Secretly terrified of the having the vaccine

[Onedaysomedaynowadays]

Not because of the vaccine itself (although I suppose I'm mildly apprehensive about it) but mainly because I'm needle phobic. I usually talk myself into having vaccines because it's a nurse/doctor giving to me and they're experts etc. But the thought of a random vaccinator giving me it is massively freaking me out. I'm way down the list so not something I'm going to have to face for awhile but I can't stop thinking about it ☹️

A GP did my they were volunteering on their day off. People have been trained it's really easy to operate a syringe.

Maybe the technology's come on since we least had vaccines but all I'm hearing is that people aren't even feeling these go in. My dad said he thought the nurse had just tapped his arm and he's not one to minimise things! I know it might not be the pain that bothers you - maybe more of the idea - but perhaps you can still reassure yourself that it will go very quickly and at least not hurt.

Most of these vaccinators will have given more injections in the last three months than the average GP gives in years! You're going to be getting someone super-duper experienced.

Get a prescription for Xanax. It's perfect for extremely infrequent, situational anxiety like this. Your house could be on fire and you wouldn't care, and it wears off after 2 hours.

I always hated long-haul flights and would ruin months leading up to the trip by thinking about turbulence etc. However I only fly long-haul once every 3-4 years so that's less than 20 times for the rest of my life. For a single one-off but incredibly important event like getting the covid vaccine, it doesn't make sense to go through all the time and cost of therapy when there's medication that has an instant effect.

Forgot to add to the above saying after years of therapy, a GP finally told me to just take a Xanax! Especially if I promise to only take on flights and not as an everyday thing. Nobody will become addicted if they take a benzo 1x a year or even less, and many situational phobias only come up on that frequency.

In case it helps, it must have been a tiny needle as I barely felt anything. Not painful at all. The vaccinator was very efficient and skilled!

I had mine yesterday and the vaccinator asked specifically if I was neeedle phobic and if I had been she'd have drawn up the vaccine away from my view.
Also before I got the the vaccinator you speak to someone who explains the risks etc and asks general medical questions. You could explain your phobia to then so that your vaccine is already drawn before you move across to get it
I don't want to minimise your fear op but it really was a painless procedure and, touch wood, I've had no after effects whatsoever

I'm the same OP. Telling me it doesn't hurt doesn't make any difference to me as it's not pain I'm worried about - I was prepared to put up with gallstones rather than the blood tests and injections involved in having my gallbladder out!

When my time comes, I'm going to make sure the staff are aware that's it's not that I dislike needles, it's that I'm absolutely terrified of hypodermic needles (weirdly I can cope with tattoo and piercing needles, although I'd never ever look), I shake, I cry and I curl up into a ball like a hedgehog! I actually felt physically ill when DH had his.

Strangely I was absolutely gutted when it was announced under 40s will have to wait for their jabs, I'd psyched myself up to at least be able to book it and then get it over with (I won't be so brave when I actually go!) and now I've got to wait and psych myself up again.

On the subject of vaccinators, as previous posters have said they are all fully trained and now have plenty of experience. I know deep down it'll be fine, but unfortunately phobias aren't at all rational.

Good luck 💐

I had mine this morning, and didn't even see the hyper-dermic or the needle, the doctor was chatting away to me, and it was done before I realised. Way less invasive than the flu vaccine.

DD is terrified of needles due to bad experience as a child, but she was great this year with the flu vaccine. The build up was way worse than the actual event, and the vaccinator was lovely. They all are. Again she just chatted about all sorts of random things, nothing medical, and it was done before DD noticed. I think there is better awareness these days of phobia's and anxieties, and they seem to handle it all much more holistically these days.

Had mine this morning. In and out in less than 5 mins!! It was a a bit uncomfortable but only for a couple of seconds. You'll be fine.

My friend has been prescribed diazepam for this very reason.

If you get Covid and end up in hospital, there'll be a lot more needles involved...

Comments like that are really not helpful when someone has a phobia.

I understand how you feel op. If it helps you to know, I went to another medical centre in town to have my vaccine this morning, which was given by a nurse from our GP practice. There was also a GP present asking the set questions e.g. have you had reactions to vaccines in the past etc

There was a slight sharp stab for one second then it was all over, actual vaccine delivery was I reckon about 3 seconds.

So far, I'm fine. I hope this reassures you. They are not going to let people give you a vaccine who are not capable of doing so.

Good luck!

Just had mine an hour ago. Needle phobic too.

I told them I might faint and they allowed my husband to join the queue instead of me. He called me when I had to talk to a nurse about consent, etc.

She then took me to a different area and the vaccinator was super nice and patient.

Don’t hesitate to tell them how you feel, everyone was willing to help and make it easier for me.

Applied numbing cream in the area below my shoulder and didn’t feel a thing.

Good luck!

The vaccinators at the hubs have been doing so many a day, they are much better practiced than GPs! I would always choose a nurse over a GP normally as well, as they're likely to have done a lot more. Also not a fan of needles, used to be phobic but had talking therapy and it's not as bad now, but I genuinely didn't feel the covid jab at all!

I’m not going to lie, I was petrified, and it was fine. Promise.

I was so scared.

Honestly, I'm not saying this to make you feel better but I really didn't feel anything apart from the pressure of the vaccinator's hands. The needle is very fine and thin.

I haven't had a vaccination in about 40 years and perhaps needles were bigger then or the vaccinations I had all those years ago needed big needles (no expert obviously) so I was expecting something large and painful but truly, the covid needle is tiny weeny!

I think they thought I was a lunatic, I had a tag team of a pharmacist who was doing the jabs and a nurse who was handing out the leaflet / explaining possible side effects.

Pharmacist was flapping around near where I was sat and said 'you'll feel a sharp scratch and nurse whoever-it-was will tell you about side effects.' So she told me and gave me the leaflet. I nodded in all the right places and then sat expectantly waiting for pharmacist to give me the injection. They looked at me confused and asked if I had any questions.

Turned out he'd given it to me and I hadn't noticed - they were politely expecting me to get out ready for the next person!

Only to add another ‘Didn’t even feel it’ comment...I was doing my usual thing turning my head so as not to look and he said ‘All done’. Quickest and easiest injection I have ever had. Practice really does make perfect, and these vaccinators are brilliant. Good luck.

I also hate needles and I felt the flu jab but not this jab so I am wondering if its also a very thin needle.
You should speak to your doctor. Our doctors give ours and lots of pharmastists are doing them to - maybe your dr can make sure a dr gives you your's.

Mine was done by a doctor and she asked whether I had needle phobia. She said I was the first non needle phobic she'd had that day, so she was clearly very used to people who were worried.

someone at a vaccine centre will be doing vaccine jabs day in, day out = sounds like plenty of practice. If you're way down the list, they'll be even more practiced.

Bit like when I was discussing having mirena coil removed an the practice nurse that previously specialised in this had retired. Receptionist said she'd ask some of the new nurses id "they fancied having a go" - I kid you not, her exact language! I made an appointment at the sexual health clinic.

Right now, vaccination centres are the best place to find people experienced at giving people vaccines.

Pull a hair out of your head.

There. That hurt more than the jab is going to.

I had an actual brain surgeon do mine. I think there are many many overqualified volunteers helping out. Nobody who there isn’t qualified to be there.
I didn’t feel anything either...she said it’s the tiniest needle they can use, and nothing in the jab itself stings, so no pain.

I actually have no idea what qualification the person who vaccinated me had - they were wearing ordinary clothes, no uniform, no name badge. I think a nurse or a St John Ambulance volunteer would have been in uniform, so could have been a doctor, a pharmacist, or even a vet as far as I know! But I’m pretty sure they had done hundreds, probably thousands, before they got to me.