paranoia - blood draw!!!

[gaile169]

Hi,

I know there are lots of people on here paranoid about blood draws but if somebody who is experienced at drawing blood could just answer a couple of questions for me I would be most grateful.

I have been very sick recently and went to the doctors where I was diagnosed with pneumonia.  To diagnose this I had to have a chest x ray, CT scan and a blood test.  For the blood test they had to draw blood for several different reasons... one was to do a blood culture.  For this reason the nurse said that had to use the old fashioned syringe and needle.  The blood drawing room was very busy lots of people waiting to have blood taken and so I believe teh nurse who was helping the phlebotomist was preparing the tubes with labels, cotton pads, band aids and needles all in a tray.

When the phlebotomist got to me I saw that the syringe and needle had already been opened and this made me a bit nervous so I said I wanted a new needle.  She didn't really understand why (i live in the middle east and the phelbotomist  was from the phillipines).  Anyway she still got a new needle from a sealed packet and I saw her remove the 'old' needle and replace it with the new one.

My questions are:

1. If there was blood in the syringe would this be of any risk?

2. When drawing blood is there any reason why a nurse would pull back on the plunger and then push it back down again - which I am assuming would force blood into the needle?  I guess here my concern is that even though the needle was new if she pushed on the plunger and blood went into the new needle?

3. Is there anyway that during a blood draw, excess blood (if the syringe was reused) could get into the new needle and then into my vein?

I know this all sounds very paranoid and I understand that it is probably one of those frustrating questions that is more based on what ifs than on reality but if somebody could explain the blood draw procedure with the old school syringe and needle and if blood could from syringe, into new needle, into my arm I would be most appreciative.

regards
GE

[Teak]

Move along you do not have an HIV concern.

[gaile169]

Is there somebody in the OCD forum who can answer my 3 questions?  Its all I want.

[Teak]

Post in the OCD forum.

[gaile169]

I understand that the probability of this being an HIV concern is virtualy nil.  As this is an anxiety of mine when it comes to blood draws if my questions could be answered then you have no idea how grateful I would be.

I do not normally post of this forum as I want to tackle my issue myself but this doubt (my questions) are hindering my progress.

Please can you help?  Thats all I am asking for.

[Teak]

Move along, you were advised you never had an exposure.

[gaile169]

Please could somebody answer my questions, I understand that this is irrational but if I know from somebody experienced in taking blood using  syringe and needle NOT vacutainer then I can forget this whole thing.

[gaile169]

Thank you again for your response, it actually wouldn't do that though it would stop me thinking about them altogether and give me some peace of mind.

[joggen]

Answering your questions will only give a false sense of credibility to your irrational fears and further fuel your anxiety.

[gaile169]

Thank you very much for your response, I really to appreciate it and understand where you are coming from.  I actually take prozac and also see a psychologist and believe me I am a million times better with my anxiety than I was 12 months ago.  A trigger for me though is hospitals and particulalry blood drawing.  

If somebody could just answer my questions I would be most appreciatie and It would stop me entering into a rumiination phase.

Thanks again Joggen I totally understand you very rational response.

[joggen]

I only read the title- No risk, seek professional mental help. Nobody in the world has ever been infected through a blood draw.