Intense fear re needles - what to do?

[ChocolateBar]

I'm not pregnant (and have never had a baby, so feel a bit of a fraud being on MN) but I lurk on here quite a bit and I'm very curious about something - I have a specific fear and am interested to hear your suggestions as to how you think it could be dealt with in labour.
I'm very scared of needles (and by this I mean that I get stressed out to the extent of passing out/being physically sick/sobbing uncontrollably when going for a jab, or having bloods taken, or indeed anything that involves a needle being stuck into me) . I'm also aware that we have a 25% CS rate so there is a reasonable possibility that, were I to give birth, needles might be required...
I know that if you have a c-section, you would need to have either an epidural or a GA. First, can you elect to have the GA purely on the grounds that you are incredibly scared of having a needle stuck in your back?
Secondly, I know that you need to have a drip to give you fluids during the CS (I realise that this is medically necessary and I would just have to deal with it). However, am I correct in thinking that the only reason you need a drip after the CS is to give you morphine? If so, could you get the drip taken out immediately after they finish stitching you up (albeit this would mean you didn't get much in the way of pain relief - is it possible to deal with the post-op pain without the IV meds?).
Bit of a theoretical question at the moment, but am interested to hear what you ladies think, especially those of you who are doctors/midwives...
Choc

CB,I used to be irrationally freaked out by needles,so much so that avoided all sorts of things I should have had done for years.

'Cured' by lovely nurse to whom i explained my fears (was being vaccinated for Hep C which was unavoidable as an employment requirement.)

She held my arm gently,told me to look out of the window and describe what i saw and did it!

I was ok after that.

Do you know what I was totally needle phobic!

I was more scared of having a drip than having a baby!

I had drips on both deliveries 2 epidurals and 1 C section!

Doesnt bother me now & I was the worlds worst believe me

I would look into dealing with your phobia BEFORE you get pregnant...as you need bloods taken during pregnancy and also there might be a need for IVs or epidural in labour....also, good to deal with this before you have children, as there will likely be other events when you need to have blood taken, or your children are immunised etc

look into hypnotherapy? speak to your GP, specific counselling or some other help might be of use to you

I have a needle phobia, I am guaranteed to pass out should I receive a jab/blood test anything like that.

I took dh with me whilst I had bloods done, and explained to my mw about my phobia mw was very understanding as she had a daughter with the same phobia, so all my bloods were done at the doctors surgery lying down.
Then with dd1 I managed to have a drip fitted without too much hysteria...but did pass out.

The only time people were insensitive to my phobia was during my first labour, everyone and their grandmother was insistent I should have a epidural, although I was not screaming, or writhing in agony, or anything.... I stood my ground and the next time I wrote in my notes that I did not want an epidural unless absolutely necessary, I had nicer mw's a second time too which helped also my delivery was a lot easier and quicker the 2nd time...

I agree that you should try to address this phobia before embarking on pregnancy, otherwise you will get totally stressed out.Alongside this, rationalise the facts: most women DON'T have c-sections. The 25% rate sounds high, but some hospitals have incredibly high rates which bumps up the average. The chances are you WON'T have one. There will be times you need blood tests during pregnancy, but not that often, and as far as labour goes, it's absolutely possible to go through labour without having a needle stuck in you!There are plenty of non-invasive methods of pain relief. I can understand that even if you've sought help with the phobia, you probably won't want an epidural as the idea of having a needle in your back will probably still be scary. But again, the chances are you won't. I think the current statistics are that about one third of mothers have an epidural, which means that two thirds manage without. So, the odds are in favour of you coping fine.

I'm terrified of needles. I've just had my 3rd baby and was a nightmare pregnancy when my waters broke at 22 weeks. I had to have bloods taken weekly and sometimes more often and I still never got used to it. It wasn't even painful even though I have small veins and they sometimes had to try 3 or 4 times before getting any blood out, it was just the thought of the needle. The way I got through it was deciding that it was necessary for my baby and that I had to put up with it. I swore I'd never have an epidural and I never did although I think I would have to for a c section as a GA has worse side effects for mum and baby and the most concern for me was baby being healthy.

Take a deep breath, focus on something in the room, chant some nonsense (or sense) repeatedly and you'll be distracted enough to let the doctor / nurse / paramedic stick the needle where they need to.

I agree that it might be a good idea to try and get some therapy before you get pregnant. It might also be worth investigating ways to minimise the likelihood that you will need interventions during labour - ie by staying active, opting for a home birth etc. I'm sure Lulumama can recomend some good books around this subject. I would also recommend hypnobirthing or similar hypnotherapy technique for labour. I used this in my last labour and would recommend it as I was able to completely zone out and relax even through the contractions. I needed some blood tests during labour and I don't much like needles, although not phobic, and I swear I couldn't actually even feel the needle at all, it was as though I was totally numb. It might also be worth thinking about getting some emla cream to put on when you go into labour so you can pre-numb specific areas such as the back of your hand and crook of your elbow in case you do need any blood tests. I know sometimes women who are phobic about needles use gas and air for the tests themselves so you can get a bit out of it whilst it's happening.

In answer to your questions about CS, whether or not you can opt for a GA will depend very much on the anaesthetist and I think most will try and persuade you not to have a GA because of the increased risks. You certainly wouldn't be allowed to undergo a CS without a canula being sited as it may be needed for fluids and other drugs not just pain relief (in fact pain relief is usually a suppository initally and orally thereafter).

HTH a bit.

Tbh,once you are pg,fears re needles generally pale into insignificance.

I had to have anti-coagulants injected into my stomach daily at 38 weeeks pg.
The thought of it pre baby filled me with horror,but i just got on with it.

I am exactly the same as you as it doesn't matter how many people say, 'don;t worry you won;t even know about it' or 'you're doing it for your baby so you won't mid' etc etc - the fact is that it is causing you major stress now before you are even pregnant!

I remember at my anti natal classes finding out about the injection that you can have (you do not have to have it though there are advantages) that brings on the 3rd stage of labour (the placenta) and I was more worried about that than giving birth so I know how you feel.

Have you heard of Emla cream. It's local anaesthetic that you put on the site of where the needle goes so you really don;t feel the needle - this is great for any blood tests and I have used it throughout both my pregnancies so I know it is safe. It is mainly used for children, I used to be embarrassed for asking for it but I don;t really care now! I have also started being able to have blood tests done without but only if I know and trust the person doing it.

I hope this helps calm some of your fears.

ChocolateBar,I so know how you feel.
I always pass out when I have to have anything done with needles. The last one I had was my 28 week bloods done and passed out twice. In the room and then when we left, we had to get some petrol and did it again on the garage forecourt.

When I actually had my baby, I had to write on my birth plan that I wanted all medical equipment and needles out of view and although I had opted for the injection to help deliver the placenta, the midwife was very good and just took it from her pocket and gave it to me very quickly. But tbh I wouldnt have noticed because I was too busy cuddling my seconds old ds

I have to be honest though and say that as a resuly of me passing out at my 28 week bloods, I have since suffered awfully with anxiety which I'm now getting help with.
I'm having CBT atm but intend to try something called EFT (emotional freedom therapy). Its meant to be a very quick and effective form of therapy.

I don't have a fear of needles generally but I have a thing about spines so the thought of a needle going near my spine freaks me out! I was worried about dealing with pain because there was no way I was having an epidural. I used hypnobirthing to avoid needing anything other than gas and air. I wrote my spine+needle fear on my birth plan to warn the midwives that I would be freaking out if I needed a cs.

You could try NLP therapy or hypnotherapy to deal with your fear of needles prior to being pg because getting stressed during labour is best avoided!

I had to have IV antibiotics in labour and I have to say having a Jnr Dr attempt to put that in the back of my hand wasn't pleasant! In addition to using the cream I would insist that the consultant (who eventually put it in anyway) or an experienced midwife put it in. That Jnr Dr should've been sent to casualty to practice on drunks before coming near labouring women!

Completely understand your fear, sounds so much like myself reading your post! To be honest, it's not that I've gotten over my fear of needles when I go for blood tests now that I am pregnant, but at least in my case reality hit me. What I mean is that I'm more scared of there being a problem that could jepordise my health or my baby's health that the needle seems the better option. It's impossible to imagine this when you aren't pregnant, honestly I swore I'd never have children for these reasons but here I am pregnant and really thrilled about it. Altho I had one or two break downs early in pregnancy, I'm now thankfully over that and just dealing with it all b/c I chose to and b/c I know that there's a real clear purpose now that could mean a difference of life and death. Not everyone would be able to do this by themself tho and I think some therapy might be a great idea either before or right when you do become pregnant should that happen.

You are not correct with thinking that the reason they have you on a drip after a cesarean is b/c of the morphine, it is mostly b/c they need to keep you hydrated and have antibiotics pumping into you to fight infection. The morphine is something to make you feel better, the other two are for serious health reasons, not something you can do without (b/c afterall, the pain won't kill you so you could technically do without the morphine). Either way you deliver, you cannot have the drip removed until they are satisfied you are fine and stable, it can be a matter of life and death so it's not really something you can safely choose to remove b/c you are afraid. I know this sounds a bit harsh maybe, but I think you need to know how it is. You can opt to have general anasthesia for a cesarean and after discussing it with your health care providers they may agree to it if they feel it would benefit you. Afterall, extreme stress due to a phobia is not good for your health either. Of course you need to understand there are considerable risks involved with a general which make a spinal or epidural safer for cesarean but those benefits may be outweighed by your intense stress levels and fear. That's for a doctor to decide but yes, it is an option.

All in all, like you said it's such a theoretical situation to stress over. I was exactly like you before I got pregnant but I've shocked myself with how well (if I do say so myself!) I've been dealing with it all now that I actually am. For myself, once the initial shock of being pregnant passed I just looked at it like this - I really want this baby and I really want for myself and this baby to get through this healthy. The only way to do that is just take it like it comes and deal with it, I don't see an alternative. For me, that's helped my stress levels and I've really been fine. My DH has been so amazing at calming me when I've stressed or whenever I have to go have blood work and this has of course also made the biggest difference to my phobia. My point is that you really won't know until you are in the situation just how you will react since being pregnant and everything that comes along with it is unlike anything else in life so it's impossible to compare it to other experiences. I hope this helps you some. You aren't alone with these fears tho. Here's a link to a site that might be of interest to you - www.needlephobia.co.uk/index.aspx

Sorry to hijack the thread, but JodieG1, your water broke at 22 weeks? what on earth did you do? and when did you finally have him? I'm 22 weeks this saturday and it make my hair stand on end!

I'm scared of needles too thanks to early trauma's at the dentist, although my fear doesn't sound quite as bad as some of the ladies on here. I go white and shaky when I'm waiting for a blood test or injection, and I have to bury my face in my boyfriend's tummy or I cry!

Plus, no amount of people's rationalising helps, does it? (Luckily my boyfriend doesn't try) I have difficult veins- they're not daft, they hide whenever a needle gets close- so when I need blood taken I go to the pathology lab instead of having the midwives do it, because they do try but I end up being poked unsuccessfully a few times before they give up.

The pathology nurses are so very experienced, she didn't even need to use a tourniquet to try and get a vein up, or for me to open and close my hand loads to get the blood pumping. She knew exactly what she was doing, and despite being the biggest wimp on earth, I have to say, she was VERY fast (as in under 15 seconds for 3 vials of blood to be taken) and it really, truly, didn't hurt. I felt a tiny scratch as it went in, only at the surface of my skin, and she was done.

I was so tense I sortof laughed and cried afterwards, and then felt like a bit of a div for getting so worked up. They've obviously seen every degree of fear and they're really caring and efficient. I'm sure if you take someone to cuddle and distract you, you'll be alright.

If you have a real phobia of needles, NOTHING pales it into insignificance, in fact stress tends to make phobias WORSE.

Ask for EMLA cream. Ask for gas and air. Make it clear as crystal that you will be a hysterical wreck if you aren't listened to.

I find it helpful to make the person putting the needle in give me a 'time limit' after which they will withdraw that needle whether they are finished or not.

so tell them that when you have finished counting to sixty slowly (or whatever they say they can get it done in) they must take it out.

Take a walkman and rattle your eardrums while they are doing it.

OVERLOAD your senses. It works, honestly.

And ask to see a phlebotomist, don't let a midwife do it.

People who haven't seen a needle phobia in action won't quite believe the state you can get into. I have crawled of the bed mid contraction to get away from a needle (that, I must say, 5 seconds earlier I had told them they could use, so not their fault)

when they took a blood test from me, I made more fuss than when ds2's head crowned. It is a debilitating phobia and the only way I was able to have them done at all was knowing it was for my baby.

explain the depth of your fear in terms of "I would rather ..... than have a needle"

And even I know that the needle never hurts like the fear of the needle.

You could have some hypnotherapy. You just need to re-wire your brain.

I'd be more worried about labour

I'm terrified of having an episiotomy too.

I had a major major fear of needles and specifically blood tests so I really sympathise. People saying "heigh ho, when you're pregnant you'll just have to get on with it" really doesn't help much. I researched it and found the most effective treatment was CBG _Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. I put off trying for a baby until I had been able to do a course of this. Ask your GP to refer you to a psychologist. You don't have to go into everything that might keep you awake at night, just really focus on the needle problem. It was a complete success for me and I even managed a c/s, which would just have been out of the question before.
You could also try asking a nice nurse you can trust at your surgery if they would be willing to do your blood tests instead of midwives / phlebotomists at the hospital while you are coming to terms with the whole business. Hope this helps. You'd be surprised how many people suffer from this and it really can be dealt with.

i am the worlds biggest needle phobic its written on my hospital notes and my dental notes! saying that i have 6 kids and i have had 4 c ssections! i will panic scream shout and cry like a baby at the thought of having a needle. my way round it is too have the local anaesthetic injection that way you dont fell the wacking great cannula going in! also my dentist numbs my gums with numbing gel before she injects so i dont feel the needle that way.

Thanks guys - really appreciate the support. As many of you suggested, I do need to deal with this and I'm working on that.

It's also very nice to hear that I'm not the only one! Thanks again.

Hurrah - I thought I was the only one who fainted everytime a needle comes into view - I even did when I had me ears pierced!! It almost put me off having kids but....

My midwife came and did some bloos at home, and I also went into the maternity day unit at hospital for some bloods when they thought I might be diabetic and needed to keep testing my blood sugar level! Helped me to have mum there and managed not to faint every time.

When it came to labour, I wanted a water birth so I wouldn't have to have any injections. As it turned out, baby was in wrong position so had to have a c-section. Thought I would freak out having a spinal block, but too busy trying to deal with contractions and desire to push to let it bother me. However, I did refuse the anti-DVT injection afterwards.

If anything, I now know that I can have bloods taken without fainting and wonder if it has "cured" me a bit by facing my fear?

I had one blood test in the whole of my pregnancy and then nine over 24 hours BUT they put a canula in so it only counts as one.

You can have anaesthetic gel put over the area if you are really chicken (I was). The epidural (lovely btw compared to labour pains) was put in AFTER local anaesthetic (didn't feel a thing after the initial scratch which actually felt like when you brush against a nettle rather than a needle).

The other needle you'll be offered is syntocin after delivery to get the placenta out quicker. If you've had an epidural you won't feel it and if you haven't, well you probably won't anyway, it's a tiny needle, you don't see it coming and you'll be focused on your baby.

Oh and you'll probably find once you are pregnant you get all earth mothery and want to give birth with no drugs etc (you get over this...oooh after about three hours of contractions) so don't plan too far ahead.

CB I'm going for another blood test tomorrow - if it wasn;t for the Emla cream, I;d be a jibbering wreck - in fact no I wouldn't because I wouldn't be having the test!

You are not the only one and don;t let people make you feel silly, if you're anything like me it is the thought of the needle rather than the actual injection itself which is terrifying.