Help, I'm having anxiety

[marie337]

I've been accepted to and plan to attend MSUCOM next fall. I've been in the mediical field for 7 years but never around anything gruesome. Lately I've been really worried that I won't be able to handle the blood and guts. I don't have any problem with animal dissections and I know this is just me being irrational. Do you just get used to the blood and guts or do you really have to have the stomach for it? Has anyone ever fainted or have any interesting stories to make me feel not alone? I know I'm just paranoid, but it helps to think that I'm not alone. Thanks for your input.

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[T.A.M]

Anatomy lab is only scary for the first few minutes of the first session. Nobody in my class passed out from of the sight of internal organs, although somebody did faint from too much fume inhalation. And besides, there's no blood in the cadevars. Most is already drained, and the rest has clotted.

As for surgery, the sight of blood becomes routine after the first incision. Don't worry, you'll grow accustomed to everything- nobody fails med school due to queasiness unless they have some serious psychopathology. I'm assuming you don't...

 

[Ypo.]

Marie, my boyfriend has the problem where he passes out at the sight of blood. I haven't taken anatomy but is a vaso-vasic nerve reaction or something. Last year he passed out just because someone was describing their triple bypass surgery. His BP dropped really low (to 60/40 for a moment if I remember). We called an ambulance.

Chances are you have seen someone bleed, even if you've never seen someone cut open-and you would have exhibited this reaction before. I think you'll be OK. Maybe you can ask Kathie at COM if you can take a tour in the anatomy lab real quick?

Just remember your friends will be there for you, too.

 

[Doc 2b]

You really get used to it. i used to work in surg, and I about passed out during a really gross I and D of a sacral decubitus ulcer of a quad. I think it was the smell more than anything. After that I learned how to cope with things, and even the most necrotic bowel surg doesn't phase me now. The more you become exposed the better you'll be. Don't be afraid of telling people your sick either, I remember a surg resident at our hospital who threw up just about everyday during his first rotation as a student. He really liked surg and stuck with it.

If your worried about gross and your feelings towards it, your not alone. Get the book Body of Knowledge: One Semester of Gross Anatomy the Gateway to Becoming a Doctor. I'm reading it now just for kicks, and it pretty much takes you through all those feelings.

 

[Dr. Rosenrose]

vasovagal reaction is what her boyfriend (or whatever) had. This is more common (from my exp.) in young "tough guys" (jocks and such). Don't ask me why. In my first day nobody passed out. The instructor said in 20 yrs he has never had anyone pass out the first day. The second day was a different story. Some chic passed out face first into her cadaver. Sad but funny. This is the only time anyone has passed out in my lab. The only thing that was weird was the hands and the face.

 

[marie337]

Hey thanks everyone. I know that I will be fine. I just wish that I could start tomorrow so I wouldn't have to worry about it for 10 months. And, Doc2b I will certainly check out that book. I passed out once when I was six watching my mom get her blood drawn. I think that I'm permanently scarred. I took a phlebotomy class over the summer and did fine so I'm past that. I will just be so embarassed if I get sick or something in front of my peers .

 

[subtle1epiphany]

I will just be so embarassed if I get sick or something in front of my peers .

Hey, I was accepted two weeks ago, congratulations to you!
If I'm there next year (and I really think I will be!) don't worry I won't laugh
Seriously though, I've heard that the MSUCOM class is really tight, they're all close and great friends. MSU strives to find a certain type of person for their med classes and I'm sure that you'll not only do fine, but that we'll all get through med school together! They wouldn't have accepted us otherwise!
So I'll make you a deal...I'll help you and I promise that I won't laugh, and you'll help someone else (and don't laugh if I get sick )....we'll all be fine, and we'll be physicians in 4 years (licensed in 5 )

 

[Ypo.]

vasovagal reaction is what her boyfriend (or whatever) had. This is more common (from my exp.) in young "tough guys" (jocks and such). Don't ask me why. In my first day nobody passed out. The instructor said in 20 yrs he has never had anyone pass out the first day. The second day was a different story. Some chic passed out face first into her cadaver. Sad but funny. This is the only time anyone has passed out in my lab. The only thing that was weird was the hands and the face.

Thankyou. I've only heard it pronounced, never seen it spelled.

btw-My boyfriend is not some young jock (never was a jock), he is in his 40s.

 

[marie337]

So I'll make you a deal...I'll help you and I promise that I won't laugh, and you'll help someone else (and don't laugh if I get sick )....we'll all be fine, and we'll be physicians in 4 years (licensed in 5 )

Sounds good Subtle1! That is one of the reasons why MSUCOM was my first choice. I know that we will all get through this together. I'm sure that after the first day of anatomy lab I will relax considerably (assuming everything goes well). I watch surgery shows on DHC all the time with no problems. I think they're fascinating. I did watch an autopsy once, though, on HBO and could barely stand to watch the removal of the brain. There's just something about using a saw on the skull that makes me cringe. I just bought the book mentioned above for $0.69 on Amazon! Woo hoo! Hey thanks everyone!

 

[subtle1epiphany]

Sounds good Subtle1! That is one of the reasons why MSUCOM was my first choice. I know that we will all get through this together.

Exactly! That's precisely how I feel! So take heart and have confidence!

I'm sure that after the first day of anatomy lab I will relax considerably (assuming everything goes well). I watch surgery shows on DHC all the time with no problems. I think they're fascinating. I did watch an autopsy once, though, on HBO and could barely stand to watch the removal of the brain. There's just something about using a saw on the skull that makes me cringe.

Yeah serioiusly! I have trouble with grating bones and such as well...but since I removed the brain from a lab animal (yes for research purposes!) I have felt less uneasy and sick about such things. It is true, with experience you become accustomed.

 

[Ice-1]

Quick tip: if you think you are going to be bothered by smells, then breathe through your mouth instead. At the ME rotation I'm on we autopsy deomposing bodies all the time (these have not been drained of blood or any other secretion) and the smell is much worse than anything in the anatomy lab (at least those bodies were already embalmed somewhat). If you have trouble with or don't want to mouth breathe then get some Vicks vapo rub and put some on your upper lip while in the lab, that will also help cut down the smell. Good luck, I think you will quickly become fascinated by the intricacy of the human body and forget about all the rest!

 

[medic170]

As a Paramedic of 6 years, I can testify that you will get used to MOST of it. I can handle dismemberment, decapitation, decomposing bodies ect. However, for some strange reason, I still get nauseated by excessive phlegm. I have a hell of a time doing intubations when the PT pukes. I have learned to control it enough to get the job done though, and so will you.

BTW, welcome to MSUCOM, check out our class of 2009 thread!!!! I look forward to studying with you!

 

[medic170]

Quick tip: if you think you are going to be bothered by smells, then breathe through your mouth instead. At the ME rotation I'm on we autopsy deomposing bodies all the time (these have not been drained of blood or any other secretion) and the smell is much worse than anything in the anatomy lab (at least those bodies were already embalmed somewhat). If you have trouble with or don't want to mouth breathe then get some Vicks vapo rub and put some on your upper lip while in the lab, that will also help cut down the smell. Good luck, I think you will quickly become fascinated by the intricacy of the human body and forget about all the rest!

Concentrated essence of peppermint under the nose or on your surgical mask works great for this. I use it when removing badly decomposed bodies at work (I hate when you roll em and they "pop" open, eeewww!)

 

[marie337]

(I hate when you roll em and they "pop" open, eeewww!)

That sounds wonderful! I don't have a great sense of smell so I guess I'm kind of lucky there. But, decomposing bodies I think I would definitely smell. I probably would have to use something to cover up the smell. I definitely don't like the smell of vomit. I can't wait until the first time a patient pukes on me . What is it like reaching in to the gut of a person for the first time? I'm just so excited to get in there and get started. I wish we could start in January. I feel like I've been given an opportunity that a lot of people would love to have.

 

[T.A.M]

The smell of decomposition is not one that a typical medical student regularly encounters, so don't worry about it.

Unfortunately, after I had written about how "you'll get used to it", today at the hospital I was struck with the most foul, pungent, chemotactic-trigger- zone-stimulating odor that I have ever encountered in medicine. I seriously almost vomited. Apparently, a bed-ridden patient had a massive steatorrheic bowel movement after 2 weeks of fecal impaction, and the odor soon completely permeated the entire floor. God bless the poor nurses who had to clean up that befoulment.

 

[LovelyRita]

God bless the poor nurses who had to clean up that befoulment.

Heh! You didn't volunteer???? Come on!

 

[marie337]

God bless the poor nurses who had to clean up that befoulment.

And we wonder why there is a nursing shortage ? I bet the patient felt a little better though. I'm sure that after 10 years practicing medicine there could still be a smell or sight that could catch you off guard.