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Help! DH having general anaesthetic. Friend dreamt he died!

80 replies

username2345678901 · Yesterday 16:50

My DH is having a fairly minor surgery under GA the week after next. I was already quite anxious about it. Then last night he told me that his friend who lives in the US sent a message saying he'd had a weird dream of being notified of his death and to let him know he was still alive! This friend had no knowledge of the upcoming op so it was totally random, and I don't know any more details.

The thing that freaks me out is that in 2021 I had a dream that a close friend of mine who I wasn't in regular contact with had died and I was late to his funeral. I subsequently found out that he HAD died around the time I had my dream.

AIBU to find it hard not to worry about this? How can I talk myself down? DH just finds it funny!

OP posts:
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username2345678901 · Today 15:51

Ponoka7 · Today 12:03

I had a really upsetting dream of my granddaughter being trapped in rubble after a gas explosion. My DD has since moved house.
I had a very clear dream of my DP dying. I was cleaning the oven, he was reaching into the top cupboard for a viscount, stopped talking, I looked up, he had died from a massive heart attack. He had arterial episodes, but was responding to treatment. We moved the biscuits out of that cupboard and he never came into the kitchen while I was cleaning the oven. Anyway, it's three years on, we've since moved house, he's had major surgery and is still here. He's moved from mint viscount to clubs, just to be on the safe side.
I have predicted pregnancies etc, but the death dreams haven't ever come true. Apparently dreaming about death means there's deep changes happening. In both my GC and DP's case, there was.

This gave me a giggle, thanks! Shame he had to give up on viscounts. I didn't even realise they still made them - delicious!

OP posts:
katzrooldogzdrool · Today 12:32

Dreams are the brain's equivalent of putting out the rubbish. They can give you an interesting insight into what's going on at the back of your mind, but they don't predict the future.

Ponoka7 · Today 12:03

I had a really upsetting dream of my granddaughter being trapped in rubble after a gas explosion. My DD has since moved house.
I had a very clear dream of my DP dying. I was cleaning the oven, he was reaching into the top cupboard for a viscount, stopped talking, I looked up, he had died from a massive heart attack. He had arterial episodes, but was responding to treatment. We moved the biscuits out of that cupboard and he never came into the kitchen while I was cleaning the oven. Anyway, it's three years on, we've since moved house, he's had major surgery and is still here. He's moved from mint viscount to clubs, just to be on the safe side.
I have predicted pregnancies etc, but the death dreams haven't ever come true. Apparently dreaming about death means there's deep changes happening. In both my GC and DP's case, there was.

Ligesani · Today 12:00

HoraceCope · Today 11:47

her dream means he wont die op

The dream means nothing at all.

ToadRage · Today 12:00

According to google dreamin of death is not a premonition of an actual death but of a big life change. I had to Google it cos I dreamed I died.

Ligesani · Today 11:59

username2345678901 · Today 11:33

I know this is AIBU but there's no need to be quite so offhand.
Would you speak to somebody like this in real life?

Also, if you read what I have written, you will see thsi surgery is kind of optional. So, already being anxious about the GA, I think it's understandable that hearing about this dream was unsettling.

Edited

It's only understandable in someone with severe anxiety. I would just laugh about it if it were me but my Father-in-Law in the same situation would be like you because he has anxiety especially around health matters.

It's normal to be a little apprehensive about someone going under anaesthetic but not to be so anxious about it like this that someone having a ridiculous dream is sending you spiralling.

There isn't a lot you can do about it right now but you can book to see your GP and ask for some medication for the future.

Right now though you need to take comfort in the fact that the dream is just a dream and the risk to your husband is extremely small.

I do know the worry because my husband has had to have an emergency operation in the past after another operation went wrong, and my son had an elective operation when he was quite small and I did cry when they put him under and I saw him lying on the bed out cold.

But the reality is that your husband is going to be fine and that your anxiety is getting the better of you.

Could you try some breathing techniques and yoga to help you calm down?

BillieWiper · Today 11:59

Someone else's dreams don't make people die.
It's really irresponsible and a bit rude to say that to someone who's about to have surgery.
Do people not realize their dreams are boring as fuck and not real?! Nobody needs to know someone had a dream that something bad happened to them.

It's likely because the dreamer themselves has some unresolved anxiety issues.

He'll be fine. Make sure he doesn't catch the dreaded flu like illness that's going about. Plenty of vitamin c, healthy food. Then he'll be in the best place for recovery. If he does catch respiratory illness they may need to postpone so that's the only thing you should worry about.

SleepingisanArt · Today 11:54

@username2345678901 Many years ago when my children were small I had to have a general anaesthetic and was convinced I was going to die during the procedure. Despite being married to a doctor who explained my irrational fear was based on a fear of the unknown I remained anxious. On the day of the operation the anaesthetist came to talk to me. He asked me what I was afraid of most and we talked through it very sensibly and seriously before he made me laugh by saying 'there's no way I'll let you die as the paperwork is a nightmare!' It was just what I needed at the time. So keep that in mind - it is in their best interest as well as yours to keep your husband alive. (Hope that helps a bit!)

Destiny123 · Today 11:54

Circe7 · Yesterday 21:40

General anaesthetic risk is tiny. You’re probably more likely to have a fatal car crash driving to the hospital. And if there’s any chance your husband might have something that isn’t benign, the risk associated with that is also likely to be far higher.

I’ve had four general anaesthetics in the last year and don’t even recall being consented for risk of death from the anaesthetic.

It's on every surgical consent form. You should have received https://rcoa.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/2019-09/Risk-infographics_2019web.pdf this document or a link to it in pre-op. I don't explicitly point it out unless I think there's a relatively high chance of it happening as the incidence is so rare

username2345678901 · Today 11:53

Destiny123 · Today 11:51

National guidance has changed preop significantly. Fit and healthy young people don't need bloods/ecgs etc for minor ops

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng45

That's interesting. Thanks for the link.

OP posts:
Destiny123 · Today 11:51

BigWig78 · Today 09:19

So what is the procedure then as it’s very unusual to get unnecessary operations tbh. And a blood test won’t show anything for surgery but they will definitely check his BP on the day. Surprised no pre op assessment tbh as they’re still done in my nhs area.

National guidance has changed preop significantly. Fit and healthy young people don't need bloods/ecgs etc for minor ops

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng45

Overview | Routine preoperative tests for elective surgery | Guidance | NICE

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng45

HoraceCope · Today 11:47

her dream means he wont die op

INeedAnotherAlibi · Today 11:47

I worked in theatres for a couple of years. It’s not like on TV. TV/movie operations are always big, dramatic, long surgeries or dire emergencies ‘They’ll die if we don’t operate but they may die on the table’ type situations.
Routine operations are low risk. Patients are monitored very carefully. I can recall 2 patients having a reaction to anaesthetic (bearing in mind we probably had 100 patents through most days and I was there 2 years) and they both had reversal drugs, were closely monitored afterwards and were fine. A minor op carries a low risk (we also did major surgery where patients went to ICU afterwards) and he should be absolutely fine. Try to keep positive but if this anxiety happens about other things too, therapy can help you stop ruminating.

Destiny123 · Today 11:44

DozyCrow · Yesterday 16:53

You're letting your anxiety get out of control because of a careless comment.

If the surgery is so minor, is there an option to have it done under sedation instead of GA?

In someone with little in the way of Medical conditions the risks aren't very much different. Can always ask re local anaesthetic/spinal anaesthetic/regional anaesthetic as alternatives if its him that's worried rather than you. Anaesthetics are incredibly safe. I can count on one hand the deaths after 11yrs and nearly all were expected

ParsonMaybold · Today 11:43

I am someone that’s had three unfortunate portentous dreams and I’d never tell someone involved.

Even though my dreams were things that went on to happen, I still don’t believe in this stuff and I’d never mention it (apart from to my husband who now thinks I’m a witch).

nonevernotever · Today 11:34

I get it. It's scary (scarier than if it's you to be honest) but honestly the risks are really really really small, against the benefit of getting it done. (My sil developed a tumour, was told she needed a relatively minor op . She said she was too scared to go ahead then so they said okay wait and watch, but by the time she decided she did want go ahead her underlying health had deteriorated (not as a result of the original condition) and she's now not a good candidate for a GA.

username2345678901 · Today 11:33

OffTheMap · Today 11:30

Because you are seriously considering whether a procedure recommended by your DH’s surgeon should go ahead based on negligible statistical risk and the dream of his idiot friend.

And your projected health anxiety is affecting your DH.

Your job is to support your DH not make the whole thing about your worries.

My Dc has had 13 GAs from babyhood to 18.

Get a grip or get help.

I know this is AIBU but there's no need to be quite so offhand.
Would you speak to somebody like this in real life?

Also, if you read what I have written, you will see thsi surgery is kind of optional. So, already being anxious about the GA, I think it's understandable that hearing about this dream was unsettling.

OP posts:
OffTheMap · Today 11:30

username2345678901 · Yesterday 22:02

Why?

Because you are seriously considering whether a procedure recommended by your DH’s surgeon should go ahead based on negligible statistical risk and the dream of his idiot friend.

And your projected health anxiety is affecting your DH.

Your job is to support your DH not make the whole thing about your worries.

My Dc has had 13 GAs from babyhood to 18.

Get a grip or get help.

username2345678901 · Today 11:24

Wolfiefan · Today 09:20

If it was necessary that wouldn’t stop the fear. They will do all appropriate checks before proceeding with surgery. You need to focus on how to control your anxiety.

True. I know I'm not alone in being fearful of the GA as there are plenty of threads on here of people on the brink of cancelling their own ops because of that fear. I guess I'm just coming across as overly anxious because of the dream element.

The truth is, I was already anxious. So maybe my thread title should have just been "Help! Worried about husband having a GA!" and the dream is in fact an unfortunately timed red herring.

OP posts:
username2345678901 · Today 11:21

NeededANameChangeAnyway · Today 09:19

Last year my DH had an op in Glasgow for thyroid cancer. In the run up to the op my dreams got more and more vivid that he would die culminating in the grand finale dream the night before the op where my DS and I were walking down Buchanan St and I got the call at the corner of Buchanan and St Vincent st.

The dream was so vivid and real that I refused to walk to that corner even though my DS was going shopping. I made him do a detour round the block to avoid being at that spot.

DH was fine and my dreams were just dreams no matter how real they seemed at the time.

That must've been really unsettling for you.
I'm glad your DH was okay,

OP posts:
Mulledjuice · Today 09:32

IMAGINE being that powerful

FillerTrackOnTheAlbumOfLife · Today 09:31

username2345678901 · Today 09:17

The consultant said we could operate, watch and wait, or just forget about the whole thing and never check again so it's clearly very borderline whether it needs doing it all! If it was 100% necessary then these anxieties wouldn't give me such pause for thought.

Oh and as for the pre-op, that was done by phone! No blood tests, ECG, blood pressure checks or anything. So a bit hard to feel reassured by that!

They will check his blood pressure, pulse and sats shortly before the procedure starts, and also weigh him if they don't have his current weight so they know how much anaesthesia to give.

The blood pressure, pulse and sats are then monitored by the anaesthetist during the procedure using the results they have taken earlier as a baseline.

I've had several GAs and I really enjoy them, there's a lovely bit just before you lose consciousness where all the little aches, pains and discomforts you are used to living with magically disappear. Then next thing you know, you are coming round.

Deadleaves77 · Today 09:24

Im assuming if a phone pre-op hes healthy. For a minor operation, in a relatively healthy patient the risks of death from a GA are pretty much non existent. Your friends dream has no bearing on the risk, it is just a dream

For something that sounds so minor the anaesthetist will not go ahead if they are concerned theres any risk of significant complications. I really wouldn't worry

gotothepromwiththedogs · Today 09:20

I dreamt last night that I was on a never ending ferris wheel that got stuck under the sea. It’s a dream not a premonition

Wolfiefan · Today 09:20

If it was necessary that wouldn’t stop the fear. They will do all appropriate checks before proceeding with surgery. You need to focus on how to control your anxiety.