Alone or otherwise. If I leave it any longer I’ll be too scared to go full stop.I don’t know why I’m so scared, I don’t even have a fear of needles. Question for ladies here tho: is it wise to go just after a period? i know they do not take a lot, but do you think it might have a worse effect than expected?
ta.
Before,during and after is NOT a problem…
thanks, sorry i know its a stupid question it just occured to me
Hi Jules,
Well done! You’re quite right - if you keep putting off the “nasty thing”, it will just get bigger in your mind, and you’ll end up never going at all. Just think: by Tuesday evening, it will be history! Plan a treat or something, when you get home, to reward yourself for going.
Unless you know you are anaemic, it will make no difference at all if you are having/have just had your period.
I take it, from what you say, that you’ve never had a blood test before?
Neither had I, 'til I was forty-something, but since then I’ve had so many I’ve lost count! Never, not once, have I ever been asked about my period, or advised I should postpone the test to avoid it. So it’s not relevant, at all.
You seem to believe you will feel “very poorly” after the test. The only thing that’s going to make you feel poorly is anxiety. The test itself is not sufficient blood loss to make you unwell, so the hurdle is psychological.
It’s similar to an injection, but just a little bit longer the needle is there. Moments, but NOT minutes.
Just don’t watch, and tell the nurse you’re nervous. She will probably talk to you and distract you. You’ll feel the needle go in, but if you get a really good one, you won’t even notice she’s finished, and the first you’ll know about it is she’ll ask you to hold a bit of cotton wool on it while she gets you a plaster.
You don’t need the rest of the day off work, or to rest up, or anything. You can carry on with whatever else you had planned.
You’ll be so pleased you had it done. I shouldn’t think anyone actually likes these things, but there are times in life when you realise it’s necessary. When you’re ill and need answers is one of them. You can’t just go through life not knowing what’s wrong.
Tina
x
Its ok,it was not a stupid question,I think your a little worried and stressed over having a blood test.You wll be fine.
Charlie,x
i’ve had 1 tina so i know what will happen, so its bugging me even more that i cant shake the fear! i do suffer from anxiety so that doesn’t help matters.bravery is not my strong suit!
x
It’s a shame they couldn’t have just done it on the spot; then you don’t have time to deliberate, or get worked up about it.
A couple of times, I’ve been at the hospital, and they said: “Get this blood test on your way out”, so I didn’t have to make a new appointment, or anything.
It’s much easier that way - you don’t have it looming over you.
Perhaps that’s a tip for next time? If you need another, see if you can have it sooner, rather than later?
Waiting doesn’t help us anxious bods.
Tina
x
yeah the dr. did say anytime and there is no rush, so my anxious mind immediately jumped to putting it off, then again if she had said it was urgent i would have been equally scared!
x
Hi Jules
I’m so glad you’ve picked up the courage to go for the blood test. I’ve had about 10 blood tests through out my life in total and I don’t have a phobia of needles but I can understand it’s not the nicest thing to endure.
I tend to look away and also try talking to the nurse about things so my minds focused on something else. If your nurse is good she’ll automatically try distraction techniques with you. It lasts less than a minute.
Well done for having the courage and as the others have said anytime for the blood test is ok and you’ll be absolutely fine after.
Good luck.
Reemz
X
Thanks guys, I’m not going alone now so thats good. But I’ll go in on my own cos I’ve gotta learn to do stuff on my own i guess.
xx