Blood draw disaster

[TheIcePrincess]

Firstly, blood draws terrify me. I avoid them at all costs if I can. But, my pdoc required a blood draw to do routine tests. It was a fasting draw too,if that makes a difference. So, I brought my bf with me for moral support. So I go in the room that they do the blood draws in and I sit in the chair and cover my face (so I won't see the needle,etc). The nurse was massaging my hand to relax me. She looked at my arms,and decided on the right arm to prick. It seemed like she rubbed my arm with alcohol forever. Finally, the prick came. I barely felt it. I was thinking I was being a baby and that was not bad at all. Right before she took the needle out, I felt it coming. I got extremely dizzy, I couldn't hear, and my vision was weird. Then I started dry heaving and was sweating like crazy (I soaked the chair). I guess I must of went out, because the next thing I remember is 3 nurses standing around me fanning me and rubbing me with a cold rag.(As much as I appreciated the extra attention, it only scared me more and made me think something was really wrong). They wouldn't let me move for 15 minutes. I eventually started feeling better. I'm just so confused as to what the hell happened. I know I passed out, but why?!? I was completely calm and it was almost over. The last time, I didn't pass out but they only took 1 tube of blood. My bf told me that this time they took 3 huge tubes of blood. So what do you think happened??? And do you know of any ways to avoid that at future blood draws?

 

[GingerKitty]

Fainting while giving blood is extremely common. Reasons why could be anything from low blood sugar to your bodys natural defense protecting you from something you find terrifying. In your case I'm going to go with low blood sugar because you were fasting combined with overthinking leading to anxiety. You said you felt calm at that moment and had just thought in your head you were being a baby and it wasn't that bad, maybe your subconscious was still holding onto the thought that this is something you find normally find terrifying. Maybe you need to just retrain your brain to the way you think about it. Next time don't think about how terrified you normally are getting blood drawn, don't think about passing out this time. How many times did you tell yourself or someone else that you had to get blood drawn and how much you hated it leading up to the appt. Just keep telling yourself it's not that bad over and over. I really feel that getting stuck with needles and having blood drawn is all mind over matter.