First ever surgery on Monday and I'm absolutely terrified 😨

[BunnyBoo2]

I'm having a bowel resection on Monday due to Crohns and this is my very first surgery. I have such a fear of the GA and have been doing my best to avoid having this op for years.

I can't believe it's so close now. I had a major wobble last weekend and I was close to cancelling it. I just want to get it done but I can't shake this fear that I won't wake up 😔

I spoke to an anaesthetist at my pre op who was lovely and it was reassuring to some extent. I can't imagine what kind of emotional nervous wreck I'm going to be on Monday though.

Anybody feel the same before an op and how did you cope with it?

Yes, I felt this when I had to have surgery. I was somewhat lucky it was on a tight timeframe. I broke my ankle badly and had it fixed the following day so I didn’t have much time to dwell on it.

I think that you need to remember is if they thought there was any risk you wouldn’t wake up they wouldn’t be operating on you. The people who dnt wake up are the ones having emergency life saving surgery

I had one last year, I was a wreck, cried to the anaesthetist and again just as I went under. Woke up and it was fine. Just remember that for the staff this is totally routine, they are doing their jobs and do it all the time. You will be ok.

And most of them still survive!

I've got some fairly chronic digestive issues so I feel your pain there OP.

If it helps at all, I'm looking forward to my next GA! I enjoy them!! I have only ever had two and my last one was about 15 years ago, I find them a wonderful deep sleep.

I do have major anxiety about a lot of things, including health so this is quite contradictory to my love for a good old GA 😅

Good luck for Monday, they'll take great care of you and if you can, practice some breathing exercises for the time preceding your OP x

How are you feeling today?

I had this a few months ago.
First week was rough, keep on top of the painkillers and do keep moving.
Surgeon promised after a week I would feel better, and she was right.

Still quite out of it on pain meds. Will.update more soon xxx

Hopefully they’ve got you up and moving today.
and won’t be long until your first fart 💨😆
Which feels bloody amazing! I still recall the utter joy . You know then it’s all been reconnected right.

Yep been up but wouldn't dare risking a fart. The bowel heavens opened pretty much straight away. Had temperature yesterday and felt pretty crappy tbh. Had to be put in isolation incase I had something contagious. Back on the ward now but have zero appetite and constantly feel sick.

Fingers crossed it improves soon

How are you doing today? Hopefully feeling a lot better 🤞

Hi - I don't feel too bad today thanks x Came home on Sunday. Still have horrid diarrhea so going to try some loperamide (imodium).

Did your bowels take a while to settle down after the op?

If it's the GA that's the main concern, for reassurance...

My 9yo had an appendectomy about a year ago, obviously his appendix was taken out under GA.
He's now a huge fan of GA and describes it as a lovely sleep. He was very pleased when he heard he can have some teeth strategically removed under GA next year.

Its totally natural to be nervous - I definitely was when I had minor surgery a few years ago but I woke up refreshed & unscathed.

Lots of luck for a smooth surgery and a swift recovery. I really hope it improves your quality of life - Crohn's is such a debilitating condition.

Please be careful taking Imodium - firming things up too much will be risky. Body will just be adjusting to the surgery but make sure you stay on top of fluids and maybe have some electrolytes. I’ve had 8 resections and the only problem I had was once when I came home and ate pizza - ending up opening up the surgical site and was very unwell. Stick to soft foods , lots
of lean protein too to aid healing

I had surgery last week to have a joint replaced. Not GA, I had a spinal and local. I too made sure to inform them at pre-op and on a questionnaire that I had bad anxiety. On the day I kept running to the toilet, because my nerves affect my stomach. I met with the anaesthetist and she reassured me a lot. I was first on the list (not sure if that was to do with the type of op or my anxiety) and I didn't sit around for too long. In the prep room the people fitting my cannula and spinal anaesthetic were lovely - kept chatting about all sorts to stop my mind wandering to negative places. Before I knew it, it was all done and I was in recovery. Most of it is fear of the unknown. Remind them when you arrive that you're very anxious and worried of having a panic attack and they'll reassure and calm you as best they can. Good luck OP.

Just adding there’s a really good Facebook group Chrons and Colitis Uk, if you need more advice.

Glad you are home.

Yes they did.
Still are working out what I can and can’t eat. I developed a dairy allergy before surgery and still can’t have any dairy, even miniscule amounts. They are hoping I can restart dairy very slowly in about 4 months.

Discovered that hummus, onions and garlic are still a no as I 💨 so much I wake myself up 😳.

But by the end of the first week-10 days post surgery, everything got easier. Walking, loo trips, getting in and out of bed.

Are you getting out and walking every day? I started with a walk around the block, very slowly. Usually at dusk with my DH, as I was in some very odd outfits. Stretchy skirt, TED stockings, trainers 😆

That helped get my bowels back into a better rhythm. And prevents DVT.

A month after surgery I started doing the walk 44 miles in a month for Cancer Research. Some days were better than others, but it gave me an incentive to walk other than just to the shops, as I still couldn’t drive.

8?
Bloody hell you’ve really been through it!
How are you doing now?

Just wondering how the OP is? I’m using a resection in a couple of weeks.

Hi @Scotsmare77

It's just over 5 weeks now since my op and things are going well. Still a bit of discomfort and nerve pain around the incision site, more so if I've overdone things.

Bowels have settled a lot now - only going 2 to 3 times a day.

Starting to eat a little fibre now which is a bit scary but been fine so far. I think I still haven't got used to the thought that I haven't got a stricture anymore 😆

I hope your surgery goes well - you will be glad to get it done. I know I was so tempted to put it off but I'm glad I didn't.

Let me know if there's anything else you'd like to ask about xx