Hit Me With Your Best Shot! (How Do You Feel About Getting Shots?)

Hey Everyone,

It's that time of year again -- I'm about to go in for annual bloodwork.

Like most people, I used to be deathly afraid of needles. As a kid, I contemplated never getting married because at that time, a blood test was required -- and there was no way I was going to willingly subject myself to getting punctured!

But at one of my appointments, an older, wise and very compassionate pediatric nurse changed everything for me. I'm sure she'd dealt with a lot of scared kids before to come up with this "trick." As the doctor was gearing up the syringe and getting ever closer to my arm (I was on the verge of hopping off the table and running,) this nurse gave me a towel, told me to cover my eyes, turn my head away, and sing the ABC's. She even covered her own eyes, turned her head, and sang along with me to demonstrate -- and even though I of course felt the prick of the needle -- suddenly, it didn't seem so bad. And her little tip has stayed with me my entire life.

I no longer have to cover my eyes or turn my head. I can now watch from start to finish -- and actually find it quite fascinating, especially when donating blood (though I haven't in a while, as I nearly passed out the last two times.) But just as that amazing nurse taught me so many years ago, I still sing the ABC song (just silently now, to myself) whenever I'm being turned into a pin cushion.

I don't know if this nurse is still living, but I always think of her and thank God that she made such a huge difference in the life of a once-petrified little child.

How about the rest of you?

* Do you have any tips/routines to ease the fear/pain when facing shots and needles?

* Have you had to help other adult relatives through shots? What did you do?

* What about kids and little ones? Any advice on how to help them through?

It's such a common, relatable fear that I am really interested in hearing how others have learned to cope with it.

Thank you for sharing!

My life experience in that regard began when I was about 4 years old, when an illness I was having required my having injections periodically for several months. Because of that , any time I ever required any kind of injection, I watch closely, and on one occasion I guided a medical student's needle between the bones in my elbows, easy peasy. The guiding was verbal, and he did not touch one bone.

This is truly amazing, sounds like God was really blessing you with a lot of knowledge during each injection!

When I was younger, I was told I had the type of veins that "collapse and roll," but I think it's gotten better over the years, as they can usually find a vein with the first try (it used to take a few attempts.)

Did you ever consider going into the medical field? I would have loved to, but unfortunately, I don't have the brain for the hard sciences (high school chemistry was challenging enough for me!)

Never thought about that. No, at 80 I thinkit is not too practical an ambition, lol. God bless you.

My uncle is so afraid of the idea of getting shots that he didn't go to the hospital for an infection from a spider bite. He ended up having one of his toes amputated because of the infection and the worst part is if he had just gone there he would only have been given pills for it. His fear of needles almost cost him his entire foot but luckily the meds they gave him reduced the infection enough that he only lost the one toe. Smh

I am so sorry to hear this! Oh my goodness. I'm glad they were able to stop the infection, but I feelso sad the he was so scared to go for help.

May God help us all be able to deal with our fears enough to get the care we need (and the care for others around us.) ❤️

I'm pretty much a pin cushion at this point in my life. It's really no big deal at all for me.

Novocain shots are a different matter. I hate those... and have some bad teeth because I didn't go soon enough.

Did it take a while to get used to, or was it fairly easy for you to adjust?

I remember when they started putting needles in the back of my hands... That took me by surprise because I found them to be a more potent sting than in the arm (I also hated that I had to be more careful with those to not pull them out -- for an IV, etc.)

And to me, the absolute worst are shots in the gums/dental work.

As much as I try to maintain my "Sing the ABC Song To Myself," some of those "numbing" shots at the dentist about had me jumping right out of the chair.

(Just saw your last post -- we were thinking about -- and dreading the same thing!)

It's not "fun", but I'm pretty ambivalent about it now. I donate blood every 8 weeks, also have blood drawn every 8 weeks, in addition to my annual physical (sometimes more than annual), and I take an injection twice a week.

Kudos to you for donating blood! That's awesome.

My Dad gave blood regularly when I was a kid, and seeing him come home with their "Be Nice to Me -- I Gave Blood Today" sticker motivated me to do the same. I had one of those old-fashioned donor cards (I suppose it's all digital now?) and the goal of getting to the various "I've Given X Gallons" milestones.

Unfortunately, one time I got so dizzy that I wound up on the floor with the room was blacking out, and though I made it, the next time it almost happened again and I haven't been back since.

I'm hoping to get back to donating, but will take someone with me in case I can't drive home.

My wife also donates, and I always take her so I can drive her home.

I have a granddaughter who has overcome this fear by necessity!
She was born with CP, and because of this, her muscular ability is severely affected. Not only does she have difficulty walking, but also has difficulty speaking or even swallowing. She can swallow, but it must be done slowly and with care. Even getting rid of saliva that forms in the mouth becomes an ongoing issue.
Because of this, a feeding tube was placed into her stomach shortly after birth. That tube remains until this very day, and she is now almost 18 years old. The tube allows her to get oral medication that might not be possible without the tube.
Having to deal with this, has to her, become wearing a badge of courage! She even chides her father when it comes to him getting a shot. I must admit, “He is a total wimp”!

You gotta do what you gotta do.

I haven't been to the doctor in decades, so the only needles I know are the dentist's needles. They can be endured because drilling and pulling teeth without them is not to be considered. >.<

God bless your wonderful granddaughter!

It sounds like she's a real trooper. I'm so glad she's been getting proper medical care. ❤️

And I can't blame her at all for teasing her dad.

Thank you so much for telling us about her! 🌹

Last month, I went to the hospital and had to have a needle stuck into my knee of all places. 🤮


I've had trypanophobia throughout my life. Sometimes though, you have to face your fears head-on for your own well-being.


That's life. 😌

Don't look. I was in hospital for 8 days. For the first 5 or 6 I was having 3 jabs and 3 blood tests a day. I had two canulas for drips, so the nurses had to draw blood twice a day. I said to one that I was a porcupine in reverse.

These days, the needles are so fine and sharp that they are not as painful as when I was young. That helps a lot.

I've mentioned thos before, but it is the topic. I'm afraid of needles. Phobic. As a child I remember getting a shot and screaming and yelling and trying to run out of the room. They held my arm as I pulled way, straining to get out of the door. Somehow they got me to sit back down and let them do it. Crying the whole time.
As we were leaving the lady at the front desk told me how good I did getting the shot. And how she didn't hear a peep from me. I remember thinking something like "what an idiot, I know you heard me, why are you lying?. 😂 But she offered a lollipop for doing well and I took it anyways 😂

My fear of needles leas me to avoid doctors for years. Huge mistake. I developed hypertension. That lead to kidney disease and transplant. That lead to bone death in my hips. And getting mouth cancer. Thyroid problems and more. Countless doctor visits and hospital stays where I've had to have frequent blood draws. And will the rest of my life.
As a result my once great veins have started scarring making them difficult to get needles in. And people generally just have problems tapping into the veins, even when not scarred. Most of the time it takes 2 or 3 sticks. And at times they have to poke my finger like a diabetes test and milk the blood out that way.
I'm still phobic after 100s and 100s of pokes, after roughly 15 years of being stuck.

Naturally I hate the dentist for fear of the poke there as well. So I've always avoided them.

But the worst I've had was in the eyeball. Yes, a shot in the eyeball. 🤢
Wide awake, too.

I was always afraid of needles as a kid too.

As an adult I've had tons. Bloodwork is much easier than injections for me. I went through infertility so I actually had to give myself injections in my stomach. However I could never do it, so had my husband. Luckily he was a phlebotomist so knew what he was doing. When I was in labor I had the epidural in my spine. It was the best feeling. 😆 So needles are on he bottom of my pain pyramid and I really don't mind them anymore.

As far as my kids, I would rather get a hundred shots than watch them go through it. I hold them and tell them don't look. Then give candy afterwards. 🍬 seriously it's traumatic watching your child suffer. I have to hold them so they don't move, but not so tight that their muscles are tense making it worse.

There's a story about how a dad held his kid for their shot and then saw himself in the mirror. There was this moment of realization that sometimes as parents we make decisions that hurt in the present, but help in the future. But all our kid sees is us holding them down and feeling pain. We can explain it to them, but the reality is no child or person cares why they are going through the pain. They only care about the moment.

Do they make their own tube feed with a blender from whole foods or buy the commercial feed?