AIBU to be petrified of general anaesthesia?

[keabby]

Hello all I'm scheduled to go in for a sinus op in two weeks time. I need a large polyp removed that originates from the cheek sinus as it is affecting my ability to breathe thru my nostril.

The closer this gets the more terrified I am! I hate the thought of losing consciousness and being on a ventilator during the op. It needs done under complete general as it is of the image guided variety and I need to remain perfectly still.

I feel a bit of an idiot because I know how much this is going to improve my life i.e. no nighttime woes like mouth breathing, congestion, snoring anymore but at the same time I think is it really worth the risk? I think well during the day I can breathe fine out of my other nostril etc.

I'm an anxious type and that certainly doesn't help. It all seems so serious as I need to go in for a pre-op appointment to make sure I can tolerate the GA (the need to do this makes me a bit uneasy)

I am petrified. Rationally I know many MANY very ill people go in to GA and surgery and they're fine but I keep thinking my heart will stop or I'll go braindead (more than I already am :D ) during the op. Or that I'll regain consciousness before my body is able to move again. Etc...

Any anesthesiologists on the board by chance? Or those who have gone in for an op?

I think one of the primary things is actually after the drugs are administered and before I go under, what is that like? People say the room starts spinning, I think I'm going to have a proper meltdown if that's the case.

I heard you can get some premedication for anxiety. Can anyone recommend that?

Thanks for letting me have a ramble xx

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

Exsheild. What an amazing place that would be!😁the kind of place that would be booked years ahead!

[Davros]

It's the only thing that gives me a glimpse into drug taking ...

[EastyTheBeasty]

Have had several, no problems whatsoever apart from feeling a bit groggy when I consciously became aware of coming out of it in recovery. The "worst" part of it for me used to be the moment the intravenous line was implanted; I cannot stand pain and apparently completely freaked out, even though I had been giving some calming medication in advance. Since then, I always make sure I apply a topical local anesthetic cream in the area where the line is to be inserted.
Oh, and do take the warning not eat however many hours before seriously: My idiot child did, she however absolutely stuffed herself with pasta and meat sauce until bang on the deadline. It ended up in her throwing up either while the GA was being administered or in the early stages of the operation !

[MinnieJackson]

Never had the room spin at all. Like other posters, a lovely sleep. They keep an eye on all your stats throughout so don't worry about waking up. I was supposed to have an hour surgery but it turned into four hours. No different to.any shorter ones I've had. I threw up after but I always do that and just lots of rambling about dogs that I was adamant had assisted in my surgery and I got really cross everyone was laughing at me definitely go for it and you can get a pre op sedative aswell

[MinnieJackson]

@EastyTheBeasty yeah the worst part is definatley the cannula in the back of your hand! But I was on a ward post op once with an old lady and she had hers in her NECK! She was really rude and kept buzzing the nurses every two minutes for tea or to change her channel on the tv or ask the time. They took her buzzer away but she just kept walking to the nurses station then

[anotherwinkywinkybumbum]

I'm jealous. Could do with a nice GA sleep.

Wonderful feeling as you drift off.

[alfagirl73]

I was VERY nervous about having a GA (largely due to my job which I won't go into as identifying but it gave me extra reason to be nervous). I spoke with an anaesthetist beforehand who completely reassured me, explained what would happen, explained about how it would feel and totally put me at ease.

I was nervous/anxious on the day, but honestly, I was amazed how quick and easyit is. There was no time for the room to spin or anything of that nature. Last thing I remember is the anaesthetist saying "here comes the good stuff!" and boom - I was out! It was immediate. Next thing I knew I was waking up having had a damn good sleep.

The main things I noticed from it were afterwards; I was talking utter nonsense but I was drugged so didn't care/didn't know, and once I was fully awake I had the concentration span of a peanut for a few days. You feel normal - just if you try to read a book or something you might find you can't really concentrate well. It goes away - it's just temporary. It's easier to watch TV or read a magazine - something that is light and doesn't require much focus/concentration.

You will be fine! Don't overthink it - by the most part the medical teams are amazing, let them know you are anxious and they will put you at ease. Most of all - you will wake up afterwards thinking "was that it?!" - it's so quick and painless and you don't have time to worry or feel weird. Lots of people love it because they say its the best sleep they've ever had.

[Anotherlovelybitofsquirrel]

I've had 5 in my life and am due one more. It's fine. A lovely sleepy period after in bed or on the sofa depending and I always wake up talking nonsense

[Chocolatefixeseverything]

I have had 8 GA so far and it really isn't something to be overly worried about. You are taken into a room given a general chat about what's going to happen some medication is injected into a cannula and you are asked to breath through a mask. All I remember going under is feeling heavy and warm. Wake up several hours later with a nurse at your side, I usually wake up a bit bewildered and confused but they clears quickly, once I woke up crying after a D & C I don't why I was already crying but the staff were lovely. Good luck

[WhatATimeToBeAlive]

Wow, I thought I was the only person who enjoyed them! I love that feeling of not being able to stop yourself dropping off. It feels like you wake up two seconds later though! I've never been sick afterwards, just a bit groggy and talking bollocks.

[ImAncient]

Oh I really want a general now. The thought of that lovely, fuzzy cosiness (sp?), floating on clouds just brings me such joy.

[ButtWormHole]

Hi OP, I know there’s 5 pages of replies but here goes.

I had a bmi of 55 when I had my first GA. it was all absolutely fine

I’m generally very anxious, on anxiety medication and had some health issues too.

Waking up feels amazing! Like you’ve just had a really nice sleep and you’re still sleepy and comfy and nice

[Puzzledandpissedoff]

He told me he had too much paperwork to do if I died and I was the most monitored I would be in my life under anaesthetic, he would load me with anti sickness and there would be a cup of tea when I woke up

I just love anaesthetists - somehow they seem to have more empathy than many others doctors, along with a brilliant sense of humour (all those gases they accidentally inhale perhaps? )

Definitely tell them how worried you are, OP - they'll be just as good with you I'm sure, and once it's over you'll be one of the crowd assuring everyone else how problem-free it all is

[FreeFromDinoMeat]

I've been under GA 3 times so far and it really isn't bad OP.

To be honest I can't even remember falling asleep. They usually ask some 'sound like you're interested questions' like what do you do for a job? Etc.. and then bam you wake up in the recovery ward.

[FreeFromDinoMeat]

And agree with PP it feels like 2 seconds to you. Like you blink and you're awake and it's done.

[PaperMonster]

Also scared of GAs. The last but one I had, the anaesthetist started talking to me about pouring out a big G&T which really relaxed me! Them it’s probably not appropriate to tell you about my last one - not so much the GA itself, but an unpleasant tale about the tubes they put down your throat.

[FreeFromDinoMeat]

but an unpleasant tale about the tubes they put down your throat

In one of mine I woke up whilst they were removing it which they did warn me could happen. However, I was still so sleepy that, even though I know it happened, I barely remember it or the feeling of it.

[Hagisonthehill]

Tell your anaesthetist that you're anxious.
You'll be fine although due to covid maybe a bit different.
As an anaesthetic nurse am saying hello to patients from a distance before I put my mask on ,a lot if patient day it helps to see our faces.
You get to breath oxygen through a mask first and after that you will be awake and the operation over.
Most people are anxious and that is normal,everything will be done to reassure you and you will be fine.

[CockCarousel]

I quite like them too, the bit where you're counting down and can feel yourself going under. They stuff you full of fentanyl when you come round, that bit's fab

[Szalinski]

Reading all of these posts I'd love to have another one, just for fun. I also love the time between being injected and being out cold! It sounds weird but it's such a great sensation! OP I'm jealous that you get to have one

[Bells3032]

Not being unreasonable cos it's normal to be scared of something if you've never had it. But you will be fine. I've had 11 and I am only 30!

[EnlightenedOwl]

I'm hospital phobic but managed it. It did feel a bit weird I remember briefly feeling very lightheaded before it kicked in but no issues other than that

[EnlightenedOwl]

I woke up with an oxygen mask on which surprised me a bit and no voice which possibly may have been because of tubes etc other than that if I had a tube down I don't remember it. I think I was offered a sip of water which helped not sure about that bit

[Linning]

interestingly enough I wasn’t scared of the anesthesia but scared of waking up with a tube in my throat (didn’t happen thankfully), when they injected me the product I did feel immediate pain though (similar to painful vaccine) and I felt it climb up through my arm and then it spread to my chest and I remembered sitting up in panic holding my chest thinking “I can’t breathe, I am gonna die!”’and I went under. I know it’s not the story you wanna hear but actually it wasn’t that bad and didn’t live me scarred at all, when I woke up a couple hours had passed and I had zero recollection of what had happened (no dreams and I am a light sleeper so the fact that people had been doing stuff to my body and I had felt nothing weirded me out but was probably for the best haha).

Honestly I was scared of death until this anesthesia, now I am not. The last seconds before I went under were terrifying but then it was darkness and nothingness and it made me feel that if that’s what death is like “terror and then nothing, no pain, no consciousness” then it’s not that bad.

So I would do it again. Didn’t feel anything when I woke up but tired.

[MinnieJackson]

One of my anaesthetists came in beforehand as she knew I was nervous and put some sedative in my cannula, which she described as my 'aperitif '