:SI: (sorta... that one's mostly for me I guess)

Well, I have what I consider to be fairly severe trypanophobia (fear of, er, needles), panic attacks and everything– half the time I won't even say the word, but it seems to me that everyone around me sort of shrugs it off. I mean, say the word and I won't breathe... but now I need to get blood tests done for school, and also to rule out/test for medical problems... but I can't do it.

I mean, obviously the problem isn't actually taking the blood, it's what they do it with. I told them, take it from a friggin paper cut if you really want, as long as you don't use one of them on me.

Yet right now, I've been sick for weeks and they want my blood to figure out if it's something chronic and/or serious... and I just. Can't. Do it.

I mean, is there an alternative? Some other method or something else I can do? Or do I just have to quit whining and get it sucked outa me?

I'm not taking anxiety medication if you were going to suggest it, so don't even go there...

pax sit,
valete.

Um, I kind of have the same phobia. Mine stemmed from when I was younger though. And it's not severe, though it can be if I make it out to be. But mine has gotten better, really.

I'm not going to suggest anxiety medication because it doesn't work that way. Medications don't really make the problem go away itself. The only thing that can make it go away or at least make it go away enough so that you can live your life in peace is you.

I really doubt there is an alternative, as it's supposed to see what is wrong with you. That's what bloodwork does. When I was younger, I had a crapload of bloodwork done on me to see why I wasn't growing and random other things. It's why I have a fear of them, it's why I refuse to have anything to do with them unless I really really need to. Your bloodwork can tell a lot about you.

I don't know if this will work for you, but have you tried not looking? Perhaps you could reward yourself with something after it's done, so that it'll give you something to look forward to when it's over.

I hope I helped a little. :)

:trig:



Not much you can do except grit your teeth and bear it. I have the same problem, and tomorrow I get lots of fun blood tests (please note the sarcasm). Not helped by, due to the uber state of my arms, finding blood seems to involve stabbing me a few hundred times with the damn needle :rolleyes:

I'm taking my lovely rescue remedy, and preferably something to gag myself with to prevent obscenities being screeched at the nurse attempting to do it (note the humour ;) )

I tend to look the other way and get mad when they go "don't worry, it doesn't hurt a bit, you might feel a slight pinch! *stab stab stab*" :angry:

I'm not helping am I... *wanders off*

Yeah, I really don't know what the cause of my phobia is, it's just kind of always been there. The first time I had bloodwork done I was only a year old, so I don't even remember that :x

I've tried just kind of looking the other way, but the anxiety and fear of it puts me so on-edge that I become like, hyper-sensitive to it and then I just flip out more.

And the worst part for me, is the fact that the actual procedure is not even close to the beginning or end. As soon as the word is mentioned, I'll be paranoid and anxious for weeks beforehand, and then it really peaks when the thing's in me, but afterward, there's always either that damn bandage or if I take it off that bruise to remind me what's happened. >.<

I fainted the last time I had to be immunized in school. One of the teachers (a horrible, nasty woman) called me a wimp, and told me to grow up. I could barely breathe at the time, so I sort of started gasping, swearing and wheezing at her. I called her some pretty awful names and told her to shove a number of things where the sun don't shine. I got a lot of detentions for that one.