naked or in a hospital gown, but their clothes are GONE. At that point, naked or in a hospital gown, I am just fine - it doesn't matter what has happened to them, or what they look like, I am just fine with it. But don't let me see them roll through the ER door still dressed in street clothes.

Now Lindsay! THAT is reallllly weird!!!

[judy]

That is weird Gayle! We all have our quirks though. Can't say I blame you. Looking at accident victims is just heartbreaking. Maybe once they are in hospital robes, you feel like they more under control than in bloody clothes. I once saw a boy being put into an ambulance after a car accident, and broke out crying.

It sounds like you cope with your fear of needles Linds. You'll be fine having babies!

I don't mind getting, or giving needles. I prefer to watch because it is my vein, and I want to be sure they know what they are doing! When I was in school, I would never allow anybody to take my fingertip blood. I did it myself. Might be a control freak huh?

[gja1000]

Originally Posted by judy

I don't mind getting, or giving needles. I prefer to watch because it is my vein, and I want to be sure they know what they are doing! When I was in school, I would never allow anybody to take my fingertip blood. I did it myself. Might be a control freak huh?

Uh yep, you might be! I once watched a nurse draw blood on herself!!! I couldn't do that!

[judy]

Originally Posted by gja1000

Uh yep, you might be! I once watched a nurse draw blood on herself!!! I couldn't do that!

I would do my own dental work if I knew how, and I never let the dentist put me out! Definite control freak

[Lindsey]

I remember in high school biology, we each got those triangle-shaped blades to poke our own fingertips so we could get a drop of blood to check our blood type. If we absolutely couldn't do it ourselves, we had to get a friend to do it. I somehow got through that whole lab without getting my finger poked

[judy]

My kind of girl! Just don't do it!

[Marilyn]

I had a major fear of needles, but am pretty much over it. After having a lot of infertility issues, several surgeries, delivering two girls by C-section, they can pretty much stick me wherever. If some time passes between sticks though, I do get a bit fearful. Just try not to think about it before hand.

Our youngest daughter, Melissa was the worst. We had to hold her down and one time the nurse refused to give her a shot, the doctor had to do it because she was so upset and fighting so hard. It was horrible. Now she's okay with shots.

My father-in-law was a real baby about shots, too. He was a huge man, tall and weighed over 300 lbs, but he was very afraid of needles. He had been in the Navy and the Army, not sure how he handled this fear with others in line for shots.

Our new SIL is a medic and he said you'd be surprised how many Marines are very fearful of shots. They turn to babies when the needle appears.

So Lindsey, you're not alone. Maybe knowing there are so many others who share your fear will help some.

[Lindsey]

Marilyn, I usually have people laughing at me for my fear and it makes me even more fearful! When other people are acting like it's no big deal it makes it worse for me I think.

I'm due for a tetanus shot this year, and I can't even make an excuse not to get it, because there's a clinic right by my work and the shot is free But, I decided not to get it at the same time as my Hep A shot because I was just too nervous about it!