- Messages
- 15
- Type of diabetes
- Other
- Treatment type
- Other
Last month I had my first appointment at the Endocrinology department and the consultant referred me for an OGTT. The appointment is tomorrow. Just a little background on me, I have always had a phobia of blood tests. I used to refuse them until my health issues got worse and I knew I needed to have one. I was so scared before the first one that I cried in the waiting room. I have been suffering from symptoms of low and high blood sugar for over 2 years now. I had a hba1c last year which was normal and another hba1c test at my first Endo appointment (although I still don’t have my results)
I get my partner to come with me to all my blood tests. I use EMLA cream with an occlusive dressing at every test. On my last blood test (hba1c at Endo clinic) I used clingfilm instead of an occlusive dressing which I regret, because when I took the clingfilm off, the cream had spread everywhere and I could feel the needle going in (I hadn’t felt it on previous tests)
The nurse struggled to find a vein and I kept working myself up and panicking, when she did manage to find one, as I said, I could feel the needle go in, which made me feel dizzy. I was scared and just wanted to get out of there.
I also lie down (I couldn’t do it sat up) put headphones in and listen to music/watch a YouTube video to distract myself. I read online it helps to drink plenty of water and keep warm, so I’ll take a water bottle with me and wear a cardigan and maybe some gloves too, if it will help.
What I’m scared of the most is if I can feel the needle going in again, and also because of the lack of food, I’m scared of feeling dizzy. With other blood tests, I’ve eaten enough food before hand, and felt fine. With one, I only had some snacks before, not a full meal, and I felt dizzy afterwards. It took at least 10 minutes for me to feel better and I had some graze boxes before I left the room.
I am very worried, I have never had two blood tests in one day, I’m scared of something going wrong, I don’t want to feel the needle or feel dizzy/pass out I have never passed out but I have felt dizzy. I can’t eat anything from 8pm tonight and hope the lack of food through the test doesn’t make me feel dizzy/pass out. Obviously this isn’t a question, just want to get my feelings off my chest and see if anyone has advice.
I get my partner to come with me to all my blood tests. I use EMLA cream with an occlusive dressing at every test. On my last blood test (hba1c at Endo clinic) I used clingfilm instead of an occlusive dressing which I regret, because when I took the clingfilm off, the cream had spread everywhere and I could feel the needle going in (I hadn’t felt it on previous tests)
The nurse struggled to find a vein and I kept working myself up and panicking, when she did manage to find one, as I said, I could feel the needle go in, which made me feel dizzy. I was scared and just wanted to get out of there.
I also lie down (I couldn’t do it sat up) put headphones in and listen to music/watch a YouTube video to distract myself. I read online it helps to drink plenty of water and keep warm, so I’ll take a water bottle with me and wear a cardigan and maybe some gloves too, if it will help.
What I’m scared of the most is if I can feel the needle going in again, and also because of the lack of food, I’m scared of feeling dizzy. With other blood tests, I’ve eaten enough food before hand, and felt fine. With one, I only had some snacks before, not a full meal, and I felt dizzy afterwards. It took at least 10 minutes for me to feel better and I had some graze boxes before I left the room.
I am very worried, I have never had two blood tests in one day, I’m scared of something going wrong, I don’t want to feel the needle or feel dizzy/pass out I have never passed out but I have felt dizzy. I can’t eat anything from 8pm tonight and hope the lack of food through the test doesn’t make me feel dizzy/pass out. Obviously this isn’t a question, just want to get my feelings off my chest and see if anyone has advice.