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js_langy

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Everything posted by js_langy

  1. Thank you everyone for the info and support! I think you are right, and I'd imagine that my blood pressure and pulse would also be really abnormal, not to mention other stress hormones. I think based on this and what other folks have said, it probably isn't worth it at this point since that is so much of what they're testing for. If, as he said, it is just "preferable" and he can get enough of a picture without the blood draws, then I can start there. And maybe if that is needed at a later date I can work harder to desensitize myself over time to be able to tolerate another round with IV or whatever they need to do. He is moving very fast and gave me the blood work papers yesterday and I am already scheduled for my 3 hour testing for Monday morning, so not a lot of time to work on the needle stuff. Luckily my symptoms are generally quite manageable so I'm in no rush to get all the answers. What other sorts of things do they do during the testing? I am so interested. What info does this all give? I love the idea of an IV early on and time to adjust, but sadly IVs are even worse for me. When I woke up from my surgery and felt that there was an IV in my hand, apparently I made them take it out immediately even in my heavily sedated state, haha. Maybe worth a shot some other time less high stakes. I should make friends with a phlebotomist and just practice a bunch of times 😂 Thank you all!
  2. Hm that's an interesting idea. I hadn't thought of it in those terms before, but it's definitely having something in my skin that bothers me, not just the breaking of the skin. That "type" of breaking skin is also something that bothers me. Who knows. Partially lack of control I am sure. Things where they aren't supposed to be. Thank you for the suggestion! If it were pain/that moment only, that would be a great solution.
  3. Hi all, First post here, so please feel free to redirect me to a different forum if this is not an okay question or the wrong place to ask. I was diagnosed with POTS by a cardiologist a few years back, from a symptom history and a pulse and BP check when standing/lying down/walking. I saw a neurologist today to do more thorough autonomic testing/tilt table/etc just to get a better picture of what's happening. He has ordered a lot of blood work to rule out other issues, and also said there will be some blood tests during my testing to check for differences in levels (I think he said norepinephrine?) throughout the testing. On a health, and also nerdy intellectual level, I am super interested in this! and know that it's important. However, I am paralyzed by a needle phobia and often avoid medical treatment and testing because of it. I have severe panic and often I have such an intense and involuntary physical reaction that it sometimes becomes impossible for the phlebotomist to successfully draw blood (veins shrink even when super hydrated, BP plummets, near fainting, body panic overdrive, etc). To illustrate, I have had two surgeries, each time just for IVs, they needed to give me liquid anti-anxiety medications (which just made me panic in slow-mo) and then put me completely out with gas first because it was such a problem. A phlebotomist once cried of happiness when I finally was able to get a blood test done after trying so hard with her a few times a week for nearly a month. I have tried exposure therapy, CBT, hypnosis. You name it. Xanax and adequate hydration usually gets the job done. They are my greatest source of anxiety, and I go far out of my way to avoid them. The doctor and I discussed the phobia and he took it seriously, and said it would be fine for me to take an anti-anxiety medication for the general blood tests - it wouldn't affect the findings. He said not doing the blood test during the office testing would be fine, but not preferable, and if needed, a small dose of xanax might be okay. My anxiety levels are so profound that I'd assume even the idea of a needle that day would probably affect the findings as my body truly wreaks havoc on me in those moments, even with xanax. I will be doing the prior blood tests to rule out other issues, but, in people's experience, is that information important enough for me to find a way to manage to do this in office blood testing? Is it worth doing it without the blood tests and then, if needed, go back a second time to redo it? I am more motivated than ever and want to find a way through, but I don't want to torture myself just to get a test with questionable validity. Does anyone else struggle with this phobia and have ideas of things that have helped them get through this? Thank you!
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