Surgery tomorrow :( Nervous!

[nikki1978]

It is minor surgery but I am still terrified. What will it be like

[nikki1978]

Oops! Posted too soon!

Anyway, worried what will happeb

[nikki1978]

Argh stupid phone. Basically I am shitting myself about dying. I give up on typing on this bloody thing.

[SockQueen]

What are you having done? General anaesthetic, sedation or local? If you can give a few more details we can probably talk you through it a bit more accurately.

[nikki1978]

Sorry on my laptop now! General anaesthetic for diagnostic laparoscopy and a possible ovarian cyst removal depending on whether it is complex or simple (they are struggling to tell on the scan). Looking for possible endo/adhesions from pelvic inflammatory disease that I had years ago.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I had a gallbladder removed by keyhole with a laparoscopy last month. I'd had sedation but never been ut 'right' out, no surgical history so like you I was nervous "what if I die" sort of worries but you know statistically it's safer than crossing the road and we all do that without thinking twice.
It's the Your life in their hands thing really.

You'll see the anaethetist before, they can answer any questions (and they're used to answering all these questions so don't worry about asking)

Good Luck. A least this time tomorrow you should know more about what;s going on in there.

[tak1ngchances]

I have had two laparoscopies for diagnosis and treatment of endo.

The GA is absolutely fine and lovely.

You'll need these things to help with your recovery: peppermint tea, hot water bottle, big comfy pants. It takes a week to feel normal and up to two to be properly back to yourself. So take things handy.

My ops were absolutely brilliant as I felt a million times better once my endo had been treated. Well worth it. Best of luck for tomorrow and try to relax - it will be absolutely fine.

[nikki1978]

Thanks, I have the hot water bottle and all my pants are massive ;)

[tak1ngchances]

Excellent! And mint tea, lots of mint tea

[gobbin]

The knocking you out process is always very calm in my experience. Two people there talking you through it. I've had both gas and cannula'd knockouts and either is fine. The only thing I don't like is that it always seems to happen in a cupboard next to the operating room in our hospital, not much room for everyone and your trolley!

And you'll have no memory of the actual op. It's not even like being asleep, it's just an 'absence'. Best wishes for tomorrow. Nobody ever considers the prospect of an op and thinks 'woo hoo, can't wait!' but I don't think it's ever as bad as you think.

[SockQueen]

You will be perfectly safe. Your anaesthetist will come to see you beforehand and talk through the process with you, and the surgeons will go through the op and the consent form if they haven't already. You'll get changed into a gown and then when it's your turn you'll go into the anaesthetic room (though some places you'll go straight into theatre), lie on the bed and have some monitors put on. The anaesthetist will then put a cannula into your arm/hand and once everything is ready they'll give you the anaesthetic. They stay with you the whole time, make sure that you are ok, and wake you up at the end.

Diagnostic lap can take anything from 20 mins if it's just a quick in-look around-out, or a couple of hours if there are cysts to remove etc. You'll wake up in the recovery room, where the nurses will look after you and give you any medication you need.

It sounds scary if you've never had it done before but remember that the staff there do it every day and get people through it. All the best!

[orangeplum]

I have had two GAs this year for 2 ops. Staff were all really lovely and anaesthetist is there just to look after you and make sure you will be okay. Agree with all of the above and before you know it the op will be over.

Worst part was waiting to be taken down to op theatre as depends where you are on the list and how other ops go. Take some music, magazines etc to occupy you whilst you wait as likely to be some hanging around.

Wishing you lots of luck. Don't worry.