First trimester is no picnic :(

[Babygornall21]

I'm currently 8+2 weeks pregnant and feeling awful. All day nausea and actually threw my tea up last night. I'm anxious about getting my blood taken on Monday and can't sleep properly I have a real phobia of veins... I just want to curl up in a ball and wait for this all to be over!
Has anyone else got crippling anxiety over blood being taken? What did you do to get through it?

Yep I have the same fear of veins! It’s such an annoying phobia, so I feel your pain! For me getting blood taken has gotten easier since I’ve been pregnant, which is handy. Before (and at first since being pregnant) I just told them I wasn’t good with it and needed to lie down for it being taken. Tell them to talk to you about anything else and look away. If you need to stay lying down for a bit after too, they’re always ok with that. I’ve progressed now to being able to have blood taken sitting up and getting straight up after! I think it’s because I know it’s not just me that needs those tests at the moment, so it’s changed my mindset.

The first trimester is AWFUL so I feel your pain there too! The 24/7 nausea and exhaustion is something else isn’t it? I had the same and it improved around 14 weeks. My 2nd trimester was lovely! Fingers crossed you get the same relief soon lovey, hang in there! ❤️

Yes I have such a phobia of needles but the midwife was so gentle taking my blood last week I think it's actually cut my fear in half. I just looked away and kept chatting, it was over before I knew it.

I used to be terrible with needles - I had hypnotherapy and it actually really helped (I was surprised!) - I don't like them (who does?) But can manage them ok now.

Also, first trimester is awful! It does apparently get better, I'm at 11 weeks and I'm not sure if my nausea is easing or I've just eliminated all my trigger foods

weirdest thing worked for me...i had to learn to take blood myself for work. I was a proper needle phobe before then, like everything hurt me - passed out at dentist, having ears pierced etc, hated all the school jabs we had. Then when learnt to take blood myself i burst into tears the first time i had to do it on a real person, but the teacher was amazing and calm and told me it really didnt hurt her. After a while, i realised that actually when its done right and they go straight into vein it really doesnt hurt. I still have to lie down and look away and talk for distraction, but knowing that some of the pain i used to fear must have been in my head really helped. Like once i squealed cos it hurt and then the person said the needle hadnt even gone in yet :s
its over so fast the blood test it really is...just try and distract yourself, make sure you are wel hydrated before too. u can do this! as above tho, i think i would have tried hypnotherapy with this as it was such a big fear of mine. good luck!