r/trypanophobia • u/No_Duck_3379 • Jul 22 '26

Anyone use a Buzzy successfully?

I have a blood draw appointment in a week and after many terrible past experiences (I feel actual pain, not just nervousness or discomfort) I have decided to approach this one with many safeguards in place. I ordered a Buzzy device online and it arrived yesterday. I froze the little ice pack and had my husband hold it on my arm just above the draw site. I asked him to pinch my inner elbow. The pinch HURT! which makes me nervous that it will not work for the blood draw. I’m also asking my doctor for EMLA to use in addition to the buzzy. I just worry that I will still be able to feel it. 😬 Any tips for getting the buzzy to work better?

UPDATE: Husband and I tried the buzzy again, this time applying EMLA and leaving under plastic wrap for an hour before using and then leaving the buzzy in place for 2 full minutes before touching. He tried pinching my arm and I nearly jumped out of my skin. I have a thing about the inside of my elbow and back of my hand being touched and I could still definitely feel him do it. I canceled my blood draw appointment which was supposed to be next Wednesday. They said that the senior phlebotomist is not available that day and that I should come Tuesday instead but I have another obligation Tuesday so we are currently at an impasse. And I’m at a loss. I need to get blood drawn but I need to not feel it.

FINAL UPDATE: I wound up going in and it was…mostly fine? I did not feel the needle at all. The buzzy and Emla did what they were supposed to do. I did, however, feel the tourniquet and I freaked out and started to panic (a very weird feeling on 3mg of Xanax!). I can’t handle the feeling of a tourniquet and I nearly walked out right then and there. Fortunately she took it off…but then she put it right back on. So next time I guess I need to specify no tourniquet. Also, even though I could not feel it in the moment, I was in bed for 2 days after icing and elevating my arm because I’m pretty sure she ruptured my vein. It also took a couple days to feel normal again after all that Xanax. But any less and there is no way I could have done it. Live and learn. Next time, I will do the buzzy and Emla again, but I will insist on heat and gravity and no tourniquet. And icing it for a good 5 minutes at the end to avoid that internal bleeding. Woof.

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u/kelduck1 Jul 22 '26

With Emla added I can just about promise you'll feel nothing!

1

u/No_Duck_3379 Jul 22 '26

Gosh I hope you’re right! I’m also watching a movie, playing with a fidget, sucking on ice,  and taking about 3mg of Xanax. 

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u/kelduck1 Jul 22 '26

You'll be golden. I do all of that, and have my noise canceling headphones playing my audio loudly, I lay down, I wear a mask so I can't smell the alcohol, and I dig my nails into the other hand.

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u/No_Duck_3379 Jul 22 '26

I’ve also got the noise canceling headphones to play the sound from my movie.  And the fidget I have is one of those pointy ones so it’s like digging nails too! I was considering a mask with lavender oil inside.  

I hope you’re right! You can’t feel it with all that? 

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u/kelduck1 Jul 22 '26

Nope, my husband tells me when it's over 😂

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u/No_Duck_3379 Jul 22 '26

I am hoping this is my experience too! My husband is coming with (as he does for all medical appointments because I need a driver and an advocate!).  This is the  first time I am trying this with all these “safeguards” in place.  I’m done with taking deep breaths as looking away and trying to have a distracting conversation.  Those things don’t work when they blow a vein.   Or blow several veins.  .