Needles, Needles, Needles

Ever since I was little I have had an irrational fear of needles and blood. I know it is quite a normal phobia, but it really takes it's toll on my life. Even cutting my finger while preparing dinner will make me feel faint. But since I have been ill I have had a few blood tests, and they weren't pretty. 

The first bad experiance I had was when I was 16 and was having a blood test to see if I had diabetes. I felt fine going to the doctors, and then I sat down and when the nurse began taking my blood i started to feel dizzy, I thought it was the heat and so I didn't say anything, and the next thing i remember was waking up, laying on the bed with my mother rubbing my legs with tears in her eyes, to try and get blood circulation back into my body. My mother told me that i started to go limp, and she asked me if I was okay, and my eyes rolled into the back of my head. I tried to ask for help, but all that came out was a mumble, and then all of a sudden I went stiff and started to have a fit. This was the first time any of this has happened, and it scared me a lot and made me worried to ever have a blood test again. 

The next one wasn't a blood test, I was having a tattoo done, and once again i began to feel faint. The next thing I remember was hearing my husband and the tattoo artist calling my name. I opened my eyes and asked what happened. They told me that I rested my head on my huabnd while I was having the tattoo done. My husband thought I was making a joke, and looked at me and saw my eyes were rolling into the back of my head. I have a feeling this was more to do with the adrenaline than my fear. I had a mars bar, and i instantly felt much better. 

Also I went to hospital in June last year and had to have a few blood tests, i didn't faint, but I had to lay down as I started to feel faint. Since then I have learnt a little about how to deal with having blood tests, and here are some of the things i try and do. 

• Take deep breaths, make sure that you get as much air as you can into your lungs 
• Look away, I have found that not looking makes things a lot better, you don't want to look at blood coming out of your body
• Think happy thoughts, I know that sounds cheesy, but think of a happy memory, or a place that makes you happy, it will make things a lot better 
• Lay down if possible, I have found that this really helps. I don't feel as dizzy when i lay down. 

 If anyone has other ideas about how to help deal with blood tests please let me know. Thank You