Nearly out of options medical phobia

[Mike118]

I'm new to this so my situation is that I've tried private counselling, NHS counselling, hypnotherapy and nothing has worked for me. I think my first recollection is being held down and anaesthetised when I broke my arm at the age of 5. I then had a series of other unfortunate medical events like attempted teeth extraction without being properly anaesthetised. Diasasterous blood doning session where they couldn't find a vein so several reinsertions flicking the needle etc giving me a tingling arm for several months. Being restrained for blood tests because I started to be resistive. Most recently I needed an operation after 2 failed attempts including dosing myself up with large quantities of diazepam. I was given a huge premed topped up with oramorph which had little effect. It took 4 adults to restrain me as I was anaethatised. This really traumatised me, I have managed 3 COVID jabs but now that's it. I cannot take anymore needles and any suggestion of say a blood test I just refuse. I haven't had a blood test for 3 years now and my GP wants me to have one I just can't allow it. So I don't faint I basically tense up thrash about and am basically terrified. The same is true of any medical procedure. Even a blood pressure check is pointless because I tense up and my pressure is then very high if they manage to get a reading. So I don't know what to do as it seems there are plenty of people who will take your money but don't help you and sometimes make it a worse. So I kind of feel I'm out of options, I now try to self medicate as I can obtain most things which I realise is potentially dangerous but doing nothing is also potentially dangerous. I'm not wanting sympathy or anything like that.
I would welcome some advice as to what I can do because I feel I don't have many options realistically open to me. Fortunately I am reasonably healthy I think!

 

[Admin]

Hi Mike,

So sorry to hear about your troubles. I am not sure but have your tried CBT? Was that part of your counselling?

 

[Mike118]

Hi Mike,

So sorry to hear about your troubles. I am not sure but have your tried CBT? Was that part of your counselling?

Thanks for getting back to me I believe it was but by a geography graduate working for the NHS! Unfortunately it was a total disaster and as a friend of mine said it was quite shocking to see the effect the counseling was having on me.
The problem is that as I understand things I have a resistive medical phobia which gets worse every time I have a medical event as it were. The experience ends up being unpleasant and so this phobia gets reinforced, thus I'm now just about out of options. I don't really trust the medical profession as a result of my unfortunate incidents with them. Hence me trying to find some help anywhere.

 

[Admin]

From what I read, and the bits I have learned, you need to unpick why this phobia started, how it started and work from there. We all have "irrational" fears about something - I was frightened of touching bleach for many many years but overcame that. I am not suggesting that your issues are as trivial as that but you get the idea. Don't give up.

 

[Anxietysufferer]

@Mike118

Have you tried desensitization?

Gradually expose yourself to the actual experience of receiving injections. Start with small, less painful injections such as intradermal injections or vaccinations. With time and repeated exposure, your fear may decrease as you realize that the discomfort is temporary and manageable.

@Admin Do you have any experts on here?