Help me get over my fear of needles

Nightslyr

Long story short, I'm a wuss when it comes to doctors and anything involving a needle. And by wuss, I mean stressing over it for days, not getting any sleep, nausea/upset stomach, that sort of thing. I have an appointment the day after Christmas with a new doctor, so I'm already fearful of what that will entail.

I've gotten better with blood draws. I'm diabetic, so I'm getting used to the 3-4 month A1-C + other stuff tests. The thing is, due to my veins being shit in my arms, they need to use a butterfly needle in the top of my hand to get it, so I'm not sure if that's more or less painful than a deltoid poke, and by how much. Using fear 'logic' I anticipate that a shoulder shot would hurt more since it requires the needle to go through more tissue.

I know it's completely irrational. I just turn into a frightened 2-3 year old when I see a syringe. It probably stems from me having many repeated surgeries as a kid, so it's just kinda programmed into me at a primal level. I just don't know how to move past it.

Inx

First off, it's okay to be afraid of pointy things. We all are to a degree.

Second off, of course it's irrational, it's a fear. Fear by its very nature is irrational. I, for example, and afraid of going up a flight of stairs in the dark. NO CLUE WHY, AND WHY ITS SO SPECIFIC.

What it comes down to is that if you don't ease up by getting used to it, you might need to talk to a therapist. I mean, from what you've described it sounds like a legitimate phobia, and sadly this isn't one of those phobias Maury can sure by putting you in a room with it because needles aren't fluffy bunnies.

From my experience, a butterfly in the hand isn't extraordinarily painful, but ymmv depending on how calm you can remain. Having the jitters actively makes getting a needle worse, which is what really sucks about this kind of fear.

Nightslyr

Yeah, the butterfly is 'okay'. I still get a bit nervous due to, again, having crappy veins. It's not uncommon for them to miss and try digging around in my hand for a bit to get it.

benholio

Try not to watch them do it. I grew up getting allergy shots once a week. It's way better, if you don't watch.

Essee

Well if it makes you feel better, I have totally been poked in my shoulder a lot (had allergy shots weekly for about four years, small needles like you were talking about) that I think were in that deltoid region, and no, they really don't hurt there any. Hell, I haven't had hand ones, but I'd sure figure those would be more inconvenient for somebody who's nervous because it's a lot easier for your hands to shake from nervousness than your shoulder region.

Infidel

I'm a type-1 diabetic so I got over needles really fast. Had IVs in the hand enough times, give blood for A1C regularly, and get flu shots / boosters in the arm.

The blood draw and IV have little tissue but they go into the vein and last longer. I find those not very painful but definitely more uncomfortable compared to a quick shot in the arm for drugs. That is more acute pain but like on the level of a pinch, and then it is done. I'd prefer to get those than blood drawn or such.

With what you get stabbed with already, just get over it!

Athenor

You can tell a good nurse from a bad nurse. A good nurse is quick, to the point, and goes for the veins like a laser. But more importantly, the nurse will engage in small talk and help distract you from what's going on. The less you can focus on the action, the better. Yes, there is curiosity about what is being done, and if the science of the event helps distract you then use that. But whatever you do.. don't look at it. Look forward, look at the nurse, keep talking, close your eyes, whatever.

Also? Keep in mind that we've invented hyposprays from Star Trek now, so in a decade or two needles will be greatly reduced in terms of need.

Pailryder

i've had type 1 for 33 years. when i was first diagnosed the shots were a heavier gauge, the a1c had to be drawn from the veins, yada yada it sucked.
now technology is so much better, the shots almost can't be felt and a1c's can be done from finger pricks. When i was learning to do shots on my own, i practiced on an orange. the skin is "similar" to human skin for resistance and that helped a bunch.

i still have days where i HATE taking shots and i still don't like having my blood drawn for other reasons but i don't have a fear that paralyzes me, but definitely looking away helped when i was afraid, also having the promise of a reward helped push through. (If i get through my blood draws without crying i will give myself a new video game!)

Good luck!

Nightslyr

It feels good to 'talk' about it. My own family tends to be pretty dismissive about it.

I don't mind blood draws as much because once they're in, they're in. And, besides that, the needle really only needs to poke through skin and the vein wall (at least in the hand), so the majority of it is floating in the vein tunnel itself. For normal shots, it's the "Holy shit, this needle will need to poke through skin, fat, and who knows how much muscle, and then inject a liquid (which may burn) in a space not designed for it" that freaks me out.

I haven't had a shot in a long time, so it's the anticipation of the unknown that's driving me crazy. Since my last blood draw was much more recent, I can remember it, and therefore have a frame of reference of what to expect. I've been watching YouTube vids of various injections, and it looks like the needles that are used are pretty much the same gauge and length of the butterfly, so that's 'good'.

I eagerly await the day that hyposprays are in widespread use. Shit, no one around here even carries the nasal spray for the flu vaccine.

Inx

What I would do, and what I try to do when I'm feeling anxious about something, is just actively talk it down. "It's like a bee sting, short and quick and then I'm done." or something like that.

I will say needles got easier after my first tattoo.

I think it's also important for you to remember that NOBODY likes getting needles. Some people handle it really gracefully, but nobody wakes up in the morning and goes "AW YEAH GONNA GET SOME SHOTS TODAY", so you're not some kind of freak for being nervous about it. In fact, I think people who get anxious over needles faaar outnumber those who dont.

Sterica

I don't really care. I get my flu shot every year, so...maybe you should do that? If it becomes routine then you'll eventually stop caring.

flowerhoney

I'm so so so afraid of needles, its the only reason I don't have any tattoos or piercings because I get so freaked out!! I almost passed out once when I got blood drawn, and I thank my lucky stars all the time that I can't give blood so I don't feel like a bad person

What I do is just really really hard to relax by body, even if I'm flipping out. Deep breaths, eyes closed, making pleasant conversation and focusing on something else in the room, more of the deep breaths and trying to just relaz my body so I'm not tensing up and making it difficult.

Also if you know what veins are hard to get to and which ones work well, you should always tell the nurse! My mom practically bullies the nurses if she thinks they're going for a vein she told them doesn't work, and demands for a different nurse. I'm not quite as familiar with the veins, but if you know then tell them.

I think the getting yourself a gift strategy is awesome! Like "if I get through this without being so stressed I throw up I will buy myself X" then at least you know you're getting something nice out of it

You can also try to convince yourself that it doesn't hurt and its not scary, like a mantra you tell yourself over and over

Athenor

You know, thinking on it.. I used to be very afraid of needles, thanks to getting constantly stuck as a kid. Then one day during marching band practice, I was walking back in to the school and a bee landed on me. I swatted at it.. and it drove its stinger into the soft, fleshy part of my temple.

I don't think any needle will ever feel as painful as that burning sensation. I swear I could feel the venom/neurotoxin/"bad crap" spreading out into my temple and reaching my brain

Nightslyr

Well, my appointment is tomorrow and I'm freaking out a bit internally. I doubt I'll get any sleep tonight, which actually tends to help me. When I get really tired, I can sort of pull my mind away from things. Hopefully a combination of that and adrenaline will work, if I do indeed need to get stuck tomorrow.

Infidel

Get stuck and realize it's nothing new already. :P

The Ender

Are you able to donate blood?

If you are, donate blood on a semi-regular basis. You'll be doing something great and getting over your fear of needles at the same time.

knitdan

Don't look while its going in, try to control your breathing. Pain is not as bad as we make it out to be in our heads. The back of the hand can be somewhat more painful, but I prefer it as I'm less likely to infiltrate there.

Once it is in, try to look at it and realize it doesn't hurt all that much.

Nightslyr

Just to be clear, it's the shoulder vaccinations I freak out the most with. Skin + tissue + muscle = AHHHWTFNOGETAWAY

Essee

Thing is, it totally isn't like that, in reality, so you should relax. Trust the people who have been getting stuck in that area for years. It's less ouchy than your hand even. There won't be any pain. And it won't burn. And it will be over with quickly. And you'll realize it wasn't so bad. And then you'll be more chill about it from now on. That's what's going to happen, okay? It's gonna be great when you've gotten it over with. And right now you can feel yourself getting sleepy... oh so sleepy... no staying up... no worrying... just relaxing... sleepy...

Nightslyr

Nope, still awake. I've read there's a numbing spray... anyone try it?

Mad Jazz

At the very worst, you'll be left with a dull ache for a few hours to a day afterwards (depending on what the shot is). The actual shot itself is less painful than an IV stick in the hand, in my experience. Numbing spray does exist, and it does work, but your doc may not have it, since it tends to see more widespread use in pediatric settings. It also won't help with the post-shot soreness, which is the majority of any noticeable effect. In the end, your mind is building it up to be way worse than it is. Once you get in there and experience it, it'll be a breeze in the future (coming from someone who doesn't particularly like needles, but is in healthcare; had to get used to them fast)

Nightslyr

No sleep, and feeling a hell of a lot more awake than I really should.

If he offers a tetanus booster, I'm going to decline. Last one I had hurt like hell, and I'm not exactly at risk for deep cuts/punctures/animal bites. I figure the ER can give me one if I ever need stitches.

zepherin

Nightslyr wrote: »

No sleep, and feeling a hell of a lot more awake than I really should.

If he offers a tetanus booster, I'm going to decline. Last one I had hurt like hell, and I'm not exactly at risk for deep cuts/punctures/animal bites. I figure the ER can give me one if I ever need stitches.

I wouldn't risk that, tetanus is horrible, and at the point where you would need a booster, it's already too late. However you only need one every ten years, so if you can remember the last time you got it, your probably good on that.

Also arm shots hurt less than hand blood pulls (I've had both). The nerves are less sensitive and are spaced apart. What helped with me is to look away and whistle a really hard song. Then I got a tattoo, so now adays I watch them do it, but before that when I was squeemish about needles I looked away and whistled.

Hevach

Any nursing schools in your area? Or even little medical assistant schools like Ross or Dorsey? The latter are usually closed campus so you can't just wander in, but college campuses are usually pretty open. Both might give you an opportunity to volunteer as a practice patient getting saline shots from students.

After getting a dozen or so shots from amateurs with sharp objects and getting nothing worse than some bruises, professionals won't bother you at all. This is what I did when my wife was in nursing school - helped her practice and helped me get over my problems with needles.

Nightslyr

Well, part of the problem with me is that I really don't have a lot of muscle mass anywhere due to my disability. I have Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita, and my arms are so small they still have to use the pediatric cuff for blood pressure on me, and even that has a fair amount of wrap around (and I'm nearly 33 years old). The same goes for my butt (which I don't have much of) and my legs. So the normal 1" needle would literally be poking into bone.

The good news is that the doctor and nurse really didn't blink an eye when I refused the Tdap booster and flu shot. For the flu, they're going to see if they can get the FluMist, which I'll do without hesitation. If not, if there's an epidemic in our area, he'll put me on a Tamiflu regimen to boost my immune system against it.

For the rest, we'll play it by ear.

---

Of course, now I'm embarrassed about not getting any sleep and generally freaking out. I just turn into my little 2-3 year old self who had a lot of surgeries (I've had 43 total), which leads me to feeling scared and helpless and generally as a patient when I have to do anything medical.

Still, thank you all for listening to me whine and bitch, and for generally putting up with me.

zepherin

They also have a intradermal flu vaccine, which is 90% smaller needle, it's just under the skin and not really into the muscle tissue, you may want to look into it.

GnomeTank

I am also very very afraid of needles, and distraction is absolutely the best way to handle it. Hopefully your nurse is good and understands this and will ask you how your day is going, what you're doing at work, basically anything to distract you. If not, I suggest a good cell phone game you can play one handed, or watching some Youtube on your phone. Bringing a friend who can sit and talk to you while it's all going on helps as well.

ArbitraryDescriptor

benholio wrote: »

Try not to watch them do it. I grew up getting allergy shots once a week. It's way better, if you don't watch.

The first shot I remember involved a finger pricking device and the doc telling me to close my eyes and count to three, at which point it would all be over. Well, I don't know how they count to three in med school, but I managed to get to three and open my eyes just in time to get surprise-stabbed. From that day forward I was good and scared of needles because the harder I tried to be 'distracted' the more I fixated on the pain to come, and the anxiety would snowball from there.

The solution for me the exact opposite. One day, a few years ago, I choked back my anxiety and stared right at the injection site while they did it. Once I accepted that it was coming, the pain was negligible: Problem solved. In that instant I realized that I hurt myself through sheer clumsiness far worse than any needle ever would, and now I'll gladly take a shot-in-the-arm over a coffee-table-to-the-shin any day of the week.

honkymcgoo

I used to have to be sedated to get shots. No lie, I had to have gas before my immunizations or be restrained. I got violent and freaked out. What got me over it though was my immunizations when I joined the Army. I got so many shots in one day that it was like immersion therapy. I'm not suggesting you join the army or just get stuck a lot, but if you have an opportunity for multiple shots at once, maybe just do it.

Nightslyr

Update: I had a pneumonia shot a couple days ago. It really didn't feel like much of anything. Little pinch with the needle, but nothing else. Injection site actually "hurts" (not real pain... Feels like a blind pimple) more now than during the shot itself. I think the key was a combination of keeping my arm relaxed and a whole bunch of adrenaline.

Next up is that Tdap I've been dreading, likely in February at my next appointment. I'm hoping the experience is similar. I really, really want to get over this fear, and I don't want to lack vaccinations.

But yeah, big step for me personally. Needles are really the only common thing that scares me. It would be a huge weight off of me if I could overcome it.