Does this makes sence / can anyone relate?

[AlexUK]

Hi All,

I would like to ask any of you if you can relate to me or if this makes sense to you.

I have been a lifelong needle phobic since I was a small child, and as a child I endured many operations to cure my glue ear (which is common in children). The times I had to be knocked out with the smelly gas, and as I got a little older, I was put to sleep by GA via an IV. The last time I had GA via the IV in my hand, the doctor bodged it and it had to be aborted (yet by more gas) and I never forget the pain I went through.

This has put me off needles....for life....I am 29 years old and I was about 8 years old then.

But as we grow older gracefully, things can go wrong, and we need help by medical experts. We may also need blood tests to rule out things too.

I am at the stage where I have constant pins and needles sometimes in my feet and sometimes in my hand. I worry what this may be, I worry more because I may need to got to my doctor if it doesnt disappear and have the dreaded blood tests, so now this is giving me great anxiety. I am actually worried about potential blood tests if the pins and needles dont go. My doctor seems to think its anxiety, but surely pins and needles shouldn't happen from the minute you wake up to being in bed at night. The more I think about it, the worst its gets, I just wished it would go! I'm scared it might be diabetes or something wrong in the neuro area, and the dread of operations, GA or needles scares the living day out of me, and this is whats giving me anxiety.

The doctor has whacked me on Fluox tabs, took my first one yesterday and I felt abit weird, quite scared to take my next tab as I didnt really like the feeling, and hear that the first two weeks are the worst on the tabs!

I'd love to overcome this blimmin lifelong needle fear, but last consultation with the councilor said she cant treat me because I cant relax, despite doing the relaxation technique I had to follow through. I am really uptight when thinking of needles, I can get really protective of my self, jumpy, nervy, say horrible things, feel like I want to just leg it when I come close to anything clinical. I also get really tense in opticians, doctors, dentists, anything clinical scares the living day light out of me.....all because of needles....and this is my health anxiety!

Does this make sense to anyone because I sound like a complex case?

Thank you all to reading!

Alex :)

......now deep breaths just relax lol.....(for me after writing this).....

[greggs92]

Hey Alex

Personally I overcame my fears after realizing how pointless they were, they served no meaning to my life what so ever, especially when you have goals and dreams etc.
Fear is just an emotion, so when you feel like the "fear" is controlling you, it really isn't. You are just fearing needles so this creates more fear, what's the worst thing that can happen? is it really that bad, don't be afraid of what thoughts you have, start to challenge your health anxiety :)

[AlexUK]

Thanks for your reply. My fears have controlled me for too many years and I would love to put an end to it, but its easier said than done! I know how I should be thinking, but when confronted with fear, it just takes over! Bit of a viscous circle! Needles have always been my number 1 enemy in life, sad I know! If I didn't have the needle fear I would be a completely different person all round I think! (and would prob have a few more teeth through being able to actually visit the dentist and have treatment such as dental jabs etc)...... :)

[Daisy Sue]

My teenage daughter has recently overcome her fear of injections/blood tests... when little, she screamed so loud having blood taken that everyone in the waiting room heard, and has had a phobia ever since that day.

I've made a point of taking her with me every time I have injections (once a month) and while having it, I pull funny faces at her & make her giggle, the same when I have blood taken.

I think it's helped - she had to have a lot of blood tests around Xmas time, and the first one she was nervous, & after that she coped fine.. in fact she even watches them draw the blood which I can't do!

Maybe if any of your friends or family have to go through a needle procedure, it might help you too if you could go along and watch. Lots of things are scary until we encounter them so often they're no longer a big deal.

[GlassPinata]

As I've gotten older, I've realized that blood draws don't really hurt. They just feel gross and weird.
When I was a kid, I thought they were unendurably painful.
I think as we get older, we become desensitized.
You really need to try again with needles; you'll find they really aren't as bad as you remember when you were a child.
Go to the blood bank and donate blood or something. You'll see.
Also, if all else fails, they can rub some lidocaine on the injection site beforehand, and you won't even feel the needle at all. My son's pediatrician routinely does this for his patients. I'm sure you could request it. Then you could just close your eyes, and you'd never even know you were getting a shot.