getting over queasy feeling

[drshark]

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[CpGisland]

You can probably just type a description into google images and get the result

 

[tenndoc]

drink

 

[surgeryDO]

I'll try to help and give you a serious answer. I also get queasy sometimes. I work in a hospital on a trauma unit and a few months ago I was helping with a dressing change on a patient that was post GSW and had compartment syndrome (you should google images compartment syndrome, you'll find some cool pictures). So as they were removing the old dressing, him arm was a filet from his mid bicep to his wrist, and as soon as I first saw it I was fine. I was so worked up however because I knew sometimes I get sick from seeing stuff like that, I think I had a sugar crash and after a minute or two I had to step out and sit down because I was getting light headed. I mean you could see this guys muscle tissue and veins and arteries pumping and bleeding. It was crazy! After this experience though, I went to shadow a surgery resident and I got to view 4 surgeries and I didn't get queasy at all. I think it is something that you can def become desensitized to but it's also different because in surgery it's a controlled environment for the most part because they have suction and everything else they can use.
When you're in med school on your rotations I think you will learn what you can and can't or don't want to handle. As far as seeing bones sticking out of legs and the crazy stuff I am going to venture and say that you will only see that in EM or Ortho so if you don't think you like that stuff you've got plenty other specialties to choose from.
Hope this helps as I was wondering this same thing about myself before I was able to shadow and see surgeries.

ok i posted this on the med student page, not very helpful lol so i'll post it here, I'm a premed and I'm just wondering if anyone had to get used to the site of blood and gross injuries. I volunteer at a hospital and recently saw someones bones sticking out of their leg, I couldn't look at it for more than a few seconds. Blood didn't used to bother me when I was younger, but it does now. Will I get used to it in med school? I know that med school desensitizes people rather quickly. I have never fainted, but I do get kind of light headed, but i try to fight the feeling and force myself to look. lol

 

[drshark]

Thanks! Ya in surgery I'm ok, but otherwise I tend to feel queasy :/ hopefully it will go away before med school! 🙂

 

[MaximusMeridius]

ok i posted this on the med student page, not very helpful lol so i'll post it here, I'm a premed and I'm just wondering if anyone had to get used to the site of blood and gross injuries. I volunteer at a hospital and recently saw someones bones sticking out of their leg, I couldn't look at it for more than a few seconds. Blood didn't used to bother me when I was younger, but it does now. Will I get used to it in med school? I know that med school desensitizes people rather quickly. I have never fainted, but I do get kind of light headed, but i try to fight the feeling and force myself to look. lol

I recommend exposure therapy. Just rent a bunch of gruesome, slasher horror movies and park yourself in front of the television. The "Saw" series should get you started.

 

[museic]

go to the gore section of reddit...spend 15 minutes there a day. Problem Solved.

live leak is also a good website if you really want to see how messed up the world is!

One thing that always helped me is that the only difference between the blood and guts of a human and a tree is the orientation, bonds, and nonbonding attributes of their carbons, oxygen, and hydrogen...(ok fine, throw in the bioinorganics in there as well). Were all made of the same stuff.

 

[MaximusMeridius]

One thing that always helped me is that the only difference between the blood and guts of a human and a tree is the orientation, bonds, and nonbonding attributes of their carbons, oxygen, and hydrogen...(ok fine, throw in the bioinorganics in there as well). Were all made of the same stuff.

Haha! I think that quote is right out of the serial killer's handbook!

 

[museic]

Haha! I think that quote is right out of the serial killer's handbook!

hah! Well just to assure other inspiring doctors that I'm not the next craigs list killer, I'm only speaking in a strictly physical sense. I can not help you with the emotional part as I still struggle when I see a pt's family going through the terror that is the trauma suite. You just have to focus and remind yourself that no matter which job you are doing in the room, it is important and someone has to do it!

 

[physcigirl27]

I've been working in an ED (including level 1 trauma center) for a few years now. I was initially scared to get my own blood drawn and would make my friends go with me. I've gotten a lot better about it after seeing everything from partial amputations to multiple stab wounds to a face. What helps is kind of bracing yourself. I either ask someone what's en route to the ambulance bay or I read the triage note. That helps a lot. And lots of googling.

 

[Iliketoytles]

I recommend exposure therapy. Just rent a bunch of gruesome, slasher horror movies and park yourself in front of the television. The "Saw" series should get you started.

Oh man... you remember the last death in Saw 3? The one where the guy was strapped in this device that spun all his appendages around slowly? You could hear his joints and bones crack. Not gonna lie... that one got me a bit queezy.

 

[MaximusMeridius]

Oh man... you remember the last death in Saw 3? The one where the guy was strapped in this device that spun all his appendages around slowly? You could hear his joints and bones crack. Not gonna lie... that one got me a bit queezy.

Oh yeah, I had to look away haha! The worse one for me was the device attached to that woman's ribcage.....I don't know what it is about ribs, but that definitely made me wince.

 

[COMedic2Doc]

Oh yeah, I had to look away haha! The worse one for me was the device attached to that woman's ribcage.....I don't know what it is about ribs, but that definitely made me wince.

CPR must have been really interesting when you did it the first time for real, eh? Or flail chest?
OP seriously exposure will help you get over these feelings with time. Your humanity is what is making you queazy and yes it goes away with time.

 

[miltown66]

I recommend exposure therapy. Just rent a bunch of gruesome, slasher horror movies and park yourself in front of the television. The "Saw" series should get you started.

Not sure if you're being serious or sarcastic, but this honestly worked for me.

 

[MaximusMeridius]

Not sure if you're being serious or sarcastic, but this honestly worked for me.

Oh I am dead serious. I grew up watching horror movies, so now when I see trauma in the hospital...it doesn't faze me. I don't think I've lost my humanity or anything creepy like that, (I still cry during The Notebook).

 

[Iliketoytles]

Oh I am dead serious. I grew up watching horror movies, so now when I see trauma in the hospital...it doesn't faze me. I don't think I've lost my humanity or anything creepy like that, (I still cry during The Notebook).

Who doesn't?!

 

[shaggybill]

Who doesn't?!

👍 word

 

[drshark]

Oh I am dead serious. I grew up watching horror movies, so now when I see trauma in the hospital...it doesn't faze me. I don't think I've lost my humanity or anything creepy like that, (I still cry during The Notebook).

haha thanks guys! you make me feel like it's totally something i'll get over! glad to hear🙂 i'll make sure to rent the grossest/bloodiest movies lol 😀

 

[LaEsponja]

I discussed this same exact thing with my mother not too long ago. The closest thing to gruesome I've gotten is giving birth, lol. But I think part of it would be when you're actually the one IN there, responsible and doing the work that you don't have too much time to sit back and absorb the shock factor- you get in there and get busy. That's my theory, but I guess we will (hopefully) find out for sure one day.

 

[thecgrblue]

War movies like Saving Private Ryan and The Patriot worked for me. I can connect more (don't know how else to put it) to them than the horror/slasher films.

 

[museic]

if you want to emotionally feel strong go watch "last minutes with oden"....seriously just thinking about it makes me cry, no joke. You will feel 100% better about families freaking out about broken bones etc.

ps sorry ahead of time for ruining your day🙁

 

[Iliketoytles]

War movies like Saving Private Ryan and The Patriot worked for me. I can connect more (don't know how else to put it) to them than the horror/slasher films.

SPR is an impressive movie. It's one of the few movies that actually starts off with an epic action scene.

Remember the part where the soldier has his intestines blown off on the beach, and he's literally lying on top of his guts screaming for his "mama"? Oh man... that part is hard to watch!

 

[thecgrblue]

SPR is an impressive movie. It's one of the few movies that actually starts off with an epic action scene.

Remember the part where the soldier has his intestines blown off on the beach, and he's literally lying on top of his guts screaming for his "mama"? Oh man... that part is hard to watch!

Amen. That scene and the one where the german and american soldier are wrestling for the knife...still gives me the creeps.

Due to this stupid thread I decided to google search 'amputations' in images. Hard to imagine very getting 'used to' the damage caused by bombs and mines. 😱

 

[COMedic2Doc]

SPR is an impressive movie. It's one of the few movies that actually starts off with an epic action scene.

Remember the part where the soldier has his intestines blown off on the beach, and he's literally lying on top of his guts screaming for his "mama"? Oh man... that part is hard to watch!

Yeah it really is hard to watch. It's even worse when you actually see elements of it in real life. I watched Act of Valor recently and it was an awesome movie but hard to watch at the same time not due to the blood or trauma but other factors.

 

[thecgrblue]

if you want to emotionally feel strong go watch "last minutes with oden"....seriously just thinking about it makes me cry, no joke. You will feel 100% better about families freaking out about broken bones etc.

ps sorry ahead of time for ruining your day🙁

I cried during Marley and Me...why on earth did I think I wouldn't do the same for this one.

 

[Iliketoytles]

You want tears? Go ahead... I dare you to watch this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41N3JPbSS9Q

 

[thecgrblue]

 

[Judas]

I was able to observe surgeries with no difficulty. The hardest part was controlling my breathing with a suffocating mask on.

I do have trouble watching sports injuries. Go to youtube and watch some vids there. I guess I'd just rather see the person in the hospital afterward than watch it happen in progress.

 

[TriagePreMed]

Just spend a weekend looking at stuff in 4chan. All queasiness will go away, but be careful. You might lose your soul too.

 

[gators21]

There is a massive difference between surgery gore and unit gore. In the OR, patients are preped and drapped for a reason. It makes it more focused and less like cutting open a human. On the wards, there isnt this barrier and can tend to make people uncomfortable.
You will get used to the gore real quick in anatomy. After a while, you just get used to it, do your work, and move on.

 

[MedPR]

I watched a youtube video of a surgery I'm going to be observing on Tuesday and Wednesday. It made me feel a little queasy, but after powering through it and watching it a few more times I felt more comfortable with it.

I think you get used to it.

 

[ShyRem]

There is a big difference between seeing it on TV and touching it, smelling it, feeling it squish under your fingers and spray across your face mask. Just truly do everyone a favor and EAT SOMETHING on your surgery rotations for breakfast, keep a small nosh in your pocket such as a granola bar to snack on, and if you feel faint GO SIT DOWN before you pass out. I still remember first day of cadaver lab where we had four men pass out. Yup, all men. The women were fine.

You get used to it.

 

[SLC]

Not much bothers me anymore. A few Trauma cases will take care of that in short order believe me. Still, there is one thing that never fails to make me light headed.

I've seen a lot at this point: Multiple cases of GSW (handguns to shotguns), a few severed appendages, stabbings, electrocutions, severe head trauma, brain matter suctioned from a MVC patient's mouth, open fractures, chest tube placement for large hemothorax etc. There's only one thing that still makes me queasy, and I suspect always will.....Closed extremity fractures.

I'm serious; when someone shows up to the ER with a low tib-fib fracture and their foot turned around the wrong way, I get light headed fast. Radius-Ulna fracture with the hand up next to the humerus, I will have to sit down. Strangely enough, the exact same fractures do nothing for me if they involve an open wound. It's weird but that's how it works for me.

 

[MedPR]

Not much bothers me anymore. A few Trauma cases will take care of that in short order believe me. Still, there is one thing that never fails to make me light headed.

I've seen a lot at this point: Multiple cases of GSW (handguns to shotguns), a few severed appendages, stabbings, electrocutions, severe head trauma, brain matter suctioned from a MVC patient's mouth, open fractures, chest tube placement for large hemothorax etc. There's only one thing that still makes me queasy, and I suspect always will.....Closed extremity fractures.

I'm serious; when someone shows up to the ER with a low tib-fib fracture and their foot turned around the wrong way, I get light headed fast. Radius-Ulna fracture with the hand up next to the humerus, I will have to sit down. Strangely enough, the exact same fractures do nothing for me if they involve an open wound. It's weird but that's how it works for me.

Haven't had much experience, but I'm the opposite. I've seen both open and closed fractures and it's always the open ones that get me especially if the part of the bone sticking out looks like it exploded.

 

[drshark]

I've been googling horrible images and so far I am getting used to them! 😀 llol as gross as that sounds, let's hope i can see a gorey injury in real life and feel ok haha

 

[gators21]

I've been googling horrible images and so far I am getting used to them! 😀 llol as gross as that sounds, let's hope i can see a gorey injury in real life and feel ok haha

Google doesn't do smell. Whole different ballgame when c diff is involved

 

[Poisson]

ok i posted this on the med student page, not very helpful lol so i'll post it here, I'm a premed and I'm just wondering if anyone had to get used to the site of blood and gross injuries. I volunteer at a hospital and recently saw someones bones sticking out of their leg, I couldn't look at it for more than a few seconds. Blood didn't used to bother me when I was younger, but it does now. Will I get used to it in med school? I know that med school desensitizes people rather quickly. I have never fainted, but I do get kind of light headed, but i try to fight the feeling and force myself to look. lol

I gotta be honest I love blood and guts (if thats what it takes to help someone), but lets be for real now, if you are concentrating on the medical aspects you are not going to want to think about what is gross or nasty, its your job to do your work to the best of your abilities. Something can even make a surgeon feel queesy if they saw something they didn't see before, or just saw something nasty, but in general, if you are used to seeing stuff, you will get over it soon. The fact is though, not everybody can get over everything. Some people maybe feel uncomfortable in OMM lab, and go through the motions, but still don't like that, others may think gross anatomy is just that, gross, and go through the motions and do it. That doesn't mean you don't have a lot to offer to the profession. Don't get discouraged. Also, nobody can over generlize stuff and say oh its fine and what not, if its not you, its not you, if you will get used to it, you will get used to it, it depends on you and only you know yourself. Not everybody wants to work with mentally challenged patients, but yes, others do, and its their calling.