I am scared to death of needles, especially IVs as well as any sort of catheters or bodily instrument probes. I've had this fear all my life. It become especially bad over the past 20 years (I am 54). I've been in need of several "routine" proceedures for several years now, but just can't bring my self to go through with it. I've always told my wife, Do to this affliction I would probably die from something easy to treat, but I don't think any of my family members have ever taken me seriously. Now I've been informed by my doctor that I may have Aortic Valve Insufficiency and need tests done to confirm it. I could very well die from this at some point in the near future. Unfortunately my fear of needles tumps my fear of death. I get extremly anxious just thinking about having something stuck in me, especially an IV. Please don't tell me you can relate to this as I know you can, but if anyone has been here before, please let me know how you handled it.
Thanks,
Roy

The problem with needles/injections, is that if you tense up when you are about to have an injection ie. are scared, the needle is harder for the nurse to push in. I've had injections before, & they weren't painful. Injections do you more good than harm. It's because I was completely relaxed and the nurses found it easier to administer the injections.

A few questions:

Describe exactly what it is of the part of the needle procedure, and at what point you find the fear to unbearable to the point of panic.

Is it the sight of the needle itself, is it the sight of skin penetration.

What brought the fear about in the first instance.

Do you find that your fear is part judgmental of a previous encounter in your past, do you think about this situation allot at the time a needle becomes the instrument of panic.

Sometimes stubbornness tends to come before rationality "I wont do this because i cant" and people telling you that you can tends to make you feel like there saying it for the sake of it and telling you basically to get on with it.

Your main dilemma as you have pointed out is you have 2 fears death and needles, im pretty certain you have made the choice to battle the needle phobia as death is not an option, your being very brave to come and talk about this and find some solutions.

Stu

I so feel for you - I've always felt I was going to not be able to have some potentially important treatment and maybe die as a result. Bit of hope & an idea of what could help ... I've been having CBT (Cognitive behavioral Therapy) for a while now - it involves working with a therapist & pulling apart in detail all your thoughts & fears, and finding logical ways to deal with them- progressing in tiny steps you feel ok with. Must admit I was v. sceptical as I've had this crashing fear for over 30 years, but I now do see a possible way through. Where do you live? I'm in the UK and the way it worked for me was talking to a sympathetic GP who referred me to a psychotherapist(?). I think when you see your doc you have to be absolutely clear what you're going to say & make it very plain how terrified you are and the consequences for your health. Feeling pretty good today as I had a session in which i actually held a needle without completely flipping out. Sorry this is a brief reply but if you'd like to come back & talk more I could try to go through it abit more with you.

I so feel for you - I've always felt I was going to not be able to have some potentially important treatment and maybe die as a result. Bit of hope & an idea of what could help ... I've been having CBT (Cognitive behavioral Therapy) for a while now - it involves working with a therapist & pulling apart in detail all your thoughts & fears, and finding logical ways to deal with them- progressing in tiny steps you feel ok with. Must admit I was v. sceptical as I've had this crashing fear for over 30 years, but I now do see a possible way through. Where do you live? I'm in the UK and the way it worked for me was talking to a sympathetic GP who referred me to a psychotherapist(?). I think when you see your doc you have to be absolutely clear what you're going to say & make it very plain how terrified you are and the consequences for your health. Feeling pretty good today as I had a session in which i actually held a needle without completely flipping out. Sorry this is a brief reply but if you'd like to come back & talk more I could try to go through it abit more with you.

Just another thought - depending how serious & immediate the threat to your health is - I've had dental work done under general anaesthetic started with a gas mask thing and coped with that - if that's something that could be available to you? Obviously better to get your head round the problem & deal with it long-term too.

Well done fluffypup for being able to hold a needle i know that must have been hard for you, makes me proud to see people doing this well, your an inspiration to all other needle phobics out there that have doubts about CBT and how positive results can come from it.

Stu

Hi RoyM and welcome to the forum

RoyM Wrote:I am scared to death of needles,

Excuse my stating the obvious - but this statement is actually the predicament you find yourself in.

Using a rationalisation of the event:
Death by needle?
Or death by not needle?

Since you're going to die either way - why not go with the needle option?

Of course, the likelihood of you actually dying from a needle insertion are less than negligible but I don't mean to mismiss your fear. However, in the absence of necessary care your chances of death obviously increase.

Quote:I could very well die from this at some point in the near future. Unfortunately my fear of needles tumps my fear of death.

Again, this is a choice you are making and if you are serious that you are less afraid of dying than of having a needle then who's to say you should take the needle?

I do feel you came here for a reason and that reason being you wish to overcome the fear because this is perhaps your true desire. One of the greatest assets you can give yourself is the acceptance of your choice - no matter how disagreeable it may be - the choice to take treatment and risk the fear or the choice to avoid treatment and risk the harm.

In a more practically supportive manner:

Quote:my doctor that I may have Aortic Valve Insufficiency and need tests done to confirm it

Most the tests for this are non-invasive. That means no need for needles.
Xrays; MRI (scanners) and ECGs (heart lead monitors) are the primary diagnostic tests and no needles to fear here. Just lots of lying still while people attach leads or take photos.

There are some tests like angiography and radionuclide imaging that require a needle or catheter insertion - but I'm not sure if these are fully necessary as other non-invasive tests may confirm/exclude the diagnosis.
I would suggest the most common test tho is an echo-cardiogram and this is a simple xray like procedure with no needles.

If you seek advice then I would refer you back to your GP in the first instance and let him/her know about your fears. They may be able to get you through the non-needle tests to confirm/exclude the diagnosis or, in the worst case, you will have been to the hospital and met with several staff already who can put you at further ease and discuss your needle phobia before even getting close to one.

Rest assured, you are not the only person, as you know, with this fear - and so you certainly won't be the first to all the health care staff you may meet with.

The absolute worst thing you can do is sit and hope it all goes away - one or another thing is going to happen and I sincerely suggest your best option at this time is to go see your GP to tell him how you feel and for a no-commitment informal chat about the procedures he wants you to have.

Best of luck

have to say that as well as some not so good medical staff who made my phobia worse, I also later came across some who did their utmost to 'put me at ease' but when you're so phobic unfortunately (well to me anyway) that never helped in the slightest to be honest.

Stu2008uk Wrote:Well done fluffypup for being able to hold a needle i know that must have been hard for you, makes me proud to see people doing this well, your an inspiration to all other needle phobics out there that have doubts about CBT and how positive results can come from it.

Stu

Thanks Stu, it does feel pretty positive. Honestly if i can get this far anyone can.