To be terrified of having a general anesthetic?

[goatbame]

I need to have an endoscopy and they're giving me a general.

I've always been pretty hospital phobic and very needle phobic. I actually had a home birth because of it.

I'm terrified. I just burst in to tears when the nurse called me for my pre op phone call. Every time I think of it I start shaking and feel sick. I'm crying several times a day.

I know generals are very safe these days. My bil went in to the same place for one recently and said he woke up clear headed and felt fine.

I'm terrified I'll die. I know it's irrational and stupid. I'm going to be a blubbing mess and I'm so ashamed and embarrassed. I know a few people who work there and really don't want them to see me like that.

Someone please hand my ass to me and tell me to get a grip.

I've had a crazy number of GA's. It's mad how literally it's like you've blinked and it's over.

One minute you are counting backwards, you don't even reach 6 and next thing you know, you open your eyes .

I'm someone who finds hard facts reassuring, and sometimes repeats them to myself to help me stay grounded when I might otherwise panic. Hope you do too.

Your chance of dying during the endoscopy is approx 1 in 100,000. (www.nhs.uk/conditions/general-anaesthesia/)

Your chance of dying in a car crash this year is 1 in 20,000. (www.bandolier.org.uk/booth/Risk/trasnsportpop.html)

You get in cars, right?

I felt exactly the same for my first GA. I remember asking the anaesthetist not to let me die. And he chuckled and said it was too much paperwork.

I did a lot of research in the run up and the facts and figures on anaesthetic complications is so incredibly low in someone who is fit and healthy that they can’t even report the number. Less than 0.01%.

I have since had more surgeries and been informed that something like an endoscopy which doesn’t involve hacking up organs, is a really safe surgery and ‘pretty Boring’. Infact in my last surgery, my anaesthetist said he was going to be doing his regular reading he had to do to keep his qualification because it was so easy for him to do his job at the same time!

I was worried about being put to sleep, that was the easy part. You blink and it’s over. You’re awake and wondering why the eff your mouth is so dry and why opening your eyes is so hard because you’re sooooo tired.

I also comforted myself in my dark moods with the fact that death by anaesthetic is a nice way to go. You go to sleep and don’t wake up. No pain. No fear. Don’t we all wish that? (When we are 90 and not a minute before of course)

You’ll be just fine OP. Don’t worry at all (easy for me to say I know but really don’t)

Oh bless you, OP! Certainly no tellings off from me. It IS a weird, scary, unknown thing, especially if you've never had one before. I've had 3 now for various procedures, the most recent just a few months ago. And honestly, it's absolutely fine. You might get all shivery, you might have a bit of a cry but do. Not. Worry. They have seen it all before (and apparently it's usually from the biggest, buffest blokes) and they do it 10 times a day on a quiet day. The most important thing is that you're doing it. And once you're all prepped and there on the bed it'll be just like blinking, it's that quick.

A GA for an endoscopy isnt ususal at all... you can have sedation or notjing at all

In the US they usually use Propofol for endoscopy. It clears very rapidly and is quite safe when administered by a qualified person.

Do you know what anesthetic they plan on using? Being able to research it might calm your fears a bit.

I really loved my general. It’s so calm and you wake up tucked up in bed in recovery and feel pretty fresh straight away. They’ve come on so much. I was taken back to the ward and read the paper with a cup of tea. Don’t worry, just enjoy the rest and a cosy day at home afterwards.

Another one here who genuinely loves the going off to sleep bit of a GA
Ten, nine, eight, severrrn,siiiiiix zzzz
Bliss!

Anaesthetists train for years. They really know what they're doing.

Oh and I have woken up laughing every time. And if you get an oxygen tube under your nose after it's like mountain fresh air

I don't know what type of GA you've all been having!

I always wake up (I've been put out a few times for different things), with a dreadful taste in my mouth, like disinfectant, and feel all foggy!

I once shouted profanities at a nurse the real 'me' had no idea I was doing it!

They staff are all so incredibly well trained and in my experience so bloody lovely. And the anaesthetists always seem so humorous.

The going to sleep bit is bliss. I didn't even bother counting backwards, I just closed my eyes as if I was having a sleep most of these have been post baby, as you can tell

I'll be having my 9th GA quite soon. It's fine, you won't die.
The anaesthetists I've come across have been great, tell them you feel anxious about it.
When you wake up, it will be as if no time has passed, your short term memory may be affected for 24 hours and you'll be very tired.
If you feel sick at all then tell them and they can give you an anti sickness med, it works quickly.

This was me 4 years ago. Totally hospital phobic and terrified at the prospect of GA so I completely sympathise OP. I did the count down, fell into a delicious sleep and woke up clear headed later that evening . Apparently when they brought me round the consultant put me on the phone to my DP. No recollection of that whatsoever 😆

Please don't worry OP, you will be absolutely fine.

Why not ask for an oral sedative to calm your nerves before everything? At the children’s hospital which looks after my DD they offer the children a choice of a cannula or gas (then they insert the cannula once the child is asleep) - ask if this would be an option for you.

It’s a really quick GA and you’ll come round really quickly.

I was absolutely shitting myself before I had one (not literally, although 'what if I poo myself whilst I'm under' was one of my many, many worries!)

I cried to the anaesthetist, I cried when the surgeon came to see me, I was shaking and they couldn't get the cannula in. To be fair, the surgery was for something fairly urgent, life changing and upsetting, so that was part of it as well. But ultimately, I was absolutely terrified I wasn't going to wake up. I was also worried that it wouldn't work and I would be counting back from 10 and still wide awake by 0!

In the end, it was bloody lovely, the pre med drugs felt great and of course I drifted off whilst the surgeon was asking me about holidays. I would quite like another one to be honest!

You will be fine xxx

I totally get the fear. I had to have an emergency operation following an A&E admittance in November and I was terrified. They told me that I would be going down at 5, at 3 my DP went to stretch their legs as they'd been by my side for 2 days and they pick that moment to come and take me to surgery early. Honestly the thought of them coming back from getting some fresh air and me not being there was horrible, luckily the anaesthetist was so understanding of my nerves, reassured me and even put up with me refusing to put on the mask until they had found DP. Of course it all went fine and I don't remember a thing other than waking up in recovery. It is a scary thing though and you should speak to them at your pre op and explain how you're feeling, they will have experience with this and be able to help you. Hope it all goes ok for you.

I had an endoscopy 4 weeks ago. Throat spray only and wide awake. Would it be an option to be awake?. I will not lie, it is not pleasant but mine only took 8 minutes in total, for me so much better than stressing about a GA.

You’ll be fine. I went in for my first general terrified. Woke up a major fan- it was a bloody lovely sleep.

I always go into a terror panic when I have a GA. Tbh it's probably a pretty natural response to it.

You will be fine though , a short procedure like that will.probably feel like a relaxing power nap.

Don't worry too much. I had one last year when I had my gallbladder removed. There are so many things happening that will take your mind off it at the time. Tell the staff of you are nervous they'll have a member specifically to help the patient.

Thank you all SO much. I told the nurse doing the preschool op on the phone. She was really nice and said she'd make a note.

I'm going to go to the doctor to try to get an anxiety medicine but doubt they will. They probably wouldn't do anything without checking with the hospital first.

MissCounduct, I'm in the States so will ask what it is. They said it's very gentle and I'll wake feeling very alert and fine so it may be what you're talking about.

They won't do endoscopies around here without you being sedated.

I'd much rather just bloody do it with some numbing spray, it's the needle I'm panicking the most about, I've got up and left 3 blood tests.

They did say they think its likely that they'll take a biopsy and it's just quicker to do it now rather than have me back in.

I will not hand you your ass. I totally understand. I've had a couple of generals for semi emergency surgery and quite recently some locals in my eyes (yeeeeeeeesh!) and I was terrified.

I found it really helpful tondo some deep breathing and visualisation. Also to tell the anaesthetic staff/scrub nurses I was scared. They were so kind and reassuring.

You're going to be ok. Just breathe.

I do not know for sure, so don't get your hopes up, but can't they induce GA using gas not an injection? I am in the UK though, so it might all be different here. I have had a GA, and it was totally fine. Hugs

I was crying when they were taking me down for a GA time before last - they were being so reassuring but I knew all the facts and that statistically I'd be fine - was still petrified (strangely enough I wasn't scared of the actual GA last time - I've had a GA 4 times now - I suspect it's because last time I was in pain and knew I needed the op - was more scared when the anaestetist came to see me before and said depending on how the operation went (not the GA part, it was an op on my throat and it depended how close they had to go to my vocal cords which they wouldn't know till they did it) I may need to have a tracheotomy and be in a medically induced coma for 24 hours - before I'd fully come round from the GA I was feeling my throat to make sure there was no tube

However if you are having an endoscopy and don't want a GA speak to them and ask what your options are - I was given the option of sedation (which my dad had had and said he felt really weird afterwards) or just throat spray - because I was breastfeeding I chose to just have the spray - it wasn't the most pleasant of experiences (if they ask if a student can watch and you are wide awake say no - what I didn't think about was the student watching meant they were giving her a step my step commentary of which part of my anatomy the camera and then biopsy was at - actually wish I'd taken music and ear plugs - but aside from a scratchy throat and being SO thirsty I was fine

I've already asked about not having a ga or having a gas one, they won't. I'm most worried that I'll just freak out so they can't do it. That's happened before. It's awful, snot pouring out of my nose and sobbing like an idiot.

I get quite wired after anaesthetic which is apparently unusual. Wake up very fast, demand food and cup of tea then don't sleep for 36hrs but it means I get discharged fairly rapidly!