Having surgery and I feel like an absolute wreck

[ChattyChai]

I was told last week I needed sinus surgery. I was told it would be a year away.

I got the call this week and was told it’s actually in two weeks time. I feel totally overwhelmed. I’ve never been put under before and I’m terrified.

im going to be having endoscopic sinus surgery.

im terrified that i wont wake up, im terrified that something will go wrong and ill end up blind, I dont think ill be getting travel insurance so im going to have to cancel my holiday.

im at work and all in a flap. I just want to cry, I was supposed to have a year to decide if I wanted it or not. I wasn’t prepared for this. I’m just not ready for it at all, I’m scared of recovery and everything. I’m not going to get the time off work; because my work are being dicks to me anyway because I’m in my notice. I’m just terrified

The surgical team will sign one for you, don't worry about that. I would have the surgery OP, you won't have another year of suffering to wait then.

I’m not lucky. They lied to me.

I don’t think they lied intentionally, there just must have been a slot come up.
I’ve had three operations in my life under GA. They prepare you so well. I’m a terrible worrier but they talk you through everything and are so calm and reassuring. You’ll start counting backwards and the next thing you know, they will be calling your name waking you up!

What would they achieve by lying to you? I’ve worked on waiting lists before and that’s just what happens sometimes. If you want to delay it or not have it at all, just let them know and they will go to the next person on the list who might be happy to get it done so quickly. Sometimes hospitals just can’t win.

Now why in the world would they lie to you about the date? Obviously an opening has recently been made available . You are lucky. Why do you persist in seeing this in a negative fashion ? This attitude will certainly not help you feel better about it.

They haven't lied to you they clearly had a cancellation you didn't need to take it but honestly you're blessed people are sitting on waiting lists for years in pain, missing work, deteriorating and even dying waiting for surgeries.

Just tell them you have decided you don't want the operation. It's not compulsory.

Then get a grip.

I explicitly asked to not be put on the cancellation list due to my holiday.

Well ring them up, and ask for it to be put back til after your holiday.

General anaesthetic is absolutely f*king fantastic - I loved it. Basically, it's the best sleep of your life.
Stop Googling and believing drama queens.
LIsten to the docs, and you'll be fine. This is minor surgery and you'll feel much better after it's done.

Then ring and cancel, why did you agree to it in the first place. Why do you think it will effect your holiday when is your holiday?

Edit. Just seen your holiday is in September. You can fly after 2 weeks. You're acting ridiculous at this point.

I think im going to ring and ask to be removed from the waiting list all together. I’ve lost a lot of weight in the last year and that seems to have helped a lot of my issues

They haven't lied but it may be a mistake if you asked not to be put on the waiting list. I travel for work and have a few medical issues. I always tell them when I am away and they always say they have put the notes on my record--- then without fail I get an appointment when I have said I am away. Every single bloody time. You don't have to take it if you don't want, they will just put you back on the list and offer it to the next person.

Your being ridiculous.

They haven't lied to you. And you haven't been put on a cancellation list.
The surgeon fills out a waitlist form, the bookings team have a slot open and book the patients from their list of patients who need surgery. Thers been no lying

It's a routine surgery, many people wait years in pain for this procedure. You are lucky to have been offered a date so quickly. Either accept or take yourself off the list so someone who actually needs the procedure can have it.

Just decline if you don’t want it but you’re lucky to get a date so fast, people are waiting years for operations they desperately need!! Me included!

It's not that someone will have cancelled, it's that a suitable list will have opened up

2 weeks time is junior doctor strikes so big cases that need lots of anaesthetic support, or complex admissions will get cancelled. Patients that don't need overnight stays, quick simple procedures that can be completed by one surgeon etc. Hence why cases that are usually low priority will get allocated slots quickly.

I started off empathetic and then got more empathetically annoyed the more of your responses I read:

1. I've had an 8+ hour operation, facing downwards. The way to face this is being practical. It's something you need done to have a better quality of life.

1. I've had a few operations since, and it's no problem. I quite enjoy chatting to the nurses. And knowing later, I'll be in less pain.

1. Was I nervous? Yes, of course. But the surgery nurses couldn't be nicer. They've been through nervous patients many times. They simply put a cannula line in to your hand, they give some prep op medication, then they let you know you'll fall asleep. I talk alot when I'm nervous, so I was yapping away and next thing I was in recovery. No issues...if you tell them you're super nervous and want to be told what's happening step by step, they will tell you/talk to you.

1. Have the day procedure, for the love of God, and stop using work and holidays as a reasons not to have it. You will be covered by a medical cert, despite what you say. And you've 5/6 weeks to recover before the hols. If you make a deal with yourself that IF 2 weeks before you hols you feel unfit, inform your insurance. That's what it's for.

Stop finding excuses for something that will help you long term.

There are risks with all surgeries but also risks driving a car and crossing the road.

Take a deep breath!

You will wake up - my late OH (a doctor) used to say you were at your safest in your whole life when under anaesthetic as at no other time was there a team of medics watching all your vital signs!

The operation you describe does not sound horrendous you are not being chopped open! There is no reason why the recovery should be anything like you describe.

For context - I have recently had a stent put in a coronary artery and pacemaker put into my heart, and am expected to need an operation on my mitral valve!! Stay cool - you will be fine. The medics are doing this stuff every day. It truly is a very very minor procedure!

It sounds like fear has taken hold of you OP and you aren’t able to see straight because of it - even posters are trying to help you and you’re not happy about that either. The truth is that you are lucky to be offered the procedure earlier than expected. If you cannot cope with the time frame and are simply too afraid, thank them profusely and offer the slot to another patient who is desperate for it.

You really do sound very immature OP and you need to get a grip!!

There are people who would kill to be in your position. Some people wait years for desperately needed surgery. Pull yourself together and try not to be such a wuss. As someone who has had extensive nasal surgery twice, it is not that bad!!!

You’ll be perfectly fine for your holiday!
As for work, you should not have told them just phoned in sick!
You obviously need to have the surgery or you wouldn’t have been offered it, they don’t do it just for the sake of it.
Have it done and enjoy the extra time off work, with a bit of luck the weather will pick up again and it will be nice when you’re off

Anaesthetist. Try to take a deep breath.

It's really normal to be scared, it would be more unusual to not be, we are v good at reassuring

Anaesthetics are amazingly safe. For a healthy individual my boss always used to say an anaesthetic is far safer than an easyjet flight to Spain. Not waking up is vanishingly vanishly rare (although was what I was petrified of when I had a GA at 18). I've had 4 in 10y and 3 were palliative ops

In terms of the process we meet you on the morning of surgery, when u get to theatre we check your ID band, connect you to monitoring, put a little straw in your hand, give you oxygen to breathe, use the straw to drift you to sleep..the anaesthetic is cold, that's normal. The next thing you remember is us saying take a deep breath and open your eyes

Have a look at this website it's got lots of good audio clips designed exactly for this

https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/patients/patient-information-resources/preparing-your-mind-surgery

I just don’t think I want the surgery, I feel like I was pushed into it

Most people are grateful to be expedited, they won't have lied to you, there's obviously been a cancellation so offered you a quicker slot. You're welcome to decline surgery or ask for another date, their will be hundreds of people begging to go up the queue given how long our waiting lists are

Just phone bookings and cancel it, noone will mind what so ever, we don't operate on people against your wishes! Just let them know ASAP so your theatre slot can be given to someone else so there isn't a wasted 2h slot on the day