I had complained in an earlier thread

that I have a major fear of needles

and I DREADED doing the Blood Gas test.

Everything I read (not just here) was like,

"OMG, it's bad! I cried!, etc.)

I was contemplating not doing the surgery

because of the test, if you can believe it.

THAT'S how freaked I am about needles.

So I call my PCP and he prescribes Xanax

(just a couple of pills to get me through it).

I'm thinking, "yeah, that'll keep me from

puking and fainting and punching the nurse,

but it's STILL gonna hurt!"

So the Xanax kicks in and they call me

and first they want to do the regular blood draw.

Even though I'm feeling the Xanax,

I still request to lie down.

The phlebotomist was so wonderful

and had no problem with it.

Then I tell her to make the tourniquet

too tight so it will hurt. (helps distract from the other pain.)

One teeeeeny poke later and she's in!

I'm so "high" I'm like, "That's AWESOME!"

Then in comes the ABG girl.

And normally I would be FLIPPING out

knowing what I'm in for.

But we are joking around and of course,

my boundaries are majorly lax and after looking at her

big round tummy, I was like, “You’re pregnant…right? Or just fat?”

LOL!! She laughed…yes she is pregnant. Whew!

Here's the part that's important.

ABGs are NOT that big a deal, folks.

Pain-wise... not pleasant.

I mean, I wasn’t like, “Please sir, may I have some more?”

But I didn't feel violated or scared or anything.

And on my right arm she had to DIG.

Normally I would’ve been crying or getting seriously worked up.

I go, "That's not so bad...Xanax is awesome."

She started laughing and had to remind me

that she had a needle in my arm..."Don't make me laugh."

She had to go into the other arm,

again which would have made me completely insane.

Was no big deal.

A little pain...no digging, she was done.

I'm not saying this to imply that others who have

had it done and said it was awful were in some way

cowards or overly dramatic.

Not at all...everybody handles pain and anxiety differently.

I normally handle the needle thing pretty badly.

There are very few things that make me so afraid

I want to cry... needles are at the top.

For those in my boat (fear of needles/pain), know this...

1. Blood gas doesn't hurt that bad. It's more of a

"Wow, I wasn't expecting that. Me no likey."

Then it's over.

Have you ever had a blood draw where the person

sort of messed it up, making it pinch a little more than normal?

That’s what it’s like.

2. There's no reason to suffer.

Ask your PCP for an anti-anxiety pill for the occasion.

It eliminates the anxious heart,

irritable bowel, hyperventilating, etc...

whatever your symptoms are.

Ask for what you need…meds, to lie down, whatever.

A weight has been lifted.

Now I just gotta schedule the surgery!

You are hilarious!! Glad to hear things went well for you. Best of luck:):wink2: