Surgery fears

[chinoisierychic]

Just this really…. Having a breast lump removed in a couple of weeks and so scared of being out of control and the being put to sleep bit…. Any GA professionals out there able to reassure me about the breathing part? I woke when I had a tube in my mouth in my last surgery… it’s kind of troubled me ever since and dreading having complications.

Anyone 😅

the airway device (tube/other device) usually stays in until a patient is able to protect their own breathing which usually means that they're eyes-open and trying to remove it themselves. A lot of patients don't remember that bit, but some do - it doesn't mean anything's gone wrong though if a patient does remember it. If you have questions/worries the anaesthetist on the day should be able to explain/reassure. It's usually a good sign if someone's survived an operation before though - chances are everything'll be fine!

Wow thanks for this. You’re really kind to take the time to reassure me and I will definitely ask him this week as meeting him on Wednesday. Do they always intubate every patient during GA? I’ve been told the operation is about 30 minutes.

So I’m not an anaesthetist, so I cannot reassure you from that perspective. But I can reassure you that there are teams of people who are all around you as this is happening and, having been under myself on several different occasions for various medical problems, I’ve always found it to be quite a restful experience.

I wonder if you could try and start thinking of it that way? I’ve had a full mastectomy amongst various other things and I certainly didn’t want to be awake for any of it.
certainly, you’re at risk of winding yourself up and based on what I do know I don’t think this is a rabbit hole you want to go down

the decision re how to manage the airway/breathing depends very much on the operation and any other medical problems. There will definitely be an airway device of some sort, but it may not necessarily be intubation. Either way, the airway is only removed once a patient is able to look after their own airway & breathing, and it's removed quickly once it's obvious it's safe.

And it’s certain I’ll be able to breathe again on my own? This aspect of being on the tube forever scares me the most (irrational I know, maybe covid pictures / news reports have given me this fear)

Thank you so much, yes I reversed my thinking for a recent MRI - I have two very young toddlers and thought it’s a nice chance for a lie down and a rest! Even thought initially was worried I would be claustrophobic the experience was good as I went in thinking ‘ah a nice lie down, can’t wait!’. Should try and do the same for the GA…

OP they definitely don't take it out until you are conscious and breathing.

I've had four GA, three in the last year so all v fresh in my mind.

The last one was the best, where I was aware of them taking out the tube. I heard them tell me they were doing it, then felt it being pulled out, then calling my name and I was swimming up to the top. Brilliant. I hate the idea that there are parts I can't remember. (I fought for my last op to be done under Local, but lost!)

FWIW I am always told by the anaethestist afterwards that I must be very anxious as I don't deal with propofol very well - even when I don't think I have been anxious, I go a bit loopy once it hits my system and start moving around violently. I do warn them before I go into theatre so they usually whack it up to full power ASAP 😂 I then usually wake up crying because of this.

My point is you should try to be as chilled out as possible and with luck you will go under with the same calm attitude.

Out of the four, I had one where I just drifted off and woke up smiling and it felt quite nice really.

if they're treating the preassessment process like normal and the last operation was straightforward and nothing much has changed since there shouldn't be any reason to think there's likely to be any major problems. If they thought there was a real possibility that doing the operation under GA would end up in becoming ventilator dependent they probably wouldn't have suggested doing it that way.