Hepatitis

[.powerful]

I'm getting my hepatitis shot tomorrow, (i need to take two more down the road) I was supposed to get it a number of years ago but I was sick while it was scheduled and I haven't bothered to reschedule. All I can say Pet talk, is that I'm completely terrified. Shots have never, ever been my thing. I got my meningitis shot some years ago and I got very dizzy, sick to the stomach, and felt like I was about to pass out. It was absolutely the worst feeling you could imagin. Just looking at the needle makes me queasy. Please calm me down :p Has anyone else got a hep shot before? Is it a large needle? I'm so afraid :eek:

[rg_girlca]

I'm 53 years old and I still don't like needles. I used to get all sweaty and felt like my heart was going to beat right out of my chest.
All I do now, is just take a deep breath, sit down, close my eyes and picture my furkids in my head doing something silly. Believe me it helps. Well it does me anyway.

Maybe you can do something like that to take away the anxiety and from what my sons told me when they had to have their shots, it didn't hurt one bit.

Good luck my dear.

[caseysmom]

I just had a flu shot today....I just try to think of something else and usually by the time it starts to hurt its over with....

[Cincy'sMom]

I started my hepatitis series last year when I started my new job. I got the first two in the series, but a year later have not got the third (I really should look into that!) It really is not a bad shot. You'll be fine!! Just don't watch what they are doing, and if you can , talk to someone while they are getting ready, and you'll barely notice it!

[.powerful]

:o I'm soooo scared! I have such a weak stomach though, what if I throw up :eek: and I ment to ask, does your arm feel weird after?

[caseysmom]

I definetely agree that you should not watch....as far as your arm feeling funny after it depends on the shot, I don't believe the hepatitis b series will do this.

Its a little pinch and then its over....not to scare you but during your life you will have to have shots so its better to try not to get worked up over it, and definetely tell the nurse you are scared they can help you.

[Karen]

We've had them, it's an ordinary little needle, nothing big or scary. And the next day, my arm felt like somebody had hit me in the arm - just a little stiff/sore, but I had gotten three shots in one day in that arm, so that was nothing! :)

And it is far better to be safe than sorry, hepatitis is awful.

[Logan]

I was thinking like Karen. The alternative is much worse!

Suck it up and take the shot. My daughter had to do them a couple of years ago and she did fine with the series of 3. And she was just a young girl! I'm sure you will be fine.

This shot is no worse and any other you have had to have. I can't remember a single complaint from my daugher. Now I'm wondering why I didn't have to go back and have the same shots, though! LOL!!

Logan

[catnapper]

You'll be fine... I just had a ton of blood drawn today for blood tests --- a little bitty shot is nothig compared to a bunch of vials taken for tests! :D

[lizbud]

Whay would anyone need to get a hepatitis shot? Were you exposed to
anything that you could contract the disease from?

[Karen]

If you are going to be traveling in certain areas of the world, they recommend a Hepatitis vaccination.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

And it is far better to be safe than sorry, hepatitis is awful.
Trust me, this is so true! How do I know you ask? I had hepatitis - and not the kind you get from restaurants either - the kind you only get from blood or bodily fluids (don't ask :rolleyes: ). I was in the hospital for about a week and trust me, if you're afraid of a vaccine needle, you most certainly do not want to be in the hospital where needles are everywhere, including the nice big one in your arm! :eek:

I don't like needles anymore than anybody else, but if the sight of it makes you queasy, don't look at it. If you know the needle is near the nurse, don't look her way. Like others have said, think of something completely different and something that makes you happy. I just had blood taken this morning and ever since I had hepatitis (where they take blood all the time!) I've hated having blood taken. Today (for some odd reason), I realized it's only my mind that is making it so bad. The minor little prick was so insignficant I couldn't believe it and wondered aloud what my problem was. The nurse smiled and said she hears that a lot, but even though she knows it's no big deal, she doesn't like it either. ;) :)

[caseysmom]

Here in calif. all children have to have the hep b series to enter 7th grade, my kids had in when they were in grade school. I have a friend at work that has hep b chronically, he is on a liver transplant list. Most people get hep b get sick and then get better, 10 percent of people get it and it doesn't go away and it destroys the liver.

I got the shots just because I work with this person, I know its stupid and you can't get it from casual contact it just freaked me out.

[Samantha Puppy]

I too have an extreme phobia of needles - I've passed out because of them before. So when I became pregnant, I knew I was in for a rough 9 months. I've had to have blood drawn 3 times (never had had that done before) and now I'm faced with going into the hospital and getting an IV (also never had before) as well as an epidural, spinal or other local anesthetic. I'm not too thrilled with it all.

What I have done and will continue to do is to let the nurse/doctor know about my extreme phobia of needles. I also request a butterfly needle (the small kind they use on children) and that helps too. The last thing I do is completely on myself. I project. I will look at a clock and say "By this time next week/tomorrow, it'll be done and over with and just a memory." I do that with anything unpleasant, always have. It helps.

[caseysmom]

I went through 9 years of infertility testing...needles became a way of life, I think you really can get use to them.

[prechrswife]

My husband and I have recently had the first two hepatitis shots. As shots go, they really weren't bad at all. My husband didn't have any reaction at all. My arm was a little sore the first night, but it wasn't bad. As for why, we need them before traveling overseas. People in medical fields are required to have them for their jobs.

[Cincy'sMom]

Whay would anyone need to get a hepatitis shot? Were you exposed to
anything that you could contract the disease from?

The chemistry lab I work in occasionally will get medical devices that have been used. They are supposed to be sterilized prior to us receiving them, but in the off chance they are not...better safe then sorry!

[Lobodeb]

I agree with everyone else. Let them know you're afraid, then look away. It'll be in and out before you know it. I think the more you think and worry about it, the more anxiety you'll build up and you'll upset yourself more than if you were more calm.

Just think of how brave our fur babies are when they get theirs. If they can take it, so can you.

As far as the soreness goes, if you move your arm a lot after you receive the shot, it's supposed to minimize the soreness.

[.powerful]

I just got back! As i sat there waiting to get it done all I could think about was that I was going to be sick :o but thankfully, I didn't. I can't say it did not hurt, but it certainly wasn't as bad as expected. My arm still feels very weird, its feels kind of heavy and numb :confused:
I appreciate all of your replies.