What is it with Me and Blood Anyway?

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Danoff

Danoff

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Ok, a little background info here. This is a full background on my history of issues with blood, since it's relevant to my story about today's adventure. I've cut myself and bled many times besides what's mentioned here, but this is all I know about my presumably psychological issues with blood.

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~12 years old
Slice finger right down the center to maybe a half or quarter inch from the tip. Basically the fingernail was split in two and a decent amount of blood was involved. Afraid that my parents would stop letting me use the hatchet, I hid in the bathroom to try to bandage it myself. I woke up on the floor of the bathroom having passed out and hit my head on the lip of the bathtub. I didn't totally know what happened, but I realized that I had fainted (didn't know why). I recovered and went on with life. That's the earliest memory of my issues with blood.

~15-16 years old
Needed to get blood taken to fill up the little medical viles on a bi-monthly basis. I never got used to it and ended up having to keep a trashcan handy for fear of vomiting. I usually would have a nauseous reaction to the process. I made sure not to look at it and to try not to think about it. I did this for a year or so.

~17 years old
Pretty serious injury to the back of my head. Needed stitches. I had blood all over my shirt and hands, my hair was soaked with it. I never had any problems with the blood. I guess I was mostly in shock, but I only mention it because I figured after that there was no way I'd have more problems being around blood. Afterall, that was pretty serious.

~18-19 years old
Had wisdom teeth out while awake (though numbed). The teeth were extracted via the "pliers" technique and I was fully aware of the torques and yanking that was occurring because I had to compensate with my neck to keep my head in place. After the procedure I sat up, went white, passed out on the dentist chair and woke up a second later to the sound of nurses running in to get me oxygen.

Current - 27 years old
I hadn't had my blood taken in a long time, and I wasn't looking forward to it. I figured the worst that would happen is what happened 10 years ago. I'd get nauseous, but I'd just try not to focus on it. Afterall, it was just a little medical vile.

Well I didn't focus on it, I didn't watch as the nurse drew my blood this morning. Afterward I started to get nauseous. I figured it would pass in a minute. But it didn't. I started to feel dizzy and announced that I needed to lie down. I went over to a couch and lay down in time to watch the tunnel vision close in. When I woke up I was spitting up a minor amount of vomit. Within seconds of waking up I was perfectly fine - walking, no nausea, no dizziness.

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Each time I pass out I only stay out for a few seconds. I know this because I know where people were and what they were doing before I was out, and based on how far they were able to get in that amount of time I can tell that it wasn't long. Each time I wake up I'm pretty much completely fine. Everything is normal, no more symptoms. What bothers me is that I just today had the most serious reaction to blood that I've ever had, and it was something that I didn't even look at, that only took maybe 30 seconds.

The other thing that perplexes me is that I've seen much more blood than I did today, even coming from myself, and not had a problem. I also don't have a problem with shots or any other sort of needle.

Basically I don't get it. I'm sure it's psychological but I can't think of an incident that caused it to start in the first place. Anyone know how I can stop this? It's fairly annoying.
 
UnoMOTO
What happens when you're looking at someone else’s blood?
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First of all, fake blood doesn't bother me in the slightest (gory movies, etc.). I guess I haven't seen that much of other people's blood in person, but it's never bothered me in the way I described above. I don't really consciously avoid looking at it. The only real negative reactions I've had have been about my own blood.

I do know that I can't stomach watching real surgery, even on television. But I basically just avoid that stuff. I think that's fairly normal though.
 
So, if I’m understanding correctly: You’re not necessarily grossed out by your own blood, but for some reason you vomit or temporarily pass out from seeing it or experiencing a (relatively minor) loss of it? That is, a loss of blood that should not cause fainting?
 
Sage
So, if I’m understanding correctly: You’re not necessarily grossed out by your own blood, but for some reason you temporarily vomit or pass out from seeing it or experiencing a (relatively minor) loss of it? That is, a loss of blood that should not cause fainting?
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Yup. That appears to be the case. With the one outlier of major head trauma which I suppose I can write off to shock.
 
I haven't really had the same sort of thing you have had, I have fainted maybe 3 times and each time felt fine afterwords, it wasn't a reaction to seeing my blood or any blood at all, just doing normal things and would get light headed etc... then pass out. I am sure in your case it is just some sort of psychological thing but you might want to go see some sort of specialist to check it out.

What a cardiologist diagnosed with me is having vaso-vagal syncope, which is basically when I am standing (but sometimes sitting), my heart rate rises then my blood pressure goes down and I lose consciousness. Basically what I have is kinda common.

I am not sure about the blood thing but I assume that it is something physchological but if you want to keep yourself from fainting, like you feel as if you are going to faint very soon, put you head between you legs. Doing this will get more blood flow to your head and keep you from fainting.

I think most of what I said is right but I could be wrong.
 
Formula1Driver
Doing this will get more blood flow to your head and keep you from fainting.
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Good to know. Thought it also seems like it's possible it'll just cause me to do a header right out of my chair. I wonder about what you said though. It's possible that my heart rate does something funny when this is happening that causes the blood to drain from my head. But it would have to be something that I couldn't normally experience, because it only happens when I'm dealing with blood, and hadn't happened in ~10 years. Also, I'm not sure the heart rate would cause the nausea.
 
It's quite common for people to feel light headed when donating blood. It really might not be all in your head. Usually a nice cup of juice gets things back in focus rather quickly. Maybe you physically just can’t tolerate the typical amount of blood loss.
 
:) well hopefully you don't fall out of your chair. Your situation is like alot of others, I know some other people who don't like the sight of blood and get queezy and/or faint when they see it but I am not sure what they do when this happens to them. My regular family doctor recommended I go see a local cardiologist with my fainting thing and that's when he explained what happens in fainting situations but yours is different.

He wasn't too worried about me and just told me what I can do if I get the feeling like I am going to faint (if anyone else has fainted before they know what I mean!). So you can always do that next time but if you are really worrried about it you could ask your doctor, but as you said it hasn't happened in 10 years.
 
Danoff
Yup. That appears to be the case. With the one outlier of major head trauma which I suppose I can write off to shock.
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Have you read this?: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasovagal_syncope

Basically, it seems like your fainting is not caused by the actual physical loss of blood, but rather anxiety from the loss. This jives with your 17 yo story, because if you were in shock you probably didn’t have any stress associated with the injury.
 
Sage
Basically, it seems like your fainting is not caused by the actual physical loss of blood, but rather anxiety from the loss. This jives with your 17 yo story, because if you were in shock you probably didn’t have any stress associated with the injury.
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Seems plausible. The description fits me pretty well.

But that wikipedia entry basically just says to avoid doing whatever it is that makes you pass out. Duh!! Very helpful. I doubt I'll be able to get through life without having to fill up quite a few more vials for medical testing. It's also peculiar because I don't remember having much anxiety when this first occurred. And I definitely didn't have any reason to fear it when I started getting blood drawn regularly when I was 15-16.
 
Just donate blood till you become de-senseitised to it. One you've seen someone jiggle your blood around in a plastic bag a few times it become less of an issue.

And I say this after having only donated three times.
 
I don't have an issue with seeing blood, or necessarily seeing it come out of me at a reasonable rate....:sly: but seeing it come out of my finger rapidly after accidentally cutting it with a huge pen knife... then I have a problem!:sick:

I remember going white in the bathroom mirror being sick then breifly fainting, should have NOT run it under the tap!..... I had to go to A&E....

I think its just something you are used to or not used to... and I don't really believe you can change your perception of it overnight...

Robin
 
I have never had an issue with blood. I usually wear white t-shirts so usually when I see blood I think: 'I hope I don't get any of that on my shirt.' Blood stains are unbelievable on white shirts...:scared:

Like mentioned above your most likely having psychological issues.
 
What about seeing a professional hypnotist? I've "heard' cases of where they seem to help in psychological cases. Whether or not, they're completely true, I don't know. Something to consider I guess.
 
i dunno i have a similar reaction except I get extreamly hyperactive and nervous just before the nurse stabs my arm but i'm fine afterwards. i usually just wish that she would get it over with and have everything ready...
 
Nothing out of the ordinary, I have an issue with much of the same stuff. I crashed on a bicycle once, tore up my leg pretty bad, laid passed-out in a neighbor's driveway for a few minutes. Not too long ago, I had a nasty ingrown hair on my shoulder (ewww, I know) and after picking it, it bled really bad and I nearly passed out in the bathroom in front of my mother...

Its something that my Father and even my Grandfather have an issue with. Not just with our own blood, but with others too...

I was at the hospital a few years ago and my Dad passed out as they were giving me an IV, which bled a bit, because they couldn't get the vein quite right. Grandpa has done the same with my Grandmother, who has very brittle skin and gets some nasty cuts/bruises quite frequently.

I'm not sure what freaks me out about it, but I get very light-headed and often need to sit down for a bit. When they drew blood for me during my surgery, I did much the same. I just don't like it.
 
I clicked this thread thinking it was about a hemorrhaging problem. There goes my "Wow, Danoff, your blood loves freedom as much as you do." quip.

Anyway, have you always looked away from or avoided watching your blood being drawn? Maybe next time you should see what happens when you concentrate on the blood as it's being drawn.

Also, do you have low blood pressure? I don't know how plausible this is, but your blood pressure might be dropping too low when you bleed like that.
 
What? I'm not allowed to live at home?

lol...

No, it was bleeding and she was trying to help me get it patched up. She knows I've got issues with it, so do people at work, and some of my classmates at Aquinas as well...
 
Omnis
Also, do you have low blood pressure? I don't know how plausible this is, but your blood pressure might be dropping too low when you bleed like that.
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The nurse did take my blood pressure before drawing blood, and she noted that it was low but within normal limits. I imagine it dropped after the blood drawing started. In fact, I wonder if it wasn't low because of the fact that I was anticipating the blood sample to come.

But still, enough blood to fill up two vials just doesn't seem like it should cause any sort of change in my blood pressure based on mass alone.

Omnis
There goes my "Wow, Danoff, your blood loves freedom as much as you do." quip.
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Nice.
 
Danoff
But still, enough blood to fill up two vials just doesn't seem like it should cause any sort of change in my blood pressure based on mass alone.
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Definitely not as I have had up to four vials taken at once and even once had two large syringes taken by just pulling the plunger (a very unsettling feeling).


I think the anxiety issue may be part of it. Have you had your blood pressure taken when you weren't expecting to have blood drawn? Is it at normal levels other times?

Getting a base line may be your best way to test. If under normal conditions your blood pressure is normal then it is low every time you give blood then it may be the psychological thing. It is odd though as whenever I am anxious my blood pressure shoots up. But I know it can go down for some people.
 
Sureshot
Could this at all be related to blood sugar levels?
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Nope. Nor is related to the volume of blood being taken.

All Danoff is having is what's known as a vaso-vagal attack, or quite simply a faint. There are a billion reasons why people faint and Danoff has quite correctly identified that it's psychological.

If it truly is causing an issue, then hypnotherapy is certainly worth considering. Or alternatively, tell the nurse taking your blood that you will pass out and that you need to be laid down while she's doing it. Do you fainting thing and then go on your merry way. It all depends on how you want to deal with it.
 
Milford Cubicle
All Danoff is having is what's known as a vaso-vagal attack, or quite simply a faint. There are a billion reasons why people faint and Danoff has quite correctly identified that it's psychological.

If it truly is causing an issue, then hypnotherapy is certainly worth considering. Or alternatively, tell the nurse taking your blood that you will pass out and that you need to be laid down while she's doing it. Do you fainting thing and then go on your merry way. It all depends on how you want to deal with it.
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I suppose I should at this point, even though I've only passed out once (this most recent time) from having my blood taken by a nurse. As long as it's not dangerous I suppose I don't see a problem with just letting it go. It's not a fun experience, but it's not all that bad either. Especially since everything is returned to normal so quickly after the faint.

I wonder why that is really. If I'm having a psychological reaction to something (which seems pretty much guaranteed), why is that suddenly removed once I've passed out? Nothing in my situation changed the other day between before passing out and after - the blood was taken and the job was over. But I fainted anyway, and then suddenly all of the psychological reasons for fainting were gone once I woke up.

It's very confusing.
 
I imagine it is. But if we understood the human brain then well, um... (waits for Famine to come along and add relevant pearl of wisdom)
 
Milford Cubicle
I imagine it is. But if we understood the human brain then well, um... (waits for Famine to come along and add relevant pearl of wisdom)
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If the human brain was simple enough for us to understand, we'd be too simple to understand it.


Pearl, noun: Piece of rubbish covered with the secretions of a dying invertebrate.
 
Famine
If the human brain was simple enough for us to understand, we'd be too simple to understand it.
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That is seriously deeper than it should be. :lol:
 
Danoff
I wonder why that is really. If I'm having a psychological reaction to something (which seems pretty much guaranteed), why is that suddenly removed once I've passed out? Nothing in my situation changed the other day between before passing out and after - the blood was taken and the job was over. But I fainted anyway, and then suddenly all of the psychological reasons for fainting were gone once I woke up.

It's very confusing.
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Best guess: the psychological reaction causes a physical reaction that triggers whatever it is that causes you to faint (blood pressure drop, crazy hormone fluctuation, whatever). When you faint your body and conscious mind shuts down (sleep mode?) and things return to normal. When you wake the blood drawing is past and you are no longer consciously anxious about it.

Like I said, best guess. But then I have never passed out or fainted without the aid of medicine.
 
Milford Cubicle
Nope. Nor is related to the volume of blood being taken.

All Danoff is having is what's known as a vaso-vagal attack, or quite simply a faint. There are a billion reasons why people faint and Danoff has quite correctly identified that it's psychological.

If it truly is causing an issue, then hypnotherapy is certainly worth considering. Or alternatively, tell the nurse taking your blood that you will pass out and that you need to be laid down while she's doing it. Do you fainting thing and then go on your merry way. It all depends on how you want to deal with it.
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Thanks MC Nurse.

FoolKiller
Definitely not as I have had up to four vials taken at once and even once had two large syringes taken by just pulling the plunger (a very unsettling feeling).
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My record is 8 vials.

Famine
If the human brain was simple enough for us to understand, we'd be too simple to understand it.
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:D
 

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