Needle Fear

[FrankMountain]

Hi, this morning I went to the hospital for the rabies vaccine, I was sitting on the chair waiting for the nurse to give me 2 dose shot, then I noticed there was a container on the floor with used needles in it, and at the last dose, I saw the nurse accidentally slightly contact the container with some sound,  and I can't stop thinking what if the needles come out of the container and get in touch with me, if there a risk?

[FrankMountain]

Hi, sorry for me being paranoid, today I went to the hospital for the third shot of the vaccine, before injected, i saw the doctor opened a tiny glass bootle and draw some liquid and from it, when she threw away the bootle it was on the top of the asyringe, and she just leaned the asyring to make the glass bottle slip into the waste container, and now I became anxious because I'm afraid that the needle may contact with the waste, I didn't think too much then,  after she threw the liquid bootle, the doctor injected the liquid into vaccine bootle and mixed it and then draw it with the same asyring, at last I finished my vaccine with the same asyring, is it a risk? If you know understand my English please ask me, sincerely thank you

[AnxiousNoMore]

You have a fear of HIV, but that doesn't have to turn into the terrifying experience that each shot is giving you. Next time you have a shot tell THEM how frightened you are of HIV, so they can take a minute longer and show you every step they take administering the shot is free of HIV. It will only take an extra minute of their time to do this every time they give you a needle, so they should be happy to do it if you tell them how worried you get afterwards.

It doesn't make sense to keep coming back here every time to ask us if the people who give needles all day know how to do their job.

[AnxiousNoMore]

I see you are finished with this vaccine, but you can still use my last advice next time you get a needle. Just to be clear, I should have mentioned above to tell them how frightened you are of HIV before they give you the shot so they can show you each thing they do is safe.

They give 100 needles a day so know how to do it safely every time, so try to accept this and relax now that you are done with this vaccine.

[FrankMountain]

Thank you! It's so nice of you, I'm trying to relax as much as I can, thank you for your kindness

[Sara_MHModerator]

This is not a risk for HIV.  We wish you the best.

[FrankMountain]

Thank you a lot, sometimes I can't help thinking of the situation repeatedly and get really upset

[AnxiousNoMore]

Consider therapy because if it works they can give you some methods to get rid of this problem.

[Chima7]

Needles don't just jump out of containers and stick people. It is not normal at all to think that could happen. Furthermore, it doesn't matter if the nurse touched the container, because HIV does not survive outside the body and is unable to live on surfaces.

Nothing you've described is any risk for HIV and you have zero to be concerned about. There are no further details that you can add that would make this a risk.

[FrankMountain]

Thank you for answering my worry, I’m sorry to bother you again, it was like that the nurse’s foot accidentally touched the container so I’m worried about that, am I being paranoid or irrational...

[Chima7]

Please read the last sentence of my first reply, as I've addressed your question fully.

[FrankMountain]

Please help