Fear of blood tests - help!

[hiccupgate]

I went for my first midwife appointment today. I haven't had a blood test in a long time, I've always hated them but I've forgotten quite how much. To be clear it's not a fear of needles (vaccinations are not a problem), it is a real strong aversion to the sensation of a needle in my veins sucking my blood out. Not helped by the fact that I have in the lower range of normal blood pressure, so the stuff doesn't exactly come shooting out. I have to close my eyes, look away and insist that the midwife hides the tubes, and then I have to lie down because by that point I'm cold and shaky.

I don't need to be told to get over it, but I am wondering how other people cope given the barrage of blood tests I'm going to have to endure for the next 30-something weeks. Can I phone in advance and request numbing gel or something?!

My DD has an extreme needle phobia and sadly, hasn't yet managed to have any bloods done, despite regularly trying to overcome her fear. She is coming up 30 weeks & we had a scare with baby last week which highlighted the issue. We are looking at trying hypnosis, though unsure if it will help as neither medication or desensitisation programme has worked in the past.

Could that be an option for you? X

Emla cream is definitely your friend here. I was absolutely terrified of blood tests and needles in general and put off ivf for that reason. With Emla cream and not looking I managed to just about get by. Good job really as I had hg and ended up on a drip for most of my pregnancy.

Get some, it will change your life!

Emla cream is definitely your friend here. I was absolutely terrified of blood tests and needles in general and put off ivf for that reason. With Emla cream and not looking I managed to just about get by. Good job really as I had hg and ended up on a drip for most of my pregnancy.

Get some, it will change your life!

Emla cream is definitely your friend here. I was absolutely terrified of blood tests and needles in general and put off ivf for that reason. With Emla cream and not looking I managed to just about get by. Good job really as I had hg and ended up on a drip for most of my pregnancy.

Get some, it will change your life!

I'm exactly the same OP and my veins are notoriously hard to find, so it always feels like a huge trauma to me!

The best thing to do is make whoever is taking it aware, they are usually really helpful in my experience and will chat to you while they're doing it to take your mind off it.

It also helps if they use the smaller needle (think it is called a butterfly needle) rather than the standard needle (they usually do this for me as my veins aren't very good) and it really doesn't hurt as much - so might be worth requesting this?

In my experience, it was awful at the booking in as the midwife couldn't find my veins and then when she did it was extremely painful but the phlebotomist at the Hospital was done and dusted in about 10 seconds with no pain whatsoever :) It definitely gets better!