Don't Come at Me with Them... (Needles)

[melpredoc]

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I am almost done with my Bachelor's and about to apply to medical school. I have done many shadowings, so I have an idea of daily physician routines. I am terrified of needles. I have anxiety attacks when you come near me with them. With that said, I have no problems watching shots, stitches, spinals, IVs, etc. and I do not for see any issues being able to one day give it to someone else myself.

If me fear is solely limited to people sticking me, how much will in affect me in medical school? Thanks!

 

[DJ2MD]

The doctor I work with is the most proficient with needles I have ever seen. I get him to help me if I can't get a patient after 2 pokes, and watching him administer an IV is like performance art. He isn't afraid to poke people anywhere and everywhere with however long or thick the needles are. He is really afraid of needles when they are on him though. When I was being trained he said he would let me draw his blood as practice but he wanted to numb up where I was going to poke first. Then he had to lay down and distract himself with TV while I was doing it. So I think you will be fine. You would be more sympathetic towards patients who have needle-phobias, which is good. My clinic uses the smallest needle there is for flu shots and apparently the state doesn't reimburse us for them, but the doc insists on using them anyways because he hates getting stuck with needles and he empathizes with them.

 

[melpredoc]

Good to know! Thank you DJ2MD. I can sympathize. You always hear horror stories about HAVING to let people practice on you during med school.

 

[DJ2MD]

I think the best way to go about it, if you HAVE to let someone practice on you, is just be honest with it. Or get an rx for beta blockers or something (kidding not kidding). But really, I doubt you will be the ONLY person in med school who will be afraid of needles, since it's a pretty common fear. Just be honest with your cohorts and instructors and let them help you calm down/be distracted. It will be good practice for them as well.

 

[Affiche]

I either get incredibly light-headed and nauseous when I have blood drawn or I completely pass out.
Lots of embarrassing stories from donating blood in high school!

Buuuuut I currently work in clinical research where I'm certified in phlebotomy. In my certification course, the instructors were very sensitive if someone had a history of passing out. Think of it this way: who wants their practice-patient to pass out? Blood draws are all about confidence, and if the first time you try to draw blood the person passes out on you, that doesn't do a whole lot for your confidence! They want your first few draws to go smoothly with easy to work with veins, then advance to more complicated veins. I can't think of a training situation where a responsible instructor would advocate for drawing on someone who had an adverse reaction to needles/blood draws.

Because I dread that blood draw myself, I'm incredibly careful with the participants I work with. I've been told my almost every participant that I'm incredibly gentle with them, I'm compassionate, etc. Your sensitivity is a good thing!

 

[22031 Alum]

One of the attendings where I trained basically had to be held down when it was flu vaccine time. I personally am okay if I don't have to watch the needle go in. In any case, we only had one day in all of medical school where we stuck each other. You'll be fine.

 

[genericpremedstudent]

I have to do IM injections on myself every other day, but I haaaate getting anything done IV. especially contrast.

 

[melpredoc]

I either get incredibly light-headed and nauseous when I have blood drawn or I completely pass out.
Lots of embarrassing stories from donating blood in high school!

Buuuuut I currently work in clinical research where I'm certified in phlebotomy. In my certification course, the instructors were very sensitive if someone had a history of passing out. Think of it this way: who wants their practice-patient to pass out? Blood draws are all about confidence, and if the first time you try to draw blood the person passes out on you, that doesn't do a whole lot for your confidence! They want your first few draws to go smoothly with easy to work with veins, then advance to more complicated veins. I can't think of a training situation where a responsible instructor would advocate for drawing on someone who had an adverse reaction to needles/blood draws.

Because I dread that blood draw myself, I'm incredibly careful with the participants I work with. I've been told my almost every participant that I'm incredibly gentle with them, I'm compassionate, etc. Your sensitivity is a good thing!

I passed out with my last IV so that's a lot of what I'm worried about! Thank you all for the input!

 

[nouedis]

Who isn't afraid of needles? I tried getting a tattoo a couple of weeks ago, and thinking I could handle it, I let the guy barely tap me with the needle and I start having an anxiety attack because of how cold the needle felt pressed against my dry skin.

 

[mehc012]

Who isn't afraid of needles? I tried getting a tattoo a couple of weeks ago, and thinking I could handle it, I let the guy barely tap me with the needle and I start having an anxiety attack because of how cold the needle felt pressed against my dry skin.

Some people get used to it
I was extremely afraid (like pin-me-down, fit-throwing afraid) as a kid, but then I got embarrassed about it when we had vaccinations at school once.
Now I donate blood every 2mo or so, and while I still get a little tense just before they stick me, I make myself watch it go in and so it gets easier every time. If I'm doing something where they use a smaller needle than the blood drive ones, I don't even tense up anymore.

 

[WedgeDawg]

Wait... you practice sticking each other in med school? Is this real?😕

 

[22031 Alum]

Wait... you practice sticking each other in med school? Is this real?😕

One session on IV placement during our anesthesia skills week. That was it. And I think you only got stuck if you volunteered.

 

[Goro]

My students practice injections on each other, so skip my school.

You're going to need to be up on your vaccinations to set foot in any hospital, too. that includes a yearly PPD.

I am almost done with my Bachelor's and about to apply to medical school. I have done many shadowings, so I have an idea of daily physician routines. I am terrified of needles. I have anxiety attacks when you come near me with them. With that said, I have no problems watching shots, stitches, spinals, IVs, etc. and I do not for see any issues being able to one day give it to someone else myself.

If me fear is solely limited to people sticking me, how much will in affect me in medical school? Thanks!

 

[Winged Scapula]

I'm clearly not afraid of blood and guts and have given myself IM injections for migraine but I can easily vasovagal if I watch my own blood being drawn. OP, its pretty common and I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[medic86]

Wait... you practice sticking each other in med school? Is this real?😕

Lol. We did that in the military.

It's really only good for familiarization. You really don't get good at it until you're sticking numerous patients every day.

 

[DrDorianTurkleton]

You're going to need to be up on your vaccinations to set foot in any hospital, too. that includes a yearly PPD.

No PPD for me ever again because I got the BCG vaccine as a kid! 🙂 The first time I got the PPD, I tested positive so went through the whole CXR and blood workup and all negative. One of the nice things about being born in a foreign country.

 

[zero0]

This reminds me of how surgery used to make me nauseous, until I decided I wanted to become a surgeon. I just sat myself down and watched several hours of the most invasive procedures you can imagine and BAM, desensitized. Best way to overcome your fears IMO: face them head on.