Extreme needle phobia - help!

[Deners]

Hi, i'm looking for any advice. i've seen plenty of posts about needle phobia's but i havent come across anyone who has been in quite the same situation. I'm freaking out, havent slept properly for about 2 weeks now since the positive pregnancy test and today has been pretty awful.

I have a really bad needle phobia. with my first pregnancy i ended up having no blood work, nothing. every single test was a no go. booking in appointment ended up throwing up in a bowl in my living room and nearly passing out. so they decided to wait until the scan as i was in too much of a state. at the scan at the hospital (which made it 10 times worse as medical stuff is something i cannot cope with) i had the worst panic attack of my life and again they couldnt do the test as i was not in a good way. following on from that ended up having hypnotherapy to try to sort it. projectile vom onto the next poor nurse who tried to do it. anyway, long story shot ended up with no tests being done all the way through as the level fo stress it was putting my body through wasnt good for baby. ended up with a home birth, no pain relief, no medical stuff.

me and my husband decided after DD was born that was it. not going through that again as the phobia takes over and it was the scariest 9 months. i always thought the need to do it for someone else would outweigh my own fears. but it didn't and it still hasnt. i didn't take DD for any of her appointments when she was little. even seeing the little cotton pad taped to her leg afterwards would set me off with palpitations and sickness. i just cant cope with anything medical and my poor husband ends up being the one to take time off work to do any of that. i spend the whole time at home in a panic.

anyway, we have just found out very unexpectedly that we will be having baby number 2. the level of panic i have gone into is crazy. i dont know my blood type, and cant begin to see how i can do it this time. i know the issues with blood groups, and how important it is to know if iyou are RH + or - and the issues that can cause. but i can't bring myself to even begin to think about it. we found out just over 2 weeks ago and i havent slept since. whenever my husband is out i'm sat here in tears panicking. i cant even begin to get my head around it.

i thought maybe do one of those home finger prick tests to get your blood type. i've just tried to do it and even sticking a pin in my own finger i've just been sick, nearly fainted and couldnt do it. sat here with a sewing needle trying to just pick enough to get some blood out but it didnt work. and all the time trying not to pass out.

i'm just so scared and i dont know what to do. whenever i've talked to a doctor or consultant about it, they have this pull yourself together and get over it attitude. this phobia isnt something i can just get over. i never go to the doctors in case they want to do a test or say i need an injection. i havent been to the dentist in 20 years over fear of needing any work done. even going to the opticians is starting to go the same route. everything with a medical type focus sends me into a blind panic that they will want to do tests. being pregnant is the only reason i've had any contact with medical people since i was a teenager. which i know isnt good for my health. but i cant do it.

this should be exciting finding out we're going to have a new addition to the family. but it leaves me in a massive panic and an emotional wreck. we should be excited to go to scans and appointments, but i'm dreading everything. and the added issue of not knowing by blood group is terrifying. i dont know what to do. has anyone else experienced anything quite this bad?

has any one got any tips to get over this? i'm at a complete loss

Would hypnosis help? Its something I've considered over the years.
The only way I can deal with an injection these days is ask to lie down and get the doctor to count down from three. Then I go floppy and play dead. Then I end up sitting up and putting my head between my legs as all the colour has gone from my head.
I feel like a complete drama queen but this is how I deal with a blood test etc these days.
I think you are going to have to find a way that fits for you and know that you're not alone.good luck op

@kerkyra

Would hypnosis help? Its something I've considered over the years. The only way I can deal with an injection these days is ask to lie down and get the doctor to count down from three. Then I go floppy and play dead. Then I end up sitting up and putting my head between my legs as all the colour has gone from my head. I feel like a complete drama queen but this is how I deal with a blood test etc these days. I think you are going to have to find a way that fits for you and know that you're not alone.good luck op

i've tried hypnotherapy. i'm good with it, hypno birthing was a massive help.

but it didnt work the needle stuff. the need to run and scream and get as far away as possible from everything takes over and breaks the trance.

even reading your post makes me panic and start to feel faint and sick and cry. i am at such a loss

Could you find out what blood group your parents are OP? That would give you a starting point to find out if there was a chance or not that you could be R negative? If not, you could put that particular worry out of your mind.

I was like this, then needed IVF.. omg the fort of injecting myself 3 times a day but you know what ur stronger than u think and I ended up doing 2 rounds so carnt be that bad :) once u have done it u think why was u scared before.. xxx

There are specialists that deal with phobias in all sorts of ways- maybe look into non-hypnosis methods? Ultimately, as you know, you've got to find a way to deal with it. Needles become more commonplace as you age, generally. Maybe consider this a good thing as it's providing the push you will need to get over this for your future health.

Natural birth with no pain relief ... wowza ! You are tougher then your giving yourself credit for. X

I’ve actually read somewhere that if you ask the nurse for an alcohol swab, and then give it a sniff whilst they use the needle, the smell will actually distract you from the pain and you forget it’s happening

I had a bad experience when I was younger and sticks with me even now - they tried distracting me with wheres Wally and now all the feelings come back when I see any wheres Wally items - mad what sticks with you from a child! I still cry, still have dizzy spells, allsorts! So I dont have any suggestions on how to remove it all completely but it's not as bad as it used to be. I have been assisted over the years, and just the other day, by the following if it helps:

• butterfly needle
• numbing cream/spray
• lying down
• having an anethetist do it as they are specialised more so (as my veins tend to go hiding as a react and dont let much out!)
• even with covid restrictions, we explained my situation and they allowed my mum to be there just for the bloods (husband had to stay home with toddler!)
• midwives and nurses tend to be a lot more understanding than doctors with this from my experience

My midwife has told me to ring her when my next blood test is due and she will ensure she books me in when the same anethetist is in. They can be very understanding and accommodating.

You are not alone.

I hope it all goes well for you!!

This is exactly me! Get Emla cream for any jabs - I have managed to get over the blood tests but still cannot deal with any other needles. Emla completely numbs the area and you don't feel a thing. Because I've used it before and know how great it works I no longer stress over jabs - and I know the level of stress you feel cannot be healthy!

You can get it over the counter.

I used to have a needle phobia and medical phobia. Not as bad as you OP but still pretty bad. I would actually worry myself sick with What ifs that mean I would have to go into hospital. I had several bad experiences as a child with needles and at the dentist in particular - did you have anything in your childhood that’s made you so phobic?
Then in my 20’s my appendix burst. No choice but to have a drip and major surgery - otherwise it’s death. I literally flipped out (even though I was in severe pain) at the thought of the drip. Thank god the nurse was understanding and gave me numbing cream and basically treated me like a frightened child. It wouldn’t have mattered how sick or phobic j was - they would have needed to pin me down if necessary (and actually did have to do so just before the operation)
However after this experience I came away feeling like ‘if I can do that I can do anything’ so it actually helped in a strange way.
Blood tests I still find really horrible but I cope by singing loudly with my head turned the other way to distract me. It’s the thought that’s the worst- the actual pain isn’t bad, it’s just the thought. I have to say, after one or two blood tests it actually forces you to get over the phobia. If you can get through one to find your blood type (numbing cream and distract yourself) your brain will start to slowly realise that actually it’s nothing to be that extremely scared of. Honestly it’s a vicious circle, the more you are scared, the more your brain thinks you should be scared and so on.
I still struggle more than most I know and need to be sedated for smears, dentists are still a nightmare for me but I am better than I was 10 years ago and at least can tolerate a blood test if I have to