Poor Rachel,

[elleng]

scared of needles!

[empedocles]

1. I used to be, then further traumatized when I gave blood, and the nurse's

skin looked like grey death, and I got light-headed.

Acupuncture desensitized me to needles.

[kskiska]

2. I'm afraid of needles.

I must say, though, that my two Covid shots were painless, if you don't include the after-effects.

[2naSalit]

3. So am I.

But I'll get the vaccine when I can. I've lost my mother and best friend since December and I'm sure I wouldn't fare well if I got it.

[orleans]

16. very sorry for your loss

please keep in mind that your mom and best friend would want you to get the vaccine as soon as you can. (so don't forget)

[2naSalit]

18. Thanks...

I can hardly wait to get the vaccine but one shipment didn't get here a week or so ago. I have to wait probably another month.

[bdamomma]

4. Rachel

hopes she gets the J&J, it doesn't bother me 2 jabs. Didn't feel a thing.

I hope everyone gets a vaccine it will save your life, and save others.

[electric_blue68]

5. Not thrilled about needles but thank goodness not phobic!

Yeah, poor Rachel!

[MagickMuffin]

6. A nurse taught me this trick when I had to go in for surgery as a teen

She told me she would count to 3 and on the 3rd count to breathe in. I've done this whenever I get a shot. It gives me peace of mind and plus it never hurts. So it works for me.

I received my 1st dose of the Pfizer shot on Friday. I didn't even feel a thing when the nurse gave my shot. My arm felt sore for a several hours but that was it.

[FSogol]

24. Here's what a nurse did for my 2 sons

The youngest had to get a shot and it was the 1st that he would remember. The nurse saw he was freaked and told his older brother to pinch him. As he pinched him in one arm, she gave him the shot in the other. Then she asked, "which hurt worse?" Of course the pinch by the brother hurt worse and shots were never again a big deal.

[marmar]

7. I am. Can't look.

[Hoyt]

8. Hated needles back in the day, but nowadays they are so small I cannot

feel them. I’ve had a few IVs in the back of my hand recently that set off Vasovagal syncope with nausea and dizziness.

When I had my draft physicals in early 70s, the dumb tech missed my vein 3 times drawing blood, and I have big veins. Last time I hit the floor like a felled big tree.

[Blue_true]

12. You are tougher than I am.

If I even watch the needle getting close to my skin, I will faint. I fainted one time, but fortunately I slouched backwards in the chair before starting to slide downward, for some reason, the draw had two Techs and one of them caught my shoulders to keep me up - since that day, I completely turn my head so that I can’t even see the Tech getting the needle and vials set up.

[Hoyt]

13. Oh, it was quite embarrassing hitting floor with 300 20 year olds looking on.

[Blue_true]

15. Well, if it makes you feel any better, I would have hit the floor if

500 20 year olds were watching.

I remember the painful experience of my Mom asking me to give her an insulin injection. I could not, she had to do it herself. After that she realized that I could not inject her insulin and when she felt she could not do it herself, she found someone other than my.

[Hoyt]

17. I did give my late wife an epipen injection when she had a bad allergic reaction.

I kept asking “are you sure, are you sure,” but she was in bad shape. She survived that, but I was shaking for hours.

I would not be able to inject myself, although if it kept me from going to ER, I might close my eyes, scream, and plunge.

Take care, have enjoyed posting about our fear of needles.

[doc03]

9. I have a blood draw at least once a month for the last 15 years. Most of the time I don't

even feel it a few times it hurt a good bit. Just depends if the tech knows what they are doing or maybe they don't care or they like to cause pain.

[Blue_true]

11. I had a recent blood draw.

Being well hydrated really helps, but the skill of the Tech also matters big time. I have had Techs that have struggled to even get one vial filled, and I have had Techs that fill four vials in less than 40 seconds.

I hate needles going into my skin, so I can only tolerate a needle in my arm for so long.

[doc03]

19. I had to give myself two shots a day in my belly for a week a few

years ago. I found you have to give the alcohol a couple seconds to dry before you stick yourself or it hurts like hell.

[Blue_true]

25. Good to know that. Not that I plan to use a needle on me, if

I can help it.

[Hoyt]

14. Always thank techs who do it well. If they miss my veins and/or fumble, I

will get really nauseated and dizzy. Nowadays, most are well trained.

[Blue_true]

10. I am afraid of needles. I simply look the other way.

I admire the people that can watch a needle going into their skin, I simply can’t do that without fainting.

[Ilsa]

20. I took the first Pfizer shot. I've had worse mosquito bites.

I've certainly had worse vaccines.

The Pfizer shot is in the same kind of syringe used for insulin, only the needle has to be slightly longer to reach the muscle, verses subcutaneous injections for insulin. The amount is 0.3ml. Up to 2.0ml can be injected into the deltoid.

[Paladin]

29. The doc who gave me my 2nd Moderna was a master.

I literally didn't feel a thing---gave him prodigious compliments.

Not that shots give me any problems---not after decades of giving myself daily insulin injections.

[doc03]

22. Back in my basic trainng days they took us for a polio

vaccine one day. We were in line and when you stepped behind a curtain they would usually give you a shot with an air gun. There was this huge guy in front of me looked like a pro football player that stepped behind the curtain and went down like a rock. The vaccine was in a sugar cube LOL.

[Hoyt]

23. Those injectors hurt like hell, but never got queasy feeling like from needles. Loved sugar cubes.

[IzzaNuDay]

26. I can't stand the sight of them

Looking at the news these days is torture. I close my eyes every time the vaccine is discussed.
I'll gladly receive a vaccine, but darned if I'll look!

[liberaltrucker]

27. She ain't the only one!

[moonscape]

28. The only times I've ever fainted

were 3 occasions involving needles. Other times I got woozy and had to be horizontal in case I fainted. Needles were a terror for me. Very phobic.

The universe decided to pick on me. For the last 5 years needles have come at me with a vengeance via IVs, blood draws, shots in my eye (cancer, chemo. macular degeneration) and it has taken that long for me to =finally= get over it. Don’t like needles but it’s no longer a terror. Phobia is gone. Can’t recommend this particular therapy for getting past it though!