My Traumatizing Blood Test Experience!

          Hey guys! So, 2 days ago, I had my first blood test done at a pharmacy near my house. I was afraid of the pain but my biggest concern was that the doctor wouldn't be able to find a good spot to draw blood and has to insert the needle into multiple places! I tried to keep my mind as positive as possible and hoping that everything is gonna be alright. I had to fast for at least 11 hours before the blood test to make sure my sugar levels aren't disrupted but I was only allowed to drink water. I went to bed early to avoid starvation. The next morning, I was advised to take a bath to help with my blood flow and off I went to the pharmacy.
     
       As I arrived, there were quite a lot of people waiting to get a blood test too. There was a woman before me who had been poked several times at different areas as the doctor couldn't draw blood. I felt soooo bad for her. Finally, it was my turn. The doctor decided to draw blood from my left hand, at inside part of my elbow and he tied a strap around my arm. He then took out the injection and I have to admit, the needle was quite big compared to the other shots I've had before. He then swiped that area with alcohol and he inserted the needle. It was quite painful, more painful than a normal shot. He tried to draw blood and nothing came out! That was when I started freaking out. He twisted and moved the needle inside my skin and it freaking hurt. After 10 minute of twisting and moving, still no blood! I then started feeling dizzy and the doctor noticed that my face started getting pale. I was sweating and I felt cold. I almost had a blackout! The doctor pulled out the needle and let me take a rest. I literally felt like giving up! I drank some water and he tried again, this time, at a different spot. He did the same process on my right elbow. This time, still no blood and again, he started moving the needle inside my skin. it hurts just as much as the first attempt. After 5 minutes, he tried a different spot. I seriously felt sorry for myself. The third attempt was also done on my right elbow, but a different spot. FINALLY! There was blood! I felt soo relieved and happy. It took only a minute to draw out the amount of blood needed. The doctor asked me to breathe in as he pulled the needle out and it was all over. There was some bruising afterwards and the spot where he inserted the needle the second time was swollen and it hurts whenever I bend my elbow but the pain went away in 2 days.

        For those of you who are afraid of the pain, if your doctor is able to find the right spot, it would only hurt when he inserts the needle and it wouldn't hurt at all when he is drawing your blood. It would also hurt a little when the needle in pulled out. In my case, I did felt pain the entire time because my doctor had to move the needle inside my skin to find blood but when there was blood during the third attempt, he kept the needle still and it didn't hurt anymore. So that was my blood test experience. It definitely did not go smoothly for me but it did for the other patients there. I guess it wasn't my lucky day. Hopefully it would be okay for me next year.