LIVING
Top tips and further info on needlephobia
bits of kit (see opposite and overleaf). With Abridged from Fright the Phobia from BD Diabetes (BD.com) written by
so many people now with diabetes, and Gary Scheiner
with modern treatment regimes reflecting
that multiple daily injections (MDi) give First of all, don’t give up. as a person
both better control and greater flexibility with diabetes your health and well-
with diet and exercise, it makes sense being depend on your ability to deal
both for doctors and medical supplies with sharp objects. try some of these
companies to reduce the fear and anxiety suggestions:
related to living with diabetes. * accept that fear of needles is
Having been in the diabetes arena a normal and commonplace. You are
long time, mainly producing needles and certainly not alone. Recognise that it’s
syringes, bD recently came out with a not ‘all in your head’.
4mm needle. After clinical trials, it was * Practice some sensible techniques
proven to be just as good at delivering to lessen symptoms and pain. this
insulin, and is so short and sharp injections can include using topical anaesthesia
ought to be pain-free virtually every time. at the needle site – from ice to
there are also items that prevent you anaesthetic creams.
seeing the needles -- from novo nordisk’s * avoid the sight of the needle
novopen Pen Mate, to Owen Mumford’s puncturing the skin. Consider using
autoJect and bD’s own inject-ease. special kit to help with this, or look at
beyond getting better kit, the best a jet injector or going onto an insulin
thing you could possibly do is to face pump.
up to the fact that you’ve got a phobia * Pinch the skin when injecting and
and start asking around until you can get use fine gauge and short needles. *
some help in trying to address it. Penetrate the skin quickly and with
it’s dreadful to point it out, but you’re minimal hesitation.
likely to be involved with injections for * ask your healthcare practitioner
a long time, so you’re going to have to about desensitization and/or Further reading
find a way to deal with it. Lastly, there are behavioural therapy, which may help www.psychtherapy.co.uk
many reasons to go on an insulin pump, you to ‘unlearn’ the nervous system www.needlephobia.com
but one of them is that there are far fewer response and extinguish irrational www.lifescan.co.uk
needles involved. see our article on page fears by using relaxation techniques www.jfponline.com
16 on the history of insulin pumps. n and pain relief practices.
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