I'm due for a doctor's appointment but they're gonna want to do blood work and I have a phlebotomy phobia (hexbear.net)

submitted 8 months ago by BigHaas@hexbear.net to c/chapotraphouse@hexbear.net

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I think it's an actual phobia, my earliest memory is being held down by some doctors as they drew my blood. I'm not sure what to do about it:

Continue ignoring doctors
Simply accept the panic attack and get a blood test
Try to get prescribed a single benzo or attempt to self medicate with phenibut before the test
Go to actual therapy and successfuly eliminate the phobia (is this even possible?)

Yeah after typing this out the choice is clear. I will go with number 1.

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[-] EmmaGoldman@hexbear.net 6 points 8 months ago

In my experience, neither number 3 nor 4 are possible. You cannot reduce or eliminate this phobia, and they will never ever give you medication to make this less of a nightmare because it doesn't really work and it can make it more challenging to actually get the blood draw. Same problem with self-medicating.

Your best bet is to try and find an excuse for a procedure where you're under general anaesthesia and have the draw done while you're under. This is the literal only way I've ever been able to get a draw done.

[-] BigHaas@hexbear.net 5 points 8 months ago

It's ridiculous only dentists and maternity wards have nitrous available

[-] Fascism_Chewer@lemmygrad.ml 4 points 8 months ago

Depending on your PCP, they may be able to prescribe you benzos for your panic attacks. If they're cool and you tell them that you have them semi-regularly (you don't need to say that you have an exact cause) and that they are impacting your life in some way (school, work, etc.), then they should be comfortable with the prescription.