Comments on: Getting jabbed with a hypodermic needle (sometimes) makes my body faint. http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/08/getting-jabbed-with-a-hypodermic-needle-sometimes-makes-my-body-faint/ Human Animals at the Crossroads of Culture, Science, Religion and Media Fri, 10 Oct 2008 22:02:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Erich Vieth http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/08/getting-jabbed-with-a-hypodermic-needle-sometimes-makes-my-body-faint/#comment-20847 Erich Vieth Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:00:56 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/08/getting-jabbed-with-a-hypodermic-needle-sometimes-makes-my-body-faint/#comment-20847 Trista: I hope you don't start associating writing comments with driving, which will then make you think of getting a shot! Trista: I hope you don’t start associating writing comments with driving, which will then make you think of getting a shot!

]]> By: Trista http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/08/getting-jabbed-with-a-hypodermic-needle-sometimes-makes-my-body-faint/#comment-20834 Trista Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:17:03 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/08/getting-jabbed-with-a-hypodermic-needle-sometimes-makes-my-body-faint/#comment-20834 I have the same problem.. I think its getting worse. Last night I was driving home and started thinking about needles and I got that fuzzy dizzy feeling that I have just before I go down. I WAS DRIVING. That was the scariest moment for me. Now I think I'm associating the fear with driving because this morning on the way to work it happened again. Now I'm scared to drive and this is really freaking me out. I have the same problem.. I think its getting worse. Last night I was driving home and started thinking about needles and I got that fuzzy dizzy feeling that I have just before I go down. I WAS DRIVING. That was the scariest moment for me. Now I think I’m associating the fear with driving because this morning on the way to work it happened again. Now I’m scared to drive and this is really freaking me out.

]]> By: Bijoux http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/08/getting-jabbed-with-a-hypodermic-needle-sometimes-makes-my-body-faint/#comment-18961 Bijoux Sun, 01 Jun 2008 23:39:27 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/08/getting-jabbed-with-a-hypodermic-needle-sometimes-makes-my-body-faint/#comment-18961 Thank you for your article. I found it really helpful as I have had a needle/blood/injury phobia with a vaso-vagil response since I was 8. When I see or have to have any sort of injection or IV not only do I faint but I can have convulsions. I was tested for epilepsy but was told there was no other explanation but a vaso vagil fear response for my behavior. I have tried EVERY therapy to deal with this fear...talk therapy, desensitization, biofeedback, breathwork, hypnosis, guided imagery, and most recently Rapid Eye Movement therapy. Although my nervousness around medical situation themselves have improved 100%, my fainting and convulsions haven't been altered at all. The only thing I have found that works is to be totally sedated to the point of almost being unable to walk and then I can have an IV or injection without losing consciousness. Its been a frustrating disability and excruciating to try to get medical people to understand. My experience has been that, most in the medical profession have little sympathy for it and they just want me to "get over it". Its no wonder that needle phobic people avoid medical attention with the kind of response I have gotten! Thanks for letting me know I am not alone. Thank you for your article. I found it really helpful as I have had a needle/blood/injury phobia with a vaso-vagil response since I was 8. When I see or have to have any sort of injection or IV not only do I faint but I can have convulsions. I was tested for epilepsy but was told there was no other explanation but a vaso vagil fear response for my behavior. I have tried EVERY therapy to deal with this fear…talk therapy, desensitization, biofeedback, breathwork, hypnosis, guided imagery, and most recently Rapid Eye Movement therapy. Although my nervousness around medical situation themselves have improved 100%, my fainting and convulsions haven’t been altered at all. The only thing I have found that works is to be totally sedated to the point of almost being unable to walk and then I can have an IV or injection without losing consciousness. Its been a frustrating disability and excruciating to try to get medical people to understand. My experience has been that, most in the medical profession have little sympathy for it and they just want me to “get over it”. Its no wonder that needle phobic people avoid medical attention with the kind of response I have gotten!
Thanks for letting me know I am not alone.

]]> By: Ebonmuse http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/08/getting-jabbed-with-a-hypodermic-needle-sometimes-makes-my-body-faint/#comment-17563 Ebonmuse Sat, 12 Apr 2008 04:57:09 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/08/getting-jabbed-with-a-hypodermic-needle-sometimes-makes-my-body-faint/#comment-17563 Even though this reflex is purely involuntary, you've got to admire Erich's courage for telling us all about it. Alas, our bodies really do have minds of their own, and even when cool reason tells us we're not in danger, sometimes the animal self-preservation instincts disagree. Although I don't have a problem with needles, I've recently started to have difficulty with donating blood. I used to do it in college without any ill effects. But the last two or three times I've done it, I felt dizzy and nauseous for a little while afterward, and my vision went swimmy for a few minutes. I wish I knew why it's begun to affect me in this way when it never used to. Even though this reflex is purely involuntary, you’ve got to admire Erich’s courage for telling us all about it. Alas, our bodies really do have minds of their own, and even when cool reason tells us we’re not in danger, sometimes the animal self-preservation instincts disagree.

Although I don’t have a problem with needles, I’ve recently started to have difficulty with donating blood. I used to do it in college without any ill effects. But the last two or three times I’ve done it, I felt dizzy and nauseous for a little while afterward, and my vision went swimmy for a few minutes. I wish I knew why it’s begun to affect me in this way when it never used to.

]]> By: projektleiterin http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/08/getting-jabbed-with-a-hypodermic-needle-sometimes-makes-my-body-faint/#comment-17530 projektleiterin Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:32:17 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/08/getting-jabbed-with-a-hypodermic-needle-sometimes-makes-my-body-faint/#comment-17530 I heard about needle phobia and I wasn't sure if that was indeed something real, but I trust your words, Erich! :D Could it be anticipation that leads to extreme nervous tension? Our thoughts and imagination are quite powerful. By the way, my mom has problems with back pain, too. Now less than before. But when she went to her doctor he asked her if she biked a lot, which she did then, and he told her that this was the reason and that she should reduce it. Since she started taking hot and cold showers she never had that many problems again. I've tried it before, too, and my back pain usually did go away quickly. I started to have back pains again a week and a half ago, but didn't do anything about it and it keeps going on. Not sure if hot/cold showers help when you have deteriorated bones and pinched nerves though. I heard about needle phobia and I wasn’t sure if that was indeed something real, but I trust your words, Erich! :D

Could it be anticipation that leads to extreme nervous tension? Our thoughts and imagination are quite powerful.

By the way, my mom has problems with back pain, too. Now less than before. But when she went to her doctor he asked her if she biked a lot, which she did then, and he told her that this was the reason and that she should reduce it. Since she started taking hot and cold showers she never had that many problems again. I’ve tried it before, too, and my back pain usually did go away quickly. I started to have back pains again a week and a half ago, but didn’t do anything about it and it keeps going on. Not sure if hot/cold showers help when you have deteriorated bones and pinched nerves though.

]]> By: Tim Hogan http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/08/getting-jabbed-with-a-hypodermic-needle-sometimes-makes-my-body-faint/#comment-17504 Tim Hogan Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:47:27 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/08/getting-jabbed-with-a-hypodermic-needle-sometimes-makes-my-body-faint/#comment-17504 Erich, it's God's punishment for your being an immoral nihilist! Repent! Erich, it’s God’s punishment for your being an immoral nihilist! Repent!

]]> By: Skblllzzzz http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/08/getting-jabbed-with-a-hypodermic-needle-sometimes-makes-my-body-faint/#comment-17500 Skblllzzzz Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:27:36 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/08/getting-jabbed-with-a-hypodermic-needle-sometimes-makes-my-body-faint/#comment-17500 There is a simple explanation for your needle phobia: You are under a spell ;-). There is a simple explanation for your needle phobia: You are under a spell ;-).

]]> By: Erika Price http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/08/getting-jabbed-with-a-hypodermic-needle-sometimes-makes-my-body-faint/#comment-17498 Erika Price Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:39:11 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/08/getting-jabbed-with-a-hypodermic-needle-sometimes-makes-my-body-faint/#comment-17498 I know several people who have fear of getting into cramped places, like subways or elevators. They have a pretty common fear, and most of them exhibit a pretty common response: a rush of anxiety, somewhat on the brink of panic-attack-type symptoms. Panic attacks in part consist of a sped-up heart rate and raised blood pressure. It strikes me that their response to a frightening situation with no escape, a spike in blood pressure, is the opposite of your reaction, a marked drop in blood pressure. I wonder why the body so often, and in such different ways, resorts to blood pressure as a way to escape frightful stimuli. I know several people who have fear of getting into cramped places, like subways or elevators. They have a pretty common fear, and most of them exhibit a pretty common response: a rush of anxiety, somewhat on the brink of panic-attack-type symptoms. Panic attacks in part consist of a sped-up heart rate and raised blood pressure. It strikes me that their response to a frightening situation with no escape, a spike in blood pressure, is the opposite of your reaction, a marked drop in blood pressure. I wonder why the body so often, and in such different ways, resorts to blood pressure as a way to escape frightful stimuli.

]]> By: Dan Klarmann http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/08/getting-jabbed-with-a-hypodermic-needle-sometimes-makes-my-body-faint/#comment-17496 Dan Klarmann Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:34:29 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/08/getting-jabbed-with-a-hypodermic-needle-sometimes-makes-my-body-faint/#comment-17496 I fainted, once. I was having a minor wrist operation when I was in college. It was out-patient, with local anesthetic and my tourniquetted arm loaded with lydocaine. I was frustrated that they wouldn't let me watch. They said that I might faint. I said, "So?" They talked about the sterile field, so I asked for a mask and cap. They argued that I might move. I said, "So strap me down." Well, no luck. I had to just lie there and listen from my side of the surgical drape without being able to watch. When it was over, they didn't even let me see the closed incision before they put on the cast. Then they loosened the tourniquet. Know thee that I am a lightweight for any drug. I rarely am in enough pain to need 2 aspirins. I get quite a buzz from one drink, coffee or booze. Just this week I had to persuade my dentist to give me a 1/3 of the normal dose of xylocaine. It hit me fast, and still didn't fully let me feel my lip for 8 hours. Anyway, they loosened the tourniquet, and I felt warmth surge through my shoulder and up my neck. Sounds became muffled. My visual field narrowed until I was staring down the legendary dark tunnel with a light at the end. I tried to widen the field, but then the dot was gone. I woke about a half hour later in a recovery room, and decided to call for a ride home, rather than to take the bus, as I had on arrival. Now, it had been a stressful day. Classes, bus, surgery. And I probably hadn't eaten enough, so had low blood sugar. Also, an arm full of de-oxygenated blood sailing up to my brain might have enhanced the effect of the lydocaine that I blame. And I was already lying down when I fainted. I fainted, once. I was having a minor wrist operation when I was in college. It was out-patient, with local anesthetic and my tourniquetted arm loaded with lydocaine.

I was frustrated that they wouldn’t let me watch. They said that I might faint. I said, “So?” They talked about the sterile field, so I asked for a mask and cap. They argued that I might move. I said, “So strap me down.”

Well, no luck. I had to just lie there and listen from my side of the surgical drape without being able to watch. When it was over, they didn’t even let me see the closed incision before they put on the cast.

Then they loosened the tourniquet.

Know thee that I am a lightweight for any drug. I rarely am in enough pain to need 2 aspirins. I get quite a buzz from one drink, coffee or booze. Just this week I had to persuade my dentist to give me a 1/3 of the normal dose of xylocaine. It hit me fast, and still didn’t fully let me feel my lip for 8 hours.

Anyway, they loosened the tourniquet, and I felt warmth surge through my shoulder and up my neck. Sounds became muffled. My visual field narrowed until I was staring down the legendary dark tunnel with a light at the end. I tried to widen the field, but then the dot was gone.

I woke about a half hour later in a recovery room, and decided to call for a ride home, rather than to take the bus, as I had on arrival.

Now, it had been a stressful day. Classes, bus, surgery. And I probably hadn’t eaten enough, so had low blood sugar. Also, an arm full of de-oxygenated blood sailing up to my brain might have enhanced the effect of the lydocaine that I blame. And I was already lying down when I fainted.

]]> By: Alison http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/08/getting-jabbed-with-a-hypodermic-needle-sometimes-makes-my-body-faint/#comment-17494 Alison Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:25:07 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/04/08/getting-jabbed-with-a-hypodermic-needle-sometimes-makes-my-body-faint/#comment-17494 You know, Erich, I think the problem isn't so much the fainting as it is the embarrassment about the fainting. Your own post reveals that you're not alone in this, and I'll wager that the fear of being embarrassed about fainting plays a part in the anxiety that brings it on. . .maybe working on just accepting it as something that happens to you (as it does to many others) will make it a bit less likely to happen. You know, Erich, I think the problem isn’t so much the fainting as it is the embarrassment about the fainting. Your own post reveals that you’re not alone in this, and I’ll wager that the fear of being embarrassed about fainting plays a part in the anxiety that brings it on. . .maybe working on just accepting it as something that happens to you (as it does to many others) will make it a bit less likely to happen.

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