Needle worries

[claire92]

Ok, so I got a vaccination last night at a public hospital in Laos. I knew to check the best before and to check it was a fresh needle. Best before was 2020, all good. I asked about the needle, and there was a fresh one in the packet that came with the vaccination which the nurse said she was using. I kind of watched her take it out, but I couldn't get a great view from where she was standing.

I'm just panicking now because I don't have a clear specific memory of her definitely taking it out of the packaging, but there's no way she would have used another needle if there was one in the pack right? It certainly looked like the one in the packaging when she injected it. I know this is so typical OCD and I hate that I'm even having to come on here for reassurance, but I know it will eat me up all day if I don't speak to someone about it!

[Scass]

There’s no reason for it not to be a new needle. It all sounds like it was done correctly.


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[roseanxiety]

She for sure wouldn’t have wasted the needle in the pack to use a different one. Healthcare people, especially in smaller countries, are very conscious about waste and cost. You shouldn’t worry.


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[claire92]

Thanks for your responses :) I'm doing better now. It's funny how anxiety can make a situation look so dire but when you get a bit of perspective you realise how silly the worries are.

[claire92]

Sorry to bump this but the anxiety is driving me crazy again. I had to get my ears syringed yesterday and as well as flushing them out with a water syringe the doctor poked around with a needle and at one point I jumped and the needle pricked the inside of my ear so it bled slightly. I saw him unwrap a fresh needle but I'm not sure if that was just for the syringe and the needle he used for poking me was another one. I was in a lot of pain at this point so memory is a bit fuzzy. So ultimately I'm so worried the needle was old and infected. I'm still in Laos but the doctor I saw was very good, the surgery was clean, he has only 5* reviews on Google and it's where all the expats in this city go. I really liked the Dr and do trust him which makes it even harder that my OCD is playing up! If anyone can just say a word about their take on the situation that would be great. I know I shouldn't be asking for reassurance but I am struggling to deal with it while travelling - when I'm back at home I'm planning on getting back to my strict ERP procedure to help with this issue long term.

[roseanxiety]

Why on earth was he poking around your ear with a needle? But anyway, no doctor would use a needle that he had used on someone else!


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[claire92]

To get the earwax out! It seems a bit odd now to me too but at the time I just needed it out. Yeah I know deep down that's the case, even when I was in there the assistant came in with Google translate up and someone had asked her whether the needles are new and he said of course they always are so I really should have taken that as a sign that I don't need to worry, but it's still irking me I don't know why :/ classic HA I guess!