Anyone else been terrified of having a fairly routine op but it was OK?

[krabbiepatty]

That's it really. I know it is utterly irrational but it would cheer me up if someone shared an anecdote about how they were a nervous wreck (had to be sedated for a week / lay in darkened room gibbering, hype it up as much as you can) but then it was all fine and dandy...

i had an operation in my mouth about 7 years ago, and i was terrified of the GA. it was fine-no side effects, no pain after and i got to rest! i also didnt really know i was falling asleep.

Ah thanks Scorpio1; I too am terrified of GA. Mine is gall bladder.

its ok. they put a little mask on me and told me to count...it just felt like going to sleep. my eyes went first, my hearing last about 30 seconds later. When you wake up, they take the tubes out before you are properly concious, so all you will feel like is waking up from a deep sleep. My mum came with me-get someone to go with you to hold your hand, it gives you another focus. Honest, its ok.

Thanks. I think the total loss of control is scaring me. The whole thing is scaring me really. I made the mistake of looking it up on the internet which well nigh killed me..

I was terrified of having my gall bladder removed (of the GA at least) in fact the GA was fine to the extent that I look forward to the good sleep that a GA gives me now

I was out within seconds not 30 seconds. Truly it was absolutely fine. Have had loads of GA's since and never had a problme and am very blase about tehm now.

sorry, i meant it was a few seconds (like 3) til i went, but i could still hear things for another 20 ish seconds.

Not sure how to deal with the terror - maybe have to just live with it? Find self morbidly imagining funeral and having horrible negative fanatasies about the children etc

everytime you think of a funreal - instead imagine an hour of complete blissful uninterrupted sleep!

I had my gall bladder out in July and I was pretty nervous of the GA but the anaethetist and nurse were talking to me about South Africa for all of about 5 seconds (if that) and then I woke up in recovery, fought with the nurse to take the oxygen mask off (hated that thing on my face!), and then woke up again in the ward! There was no actual pain rather a bruised feeling and four tiny little cuts on my belly! I tried to ask the Consultant to do a breast reduction and tummy tuck at the same time but he wouldn't listen to me?

I'll try, thank you, Kewcumber. I think I'm losing it a bit; keep imagining my horrible FIL gloating at the news of my demise...

I had a small op about 4 years ago. I cried for 2 whole days (at my desk!) before hand, and from the moment I got up on the day of the op until they put me under! I was absolutely terrified. But I know what you mean about being out of control - I think that's one of the things that frightened me most. But believe me, it wasn't in the slightest bit scary and I really, genuinely had the best sleep ever! The hospital staff couldn't have been kinder, more patient or more reassuring, and I think I was almost laughing (behind the tears!) as they wheeled me to the theatre. They then gave me an injection and told me to start counting. The injection didn't hurt - they don't really, do they? - and I felt this really odd but strangely interesting feeling of my legs "going" first then the whole of my body, all in the space of about 10 seconds, I should think.

When it was all over and the nurse woke me up, I felt very resentful because I really was having a lovely rest!

You'll be fine, I promise. It's perfectly normal to be frightened, but once you've had it, you'll be much less frightened (if that makes any sense at all!).

Good luck!

Yes.

I had a fatty lump removed from my left hip September 2006. I wasn't afraid of the op just the GA. When I had my original consultation they said I would probably be able to have a local but on the day the doctor said that I wasn't fat enough for my height to have a local (didn't really understand that). Cue panic! I was really terrified, convinced I was never going to see DH and the kids again . In tears when I was wheeled away from DH. But I was out for count instantly and woke up with minimal pain and no aftereffect at all.

So it was all fine and dandy

Ah Smartarse, you sound like me, except I keep snapping at everyone, indulging in morbid fanatasies, failing to do any work...

And drifting off was a lovely feeling - or it would have been if I hadn't been convinced I would never wake again.

And you Orm - did anyone not have to be utterly sedated for a week (like Elvis on a diet)?

Drifting off IS the best feeling in the world even though you are terrified you'll never wake up! I think it is perfectly normal for 'surgery virgins' to feel like this. I have had 2 GAs and was petrified for both!

at nurses though for interrupting peaceful and deep sleep in recovery.

No. I was fine krabbie. Apart from clasping the DCs to my heaving bosom regularly when the visions of them as motherless waifs came to mind again. They took to avoiding me when I got that look in my eye....

Ah that is me too, Orm, have had to insulate myself from real people to prevent self from giving tearful lists of instructions...

When's your op, Krabbie?

yeah. I had a laparoscopy [sp?] and I was really nervous. It wasn't bad at all infact the nurse was lovely and she really put me at ease, gave me the injection and before I knew it she was waking me up (all done and dusted) I then went home DH tcked me up in bed and I slept like a baby and felt fine the next day.
don't worry. you'll be fine x

Sorry, Smartarse, was trying dementedly to do a bit of work - gall bladder removal, hopefully laparoscopically