Scared of surgery.

[Cole33]

Can anyone offer any advice? I have to have a hysterectomy and a diagnostic laparoscopy for endometriosis. I have around 6 months to wait and I'm absolutely terrified. I'm emetophobic so I'm scared of waking up feeling sick or actually being sick. I'm also scared of going under GA.
Can anyone offer any words of comfort? Did you get sick when you woke up? What is it like going under GA?

@NotMyCat

Honestly it's fine and I'm so phobic that my dad says I used to turn purple stopping myself being sick even as a child The only weird thing is the time passing because you go to sleep then wake up and I was "where did 5hrs go?!" Peppermint capsules for gas pain, get some to take with you

I've already stocked up on peppermint tea.

Aww I fully understand the going purple trying to hold it in. I've tried every trick in the book to not let myself be sick. I'm shocking with the house too. I've hoarded 178 bottles of zoflora. I scrub the house like mad making sure nothing is germs, it's a crazy phobia to have.

@saveforthat

Thanks for this thread op. I am having a lumpectomy next week and I have never had a GA before. I was terrified also but had the preop today and feel a bit calmer.

Hey I'm glad my post is helping you too. Good luck with your op and hope you have a speedy recovery. Don't forget to come back and let me know how it was x

I'm emetophobic and told the staff immediately before my gall bladder removal a few years ago. I also struggle with the idea of other people vomiting and asked for my music player to be available as soon as possible so I could put headphones on. When I woke up the nurse had put my player and headphones on the table right in front of me so I could reach them straight away. And I didn't feel sick at all, just sleepy, and when I woke properly was provided with tea and biscuits which were very welcome.
Good luck!

@xsamix86

I had a laparoscopic hysterectomy and removal of endometriosis in June. General anaesthetic always makes me sick so the anaesthetist gave me anti sickness meds to help. Honestly, one second I was talking to the lovely nurses the next thing I knew I was waking up in recovery. Its understandable to be scared, but once it is all over you will be glad it was done. I wish you a speedy operation and recovery x

Did the anti sickness stuff work?

Thank you so much x

Google always has the horror stories somewhere along the lines. I'm guessing someone trolling or maybe dreamed it?

@astrowars

I'm emetophobic and told the staff immediately before my gall bladder removal a few years ago. I also struggle with the idea of other people vomiting and asked for my music player to be available as soon as possible so I could put headphones on. When I woke up the nurse had put my player and headphones on the table right in front of me so I could reach them straight away. And I didn't feel sick at all, just sleepy, and when I woke properly was provided with tea and biscuits which were very welcome. Good luck!

It's a horrible fear to have isn't it?

That's actually a great tip asking for your music playing. When I'm having a bad day with nausea my phone is my go to. It always calms me down so I might ask if they can have that ready and waiting for me x

Yes it did thankfully. Oh, and I didn't find the gas pain bad. For me the worst part was not being able to lay on my side until they took the catheter out. As a matter of fact I had my surgery at about 10:30, back in my room for 4pm and the surgeon wanted to send me home at just gone 8pm 😬 nurse put a stop to that though x

@xsamix86

Yes it did thankfully. Oh, and I didn't find the gas pain bad. For me the worst part was not being able to lay on my side until they took the catheter out. As a matter of fact I had my surgery at about 10:30, back in my room for 4pm and the surgeon wanted to send me home at just gone 8pm 😬 nurse put a stop to that though x

Ahh I didn't know about the catheter. How long did they keep that in for?

I think they said they would want to keep me in for the night, pretty thankful for that to be honest. I'd feel more comfortable there than worrying all night at home.

@LikeTheFruit

Oh course you can request an antiemetic. I'd be extremely surprised if you weren't told that you'll be getting one anyway though. Also very common for lots of tears after a D&C. All the pent up emotion and adrenaline has to make its way out.

I've had a few ops and every time I've woken up bawling

I’ve had a number of GAs over the years - first was for wisdom teeth in about 1970. I felt pretty grim after that one (I don’t remember the before), but it was 50 years ago, and anaesthesia is unbelievably improved since then!
With my last few, going under has been almost instant - they didn’t even ask me to count, I was quite disappointed - and coming round was just like waking up from a very heavy sleep, starving hungry from pre-op fasting.
They don’t let you eat right away, but when you do it’s bliss

@LikeTheFruit. Can I just thank you as a representative for all anaesthetists? My mum had a big operation that she was extremely nervous about and the anaesthetist she saw beforehand was so lovely and reassuring with her. On the day she didn't get him but the guy she had instead was equally fantastic with her. For myself I had an operation a few years ago and the person who did my pre-op bloods took it from all the wrong places so when I got down there, the trainee anaestherist struggled to find a vein entry point. The anaesthetist was so calm and so expert sorting it all out. I wasn't nervous about my op but if I had been I would have been put so much at ease by him.

My surgeon did an absolutely fantastic job on me and he is a god in my eyes, but I often think the anaesthetists, who ultimately keep you alive and pain free during the op, get sadly overlooked. So I want you to know how very much appreciated you are for the understanding you show and the clinical excellence you perform.

I had my gallbladder taken out laparoscopically under GA in October .

Never had GA before
Was nervous before hand

The day went as follows , no eating from midnight and no fluids from 6am
Arrive in the hospital at 11:30 get checked in given gown and stockings to put on. You only wear knickers underneath so need a dressing gown and slippers .

Go to the waiting room - speak with surgeon and anaesthetist

Have some pre-medication I think I had omeprazole and ibuprofen can't remember what the 3rd was

Walk into the theatre lay on the bed , cannula put into hand , blood pressure cuff on the other arm
Oxygen mask put over face , asked if easy before giving the anaesthesia

Anaesthesia given - wake up in recovery
Feels a bit like waking up drunk

My throat felt sore from the breathing tube so needed lots of water to drink after
Once fully awake moved to the next stage of recovery

Given a sandwich and cup of tea
Came and checked the dressings and had blood pressure etc taken every 30 minutes or so
I think 4 sets of blood pressure etc and getting dressed before moving to the next recovery area which was just seats , tea and biscuits here
Discussed discharge, given medications and dressings to take home , they called my partner to collect me . H wasn't able to come up to the ward as he had the children with him so a nurse took me out to the car

Mine was day surgery so I was home by 9pm

General anaesthetic was fine other than the initial drunk feeling when waking there were no other effects

@sofakingcool bless you!! Some people are just criers!

[quote madisonbridges]@LikeTheFruit. Can I just thank you as a representative for all anaesthetists? My mum had a big operation that she was extremely nervous about and the anaesthetist she saw beforehand was so lovely and reassuring with her. On the day she didn't get him but the guy she had instead was equally fantastic with her. For myself I had an operation a few years ago and the person who did my pre-op bloods took it from all the wrong places so when I got down there, the trainee anaestherist struggled to find a vein entry point. The anaesthetist was so calm and so expert sorting it all out. I wasn't nervous about my op but if I had been I would have been put so much at ease by him.

My surgeon did an absolutely fantastic job on me and he is a god in my eyes, but I often think the anaesthetists, who ultimately keep you alive and pain free during the op, get sadly overlooked. So I want you to know how very much appreciated you are for the understanding you show and the clinical excellence you perform.[/quote]
Thank you so much for your kind words. It really is an honour to look after people at their most vulnerable.

I had my surgery on Wednesday. It was just like everyone said, went to sleep, woke up, all over. Bit sore and tired but recovering nicely now

I think you'll be okay op. I used to also be terrified of GA and having surgery but I had an emergency caesarean under GA recently so had to get over that fear really quickly.