Nearly fainted in nurses office

existentialpain · 2023-04-18T16:58:01+00:00

I've never been great with needles and injections but generally I'm fine as long as I don't look. In the past I've asked to lay down but nurses seem more reluctant now for some reason. Today I went into hospital for a minor procedure and the nurse tried to put a cannula in my hand. It hurt like hell I literally had nerve pain all over my hand. She poked around a bit causing me a lot of pain and then said the vein had collapsed and she needed to try another cannula. I was starting to feel horribly faint. She put the other one in and the pain was just horrendous. At this point I was clammy and sick and I had to put my head down. I thought I was going to have to lay down on the office floor! She was very kind and said to take deep breaths and luckily the faint feeling passed. She couldn't do the cannula though so in the end the doctor did it while I was in theatre. I know it sounds stupid but I was on my own and I feel quite shaken by the whole experience. I don't fault the nurse or doctors as they were really kind and lovely and I know they felt bad for me. I was very dehydrated because I couldn't eat before or drink before the procedure plus I've been very unwell lately. My veins aren't the best anyhow. Does anyone else feel really sick like this with injections or cannulas?

DustyLee123 · 18/04/2023 17:58

Tell them that you feint so you need to lie down.

Nimbostratus100 · 18/04/2023 18:00

you do need to go in for these procedures very well hydrated.

Original poster

existentialpain · 18/04/2023 18:03

Nimbostratus100 · 18/04/2023 18:00

you do need to go in for these procedures very well hydrated.

I wasn't allowed to drink for several hours before the procedure

OP posts:

FabFitFifties · 18/04/2023 18:07

No, but the back of the hand does vary in how much it hurts. You can't help feeling like you do - explain why you must lie down.I'm sure most would rather help you to do this than have to pick you off the floor. Hope your procedure went well.

Misslizzie96 · 18/04/2023 18:15

I’m a fainter associated with pain and for some reason find my left arm for blood samples and cannulas v painful if they’re doing it in the bend behind the elbow bit. I don’t have much advice except distraction (I do a times table in my head or count backwards) and ask them if my right arm is okay. Sometimes you just get a nurse having a bad day and it pinches more especially if they can’t get it in first time, but if leaves you nervous for quite a while afterwards so you have my sympathy.

Original poster

existentialpain · 18/04/2023 18:23

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.. My procedure did go well.. It's the 2nd time I've had it done and ironically I wasn't really nervous this time because it was fine before but all the business with the cannula was stressful. I'm going to be a lot more were aware when I next have an injection that I might react like this. My blood pressure was already a bit low at 99 / 58 so that probably didn't help much

OP posts:

Toobusytowee · 18/04/2023 18:28

I’m a nurse and always ask if people are fainters. It’s quite awkward to deal with if someone faints in a chair so we always get people to lie down if needed. There hasn’t been a move away from this.

Regarding the pain, some people do feel it more and can get quite anxious about it. It could be worth asking next time if you can have some numbing cream beforehand. Lots of people do this.

The dehydration bit can be fixed by just hydrating yourself well beforehand. If you are given a time to be nil by mouth from, make sure you drink loads before this. Hydrate well the day before and then have a couple of big drinks just before your NBM time. Do this even if it is 2am. Set an alarm to do it. Better hydration reduces all sorts of post op complications so is well worth it. It makes blood taking and cannulation easier, is kinder on your kidneys if you have a general anaesthetic and you would feel less pain after the procedure.

CMOTDibbler · 18/04/2023 18:29

Oh, you poor thing. I had issues with them placing a cannula for surgery once and if I hadn't been lying on the trolley already I would have passed out, instead I was crying and the anaesthetist stepped in after they had a couple of goes and popped me off to sleep with the gas so he could do it while I was under (it ended up in the side of my hand) and it was really horrible.

Dogsarebetterthanhumans · 18/04/2023 20:18

OP remember that for a general anaesthetic all the evidence based guidance now is that you can have water up to 2 hours before surgery. It has loads of benefits in surgery and with pain afterwards and recovery. It’s just food that’s 7 hours. X

Shuntsarentscary · 18/04/2023 20:26

Aww don't worry at all! Cannulas are bloody awful things! Hope you're okay x

Mariposista · 18/04/2023 20:40

Poor you OP, cannulas are awful.
If it's any consolation, I had to have one when I was 19 due to severe food poisoning (so I was dehydrated), and the nurse accidentally injected it into my muscle, thought it was ok and walked out the room. It was absolute agony, I remember crying in pain, and hearing 'you'll be ok in a minute', then my mum wishing out to get her back as my wrist was swelling up! Definitely don't feel shy about asking to lie down. Needle phobia is common (or just fainting in general after a procedure like this). You are more likely to be tense, hold your breath, etc. Nothing to be ashamed of at all. Hope you're ok now.

Original poster

existentialpain · 18/04/2023 20:54

Dogsarebetterthanhumans · 18/04/2023 20:18

OP remember that for a general anaesthetic all the evidence based guidance now is that you can have water up to 2 hours before surgery. It has loads of benefits in surgery and with pain afterwards and recovery. It’s just food that’s 7 hours. X

It wasn't a GA. I followed my instructions to the letter and I had to avoid fluids for 4 hours.

OP posts:

Original poster

existentialpain · 18/04/2023 20:55

Toobusytowee · 18/04/2023 18:28

I’m a nurse and always ask if people are fainters. It’s quite awkward to deal with if someone faints in a chair so we always get people to lie down if needed. There hasn’t been a move away from this.

Regarding the pain, some people do feel it more and can get quite anxious about it. It could be worth asking next time if you can have some numbing cream beforehand. Lots of people do this.

The dehydration bit can be fixed by just hydrating yourself well beforehand. If you are given a time to be nil by mouth from, make sure you drink loads before this. Hydrate well the day before and then have a couple of big drinks just before your NBM time. Do this even if it is 2am. Set an alarm to do it. Better hydration reduces all sorts of post op complications so is well worth it. It makes blood taking and cannulation easier, is kinder on your kidneys if you have a general anaesthetic and you would feel less pain after the procedure.

Very helpful thank you.

OP posts:

Original poster

existentialpain · 18/04/2023 20:55

CMOTDibbler · 18/04/2023 18:29

Oh, you poor thing. I had issues with them placing a cannula for surgery once and if I hadn't been lying on the trolley already I would have passed out, instead I was crying and the anaesthetist stepped in after they had a couple of goes and popped me off to sleep with the gas so he could do it while I was under (it ended up in the side of my hand) and it was really horrible.

How awful, I completely sympathise.

OP posts:

Original poster

existentialpain · 18/04/2023 20:56

Shuntsarentscary · 18/04/2023 20:26

Aww don't worry at all! Cannulas are bloody awful things! Hope you're okay x

Thank you, yes they are! I'm covered in bruises and sores now.

OP posts:

Original poster

existentialpain · 18/04/2023 20:58

Mariposista · 18/04/2023 20:40

Poor you OP, cannulas are awful.
If it's any consolation, I had to have one when I was 19 due to severe food poisoning (so I was dehydrated), and the nurse accidentally injected it into my muscle, thought it was ok and walked out the room. It was absolute agony, I remember crying in pain, and hearing 'you'll be ok in a minute', then my mum wishing out to get her back as my wrist was swelling up! Definitely don't feel shy about asking to lie down. Needle phobia is common (or just fainting in general after a procedure like this). You are more likely to be tense, hold your breath, etc. Nothing to be ashamed of at all. Hope you're ok now.

God that sounds horrendous! It really is so painful isn't it. I will definitely ask to lay down from now on..

OP posts:

longtompot · 18/04/2023 21:08

existentialpain · 18/04/2023 18:03

I wasn't allowed to drink for several hours before the procedure

Show quote history

You need to be well hydrated days before, not just on the day. A nurse who was doing my blood test told me this, that it's not just any fluids on the day it's the days before that really help.
I don't usually have an issue having cannulas fitted or having blood taken, I just don't watch it happening. I have felt funny a few times, mainly when my veins aren't playing ball, one time collapsing. I would just say, if you need to have it done again, that you need to lie down whilst they do it. Hope your procedure went well.

Original poster

existentialpain · 18/04/2023 21:19

longtompot · 18/04/2023 21:08

You need to be well hydrated days before, not just on the day. A nurse who was doing my blood test told me this, that it's not just any fluids on the day it's the days before that really help.
I don't usually have an issue having cannulas fitted or having blood taken, I just don't watch it happening. I have felt funny a few times, mainly when my veins aren't playing ball, one time collapsing. I would just say, if you need to have it done again, that you need to lie down whilst they do it. Hope your procedure went well.

Show quote history

Yes part of the problem was probably that I'd been in a lot of pain (not connected to procedure) recently and I hadn't really been eating enough.

Also, the procedure was at 1 PM today and I wasn't allowed to eat later than 6 hours before and drink later than 4 hours before so I had to get up pretty early when I don't really feel like eating or drinking much. Getting up in the night to drink sounds good in theory but I would spend the rest of the night in the toilet!

At least it looks like I shouldn't need the procedure again as the stomach ulcer has healed.

OP posts:

JussathoB · 18/04/2023 21:31

existentialpain · 18/04/2023 21:19

Yes part of the problem was probably that I'd been in a lot of pain (not connected to procedure) recently and I hadn't really been eating enough.

Also, the procedure was at 1 PM today and I wasn't allowed to eat later than 6 hours before and drink later than 4 hours before so I had to get up pretty early when I don't really feel like eating or drinking much. Getting up in the night to drink sounds good in theory but I would spend the rest of the night in the toilet!

At least it looks like I shouldn't need the procedure again as the stomach ulcer has healed.

Show quote history

Be kind to yourself OP. If possible rest, hydrate well and maybe divert yourself with something you like - book, tv, hobby, walk. Medical procedures can be unpleasant, try to think of something else. You are ok, it’s done now.