Getting over medical phobia (sort of!)

kitrat

Hi everyone, this isn't exactly a money saving question but it impacts occasionally on my life/job/education/future health and I regard you MSE folk as a fountain of knowledge and advice! Also I'm not asking for medical advice, just anxiety tips I guess.

I need to get over a collection of phobias I have. I'm not sure if you'd call them a phobia because it's not so much that I get scared as I just go all hot, dizzy and nauseous and nearly faint.

I get this reaction when I have an injection/blood test (not the blood that bothers me, just the thought of the needle entering vein/muscle), talking about some surgical procedures, particularly cervical and breast cancer type subjects (I'm female, no problem with 'male' subjects!). Just associated words set me off, I suppose they must have a lot of meaning built up in them for me. Off the top of my head "cannula" is one, some anatomical words related to cervical and breast stuff too. Just the thought makes me go woozy - I've not the slightest clue where this comes from I've not had any bad experiences.

I must get over this. I work in a medical scientific field and it's rarely a problem because I'm not front line with patients etc, I don't have to witness anything. But I'm imminently moving into a field where I'm likely to have to discuss this stuff a bit more.

I'm not going to pursue proper CBT therapy at this point, which seems like a good route at some stage, I need to make some progress in the next few weeks tbh. I think I can cope with sitting at home maybe watching some videos of injections etc. on youtube at home for now to expose myself and get used to it, hopefully take away some of the intensity of the feeling about it. I just need some thoughts/tips on getting better at this? Breathing exercises whilst watching? Sipping water? Are there any good methods?

Also what worries me is it's totally daft but I can't check my own breasts for lumps or anything cos I just go wobbly, I just cant touch them firmly. I ought to be able to do this for my own health. For this I'm probably gonna need some professional help!

I have avoided smear tests in the past cos of this but I'm past that now and I just force myself, I'm getting better with injections just due to increased exposure to them but I still get wobbly. I can live with being wobbly having it done to me I just want to be able to think and talk about them without starting to keel over!

Don't really know why I'm posting but I could just do with thoughts and tips? I won't be back tonight but will try and check in tomorrow. Thanks!

[Deleted User]

Try being a diabetic with four times daily injections lol. I won't go into details but being a 'mature' diabetic, the equipment we used for the first 15 years of my life was barbaric and I did have problems using it. Once better equipment was developed I had much fewer problems and its been a long long time since I had a problem with injections.

What about watching vids while playing soothing music or eating something that you consider a treat (hopefully healthy), so your brain associates the images with nice things. And only do that when you are watching images or reading about things that would otherwise cause stress. Try a short burst at first, then extend the time you are watching. Score yourself and when the score reaches 2 or 3 out of ten, you can watch it for longer.

kitrat

deannatrois wrote: »

Try being a diabetic with four times daily injections lol. I won't go into details but being a 'mature' diabetic, the equipment we used for the first 15 years of my life was barbaric and I did have problems using it. Once better equipment was developed I had much fewer problems and its been a long long time since I had a problem with injections.

What about watching vids while playing soothing music or eating something that you consider a treat (hopefully healthy), so your brain associates the images with nice things. And only do that when you are watching images or reading about things that would otherwise cause stress. Try a short burst at first, then extend the time you are watching. Score yourself and when the score reaches 2 or 3 out of ten, you can watch it for longer.

Oh gosh I don't envy you, I'm just imagining giant needles lol

Eating something is a great idea! Thank you! Something savoury and dry, I think that would help mmm bacon and lettuce sandwich perhaps :P something that makes me feel less 'empty' (can't explain that feeling with words!)

theoretica

How about getting a syringe and injecting an orange or something? Use alcohol and you could then eat the orange!

kitrat

theoretica wrote: »

How about getting a syringe and injecting an orange or something? Use alcohol and you could then eat the orange!

This is the thing, that wouldn't bother me at all, I could do that all day! It's such a weirdly specific aversion, I can only describe it as the thought of such a fine sharp needle piercing the skin and going into a vein or into solid muscle that freaks me out. Particularly going into the hand, urgh! Damaging the delicate skin, seems like it would really hurt. I can feel my fingers starting to react now lol, one of the first signs is my fingers become very aware of each other and feel all 'fat'?!

I can't even describe it it's so strange.

DomRavioli

Sounds very similar to anxiety what you have described. Have you spoken to your GP about it? There's usually a lot of help out there (and many people with specific issues such as yours).

Mrs_Imp

kitrat wrote: »

This is the thing, that wouldn't bother me at all, I could do that all day! It's such a weirdly specific aversion, I can only describe it as the thought of such a fine sharp needle piercing the skin and going into a vein or into solid muscle that freaks me out. Particularly going into the hand, urgh! Damaging the delicate skin, seems like it would really hurt. I can feel my fingers starting to react now lol, one of the first signs is my fingers become very aware of each other and feel all 'fat'?!

I can't even describe it it's so strange.

Oh my goodness. You are describing me to a t, except for me it's my thigh rather than my hands. Just reading your post makes my thigh feel weird.

I can just about cope with blood tests now (2 pregnancies and a very good midwife who listened to how it needed to be done).

My consultant when I was pregnant suggested hypnotherapy, as I needed the glucose tolerance test, and the injection in my thigh (:eek:) to deliver my placenta as it hadn't delivered naturally for my first birth. I wish I'd taken them up on it now.

No exotic holidays for me!

peachyprice

I know exactly how you feel, I'm the same with anything sharp that could cut skin and also with blood.

It only started about 10 years ago when I cut my thumb and passed out, then my daughter cut her finger on a very sharp craft knife and I passed out again, now I start feeling feint if I handle anything small and sharp, last week we bought an algae scraper for the fish tank that you put a razor blade in, I had to sit down after touching it.

A few months ago a woman came into the hall when I was picking my daughter up from dance, she told me she'd shut her finger in her car door, I did help her, I took her to the toilet to wash it and I took her to find a first aider, and did the whole lot without looking at her, she thought I was strange when I told her I would pass out if I looked!

Now for me, it's not a problem, I can avoid blood and sharp things mostly, I don't know what to suggest to help you, I'm a wimp and just avoid situations, but i just wanted to let you know you're not alone!

theoretica

If you are going to try exposure, it might be worth doing it lying down so you get used to the stimulus without the vasovagal symptoms (if thats what you think they are).

Amber_Sunshine

I would say hypnotherapy could be very useful with this kind of issue. It helped deal with my fear of flying.

Person_one

If you don't want to go for CBT sessions with an actual counsellor, how about a book that can help you learn the basic techniques? I found 'CBT for Dummies' actually very useful and still use some of the methods occasionally now nearly 10 years after I first read it, I used it for a phobia too, and also for some intrusive horrible thoughts after a bereavement.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cognitive-Behavioural-Therapy-Dummies-Branch/dp/0470665416/ref=sr_1_1/253-3301415-7038044?ie=UTF8&qid=1474192795&sr=8-1&keywords=cbt+for+dummies