Needle Phobia

[kris74745 0]

I went for my first fill and when the dr's assistant (she's the one that does the fills for his office) couldn't find my port after poking & digging around in and out about eight times, I couldn't take it any more. I starting getting lightheaded and hot. I asked her to stop and she said to relax for a few minutes and she would try again. :thumbup: I decided I couldn't let her try again that day so she prescribed me some zanax and told me to come back later that day or the next day.

I went back the next day and was calmer after taking the zanax and she was able to do the fill (with the nurse holding my hand and my husband beside me for support). Pretty pathetic, huh?

I saw the doctor a few days ago and we discussed the fill and he told me that maybe the lap band wasn't such a good choice for me since I am 'needle phobic'. It would have been nice of him to have told me that before I got the band. I had asked him about it at a pre op meeting and told him that the thought of needles make me sick as they always have a hard time taking blood and I wasn't sure I could do this if they were poking around in my stomach. He just laughed and told me that they don't have to poke around much, it's usually pretty fast.

Has anyone else had this problem and if so, what did you do to get past the fear, etc.? I am losing with the band but am very uncomfortable even thinking about going for another fill. HELP!

I have never been scared of needles. I have been poked since I was tiny, so and have had blood drawn many times. However, when I went in for my first fill, the surgeon poked around and moved it around inside. It was so uncomfortable. The second fill, the surgeon found it more quickly, but still had to dig. The explanation was that women have more fat on their abdominal cavity. Men are built differently, and it so much more easy to find their port. My husband had the surgery the same day. His fills are over in ten seconds!!! The more women lose weight, the easier it becomes to locate the port, and the less digging they will have to do! I would hang in there, take a xanax, and squeeze that hubby's hand!!! I also take xanax before I go. I tend to have panic attacks afterwards!!! I guess because I feel filled when I try to drink or eat and I don't want anything at first because of fear of throwing up. I am getting over that now, and I think you will do well with the band. Eventually, your abdomen will shrink to where they can find your port without digging. The first time for me, I swear she dug for 3 minutes. She had to get out the long needle. The next time was 2 minutes, so maybe my third fill will be 1 minute!:tt2: Just hang in there and good luck to you!!! I would advise you to not take the band out! It will get better in time!:w00t:

Kristi

[MtnCat 0]

My surgeon also does the fills in the office that I go to. However, my first fill visit was pretty comical. Before I got there I was super nervous about the whole process. Of all things the surgeon had a young doctor with him that day that he was training. So, he got to "practice" on me. The young doctor said afterwards that my eyes got as wide as saucers just before he put the needle in the port. Thankfully, he did fine and all went well.

[freedom0702 0]

I went to support group meeting tonight and told them about my fill "drama". Most of them said they haven't had any problems but one lady said on her last fill she was bleeding and very bruised. Not good! If they have a problem filling me next time, I'm going to ask for the dr to do it. I'm not going to be their pin cushion agian.

TxChelsey - I asked the dr last friday about flouro and he told me they used to use it, but it isn't any better. He said he had a hard time finding the port with it as it has to be lined up with a shadow and it would take him about 8 tries to get it??? :thumbup:

I don't know if my insurance would pay for me to go to another dr for fills and I don't think there is another dr in this town that does them. If it doesn't get better though, I may be finding out.

yayi - I like your idea about "guided imagery". I'm gonna try that. I go for my next fill on Sept 19th. I'll let you all know how it goes this time (of course, I will have my hubby and my zanax).

Thanks again to all of you for your support!:party:

[elisa 0]

just checking ticker

[jetsy62 0]

I have not been banded yet but this post scares the (blank) out of me. It does not make any sense at all that someone should have to be poked 8 times to get a fill. Is this even close to being normal. I don't particularly like being poked but I don't have a phobia about it. That being said, if someone stuck me 8 times I would be upset to say the least and concerned as to whether they knew what the heck they were doing. Once, twice, maybe three times but eight! Please tell me this is not normal.

[MrsFlipFlops 2]

I don't have a "phobia" per se, but I do really hate needles. That's why I always get my fills under flouro, there's no digging. I still hate fills, but they just pop and pop out and the whole event is over within moments. I would never get a fill without the flouro. There will be no "digging" in my body!

[freedom0702 0]

Jetsy62 - I'm so sorry if I scared you. I posted this to see if anyone else had these issues and how they handled them, not to scare or discourage anyone. I still think the band will be worth it and I know there has to be an answer to this fill thing. Please don't make your decision to get banded on my experience. You'll see as you read the other posts that most people don't experience this so I don't think this is the norm.

MrsFlipFlops - I'm with you! No more digging for me, either. I'm going to let them give it one more try on the 19th and if they start digging around too much, they are going to stop. If they can't or don't want to use floro, I'm going to call my insurance and see if I can go to dr in another city (since he is the only one here) to get my fills. This is ridiculous!

[jetsy62 0]

Don't worry, you have not discouraged me. But I go to see my doctor Monday and I will ask him about this. Just my personal opinion, but 8 sticks is way too many. And I would think the surgeon would not want someone working for him/her to be having this much trouble locating a port. To be honest, it is not so much the actual processing of getting stuck eight times that concerns me. It is the knowledge/skill/experites whatever you want to call it of the person doing the fills that I would question.

[freedom0702 0]

Jetsy62 - Do you have a date scheduled for your surgery yet?

[jandrsn 0]

I agree, they will get better. My first experience was much like yours. I started crying BEFORE they even started the fill. Each one is easier, that's for sure. Either we get used to it, the area gets immune to it, or a combination of both......not sure. Each time I go, I just remind myself it will be less than 3 minutes of drama for a lifetime of rewards!

Hang in there!

[crzytchr 3]

I have not been banded yet but this post scares the (blank) out of me. It does not make any sense at all that someone should have to be poked 8 times to get a fill. Is this even close to being normal. I don't particularly like being poked but I don't have a phobia about it. That being said, if someone stuck me 8 times I would be upset to say the least and concerned as to whether they knew what the heck they were doing. Once, twice, maybe three times but eight! Please tell me this is not normal.

I dont' know whether problems are normal or not, but my friend was banded 2 weeks before me. She has had 2 fills and I have had 1. The PA at our surgeons office does them and for both of us it took only a minute or two and they were completely painless. I even had to be stuck again to do an unfill, because I had too much at first. Not a problem at all. Please don't worry.

[freedom0702 0]

Thanks for the encouagement. I'll try to remember the benefits instead of the discomfort/fear. Maybe it won't be as bad since I'll know what to expect this time.

[jetsy62 0]

I am schedueld for 9/23. I so want it to get here. I go see the doctor this morning and start my 2 week pre-op diet tomorrow. I actually kind of started it last week. Wanted to get used to it. It really is not that bad.

I'll let you all know what the surgeon says today when we talk about these fills and getting stuck 8 times.

[jetsy62 0]

Well, that turned out to be a good visit. All of my blood work, chest x-ray, EKG came back fantastic so it is a go for 9/23. I asked about the fills. Doc does them himself and he did admit there have two patients that he had to stick twice. Other than that, one stick but at times, depending on how much fat there is, he does have to search a little. He says he asks you to crunch like you are doing a sit up, he locates the port between 2 fingers, and normally all is over and done with quickly. I can handle that. Anyway, wish me luck.

[freedom0702 0]

Jetsy62- I do wish you the best. I'll bet the time will fly by while you wait. If you get sick of the pre op diet and want something kinda tasty you might want to mix unflavored Protein Powder with chicken or beef broth and add some Mrs Dash seasoning to it. It almost tastes like a creamy Soup. Much better than the Protein Shakes all the time. That's what got me through it.

Thanks for letting me know what your dr said about fills. He sounds like he knows what he's doing. I'm gonna as the pa why she doesn't have me crunch. All she told me to do was to raise my arm over my head. Interesting!

Where is your dr?