When you are disabled or chronically ill and have a lot of health challenges, sometimes you take a lot of medications and may need to get your blood drawn from time to time to check your levels. As a disabled person who has had a lot of surgeries, I have never donated blood to save lives because I am taking medication, and they probably would let me anyway. I have had many surgeries and been stuck with a needle more than most people, and barely even flinch when I am stuck with a needle because I have had it done so many times and know what to expect. People who don’t get their blood drawn nearly as much as I have sometimes struggle with a simple blood draw and get so nervous that they pass out. Non-disabled people do not have to get their blood drawn nearly as much as disabled people with health challenges do, but even healthy people sometimes need to get blood work. It is important to know your levels because it will be impossible to improve your numbers if you don’t know what they are. How can you get your blood drawn when you have a fear of it? In this post, I am going to talk about a few things you can do to get your blood drawn if you have a fear or history of passing out.
Eat ahead of time if you can- Some types of blood work need to be fasted, and you should not eat breakfast if you have been given instructions not to eat breakfast. It will affect your results, and it will not be accurate, but not all types of blood work need to be fasted for accuracy. If your blood work does not have to be fasted for accuracy and you have a history of passing out, it might be a good idea to eat breakfast. Blood work can sometimes make you a little light headed which will be even worse if you don’t eat ahead of time and having a little bit fuel can help prevent you from getting dizzy and passing out. I get a little light-headed after I have bloodwork, but I’ve never passed out after I have had it. If my blood work has to be fasted, I don’t eat breakfast, but sometimes I will drink a little water unless I am having surgery, because when you are hydrated, it makes blood draws a little easier.
Look away– As a disabled person, I have been stuck with a needle more times than I care to admit, and sometimes people may think that I have no fear of needles and will watch the phlebotomist draw my blood. It is true that I don’t have a fear of needles, but I will not watch someone poke me with a needle and trust that the person drawing my blood knows what they are doing. I always look away because I don’t need to watch someone poke me with a needle. If you get anxiety when you get blood draws, do not watch the phlebotomist draw your blood because it will make it worse.
Bring music to distract yourself- When I am having a routine blood test, I don’t usually need to bring music to distract myself because blood tests are a little easier. If I am having surgery and need an IV sometimes, often I will bring music to distract myself because IVs can be more painful if the nurse is new, and sometimes, I am stuck multiple times because my veins roll. I don’t have a fear of needles, but if you do, it may be helpful to bring some music to distract yourself from the pain.
Tell your phlebotomist if you feel dizzy- Recently, I had routine blood work done, and there was a woman in the waiting room who struggles with getting draws and sometimes gets so nervous that it causes her blood pressure to significantly drop. If you feel dizzy before having your blood drawn, it is so important that you say something before you have your blood drawn because if you are blood pressure is low, it will cause you to pass out. I have never had a problem with getting so nervous before having a blood draw that it affects my blood pressure in a significant way, but some people do struggle with it, and that is okay. Some insurances will pay to come to your house to draw your blood, which is something you should look into if you need a more relaxed environment or are not able to drive.
Bring someone with you to your appointment- If you have a history of passing out after having blood work, it might be a good idea to bring someone with you to your appointment, just in case that were to happen and you can’t drive. When you bring a friend with you to your appointment, it can help lower your anxiety because they know you better than any nurse will and may be able to help you feel more calm. I always have someone with me at an appointment because I can’t drive, but you don’t need to have a disability to bring someone with you to your appointment, and advocates are great for anyone who struggles to speak up for themselves.
Blood draws sometimes are necessary because blood tests can tell you a lot about your health and catch serious health problems that you may not be experiencing any symptoms for. It can be difficult for some people because sometimes people have a huge fear of needles, but avoiding blood tests is not a solution. Tell your phlebotomist if you get very anxious when having blood work, because they may be able to talk to you and make you feel more relaxed, so you don’t pass out. There are a lot of ways you can lower your anxiety when having blood work because it doesn’t have to control you. If you get anxiety before having blood work, don’t be embarrassed by that because it happens to a lot of people and is very common. Disabled and chronically ill people who get blood work often sometimes have a fear of needles because anxiety can even happen to people who you wouldn’t think would get anxious. Do you get nervous when having your blood drawn? If so, how do you get through it without passing out? If you liked this post, please leave a comment below and share it with your friends.
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