Never ending Blood Tests and Needle Phobia

[Macatas]

Hi all, I was referred to the Sussex Me/CFS service and luckily they're not the pushy 'YOU MUST EXERCISE' types at all. They're going through all possible causes (dietary, vitamin deficiencies, other health issues e.g digestive, cardiovascular) and trying to teach me coping strategies and methods to keep myself from overdoing it.

However, I have seen them twice so far, and when the initial referral was made (before they even agreed to take me on) they requested a bunch of blood tests which came back normal. The problem is, I was made to repeat these exact same tests after the first appointment, and have just received my letter outlining my second appointment this morning. This letter again recommends repeats of the EXACT same tests.
From memory I know it's been B12 and folates, possibly iron. These levels have been consistent for 5 years and they just won't stop checking them over and over!

I panic every time I have to get blood drawn, and this is really starting to wear me down, it being potentially the third in as many months.

What can I do? Can I refuse to do any more bloods? Both times they took these bloods they came back the same, perfectly normal. Its worth mentioning that my GP also had general blood work done four times last year, which included a lot of the same tests.

It seems to be completely unnecessary and it's really making me feel worse overall, having to worry about being stabbed with a needle every time I see them.

Note: I have had blood tests at least four times a year for the last 5 years and have never had a deficiency in anything.

 

[jesse's mom]

I was terrified of blood draws for most of my life. To the point that I would faint and a few times even vomited.

Then I had a really good phlebotomist when I was in the hospital with daily blood draws. She changed the way I feel about them now. She came and woke me up at 4:30 am and did the draw then, before I thought about it. I was in a Catholic hospital, she said the Lord's Prayer with me while doing the draw. I am not religious, but it helped to focus on something else.

I say a prayer or mantra, and I look away. I try to really not overthink it and upset myself while waiting. For me it was holding all that tension in my body that wrecked me.

I cannot speak on you deciding not to allow them to do the tests. I am needing them for all kinds of monitoring.

I hope this helped, at least a little.

 

[Macatas]

I was terrified of blood draws for most of my life. To the point that I would faint and a few times even vomited.

Then I had a really good phlebotomist when I was in the hospital with daily blood draws. She changed the way I feel about them now. She came and woke me up at 4:30 am and did the draw then, before I thought about it. I was in a Catholic hospital, she said the Lord's Prayer with me while doing the draw. I am not religious, but it helped to focus on something else.

I say a prayer or mantra, and I look away. I try to really not overthink it and upset myself while waiting. For me it was holding all that tension in my body that wrecked me.

I cannot speak on you deciding not to allow them to do the tests. I am needing them for all kinds of monitoring.

I hope this helped, at least a little.

I have an awesome phlebotomist, so that's not the issue, it's just so stressful for me, especially because I had an absolutely horrific blood test 6 months ago at A&E by a trainee where I was left with agonising pain and a month of nerve damage. I now have a paralysing fear of the needle and even though my normal lady is a wizard and I hardly feel a thing I can't help but have panic attacks. If it wasn't the same exact tests as every other time recently I'd just try and get on with it.

The clinic actually called me this afternoon and after I explained it all they said they didn't have those particular levels on their records and I may just need to ask my GP to send them over, avoiding more tests. Hopefully it will work!

 

[jesse's mom]

The clinic actually called me this afternoon and after I explained it all they said they didn't have those particular levels on their records and I may just need to ask my GP to send them over, avoiding more tests. Hopefully it will work!

I hope it does!

That sounds like a horrible experience! I am so sorry that happened to you!