Scared of Needles??

Thanks to all who responded. I am terrified of needles and was afraid I was the only one! (I know really dumb thought!) My Dr. laughs at me all the time as I have taken care of his other pt's in the past and given shots, but he has to have a guard at my door if he wants to give me one.

So, I know this is an old post but I was searching to find out if I was the only one afraid of needles!!! I have 2 tattoos and I've had 6 piercings in the past (all but my ears have been removed). I had my first shots in probably 20 years the other day (MMR and Hep B) so I could get clearance to start my new job. I got all dizzy and thought I was going to faint but was VERY surprised that I didn't and when she did them I was fine. Not much pain (the MMR burned a little when she did the actual push but not the prick). However, blood draws are the worst!!! When I was younger I had to have some blood work done and the nurse that was doing it must have been new or just a horrible person! I was probably 7 or 8 and she stuck me 6 times in my right arm and couldn't get the vain then she moved to the left arm stuck me another 6 times still couldn't get it then on the 7th time just wiggled it around in there... It makes me weak thinking about it!!!! I know wonder why the heck she didn't call someone else in to try it instead of tramatizing me!!!!

Give me a syringe and I can play with it and inject patients without any problem...But when *I* am the one getting the injection, it's a different story. When I got my wisdom teeth out almost two years ago, they put me under anesthesia, and of course in order to do that they had to put a needle in me. They hooked me up to a little HR monitor, gave me some laughing gas to calm me down a bit...then the surgeon told me, "Okay, M, we're going to give you some medication now...just a little prick..." and BAM! instant tachycardia!

I used to have no problems with sticks....until I became a nurse, LOL. That's when I realized just how much drawing blood/IV starts aren't an exact science (yes, many nurses are GREAT at them, but I think a lot are just average). Plus, take a patient that's really sick, and it can be tough! Some days I am the only once that can get an IV in the LOL in restraints fighting like crazy, other days I can't hit the broad side of a barn.

I was very ill/septic with a kidney abcess a few years ago. I was stuck 8 times in two days between ER visits and CT scans (first ER visit was Sat, another one Sunday ~ still had a high fever ~ and a f/u in my MD's office Monday). She sent me for a CT to also make sure my appendix was fine, since I was having pain on that side (it was my right kidney). They had only done labwork and a UA up till then, so they knew my UA lit up and my white count was >20, but she thought it might have been something else, too. I BEGGED the CT techs to leave my heplock in, I couldn't have handled one more attempt had it actually been my appendix and I'd have had to go back to the hospital. They did....and the CT just showed the abscess, so I took the HL out at home after I got the call.

I HATE NEEDLES!!

I'm really not afraid of needles. I do hate getting blood drawn though because my veins are the type that roll around, very deep and like to hide. I've had to have IVs in the top of my foot and in my neck..OUCH!

I hope that with the experience I've had with my crappy veins that I can be gentle when it comes my time to give them. Kinda makes me nervous thinking about it! :dzed: