I'm Terrified Of Needles. Here's How I Got Over The Fear And Started Weight Loss Injections

Weight has always been an issue for me. For a long time, I yo-yo-dieted my way through life. But after two kids and the start of perimenopause, the weight just wasn't coming off anymore. I was ready to turn over a new leaf, but deciding to start Ozempic^® would take a lot of guts. You see, there was one major problem: I have a fear of needles. 

I have a feeling a lot of other people thinking about taking GLP-1 medications feel the same. But I am here to say this: Don't let it stop you. I overcame my fear, and so can you.

I've always been a squeamish person. But my fear of needles really kicked in when I donated blood for the first time at age 19. My university held a blood drive, and my roommate and I signed up. We headed to the venue excited, ready to give back to our community. 

But when it was my turn to donate and I saw the needle coming at me, I broke out in a cold sweat. My vision turned dark around the edges. Sounds seemed muffled. Tears streamed down my face as I watched them poke around, looking for a vein. And when I say I watched, I mean I really watched. 

I saw the needle pierce my skin. I saw the blood start filling up the tube. I think I watched a little too closely because my panic slowly turned into nausea. I wanted that needle out! Blood draws take about 10 to 15 minutes, but mine seemed to last for hours. 

The whole experience left me with a deep-seated fear of needles. 

My fear of needles, or trypanophobia, remained steady from there on out. While others were in and out of clinics for flu shots, vaccinations, or blood draws, I would put it off for months. I would do anything to keep from getting pricked. 

Needless to say, starting Ozempic (which has the same active ingredient as Wegovy^® and compounded semaglutide) was a huge decision for me. But, ultimately, I had to weigh my needle phobia against my fear of continuing to live as I had been — in an unhealthy way. I wasn’t comfortable in my body. I couldn't do a lot of my favorite activities without feeling ill. I wanted to lose weight, feel better, and look better. So I thought, how hard could it be?  

The needle on the weight loss shots is small, very small, but it's still a needle. I spent an entire hour trying to administer my first shot. I figured it would be easier since it was self-inflicted, but I was wrong. The lead-up to that first shot was absolutely awful. 

Of course, once I finally injected the shot, I realized it didn't hurt at all. The needle was so thin I could barely feel it going in. I knew I had to hold the shot in until all the medicine was delivered. That was hard but only took a few seconds. I don’t mean to say it was easy. It took me at least the first three injections to get the hang of it.

While it definitely took some getting used to, I could do it. And now, on week eight, I can do it without fear because I know the results are well worth any anxiety I might be feeling. 

If you’re hesitant to start weight loss injections like Ozempic and Wegovy^® because of a fear of needles, remember that you can do whatever you put your mind to. And once you get past the first shot, things get a whole lot easier. Just remember, the lead-up is way worse than the shot itself. 

Up to 30 percent of people are afraid of needles, making it one of the most common phobias. But there are ways to cope. Here are a few things that helped me and a few that might help you. 

Breathing Exercises 

In the beginning, it helped me to do a few quick breathing exercises before taking my shot. You just ground yourself by taking a deep breath in through your nose, holding it for ten seconds, and then slowly blowing it out through your mouth. I typically repeat this three times or until I feel my body relax. As I prepare my injection, I also work on relaxing my face and jaw muscles.  

Vibration

I’ve tried this one myself, and it actually works. Pediatricians sometimes use this technique for children who are afraid of needles. You take a vibrating object, like the base of a clean electric toothbrush, and have someone hold it above the injection site. The vibration tricks the mind, and you focus on that sensation rather than the shot. 

Distractions 

As you inject the needle, it helps to distract yourself a little bit. Bonus points for happy thoughts, like thinking about something you're looking forward to or something funny you saw that day. Basically, just trick your brain into thinking non-needle-related thoughts. 

A Helping Hand 

When all else fails, ask a partner or friend to do the injection for you. Even having someone to hold your hand or cheer you on can help get you through it.

While my fear of needles isn’t necessarily gone, taking my weight loss injections isn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be. The key is just finding a way to get through it. As someone who was very leery of injections, I can tell you — it gets easier. You can do it. You will do it. The payoff is just too big to let a fear of needles stand in the way. 

Christina Montoya Fiedler is a Los Angeles-based writer and reporter with over 15 years of experience. Her work has appeared in Hearst, Meredith, and Gannett publications, among others, with additional bylines in Forbes Vetted, AP Buyline, and Time Stamped. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with an emphasis on journalism from Chapman University.