Doctor phobia....

[quadcam79]

Quote:
even better, my gf was a phlebotomist for 15 yrs, she just became a nurse...so if anyone is drawin my blood it's gonna be her. i'll still take that valium though lol

 

[ncgnance]

Trust me, Quadcam, NOBODY is more afraid of needles and drs. Quadruple bypass changes your whole outlook on things. I wasn't afraid of anything after that. But I totally agree with you that the ivs are the worst. I had 6 at one time, and finally I told them no more. THEN I find out that they can deaden the spot with a shot and it goes a whole lot easier then. Good luck, don't keep putting this off. I'm doing great now, and you can conquer this fear, or at least learn to deal with it.

 

[palabeco]

If it is your gallbladder, you better get checked soon, it could burst, and then you will be in even bigger trouble with all the poisons gushing through your bloodstream.
My DH hates doctors and hospitals too. Once he had epiglogitis (which is where the flap that covers your windpipe when you swallow swells up and can cut off your air supply). We didn't know what was wrong, he just couldn't swallow, not even his saliva, I finally got him to the ER and they admitted him right away with a trac kit next to the bed and IV steriods to reduce the swelling.He was in the hospital for 3 days. If he had went to bed that night, he probably would have died in his sleep. Then just last year he had bit the inside of his cheek, it bled for a couple hours before he even told me about it. He went to bed and kept bleeding, wakes up the next morning with a puddle of blood on the pillow and the floor next to the bed. I look at him and he is so pale. Waits till 9 am to go to med express, not ER. Gets stitched up . He had bled for 18 hours. They couldn't believe that he was still standing.

 

[patandchickens]

Hey Quadcam, look at it this way - if you were not afraid of needles and (quite rughtly) went to the dr to get this checked out, we would be like 'sure, whatever, no big deal'. But going to the dr despite your fear -- now that's courage

Telling the dr and/or phlebotomist that you find it really difficult and what to expect from you (since as others have said, there are things they can do to help a lot) does not diminish the achievement, if anything it is even braver to be honest like that.

So, go steel yourself and do it, and then bask in the warm glow of 'oh wow, I actually DID it!' afterwards

Good luck,

Pat, likewise needle-and-doctor-phobic