Going Under GA for hysterscopy

[Starwish90]

Hi

just wanted some advice really and to be told i aibu and theres nothing to be worried about.

I am due to go under GA for a hysterscopy next thursday and the fear of going under is scaring me. I feel so scared i have a 2 year old to look after who has a lung condition and solely ng fed and requires oxygen at night. im scared i wont wake up scared about what would happen to my son.

the procedure was tried a month ago but failed as the dr couldnt reach the cervix and i was in agony. She wasnt very nice about it so not sure if thats made me feel a bit more weary but i feel like i cant sleep or eat i literally cant stop thinking about it.

I went for pre op last week and they informed procedure wont last longer than 30mins and i have nothing to worry about but again not sure they understood my fears. They said i need to have the procedure for unexplained bleeding.

has anyone had proceudre under GA and if so how did it feel what can i expect?

Omg this could be my post. I am having this today

Oh good luck please let me know how it goes

hope it goes well for you today

I have been under a ga you will be fine. Good luck

Ty will do 🍷

I went under GA for one last year, it will be fine, much better than having to go through it awake!

Will let you know

GA is very safe in for and well folk. Have a look at Royal College of Anaesthetists website, they have a section for the public containing downloadable information.

What's the recovery like? I.e. How long before you can swim? Fly?

I had this.
GA you just feel sleepy and when you wake up it's all done.
They said have strong pin killers ready at home, but I didn't need them. I was so much more comfortable after the procedure than I had been before.
And while they were 'in there' they did a smear test and fitted a mirena for me.
Thousands and thousands have GAs safely every year. If you are otherwise healthy the risk is tiny. I bet you drive, fly, walk down stairs etc. Everything in life has risks.

You will probably be asked to count to ten and before you reach "ten", you'll be asleep. What seems like just seconds later, you will wake up in the recovery room. That's all there is to it.

Soon after that, you will be transferred back to the ward (day ward?) and monitored. You will be given oxygen but don't worry about what this means. Oxygen simply helps your body to expel the GA more quickly. Then when you are ready, you will be given something to eat and drink.

Don't worry. You'll be fine.

I had this done a couple of months ago and it was fine. I was nervous before hand too but there was no need. The medical staff were really lovely and reassuring. Good luck!

Thanks all

I've had GA 14 times. You will be perfectly fine.

I had this a few years ago - GA was fine and I had no real pain after.

After a hysteroscopy? There's not really a recovery time, it isn't surgery, you should be fine the next day after the GA wears off properly

Recovery time ^

Thank you all, really glad i posted feeling bit better about it all.

were u allowed anyone to wait with u or for u on ward?

I've had a GA twice.

Once an hour after DD was born to remove the retained placenta & obviously DH was with DD, so still in Delivery room whilst I was in theatre.

The other time was after a miscarriage. DH could have stayed in the waiting room but they didn't advise it as it would be for several hours, so he went off to work after I was taken to theatre & they rang him when I came round. He then came & collected me.

You count & then fall into a lovely sleep. Honestly some of the best sleep I've had & then come round, groggy a few hours later.
It is scary - I had similar thoughts but it was fine.

Good luck x

Where I went, men weren't allowed on the ward, but there was a waiting room they could stay in.
DH went away and they phoned him after I was done. I was later in the list so he would have had a long wait had he stayed.

Hello! It'll be fine. I had this exact procedure last summer, and wanted to reassure you. Don't worry. I had my hysteroscopy to take out some polyps, and the surgeon reduced the size of a fibroid while she was at it, too.

I actually love general anaesthetic. One minute you're chatting to the anaesthetists, and the next you're waking up to find it's all been done. Absolutely nothing in between.

The recovery was fine, too. I went home on the tube, and was sent home with strong painkillers that I didn't need. I had a couple of mild, woozy moments on the following day (an after-effect of the general, I think) but no significant bleeding or pain, just a little spotting that cleared up very quickly.

I know these things seem frightening, but you really will be in good hands, it really will be fine, and then it will be over. All the very best to you x

I always chose GA when I can. Because it's a fairly light procedure (I mean you don't need GA for it), it's quite a light anaesthesia. You barely stay on your bed once you wake up, they send you to a chair ready to go really quickly!

You do need another adult, you will probably be a bit sleepy all day, but nothing horrendous. You can't drive, you can't sign legal documents but that's pretty much it.

Your partner - whoever you chose- will probably not be allowed on the ward itself (to protect privacy of other patients) but they can wait for you right outside.

I found the hysteroscopy quite stress-free. When you have an invasive surgery under GA, you do know you will wake up after being cut open and it takes time to heal. Here, there's nothing of the sort.

I always chose GA when I can. Because it's a fairly light procedure (I mean you don't need GA for it), it's quite a light anaesthesia. You barely stay on your bed once you wake up, they send you to a chair ready to go really quickly!

Yeah, I was awake before they even got me back to the ward.

6 x under GA! GA... it’s the only way to fly.

I totally, totally understand your worries though. I know it sounds useless and a bit corny, but trust that while everything is out of your hands, it’s all still in control. Your DC will be in good, loving hands. And so will you.
One second you’re drifting off, the next you’re waking up again. It’s all very ‘blink and you’ll miss it’.
You’ll be a bit groggy upon waking, but it passes soon. Dare I say, it’s like having a mini-break from the kids?

I remember the last time I was ‘going under’, my last words to the anaesthetist were, “What if I don’t wake up?” and he replied,”You’ll just have to find out.”
Dark, dark humour. Actually he was very jovial and lovely leading up to that moment. And then I just slipped away into my slumbering staycation.

SO happy to find this thread, I am having my first general anaesthetic tomorrow for back surgery so it’s really great to hear of positive stories.
@Starwish90 I hope things go well for your procedure. I’ve been trying to think of this like flying which is something I don’t like - zillions of people around the world fly every day, risk of harm is minuscule.