Being at the end of a doctor's list

[Colinfirth]

I am having a procedure about which I feel very anxious and have discovered that I am at the end of the doctor's list for the day. It seems obvious to me that the doctor is likely to be tired, have low blood sugar and probably will be more apt to make mistakes late in his list. Does anyone have any insight into whether this a rational worry (doctors / other medical professionals / anybody)? Any thoughts helpful!

Um, dunno about bananas but I imagine he eats something. I don't know many doctors who go without food for too long

I am sure all will be fine for you, hope it goes well.

Colinfirth - sorry but IME it's much more likely that if you are the last of the day you will be bumped to another day if they meet complications in earlier surgeries!

whomovedmychocolate, that's an interesting thought. I'd rather be moved than have a tired out doctor I suppose but...

I'd be more worried if it was a procedure at a private hospital - which doctors often fit in around their NHS work (either early am or late pm)

Ah, it is a procedure at a private hospital, bundle, after a bad NHS experience - but it is early afternoon I believe...

sorry colinfirth - didn't mean to alarm

I'm sure it will be fine, please don't worry. that's easy for me to say after you've had a bad experience you're bound to be anxious. do tell them when you get there how you feel and i'm sure they will take time to explain things carefully to you.

Thanks, bundle. I think he must be all day at the private hospital that day but I will ask. Everything is alarming me a but at the moment.

is it the same sort of procedure you had last time? will you have an anaesthetic?

It is not the same as what went wrong in the NHS hospital. It is done under sedation.

is your main worry about it going wrong?

Yes. Get very anxious thinking about it.

I think I would rather have the last slot as then there isn't the pressure of everyone else waiting....ime most consultants are quite willing to eat into their own time, particularly for a delicate procedure. I'd rather my consultant was a bit more tired but able to take his time over it.

Good luck. Hope it goes well. Am not a medic but have 4 of the buggers in my immediate family, so have been privy to more than my fair share of conversations on related subjects!

Thank you ib, am just in a state, but am very grateful for everyone's kind posts. I should probably take the kids on a long walk or something to wear myself out..

I've been to ops where some patients have been excluded at the last minute because eg of infection, temp etc so the list may not always be that full. Have you ever tried any relaxation techniques? Anxiety can be incredibly powerful but you can also help to reduce it yourself eg with music or imagery.

I should do that, bundle. Exercise sort of works for me so maybe some brisk walking and I probably remember some breathing exercises from hypnobirthing which could help. I get a bit headless-chicken-y about it all and stop doing things which I should realise mght help. Thank you.

bundle, do you think being last in the list is a bad thing? Would you consider trying to move the procedure to another date?

Bump, bundle?

colinfirth, no I don't think I'd try to move it because you still may end up with a last appt anyway. also - something still could go wrong (true of any procedure) if you had it first thing, the only patient that day etc, just because sometimes things do go wrong.

It might also help to think if something did go wrong what could be done - does it make you feel more comfortable having plan a, b and c in place? I certainly did when I gave birth - I ended up having a c/s both times but because I'd found out quite a bit about what that entails (including epidurals and GAs) I felt a teeny bit in control and wasn't too shocked or surprised by it.

Having something go wrong last time must be preying on your mind I'm sure and what you're feeling is completely natural. and like you say, exercise etc will help.

(I may not be the best person to ask, I make medical programmes and love going to watch operations )

when is it happening colinfirth?

Are you staying in overnight, or is it a day surgery procedure? I work on a day surgery ward in an NHS hospital, and sometimes they put someone last as they will need an overnight bed, whereas someone else should be able to go home later if they have their op earlier, IYSWIM. Also, I have never heard of anything going wrong with the last op as opposed to any of the others. The theatre lists are very carefully timed to allow for care for all concerned ie surgeon, scrub nurses etc not forgetting the patient too. Good luck, I'm sure you will be fine.

Thanks swnd and bundle. Sorry to go on madly, bundle, but if you could switch and knwo you wouldn't be at the end of the list (hypothetically) - would that as a matter of fact be better?

I spose I don't feel any anxiety re: it going wrong, I mean, I might want to be first in a spirit of "let's get it over with" (have felt that with eg interviews!) or easier nil-by-mouth (because would be asleep for most of it) but not re: increased risk of errors.

colinfirth, I'm off now - meeting dh and the girls. CAT me if you like, xxx

Thank you bundle - going for that walk now!