Squeamish - now getting annoying

[Daveyh]

It's something that's affected me all my life, but lately it's becoming a real bore. I'll happily watch the Holby City people rip up their patients like an enraged butcher, but go to my GP & something as simple as a blood pressure test will drop me to the floor.

Anyone on here similar, and found any way to combat this ?

DH

[hornetrider]

Girl.

[patmahe]

You have Ghey, see you gp

[Piers917]

i know what you mean. I've only given blood once, and very nearly passed out,certainly fely sick. Just the thought of giving blood makes me feel a bit quesy. I'm not a huge fan of the blood pressure test either..

[Monki]

I pass out during blood tests which was quite amusing a few years back as all these kids and old dears were walking out ok, and big 17stone rugby player me passed out 5 times and needed to be kept behind for an hour

The last time it happened I woke up with 5 hot nurses supporting me.......so it does have advantages

[carter711]

I used to prang out about going to the dentist, i used to sweat my bolloaks off whilst on the chair.
I grew out of it i guess, i still get a bit nervous but not like i used to!

[Justayellowbadge]

hornetrider said:

Girl.

Good idea.

I find they help in many situations.

[Steve Evil]

I nearly passed out on my gym induction the other day, was early in the morning and I'd only had a bowl of cereal for breakfast, so my bat fastard body totally unused to exercise gobbled up all the sugar from that fairly fast and left me feeling faint.

He took my blood pressure and said it was lower than average, I feel faint after having my blood taken for a blood test too.

[space1999]

Don't worry my husband fainted when he saw my son's stoma for the first time! Landed on a nurse and hit his head on the nurses station on the way down! It kept us all going for hours!!

[daveco]

I always thought it wouldn't bother me but I went to the doctors recently to get a feck load of blood tests done; I decided to watch the injection going into my arm and the blood filling up each vial. By the sixth or seventh one it felt like my arm had deflated.

Next thing you know I'm white as a sheet and needing a lie down!

I was also struck at how dark the blood was, good or bad sign?

[JVaughan]

I was hammering a steel spike into my drive with a sledge hammer. The spike top started to mushroom over and a piece shattered. The resulting piece then embedded itself into my right shin, half sticking out.
The wife was all over the place when I walked in, bloody dripping down my leg, and I asked her to remove it using a long nosed pliers... She declined the offer and couldnt watch as I dig into my leg and had to trim a bit of skin using a stanley knife to remove the steel piece.

Bloody women ... its just a scratch .. a simple flesh wound !!!

Edited to add .. Giving blood is always a pleasure .. I try and fill the bag as quick as possible.

Edited by JVaughan on Thursday 14th August 14:01

[rustyspit]

Daveyh said:

Anyone on here similar

Yes

Daveyh said:

and found any way to combat this ?

No, Sorry

[scorp]

daveco said:

I was also struck at how dark the blood was, good or bad sign?

Well if it was bright red, i would be worried. Dark blood is fine.

[captainzep]

scorp said:

daveco said:

I was also struck at how dark the blood was, good or bad sign?

Well if it was bright red, i would be worried. Dark blood is fine.

Its coming out of a vein -being returned to the lungs/heart to become oxygenated. So its not as red.

Bright red blood is arterial and generally means your DIY has gone slightly wrong and you're about to ask PH whether you should go to A&E or buy some superglue.

Edited by captainzep on Thursday 14th August 14:05

[ali_kat]

Daveyh said:

It's something that's affected me all my life, but lately it's becoming a real bore. I'll happily watch the Holby City people rip up their patients like an enraged butcher, but go to my GP & something as simple as a blood pressure test will drop me to the floor.

Anyone on here similar, and found any way to combat this ?

I can't even watch Holby etc, or listen to people in the office/pub discuss operations.

Faint at blood tests - horrendous needle phobia

Tried to combat it by confronting my phobia....

Ears pierced (16yo) - I fainted

Tattoo (25yo) - I fainted

Naval pierced (30yo) - I fainted

2nd Tattoo (34yo)- I fainted

3rd Tattoo (37yo) - I went dizzy, but didn't faint

[captainzep]

Daveyh said:

It's something that's affected me all my life, but lately it's becoming a real bore. I'll happily watch the Holby City people rip up their patients like an enraged butcher, but go to my GP & something as simple as a blood pressure test will drop me to the floor.

Anyone on here similar, and found any way to combat this ?

DH

Sounds like good old vasovagal reflex. Quite common as you're seeing. Its happening because your blood vessels are dilating and your blood is pooling a bit therefore not enough oxygenated blood gets to the brain. Then you feel woozy and pass out. If it happens once, you get worried about it happening again, thus perpetuating the problem.

Might be idea to tell the doc/nurse about this. They may well do the procedure with you lying down -more blood can slosh its way up to the brain. Heart working as a pump doesn't have to defy gravity. Less likely to pass out.

Basic thing to remember is that you're OK, nothing to be embarrassed about if it does happen, nothing bad is happening to you. You'll be fine. Its just doesn't feel like it at the time!

[bazking69]

I used to suffer with this really badly, even injections would bring me out in a cold profuse sweat and I'd nearly faint. I just don't think about it beforehand and go in, ask them to get straight on with it and look away. S

[Daveyh]

captainzep said:

Its coming out of a vein -being returned to the lungs/heart to become oxygenated. So its not as red.

Bright red blood is arterial and generally means your DIY has gone slightly wrong and you're about to ask PH whether you should go to A&E or buy some superglue.

Reading this also makes me feel ghastly
At least I'm sitting down already

I think Holywood is to blame for people thinking blood is ketchup coloured.

[space1999]

Daveyh said:

captainzep said:

Its coming out of a vein -being returned to the lungs/heart to become oxygenated. So its not as red.

Bright red blood is arterial and generally means your DIY has gone slightly wrong and you're about to ask PH whether you should go to A&E or buy some superglue.

Reading this also makes me feel ghastly
At least I'm sitting down already

I think Holywood is to blame for people thinking blood is ketchup coloured.

May be you need to think that blood is only ketchup and if you feel odd just think to yourself its only ketchup and then you will be fine! Ok its only a theory!! But it might work!!

[Daveyh]

captainzep said:

Sounds like good old vasovagal reflex. Quite common as you're seeing. Its happening because your blood vessels are dilating and your blood is pooling a bit therefore not enough oxygenated blood gets to the brain. Then you feel woozy and pass out. If it happens once, you get worried about it happening again, thus perpetuating the problem.

Might be idea to tell the doc/nurse about this. They may well do the procedure with you lying down -more blood can slosh its way up to the brain. Heart working as a pump doesn't have to defy gravity. Less likely to pass out.

Basic thing to remember is that you're OK, nothing to be embarrassed about if it does happen, nothing bad is happening to you. You'll be fine. Its just doesn't feel like it at the time!

Spot on I'd say. What's the reason for this though - do we know?

I do indeed come clean & confess to being a total lightweight with anything health/hospital/blood related. Dentists I'm fine with, so it's not pain, per se (though obviously not a bag of laughs - am not a masochist).

First time I recall was I was about 4 year old & GP got a needle out & I burst into tears.. been the same ever since.