>Carolyn,
>
>I hope you actually see this..... when I was a kid, I would
>faint in the waiting room of the doctor's office! Shots,
>blood tests, awful, awful! I always had to tell them I
>needed to lay down for a blood test. I have never donated
>blood because it is way too scary for me (and I'm really
>bothered that I can't do that because I know they need it).
>Well, fast forward to my 20's or so.... I found out I have
>hypothyroidism, and I had to go in for blood tests all the
>time to make sure my thyroid dose is ok. That cured me (for
>the blood test part -- I'm still working on donating). I am
>able to sit in a chair now and let them take my blood and I
>don't faint. I taught myself to take my mind somewhere else
>-- usually it was somewhere on a beach. I really had to
>concentrate though. I recently had to take my 9 year old
>son in for a blood test and I was really afraid I might faint
>for that! I used my old trick of going somewhere else and I
>was fine (and he was too!). Good luck.... I know
>scheduling regular blood tests to cure your phobia isn't
>realistic, but, next time you do have to go in, try really
>hard to take your mind somewhere far away and very pleasant.
>
>-Beth
Beth - I'm so glad I'm not alone!
Do you think the hypothyroidism was a contributor to the passing out? I guess not if you continued after you were diagnosed and treated. I think you're absolutely right though - I need to learn to put my mind somewhere else. The other day I tried to focus on my breathing and that seemed to help. I'm sure I tend to take shallow breaths when I'm anxious which doesn't help the situation. Anyway, it sounds like you've figured out how to conquer it, which is NOT an easy thing to do. I'm hoping I'm on my way there too!
Carolyn