blood tests and needlephobia

[TailFeathers]

Hi everyone,

I'm about 10 weeks pregnant after IVF and went in for my booking appt last night. Now I have needlephobia which has got really bad since the IVF and it isn't helped by having rolling veins which run away from needles. They couldn't get any blood in the end and sent me away (because I was crying so much), so I'm going to have to go back again in a few weeks to try again.

I'm really scared now (I know, I'm pathetic) and I wondered if anyone has any tips on how I can make it less bad. I don't find EMLA cream helps very much, though it's better than nothing. Anything that will make the blood test easier for the nurse to do, or make me less scared / likely to cry and faint (really pathetic...), would be really helpful and hugely appreciated...

Tail Feathers

[Cheekybiscuit]

Hi, I can totally sympathise as have similar issues. Hypnotherapy helped me to find some distraction strategies. Am certainly not cured but it did help me have 3 babies! Would be worth looking into...

[failingmammalian]

Another vote for hynotherapy
I am terrified but have got much better over years by using breathing techniques I learnt in hypnobirthing and I guess yoga

I also always tell nurses how pathetic I am and they always respond with kindness (with one notable exception!) and that really helps

I think it also helps to think what is the worst that can happen and actually the worst is just a bit of bruising And scab and it heals. That has helped me anyway as i used to imagine terrible unknown things!
Good luck