Nervous with Needles / IV

Currently an EMT student/finished classes, waiting to take the NREMT.

I have always been afraid of needles and get dizzy and feel faint. However, I am not scared of needles anymore, but I still find myself getting that vasovagal response when I see needles being used. This has honestly made me get so interested in IVs and meds and I love watching videos of it and learning. I love getting into and making myself learn about the things I don’t like or usually shy away from. But when I see it done, I feel myself tense up, my BP drops, and I start sweating and need to sit down.

And I understand that EMTs don’t place IVs but I do really want to be a medic once I have experience. I’m just fearful that this reaction I have won’t stop and it will stop me from being good in this field. I want to be a paramedic with everything in me and I really, really want to overcome this.

For example, when we did blood glucose testing in class I was very nervous that I would pass out, and I could feel my blood pressure tank. I did not pass out, but it was a wake up call. That day I bought a $20 glucometer from amazon and I’ve been practicing on myself and family ever since to desensitize myself and it’s helped a lot.

I’m very nervous that this is going to prevent my career. I want to be a medic more than anything. Has anyone else had similar experiences? Does anyone else with vasovagal work in EMS or with similar reactions? How did you do it?