Due to have covid vaccine and terrified of needles!!

[middlepuddle]

Due to have first injection and terrified of needles, I'm an hcp(not type that gives injections!) and am terrified of needles. I'm not feeling too nervous now but know by the day I will be in a state before I even go to the appointment, I have emla cream to help but I feel afraid I'm going to make a scene like last time I had to have blood taken(had 2 people in with me) and feel sorry for the person who is going to have to give it to me. Anybody else in the same situation?

Can’t you get some diazepam?

I used to be scared of needles but after pregnancy and getting a million tests I’ve become numb to it. In fact if I’m feeling a bit worried I tend to ask to lie down and/or take some headphones to listen to something. Most of the time though the nurses are so amazing they just know to chat and take my mind off it....I know why they’re doing it and love them more for it!

So could you take headphones? and if you get faint some glucose tablets can help!

I am the same, I need valium and magic cream

Practise meditating, also see square breathing

I had to have a blood test today, I was dreading it, but distracted myself by chatting to the nurse and tbh I hardly felt it. The fear was much worse than the reality. Just try and remember it will be over very quickly and how brilliant it is that you can get a Covid vaccination! And take some deep breaths. Hope you get ok. X

See if you can get some meds. Remember that a) an injection is a quick jab, definitely easier than taking blood and that b) it'll be over in a few seconds. That's all you have to get through.

You can do this! Concentrate on breathing and that the thought is worse than the actual jab.

I am like you, DP has needed to hold me down for travel vaccines and pregnancy tests I guess I'll have the vaccine when it's my turn but I'm really dreading it

Emla and loud head help but it's still awful. I try to stay in control of my breathing and relax arhat arm but it's really f'ing hard

Have some diazepam at home, seriously considering taking one even though it means taking the bus and 4 hours plus instead of 2 hours in the car. Have a phobic reaction- not fainting but panic attack, hysterics, shaking and tears, have refused to let people near me, my dm(a gp) had to corner me in the kitchen to give me my tetanus booster!

Aw, OP, I hear you. Do see if you can get something to take beforehand - even a couple of paracetomol might help as a placebo. Try to think incredibly positively - wake up and instead of the Dread, try to think 'This is a BLOODY BRILLIANT day! I'm really lucky and it'll be over before I know it and then I'll be immune!'. Try and see if you can talk it up, if you see what I mean. It's what I'm planning to do myself.

Can I just say I'm really encouraged by the total LACK of posts having a go at the OP for her inconvenient phobia? We know it's stupid and irrational, and at this point in history it's got to take a seat on the back burner, but it's going to be hard for some people.

slow breathing, think of clouds, find a funny thing to look at on your phone, relax.

Had great fun while pregnant as well as rh-ve(thanks df) and 2 ceasarians so had to have antiD and heparin, it wasn't easy and sometimes took 20 minutes plus for one injection, I don't want to hold things up because of my phobia.

I don’t understand adults who behave this way OP. It’s just a jab for goodness sake. It’s not like someone walking into a room with an over ripe banana. Now that would be truly horrific.

Overripe banana, just bake some banana bread, problem.solved😁

@middlepuddle

Overripe banana, just bake some banana bread, problem.solved😁

I wish I hadn’t read that. I won’t sleep tonight.

glad to help

@middlepuddle your GP will definitely give you diazepam. I’m given it whenever I need a smear or other intimate examination.

I've literally just come on here to post this exact post. Well, for me the vaccine isn't imminent but now we have one it will be a reality at some point! Hopefully emla cream and diazepam will get me through the injection but I have a major issue with injections "in". I can just about give blood because that's something coming out of me but the thought of having it put into me gives me the fear. I had such a panic attack last time I went for the flu jab that the nurse refused to do it.

I'm absolutely terrified of needles. I had a very high risk pregnancy which ended up with me having daily blood tests, and steroid injections before my baby was born, and at the time I became almost used to it but I'm back to being terrified. I have the flu vaccine every year because I'm asthmatic, and the pharmacist knows I'm scared. She chats away, asking me questions about DD etc and before I know it, it's done. I'm dreading the covid vaccine though.

A vaccine is very different to having blood taken. Make sure you're lying down x

I was told a tip of wiggling your toes and concentrating on doing that.

Ahhhhh! It’s not worse than mine OP, I’m embarrassed of myself!!

I used to have a massive fear of needles-not the pain or getting the injection but the actual needle....being in a room with me....knowing that it’s coming, knowing that it’s going to go in me! I would get so worked up!

Once....so embarrassing, my partner went to A and E, whilst there a male nurse walked into our cubicle, he was talking to DH, just general chit chat, I looked down at my phone and was doing something on it, later looked up to see the nurse standing over my DH in a strange way..then the penny dropped, he was doing a blood test, there was a needle in the room with me, the nurse turned around to see tears falling out of my eyes, I was crying because my DH was having a blood test! He was so taken aback and so shocked he went white, didn’t speak, turned around and left the cubicle 😂 so embarrassed by that, but at the time I couldn’t help it!

Turns out I’m not afraid of needles now after nearly dying in hospital and being pricked so many times that I got used to it!! (There was a lot of needles in those 9 days!)

Don’t be embarrassed and don’t worry about making a scene, just tell them your not as bad as someone you know who once cried when someone else was getting a needle

@Glitterblue. If you were ok with your flu job, why are you worried about this one? If the person doesn't know you to ask about DD just tell them about her. I had to have a lump cut out a few weeks ago and wanted to watch, but they didn't want me to, she said if I did my face would be in her way(not sure if that was true or if she was just worried I'd pass out/throw up etc) but anyway I looked the other way and somewhere out there is a nurse that knows far more about a country I used to live in than she probably ever wanted to 🤣

@middlepuddle

Well, I guess it depends what scares you more really. Frankly 4 hours on public transport in January in this pandemic. Terrifies me. One teeny tiny needle any day over that!

Definitely take headphones OP.

Listen to how long will I love you, it really works, something to do with the voice tone and calmness of the song.

Earphones? And listen to something that will really distract you, get your teeth into a podcast now, and as soon as you sit just close your eyes and concentrate on your what's going on in your ears!

And don't worry I imagine they won't even give you chance to get worked up, your cheeks will have barely hit the seat and you'll be done, they've got about 65m more people to get through

Good luck

@Heartlantern2 🤣 bet the guy was glad you weren't next on his list!!
But that's a pretty intense way to get rid of your needle phobia!!