Anyone have a severe medical phobia?

[Antonia]

My DH has some sort of phobia to anything medical related - I guess it is the white coat syndrome, but a severe case. When he goes to the doctor his blood pressure rises dramatically - I mean like 170/120. At home I have checked it (I'm an RN) and it is around 110/60. He nearly passes out at the doctor's office and has to lay on the table rather than sitting up to talk to the doctor to prevent fainting. He did faint when he had a scan for his gallbladder. And nearly fainted at the surgeon's office. To have blood drawn as an outpatient, he had to lay down rather than sitting in the chair in the lab. He has always been on the squeamish side, but now that he is in his 40's and actually needs to see a doctor occasionally this has become severe.
I've been a nurse 23 years and really have never seen anything this bad, although I know that it happens. Anyone with any experience with anything like this and how can I get him over it? I've even thought about having him hypnotized. Seriously.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

I'm terrified that every little weird thing I get is cancer. I'm terrified of any kind of tests, for sure that the results will confirm my fears. It's a horrible phobia to have.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Needles. Don't like them. Pass out from them if I don't take necessary precautions. For my surgery in October--it required talking about a picture on the wall, while fanning myself with a magazine and clenching my entire body to the bedrail to get the arm as isolated as possible (and still as possible) so the nurse could do the IV.

At least I'm nice--I warn them, and they are nice and do not talk about the procedure at all and remind me to keep the arm still so that I don't suddenly move it in my antics.

So far so good but hate it and try to avoid it at all costs.

ETA: Antonia--I guess I am like your husband. Any medical procedure involving a needle, I must be lying down flat (or as reclined as permitted for the procedure). Additionally--I cannot get up right away. For innoculations and blood draws, I have to wait about 10-15 minutes. If I get up right away, I will flop on the ground passed out.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My dd does. Anytime she has to have a procedure she will pass out or have a seizure-type passing out.

We have been to a neurologist & she has had an MRI. I forget who the neurologist called it...However he did recommend getting a FULL cardio workup since it is related to blood pressure and your heart.


She does have a murmur and has been seen by a cardiologist (has had an ECHO and EKG, XRAY) when she was little, around 2, I think.
I keep debating if it is necessary to do it again, to be on the safe side.

 

[Antonia]

Well, I'm not glad that some of you have experienced this, but it does make me feel better to hear about it. I have to do all that fanning to DH, too, and put a cold cloth on his head. People are always nice to us. I warn them and so does he and they always let me fan him, etc. But it is horrible for him to experience and I know we look like idiots. But what else are we to do?

 

[liamsaunt]

I suffer from white coat syndrome. At the doctors last week my initial BP reading was 140/92. At the end of the visit when they took it again, it was 110/70. I hate my doctor to touch me and I shake when they put the scope in my ears or have me open my mouth. I also can't look if they have to give me a shot or draw blood. It happens at the dentist too! I really don't know why--I don't have any major medical issues, I have never been hospitalized, no surgeries, etc. I just deal with it, and let the doctor know about my quirk when I come in for appointments. I got the impression from them that they deal with people like me all the time!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Well, I'm not glad that some of you have experienced this, but it does make me feel better to hear about it. I have to do all that fanning to DH, too, and put a cold cloth on his head. People are always nice to us. I warn them and so does he and they always let me fan him, etc. But it is horrible for him to experience and I know we look like idiots. But what else are we to do?

Wait until they find out that I have watched succesfully open heart surgeries and traumas on those medical documentary shows without batting an eye.

Yet when I think my skin can be penetrated with a needle I just get all...

 

[Antonia]

DH can kill a deer and skin it and it doesn't bother him. He just cannot have anything done to him. The last year had been really bad with this sort of thing. The surgeon who took his gallbladder out said that it is really not something he can control and for him to try not to worry about it. That it is just his body's response and that it is not voluntary. Still, DH dreads the thought of passing out and humiliating himself. I wish there was some way to get him over this.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

There really isn't. I've passed out twice and after the 2nd time the doctors told me to do from then on forward. Passing out is always a possibility and I am noticing it is taking more for me to cope with the procedure.

 

[Sparx]

I've got no problems with doctors, needles, surgery or anything like that. I am scared of every time I get sick of it being something they don't know how to cure yet.

 

[Galahad]

I'm afraid of my wife. Does that count?