Needle-phobic! Please Can you help me?!

Question

I have a blood test tomorrow, and I am deathly afraid of needles! I have had MANY blood tests before but I have been traumatized by them because I usually don't get any immediate blood when I get poked so they either dig (which hurts like h**l) or they have to poke me again. I have been poked up to 5 times within a sitting! I have numbing cream that has been prescribed to me, but I'm not sure if it actually works because I haven't used it yet. I know that it doesn't hurt that badly. It's just that being in the presence of needles makes me sick to my stomach. I also always have that feeling that they won't get it the first time and they'll have to poke me again and again! I don't know what to do! I'm literally in tears right now because I'm so scared! Please help me!

Answer 1

Coming from someone that draws blood all day, please ask the person drawing your blood to use a butterfly needle, that way if they don't catch the vein the 1st time they can manuever it a bit without sticking you again.  Show them places that you have had your blood draw before, you know your body and you know what works.  If you can eat a little something before the test.  Toast, crackers, sprite.  Make sure you don't have to be fasting before you do this.  I also have people lie down and look away and this seems to help, maybe a cold rag on the forehead as well.

Good luck!

Jenn

Answer 2

First and foremost, It's going to be okay.  I know exactly what you're going through.  I used to hyperventilate just THINKING about needles.   I also have very difficult veins, so even if I manage to remain somewhat externally calm, it's very difficult for them to get blood from me, and I would always end up a bruised mess.  

Then the worst thing I could imagine happened... I had an incident which required me to have my blood drawn twice a week for 6-months.  I thought it was the end of the world, but I had to learn to deal with it or die, so I came up with some tricks to keep from going insane.   These are my tricks for survival:

#1.  When you walk into wherever it is, tell them right off the bat that you are a 'hard-stick' (which means you have difficult veins.)  Tell them that you always end up black and blue, and that you need someone really skilled because you only have a few good veins.   Also tell them that you need a butterfly needle (a smaller needle, often used in pediatrics).   You're not being rude.  You're making sure that they know that you have a problem-history and need something special because otherwise they can't get your blood.  If you ask nicely, they will almost always assign you to the expert who knows how to draw blood with the least pain.

Incidentally, anyone who digs around for a vein doesn't know what they're doing.   No one gets it right every time, but if they mess up, they should pull out and find a different one, not continue to dig around.   If someone does this to you again, tell them to stop and demand a new nurse immediately!

#2.   Drink lots of water the morning you're going to give.   It makes your veins fatter, which makes them easier to stick.

#3.   This is my favorite.  Get one of thos thera-packs that stays hot for 10 hours.   (Or get any other sort of heating pad.  Microwave a sock full of rice.   Doesn't matter.)     Then keep that sucker hot and on your arm all morning.  Take it with you and keep it on your arm in the waiting room.  Having your arm be really warm will make your veins come to the surface, which will make it MUCH,MUCH easier for them to draw the blood with no fuss.    You can also try running your arm under hot water, but the heating pad works far better.    If you ignore everything else here, give this a try.  (Well, that and the butterfly needle.)

#4.  If you have a vein that you know will work best, tell them.   For example, I happen to have no good veins in the "usual" spots on my forearm, but I have several good ones on my hand.   So instead of having them spend 20-minutes putting that plastic thing around my arm and plucking at my arm to no avail, I tell them straight off the bat that my best vein is in my hand.   Sounds simple, but I remember being surprised at the fact that they listen to you, and would rather go wherever you tell them instead of having to hunt.    Of course, if you don't have any idea where your best vein is, don't worry about it.   They'll find one.

#5.  Try to be calm.  I personally would keep my eyes closed so that I didn't have to see the needle, but that's your call.  Take deep breaths through your nose, and convince yourself that even though you're scared on the inside, you want to behave like someone who isn't scared.   Think of it as an act.   You want to appear externally to be cool and calm to the nurse.   Maintaining this exterior appearance will almost force you to be calmer on the inside as well.     It won't be fun, but it honestly doesn't have to be horrible.  You CAN do this!    I know you can!

Answer 3

I just to feel the same, but the only thing that really help me was to look at the needle and say is just a poke is not going to hurt that much and dont panic just look at the needle and be conscientious that it is going to be just a poke, put it in your mind, that worked for me and Im not afraid any more.

god luck :>

Answer 4

omg i know exactly how you feel i hate needles. but something that helps me is when you are there and they are about to poke you with the needle hold your breath and concentrate on something else like read something. i know the feeling, i always cry my eyes out before being poked with the needle but once they do it i feel stupid that i got so worked up. just relax it always helps, and if for some reason, which probably wont happen they have to do it again just keep saying to your self it will be great when it is over, i wont have to worry anymore. i think you will be okay just don't get to scared and it will all be fine.