went to visit the hospital, got checked into ER

[lotus 2]

It's really quite silly, but I figured I'd share because the irony is abundant in this story.

My grandfather is in the hospital, he has a poor diet and had an iron deficiency. Somehow they thought it was cancer, so he was there for a few days to be checked out. Anyway, I have a horrible phobia of needles, and a lot of things in hospitals in general. So in hindsight this was a bad idea. We get there, I spend 10 minutes in the room before I notice the IV and bag of fluids he is hooked up to. Instantly I got dizzy and I sat down. That was the good move. Then I decided I was feeling sick and didn't want to puke everywhere, so I decided to stand up and go to the bathroom. That was the bad idea. I got a few steps and then said "oh shit..." at which point the nurse who was looking by stopped and stared at me, and that's all I remember before waking up on the ground with 7 nurses / doctors surrounding me. They took my blood pressure and it was a 45/40 and my heart rate something like a 40/somethingsomething. They said it was too low and I needed to go to the ER. They wouldn't let me stand, only to get into a wheel chair. I insisted that this has nearly happened before just from watching tv and seeing a needle or something else that creeps me out, but they said that with the blood pressure and heart rate so low, I needed to be checked out. First thing on my mind was crap I'm missing the ranger game now, but that turned out to be a good thing :P

They took my blood pressure and pulse again, and it had gone up to something more reasonable rather quickly. Still, they wanted to do more tests. I spent about 4 hours in the ER as they first tested for diabetes, and then did an EKG to check my heart for problems. Then went through a series of tests where they took my blood pressure laying down, then sitting, then standing, then walk a few meters and take it again. All in all, the doctor said that he wished he knew I was an athlete. He said that the blood pressure dropping is explained by my phobia (funny how I had to stay in a hospital because I got freaked out being in a hospital) and that my lower heart rate is explained for how often I run / play hockey. My heart pumps harder and thereby more oxygen than the average person, so slower.

I get checked out but they were a little worried as I had some trouble seeing straight as I walked around. However I got outside for 15 seconds and everything was good again. Turns out I'm just a gigantic sissy.

Still, part of me is afraid. I'm 99% certain it was just from being freaked out, but I'd hate to think that this could happen when I'm not expecting it.

[fatwabbit 93]

Not a sissy... c;mon, I know people who trained as nurses go pale when they see blood.

Some people can take it, some cant. I'll be the first to admit that I'm afraid of heights. I wont shit in my pants, but I would get a little disoriented. Funny that I only feel that way when i'm on the 4th to 7th or 8th floor... anything above that or below and I'm alright.

[lotus 2]

Funny you mention heights. I'm terrified of heights too, but only heights I am not in control of, or I guess man-made heights is a way to put it. Sometimes I think I would rather rock climb than cross a bridge.

I'm cool around blood if its blood from say, an injury. If I see blood packaged up for a transfusion or something though...I'll be out cold in seconds.

[Too Old 1]

Lol, hang in there. I got hit Wed night with only 3 minutes left in our game, from behind. Heard/felt a pop. Left ankle sprain I hoped. Found out yesterday the fibula (smaller outside less load-bearing leg bone) was snapped about 1.5" above the bottom. Went in this morning and got out late afternoon. Stainless steel plate and 4 screws later I'm good to go, lol. I HATE NEEDLES TOO! Told the wife the 2 worst parts of the ordeal were when they drew blood for the pre-op testing, and then the IV. Once the IV was in I was fine! Hope all is fine for you and don't think you're the only one who hates hospital visits! :lol:

[Chadd 916]

I understand where you're coming from. While I don't have a phobia, I really dislike needles. It comes from watching a needle snap off in a guys arm at the hospital and watching blood spurt out the stem.

[lotus 2]

Lol, hang in there. I got hit Wed night with only 3 minutes left in our game, from behind. Heard/felt a pop. Left ankle sprain I hoped. Found out yesterday the fibula (smaller outside less load-bearing leg bone) was snapped about 1.5" above the bottom. Went in this morning and got out late afternoon. Stainless steel plate and 4 screws later I'm good to go, lol. I HATE NEEDLES TOO! Told the wife the 2 worst parts of the ordeal were when they drew blood for the pre-op testing, and then the IV. Once the IV was in I was fine! Hope all is fine for you and don't think you're the only one who hates hospital visits! :lol:

Hah that reminds me of how I was going on and on about how there are people who needed attention more than me. I guess it's good to know that I'm not diabetic, or have any heart problems for that matter. When I finally came to after fainting I instantly started cracking jokes and they kept asking me if I knew where I am, as if i were delusional. I tend to joke when im nervous. When the nurse went to go get her blood-sugar testing kit I told her she has 30 seconds before I change my mind and I'm full sprint out the door. She goes "seriously?". hah :P

[Steve_v3 289]

My sister threw up & almost passed out when She visited me after I had my liver transplant. Someone in the room asked me about my incision & I lifted my gown and showed them. I still had 3 drains and 2 IVs along with the staples for the incision. She turned white as a ghost & grabbed the closest waste basket.

[RadioGaGa 162]

I've got a weak stomach too...one of the reasons I've always stayed away from horror/slasher flicks. IRL, The sight (or sound) of someone throwing up...and I gotta get out of the room...or I'm down too.

[lotus 2]

I understand where you're coming from. While I don't have a phobia, I really dislike needles. It comes from watching a needle snap off in a guys arm at the hospital and watching blood spurt out the stem.

I was about 6-7 years old when I had a needle snap off in my arm. That's where the phobia started. At the time I was having blood drawn regularly because I was born with Arthritis and was on experimental meds that required frequent checkups to make sure it wasn't damaging my body (it actually did, but that's another story).

[KYHockey3 0]

no need to be embarrassed . at least you passed out at a hospital where people could take care of you!

Last year in my psychology class a kid passed out when the teacher put a picture of an eye on a slideshow. it really wasn't anything disgusting, just like a close up picture of an eye. They had to get football players to carry him out of the room.

[cptjeff 0]

Many people have weird phobias and little things we're afraid of. Mine is bees. Even bumblebees make me really nervous.

Has something to do with when I was 5- at the time my aunt and uncle's backyard was quite heavily infested with bees. I of course, wanted to run outside and play. That didn't end too well, I had to take a bath in baking soda and water to get all the stings. I don't remember it all too well, but my unconscious does.

[Rustpot 1]

Dentists and confined spaces for me. From this time last year to now I've had so many needles in me it would certainly suck to be afraid. I took out my own IV last time I had one. The nurse told me it was coming out but wasn't sure how to attack it with all the hair stuck on the tape, so I just said don't worry and yanked the sucker out.

I have claustrophobia bad though. The first time I had an episode I was in the backseat of a minivan the day after returning from a vacation in Europe driving from Detroit to Indianapolis. Somewhere along the way I started hyperventilating and tried to push the ceiling and window away from me. Now I'll freak when I see things like Mike Rowe on Dirty Jobs squeeze into tiny openings, or be in a cave with no light with half an inch of space to move in.

Dentists just get to me. Having someone's face right in mine while I'm lying down and their probes and instruments just makes me sweat and get anxious. I absolutely HATE it.The more junk the worse, N2O nose mask, sucker tube, probes in each of his hands where I can just see the free ends wandering about, assistant right there, having instruments set on my bib, afraid to move or adjust, having weird pokes and prods and machines inside my head. Good lord I wish I could afford sedation dentistry.

[lotus 2]

Funny you mention dentists. I had a nasty infection that resulted in me having to lose a bunch of teeth, plus 4 wisdom teeth while I was at it. It totaled to like 12 root canals. It's half done, I'm going back for the other half soon (hate doing this mid semester).

Hating dentists too, this guy understood and was really cool about it. I said the less senses I have the better, he said alright - and blasted The Rolling Stones through the whole office for the hour of work he had to do on me. Granted the 2 Triazolam and 3 Vicodin I popped before going in combined with the local anesthesia + N20....that helped. But that probably wasn't a great idea in hindsight. I tend to freak out about these things haha...

[Wallzy41 9]

My ex of 8 months(who I'd been dating for 17 months) is TERRIBLY afraid of the dentist, and understandably so. She lost 3 front teeth playing kickball in a gym class. She had the ball thrown at her by a special education student, and she tripped over it and faceplanted, losing 3 top teeth in the process. 50 grand in work later, you can't even tell she has 3 fake teeth.

I, on the other hand have a fear of needles, but only when I'm around doctors/nurses I'm not familiar with. When I was 4-5 I had to have an IV, and my mom was the on call nurse, and she did it, and I was fine. Flash Forward to this year's physical: 2 nurses come in with shots. Ok. They prep me simultaneously. Fine. They say, ok you'll feel 2 pinches on the count of three. I said,No I won't, you're going 1 at a time. Thankfully they were cool about it and gave me the shots 1 at a time.

[jrhky36 1]

i have no problem with needles until they start going in my mouth.

funny you should mention your story. on new years eve i had a kidney stone (4mm). drove myself to the clinic and had to stop and puke in a parking lot off the main road. thankfully no cops saw this. the nurse is putting hte iv in my arm and i had to puke again. so i grab the pan and gave her my arm, she put the iv in while i'm puking. never felt the needle.

[Rustpot 1]

i have no problem with needles until they start going in my mouth.

funny you should mention your story. on new years eve i had a kidney stone (4mm). drove myself to the clinic and had to stop and puke in a parking lot off the main road. thankfully no cops saw this. the nurse is putting hte iv in my arm and i had to puke again. so i grab the pan and gave her my arm, she put the iv in while i'm puking. never felt the needle.

With my stone last year I was at one point pretty tapped out. IV in my right hand (shaved), 3 holes inside both elbows (one IV and two draws each), 2 injections in the buttocks, and my left hand doesn't show veins at all. Luckily I was done after they moved to my hand, started feeling like a pincushion after 2 weeks.

[Brian Harte 1]

Lol, hang in there. I got hit Wed night with only 3 minutes left in our game, from behind. Heard/felt a pop. Left ankle sprain I hoped. Found out yesterday the fibula (smaller outside less load-bearing leg bone) was snapped about 1.5" above the bottom. Went in this morning and got out late afternoon. Stainless steel plate and 4 screws later I'm good to go, lol. I HATE NEEDLES TOO! Told the wife the 2 worst parts of the ordeal were when they drew blood for the pre-op testing, and then the IV. Once the IV was in I was fine! Hope all is fine for you and don't think you're the only one who hates hospital visits! :lol:

wow! I told you!! I'm pretty darn sure my brother broke the same bone, but not as bad. Good thing you went to the doctor!

Anyways, on topic, I'm the biggest wuss for any doctor stuff. I had to get my wisdown teeth out recently (They never gave me problems, but one of them decided to just start breaking apart a couple weeks before Christmas. Yeah, that was fun..... )

So, when I finally went in to have them pulled, I already got dizzy before anything happened. they had me pay before the procedure, and I was seeing spots already. haha.

Finally after I was on the table, they had to shoot me up in the arm and it took FOUR times to get it right. I felt the pokes, and the doc kept saying... "SHOOT", "Oh come on", etc. That's fun to hear when you already hate needles.

:)

[lotus 2]

On the first half of my root canals, one of the last teeth was just the best experience. Luckily by then I was WELL under the influence of some very effective narcotics. As he was pulling it out I hear a crack and he kind of falls back. he leans over and shows something to the nurse and goes "look at that! son of a bitch broke in two! now how am I gonna get the rest?". Thank GOD i was drugged up because I started cracking up and said "that mother fucker ! get him!".

He was amused, and the nurse said she wishes she had an excuse to be under the influence of so many different things hahah. Hard to believe these people were so good at what they do when I look back on it.

[Jarick 5]

Panic and anxiety can do that to you.

I used to have a lot of dizziness/weak/numbness/tingling/etc issues until I lowered my carb intake and spent some time with a cognitive-behavioral therapist. 95% better now.

[cdoug55 0]

It really is amazing how certain things can affect people in such different ways. For me I have no issues with needles or blood. I can watch the nurse/doctor draw blood from my arm and now even flinch. But that could just come from being a doctor's son. On the other hand heights just freak me out. I blame my sister for it hahah. When I was little every time i was near a railing she would come up behind me and sort of grab me and say "watch out". Now i have a hard time looking over the edge of any building or substantial height. I also have dreams where I am on top of a high building and I have to lay flat because I think I'll fall and I can't move at all...so weird.

[sickwilly 37]

Panic and anxiety can do that to you.

I used to have a lot of dizziness/weak/numbness/tingling/etc issues until I lowered my carb intake and spent some time with a cognitive-behavioral therapist. 95% better now.

Glad you're doing better!

Yoga can help immensely, too.

[lotus 2]

Panic and anxiety can do that to you.

I used to have a lot of dizziness/weak/numbness/tingling/etc issues until I lowered my carb intake and spent some time with a cognitive-behavioral therapist. 95% better now.

Glad you're doing better!

Yoga can help immensely, too.

Back in my early teenage years, my parents had me see a psychiatrist (though I guess its more of a psychologist, but who cares) to get over my fear of needles. He failed pretty hard, and then suggested Yoga. Needless to say I never tried. Then my hockey coach recommended it to a lot of us...so one of these days I really need to try haha...

[fcb51 0]

I use to really hate needles, so much so that when I was about 5 I ran and climbed up a tree and stayed there for about 2 hours to avoid having one.

After I tore my Achilles tendon, I had to give myself 2 injections of anti-coagulant either side of my belly button at 6am everyday. Then to save money they gave me the vile and I had to draw my own shots. It absolutely royally sucked!!!!!

After 6 weeks of giving myself daily shots, I got over my hatred of needles.

P.S. The worst part of it was that went I went to the hospital, they initially told me I'd sprained my ankle badly and that in a week it would be better. It wasn't so I went to another hospital where they told me, not only had I torn my Achilles tendon, I had to blood clots in my calf. It was a simple 5 sec test to see if it is torn

That'll teach me to play basketball as part as off season cross training... :P

[lotus 2]

I use to really hate needles, so much so that when I was about 5 I ran and climbed up a tree and stayed there for about 2 hours to avoid having one.

After I tore my Achilles tendon, I had to give myself 2 injections of anti-coagulant either side of my belly button at 6am everyday. Then to save money they gave me the vile and I had to draw my own shots. It absolutely royally sucked!!!!!

After 6 weeks of giving myself daily shots, I got over my hatred of needles.

P.S. The worst part of it was that went I went to the hospital, they initially told me I'd sprained my ankle badly and that in a week it would be better. It wasn't so I went to another hospital where they told me, not only had I torn my Achilles tendon, I had to blood clots in my calf. It was a simple 5 sec test to see if it is torn

That'll teach me to play basketball as part as off season cross training... :P

Holy terrified...I'm gonna go now...hahah