Fun with Needles: (Ping:JonGA, but others might have the same reaction)

[SirFozzie]

I was scheduled today to go in and have a chipped wisdom tooth pulled.

Now, I'm extremely needle phobic. But I had thought I could get through with it. I was doing fine, (they had me scheduled for light sedation), then they put the mask on..

and the mother of all panic attacks somehow hit at that moment.

My heartrate on the monitor hit 165 or so, and I started hyperventilating badly. The oral surgeon stopped it right there, right before they could stick me with the sedation drugs.. they were afraid I'd pass out or go into shock or something.

this is something mostly mental, I know. Somehow I was locked into a cycle where it just went down hill and quickly. The oral surgeon rescheduled me for August, and wrote a prescription for Valium to take right before the surgery..

is this kinda needle-phobia... well, not normal.. but somewhat common? It's just embarassing to me..

[spleen1015]

Ha!

Sissy.

[rkmsuf]

wuss

coming to with your shirt untucked is the only reason to panic at the dentist

[Eaglesfan27]

Needle phobias are quite common and can be treated quite successfully with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy if they are a significant enough impairment that one wants to get treatment for them. They also have been treated (although less reliably) with medications (SSRI's.)

[BrianD]

I find phobias to be pretty interesting things. I know a few people that have minor phobias and while they feel that the fears are silly, they still can't shake them. The brain is an odd thing.

[MikeVic]

Doesn't a phobia present itself after something has happened? So, you wouldn't be scared of needles just because... but it would instead be a result of some occurence in your life? And most of the time it was something that happened when you were a very young kid, or something that you don't even remember...?

[TroyF]

I find phobias to be pretty interesting things. I know a few people that have minor phobias and while they feel that the fears are silly, they still can't shake them. The brain is an odd thing.

Bees.

I'm simply terrified of bees. I've never been stung and know it wouldn't be that horrible if it happened. Yet it doesn't matter. My heart races, I sweat, and I HAVE to get away from them if I see them.

It's 100% irrational and I know it, but it isn't going away anytime soon.

Mike,

I don't know that it has to be about something that has happened. I can't recall anything that would make me afraid of bees. I don't know anyone allergic to them and have never seen a big swarm. (if I did, I'd probably have a heart attack and die on the spot)

[MikeVic]

I'm terrified of spiders. Can't even kill them. Just want to get as far away as possible (if they're in a pet shop, and locked up, I seem to be ok with that).

There has to be something that cased this fear, but I can't remember. I was an active kid, so maybe something happened when I was very young. I've just been under the impression that there was a reason for it.

[rkmsuf]

I'm slightly afraid of hippos.

Needles, bees, spiders...meh...I make love to them.

[Dr. Sak]

I'm scared of needles, pigs, and bees.

Needles - I broke my hand once in a fight. The Doctor stuck the novicane needle in my hand...moved it around and scraped it all over my bone. Probably the worst pain of my life.

Bees - At 5 years old I got stung in the whites of both eyes by yellow jackets. My eyes were swollen shut for 2 days.

Pigs - In college this person down the street had a pig with tusks (like a boar) as a pet. One night while walking home it got loose and chased me down the street snorting and growling.

[Logan]

I'm scared of needles, pigs, and bees.

Needles - I broke my hand once in a fight. The Doctor stuck the novicane needle in my hand...moved it around and scraped it all over my bone. Probably the worst pain of my life.

This was such a planted line to give the impression that you're not a sissy.

[rkmsuf]

This was such a planted line to give the impression that you're not a sissy.

dude's afraid of pigs. clearly a planted line.

[Scoobz0202]

While common, I also share the fear of spiders. Nothing that I can remember caused me to fear spiders, but I have such a disgust for them that I can not be in the same room as even the smallest spiders. I can not go near the spiders section of a pet store. I can not even look at pictures of spiders. When a spider suprises me in some manner, I usually shriek, run, and then proceed to try and catch my breath for about 10 minutes while shaking.

[rkmsuf]

wtf

[MikeVic]

http://medicalimages.allrefer.com/large/black-widow-spider-1.jpg

:eek:

[JonInMiddleGA]

I think the phobia is fairly common, but the degree to which we apparently suffer from it is a lot more unusual.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I usually shriek, run, and then proceed to try and catch my breath for about 10 minutes while shaking.
I usually make accountants do that.

[rkmsuf]

I usually make accountants do that.

lol, pumpy's junk resembles a spider

[st.cronin]

I used to be very afraid of needles, then I joined the army. I got over that fear pretty quick.

[Fonzie]

I think the phobia is fairly common, but the degree to which we apparently suffer from it is a lot more unusual.

I'm not familiar with your/SirFozzie's past experiences with needle phobia, so I can't comment on just how unusual the severity of your experiences are. But I can say that panic attacks during phobic episodes in general really aren't exceptionally uncommon.

The good news is that phobias as a whole are amongst the most treatable of mental disorders out there. EF27 is (as always) correct when he says that CBT is the treatment of choice, especially with an emphasis on the behavioral part. The key component to treatment of phobias is exposure to the feared stimulus, so the treatment isn't exactly fun for the phobic client. But, exposure treatment as a rule works very well.

Good luck in August, SirFozzie!

[JonInMiddleGA]

Cool, we even have our own wiki entry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trypanophobia

Among the interesting tidbits there
It is estimated that at least 10% of American adults are trypanophobic, and it is likely that the actual number is larger, as the most severe cases are never documented due to the tendency of the sufferer to simply avoid all medical treatment.

People who suffer from vaso-vagal trypanophobia fear the sight, thought or feeling of needles or needle-like objects. The primary symptom of vaso-vagal trypanophobia is vasovagal syncope, or fainting due to a decrease of blood pressure.

The physiological changes associated with this type of trypanophobia also include feeling faint, sweating, nausea, pallor, tinnitus, panic attacks and initially high blood pressure and heart rate followed by a plunge in both at the moment of injection.

Although most phobias are dangerous to some degree, trypanophobia is one of the few that actually kills. In cases of severe trypanophobia, the drop in blood pressure caused by the vaso-vagal shock reflex may cause death.

That last bit goes right along with what I've said for several years now. At this point, my fear of dying from fear is every bit as much a factor as the needle itself, presumably playing a role in the strong fight-or-flight response that I go through.

[Passacaglia]

Um...the needle goes into your gums, right? How is a fear of that silly?

[SirFozzie]

In this case, they stick you with an IV first (it's called light sedation)

[SackAttack]

20, 20, 24 hours to go, Foz?

[SirFozzie]

Except.. I DIDN'T "Wanna Be Sedated" :D

[JeeberD]

I hate needles, but not enough that I won't let them be used on me.

Learning to give shots should be interesting...

[Eaglesfan27]

I hate needles, but not enough that I won't let them be used on me.

Learning to give shots should be interesting...

FWIW, I don't like needles and was mildly phobic of them at one point. However, giving shots never bothered me ;) Although, I never did like drawing blood, mainly because I wasn't great at hitting the vein and I hated putting the person through pain.

[sterlingice]

Except.. I DIDN'T "Wanna Be Sedated" :D

20, 20, 24 hours to go, Foz?

Damn you people. Now I have to go play some Guitar Hero ;)

SI

[sterlingice]

I was scheduled today to go in and have a chipped wisdom tooth pulled.

Now, I'm extremely needle phobic. But I had thought I could get through with it. I was doing fine, (they had me scheduled for light sedation), then they put the mask on..

and the mother of all panic attacks somehow hit at that moment.

My heartrate on the monitor hit 165 or so, and I started hyperventilating badly. The oral surgeon stopped it right there, right before they could stick me with the sedation drugs.. they were afraid I'd pass out or go into shock or something.

I thought the story was going to end with "and I passed out so they didn't need to sedate me".

As for needles, I'm not afraid of them as I had to give myself allergy shots once a week for a few years when I was younger. Hard to give yourself shots when you can't stand needles.

But... (continued in next post)

SI

[sterlingice]

Bees.

I'm simply terrified of bees. I've never been stung and know it wouldn't be that horrible if it happened. Yet it doesn't matter. My heart races, I sweat, and I HAVE to get away from them if I see them.

It's 100% irrational and I know it, but it isn't going away anytime soon.

Yeah, that's mine. Flying, stinging insects. Spiders, no problem, heck I like them. Unless it's deadly (stupid Brown Recluses), if I find a spider in my apartment, I'll throw it out on my deck near my plants so it keeps the bugs away.

But you put a stinger on it and let it fly in three dimensions and I don't do well with it. Bees, I'm almost ok with- I get nervous if they come near me. But, wasps or yellowjackets, especially, and I'm getting out of the way. I think my reason is twofold- first, I was stung by a yellowjacket when I was young, maybe 10 and that hurt. A lot. Secondly, I'm not very good with spatial perception so I can't really follow much 3D movement so I can never tell where they are going very well.

I also have this hate-hate thing with fire ants where I have no qualms about killing them in mass quantities but that has to do with me being allergic to them and them being mean spirited little bastards. It's not so much a fear but if you put me in a situation like at the end of last season in CSI (buried in the desert in a shattering glass box, surrounded by fire ants)- that might be my worst nightmare. Tho if you filled it with wasps instead, hard to say which I'd fear more. I'm not looking to find the answer to that question in my lifetime.

SI

[Fonzie]

It's not so much a fear but if you put me in a situation like at the end of last season in CSI (buried in the desert in a shattering glass box, surrounded by fire ants)- that might be my worst nightmare. Tho if you filled it with wasps instead, hard to say which I'd fear more. I'm not looking to find the answer to that question in my lifetime.

SI

*FOFC Cardinals fans hatch a plan*

[sterlingice]

*FOFC Cardinals fans hatch a plan*

Because, really, cheering for the Royals isn't enough torture :p

SI

[Fonzie]

Because, really, cheering for the Royals isn't enough torture :p

SI

Well played sir!

But be warned - if the Royals ever become a good team...

[sterlingice]

Well played sir!

But be warned - if the Royals ever become a good team...

To be fair... (29-43) isn't too far from (31-37) so let's not get too cocky this season ;)

SI

[Lathum]

I am now afraid of bats. Only if they are in my dining room.

[st.cronin]

I'm afraid of Pac Man Jones. And his posse.

[Lathum]

I'm afraid of Pac Man Jones. And his posse.

then stay out of the strip clubs for fucks sake

[SirFozzie]

BTW, thanks for the support

[SackAttack]

Damn you people. Now I have to go play some Guitar Hero ;)

SI

You'll forgive me if I'm having difficulty getting back into that franchise. ;)

[spleen1015]

I didn't know there were so many sissies here at FOFC.

[JonInMiddleGA]

I am now afraid of bats. Only if they are in my dining room.

From experience, I can tell you that the dining room is actually better than the bedroom & probably at worst equal to the den.

[MikeVic]

You'll forgive me if I'm having difficulty getting back into that franchise. ;)

Damnit!

I have access to GH1 and 2 finally, so I'm playing those for now. I bought a microphone off ebay, and want to give Karaoke Revolution a shot... I can't sing AT ALL, so this'll be fun!

[MrBug708]

Where does the phobia come from? I've been given plenty of shots over my semi young life and only recently am I developing any disdain for needles. Yet I'm not scared of the pain or the fact that I'm having something stuck into my vain, but the chance that I'm somehow being stuck with a dirty needle. Even when I see them open the needle, I still start to think, what if it came dirty...?

[rkmsuf]

Where does the phobia come from? I've been given plenty of shots over my semi young life and only recently am I developing any disdain for needles. Yet I'm not scared of the pain or the fact that I'm having something stuck into my vain, but the chance that I'm somehow being stuck with a dirty needle. Even when I see them open the needle, I still start to think, what if it came dirty...?

I have the same fear but with toilet paper.

[JeeberD]

FWIW, I don't like needles and was mildly phobic of them at one point. However, giving shots never bothered me ;) Although, I never did like drawing blood, mainly because I wasn't great at hitting the vein and I hated putting the person through pain.

That's good to hear. :)

[Karlifornia]

I have a huge phobia of Needles....Needles, California that is. Creepy, hot city.

[Schmidty]

The only things that even approach a phobia with me, are rodents and water (swimming in lakes and oceans); however, both of them are things that I could at least deal with if I absolutely had to, so I guess they probably aren't phobias.

[Neon_Chaos]

I am terrified of bees.

[Izulde]

Snakes and death are my two biggest fears, though snakes I'm oddly a lot less phobic about after I lost my cell phone due to one out in Wyoming.

[rkmsuf]

I have robot insurance.

[JeeberD]

A nurse is coming over sometime in the next half hour to give me a physical for life insurance. Part of the physical involves the nurse drawing some of my blood...

Someone hold me!

[BrianD]

A nurse is coming over sometime in the next half hour to give me a physical for life insurance. Part of the physical involves the nurse drawing some of my blood...

Someone hold me!

If you look vulnerable, maybe she will do it after she takes your blood.

[JeeberD]

I think it's a dude. If it isn't, she sure has a masculine voice...

[JeeberD]

As usual, it wasn't anywhere near as bad as I thought it was going to be.

Bastard snuck two vials out of me, though. I only thought he was going to take one.

Time to break out the beer for an easy buzz! ;)

[SirFozzie]

BTW, I went, and the Valium helped big time. They couldn't stick me for the IV for sedation, so they just gave me nitrous oxide and all was well.

[Passacaglia]

Why did I re-read this thread? That was collossally stupid on my part.

[Young Drachma]

This thread is making me dread getting my wisdom teeth pulled. I had a few teeth pulled back when I had my braces as a teen, but that well over a decade ago.