Xanax before blood test

[MelissaBarrows]

Hey all,

I was wondering if you all have heard of anyone taking a sedative such as Xanax before a blood test? If I get an X visa, I would have to get a blood test, and I am deathly terrified of needles. Does anyone know a hospital or pharmacy in Beijing where I could get Xanax, so I can complete my blood test. Also, if I get my blood test here, since I will be applying for an F visa, could I change it to an X visa once I get to Beijing and use my blood test results I got from the hospital here in the US? I know this question is long. Sorry! Any advice would be much appreciated.

[rezaf]

acupuncture works as good as a sedative.

[yonglin]

rezaf, do you really think that would be appropriate for the OP if she is "deathly terrified of needles"?

To the OP: I really do not know. You should wait for someone else's reply. Rest assured, however, that blood tests are usually made using very, very tiny needles (nowhere close to those used for drips or when you give blood).

[rezaf]

I remember when I tested my blood in Shanghai, the nurse couldn't find the vessel and mercilessly hurt me. There was blood every where:lol:

[trevelyan]

Why not just get a 6-month F visa and renew in country? No blood test required.

An X visa is a huge pain for a number of reasons -- it's also near-impossible to convert to anything else without leaving the country. Conversely, you can go from an F-visa to a Z-visa or L-visa without that much hassle.

[imron]

6 month F-visas are currently quite difficult to get.

[Rincewind]

There is nothing to be scared of with a blood test. You will barely feel the needle more than a small nip. Now that you have to have these tests, it may be the impetus you need to overcome your phobia. Doing so will make your life easier as there are so many occasions in life when you might need an injection.

could I change it to an X visa once I get to Beijing and use my blood test results I got from the hospital here in the US?

I've read people reporting both ways. My personal experience was of doing the whole medical all over again once I got to china. Not that my UK doctor actually did the medical properly in the first place, rather he just filled in the form with "not indicated" everywhere and signed the bottom.

Aside form the blood test, you should get your vaccinations topped up before you come. This usually takes the form of two small injections, one in each arm. If your going to take a sedative, you might as well get all the jags done at the same time.

[xuechengfeng]

rezaf is crackin' me up!

I used to be pretty afraid of needles too, but the way you grow as a human being is by stepping outside of your comfort zone and doing what you're not comfortable doing. Once it's done, you'll feel silly for being afraid in the first place. Also, I'm not sure what the test is for, but even if it's just a Xanax, I wouldn't really recommend taking medication before a blood test.

[yonglin]

Something that just came to mind: there are anaesthetic patches (like a band-aid but containing a local anaesthetic cream) that you can put on the skin some time before you're supposed to have an injection/blood test. They work very topically and surely wouldn't screw up your blood test (they're made for blood-test taking purposes!). The effect is generally very good: you usually cannot even feel that someone puts a needle in your arm. These patches are sold under a variety of names and formulations in different countries. The one I used (in Sweden) is called "Emla" and "Synera" in the US seems to have about the same uses/effects.

I've no idea if these are available in China, but you could probably go and see your GP at home and have a couple prescribed if you explain the situation. Although it may be a good idea to learn tolerating needles in the long run, I would think that using these would be alright in the short-term. In particular, I would think it's preferable to taking some general-effect benzodiazepine (I personally would be dead scared of taking those!). This kind of patches are very safe and are used extensively, especially on children.

Edit: Realized that I almost sound like a salesperson... not my intention at all. I'm not affiliated with any pharmaceutical company, if that's what you thought.

[MelissaBarrows]

Thank you all so much for all of your replies. Rincewood, you are right. This is the impetus I need to get over my phobia. I am actually getting phobia therapy at my university since the psychology department provides it for free. Don't laugh lol. I know it sounds childish to be this afraid, but unfortunately it's true.

Trevelyan, What is the price differential between and F and an X visa? Also, how many times could I renew the F visa before they make me get an X visa. I plan on staying in China until I become fluent in Mandarin which could take at least two years I'm sure.

Thank you all once again for your time.

[rezaf]

I know it sounds childish to be this afraid, but unfortunately it's true.

I know about phobias. They are all interesting. Mine is apple-phobia:mrgreen: . Just one bite in front of me and I cry to death.