Getting blood work done?

Question

Is getting blood work done painful? I have such a fear of needles, and just want to prepare myself beforehand.

Answer 1

Let me do it, you have not lived until you have blood drawn in the back of an ambulance bouncing down the road. Muahahahaa ... I promise I won't miss! :)

Answer 2

It depends on the person doing the stick. A good phlebotomist can often ease a needle into the vein with a minimum of any kind of feeling. Trust the phlebotomist to choose the correct needle, do not ask for a butterfly, yes they are a smaller needle but more difficult to position properly in the vein and can be painful when adjusting the position, they are really only needed for very small veins. Best advice, don't watch and if you have someone to go with you that can distract you, you may not feel anything at all.

Answer 3

Sometimes it is almost barely felt. One of the important things is for you to relax and breath. The more worried you are the more tense you are and it just makes it more diffcult for the needle to get through your skin. The fear you have is much greater than any little pain you might get while having the blood work done.
Do some slow deep breathing and focus your thoughts somewhere else. Do a math problem in your head or somethig to distract yourself.
It is a very minor thing, time to grow up and deal with it

Answer 4

Only the needle stick may hurt. If it does it will feel like a bee sting. I draw blood everyday at job. I have some patients tell me they never even knew I stuck the needle in. I talk to them all the time. I try to keep them distracted from what I am doing, and it seems to help. If you are really nervous, make sure the person drawing your blood knows this, they may have you lay down in case you pass out. The important thing to remember is not move your arm while they are in the process of putting the needle in, or after they have it in. If you move it can make them miss (some veins move easily), after it is in, it can make it come dislodged. So hold still and don't watch.

Answer 5

Not really. It's more painful when they cant get the blood and they have to move the needle in and out a few times. Or it's more painful from the wrist than the arm. Just dont look. =)

Answer 6

I had blood taken once and I was so scared that it was going to hurt, but actually it wasn' t bad at all. I was in the ER in severe pain and since it was my first time, they used a pediatric needle. I don't think it's as bad as donating blood, as I've heard from others.

Answer 7

After it's over you'll wonder why you were so concerned. I promise you will not be in any great pain whatsoever. Millions of people have blood drawn all the time. It's more mental than anything else. Just close your eyes, relax and picture yourself on the beach of a warm breezy tropical island. Bingo...it will over just like that!

Answer 8

Request EMLA cream from your Dr. or get in online at Canadian pharmacy. It is a anesthetic topical cream that numbs your skin within 30-45 minutes and you won't feel the needle prick! I used it for infertility treatments which required a 1.5 inch needle!!! No pain with cream! Good luck! -a fellow needle-phobe!

Answer 9

Ask them to use a "butterfly needle".
That's the smallest and least painful needle that they usually will have. The trick is to use your other hand to either hold someones hand or to grab something and squeeze it and then concentrate on that other hand instead of the arm that they are using to draw blood.

Answer 10

I hate needles too...the best thing to do is anticipate the worse pain ever and don't look when they are doing it and you most likely will not feel the needle go in...works for me every time...trust me I almost cry to the sight of needles.

Answer 11

no, the worst thing is when the needle goes in. If you don't like needles just don't watch the blood go out.