Ive got to have an operation and i am so scared!!!!!!!!!

[HuggyBear]

I finally saw the doctor this morning and she basically told me what i already knew...

Ive been refered for an operation as its the only choice really available to me that i have left (note to self and othes - never a good idea to put off going to the docs!)

I am waiting for a date to come through and have no idea how long it will take.

Thing is, im so scared of being put under a GA, spiders, snakes and stuff liek that i can deal with but the hought of being put unconcious makes me feel sick. I have this feeling that if i let them do it then i will never wake up and will leave my kids without a mom. Ive never been so scared of anything and i think it may actually be a phobia!

How can get over it in time for the Op? I am even considering telling them that i would rather be awake, the pain is preferable to the thought iof the mask coming down over my face and it being the last thing i ever see...

Its a bloody embarrassing Op too

last time i had a GA i didnt have a mask over my face, just an injection in my hand and i dont remember anything else.... DH had the same for his op on friday.

Wish i could help, but i cant. Will be thinking of you xxx

MSN now and that is an order

There won't be a mask over your face until you are well sedated Ask for a pre med (I call them don't give a s**t pills)and you will be fine.If you let them know you are worried beforehand they will consider that.It is all over before you know it and is better than suffering Good luck!

yes miss!

Huggy, they don't put a mask over your face when they give you a GA. You will probably have a pre-med to relax you before you go to theatre, then as J&RM says you'll have an injection in your hand. They'll probably ask you to count to ten, but by the time you get to three you'll be gone and the next thing you'll know, you'll be waking up again.

Can you ask your consultant if you can see the anaesthetist before the op? He or she may be able to reassure you that you'll be fine.

Its even just the being sedated bit, i just have this horrible feeling that i wont come round afterwards. I know its irrational but i cant get it out of my mind!

huggy when u go in tell the staff you are worried and they will help you
hope it all goes well
hugs
xxx

Huggy, the last time I had a GA I didn't think the pre-med had worked, it seemed to have no effect on me whatsoever ... until I tried to get out of bed and open the window (having been ordered to stay put - I never was any good at obeying instructions) and my legs wouldn't work at all.

Please have a chat to the anaesthetist, or even your consultant or GP about your fears.

Please please don't stress. I had never had a GA before 3 years ago when I broke my leg and had to have 3 ops on it. It was so much easier and less stressful than I imagined it would be. By the 3rd time I wasn't worried in the least. There were no masks over the face or anything like that, not in consciousness anyway. You are out like a light before you really notice that they've begun to anaesthetise you.

Are there certain things that increase the chances of dying under a GA?

Like smoking? I smoke, well did until a minute ago when i just realised that that could increase the chances of complications! I have quit as of now!

Thank you all by the way, sorry im being so silly

Huggy, you're not going to die under the GA. Honestly, you're not. Really, you'll be fine. I know you don't believe it, and I know you're frightened, but truly, you're going to be OK.

HB, as everyone else has said, there will be no mask over your face. If the pre-med works well, you will hardly know what is happening and you certainly won't care very much.

The anaesthetist will come and see you before hand. You don't have to ask, it is part of their job to come and see you. They will ask you questions which are there to make sure you don't die under the GA, but you won't anyway! It is entirely natural I should think to be scared of a GA. When I had mine I was terrified I would not go under and would be able to feel the apin and here them talking but not be able to tell them so. Those horror stories on TV have a lot to answer for!

apin? That should say pain.

Silly I know - but make sure you drink lots before an anesthetic (apparently it makes you less likely to be depressed afterwards) and it can't do any harm

I suppose it's like drinking water if you have drunk alcohol

Mayvbe take some arnica as well - it should hel bruising and healing etc

Good luck

I know exactly how you're feeling. It's two years this week since I had my first op - thyroid surgery. Terrified was an understatement but they were so kind to me, they knew I was scared, I couldn't hide it, but they chatted away about this and that and before I knew it I was waking up with DH next to me. I was like you, I thought what if I don't wake up, but I did and you will too. Nothing anyone says will change your fears cos they're your fears and you can't just wish them away but be reassured you're not alone and you will be in good hands.

x

Thank you all

I cant believe im being such a wuss and i havent even had the dates of the Op through yet.

Message deleted

I was worried when I had a GA. I took rescue remedy (although some hospitals aren't keen) which I (always) find helpful.

Perhaps you might feel better if you know the sedation process ?

With me, I was wheeled down, then you go into a little room, outside the theatre. The anesthetist (who BTW should have come & spoke to you, reassure you etc) will put some pads on your chest, fix something on your finger. Then they take your hand, put a line in your vein & say you'll feel something cold in a mo. Count to 10 & next thing you'll be waking up in the recovery room.

Think of it this way, they don't want you to die & the anesthetist is there ALL THE TIME, monitoring your heart etc. You'll be in very safe hands

thanks for all your reassuring comments, am worrying about mrsa now too - can you tell ive never had an operation lol

My thing about GA's is so bad that when i was 8 i needed a tooth pulled, they wanted to use the gas that they use on all kids and i refused. They ended up pulling the tooth with no pain relief at all and i prefered it to being knocked out.

I think ive watched too many medical dramas! People being under GA and still feeling everything but being unable to say, people dying, eeps!!!

note to self - dont google

I had my first GA earlier this year and was terrified but it wasn't nearly as bad as I'd imagined. In fact if I had to do it again I wouldn't be worried.

When I woke up it took me a while to realise that the operation had been done. I'd gone under the GA so fast that I thought I was still waiting for it!

I did feel sick and headachy for a while but that was because I was dehydrated from being nil by mouth for so long. Two cups of tea and a snack later I was feeling fine and ready to go home.

The doc reckons i'll have to stay in hospital for 4-6 days so i had better get used to the idea of being there! When i had the kids I only stayed in for 6 hours after the births cause i had just watched some nhs hospitals exposed programmes on the tele!

I think there are so many fears all tangled up at the moment which makes it worse but i am going to try and forget them - after all i havent even got the date yet so wont worry about it until then.

Thank you all xxxxx