Terrified of sedation

[Needamiracle12]

Hi ladies,

To those who've been through egg collection and had deep sedation. Was a family member allowed to hold your hand whilst going under? The clinic we're at have said no even though I clearly have some sort of phobia. I was wondering if any ones clinic allowed it and which clinic it is please.

Thanks

Anyone?

Hi OP,

My partner had to wait outside for my EC.

All I can say is I literally remember the first drug going in and then I woke up in recovery! Honestly,of all of the shit I’ve gone through on this journey,EC was prob the best it was a lovely sleep 😂

Could you speak to them about some diazepam or something the night before so you feel abit calmer?

Hope it goes well for you ❤️

If it's like mine then it's like a proper hospital setting with no-one but doctors and nurses etc allowed into the room but partner in the waiting area.

I've had 10 egg collections (!) and the first one was during Covid so noone allowed even into the clinic with me and I had horrendous anxiety but it was totally fine. Please try not to worry. I did feel very reassured that I was surrounded by medical people who all knew exactly what they were doing, all there to keep me safe and look after me and they were in fact going to be a hell of a lot more use than a partner who was not medically trained etc! What exactly are you afraid of? I was crying and really worried when I went in (in general about the whole thing, not specifically the needle/sedation) but it was totally fine.

I've weirdly started now almost "enjoying" the sedation now! I think because I'm always struggling to get to sleep and worrying day to day at night and there's something so strange but satisfying of the sudden feeling of going from being awake to suddenly slipping under and asleep.

Hi OP

I was absolutely petrified at the thought of having an egg collection. I couldn't even have a routine blood test/injection without feeling terrified beforehand. Having IVF has eased my phobia to be honest. I was able to have therapy and EMDR before starting IVF and that helped.

I promise you, the egg collection isn't bad. My fertility clinic doesn't allow a partner to come in to theatre either. I was so scared going in but was well looked after and I don't remember it and there was no pain.

Hope it all goes smoothly for you 😊

Hi OP,

I honestly was the same before my first Egg Collection. I was panicking and even cried in the clinic.

I can honestly say that it was not as bad as I thought, and I will now be much more relaxed for my second Egg Collection.

The worst part was that the anesthesiologist came to put the canula way before it was my time to go to theatre. I hated having to wait with the canula. For next time I will ask if they can put the canula closer to the time of my egg collection.

I also didn’t really like having to wait in the theatre before the sedation but it only lasted a couple of minutes. The sedation stings a little and then you sleep and don’t remember a thing.

What really helped me was keeping in mind why I was doing that. If that’s the price to pay to have a baby then I will happily go through it all again!

@Needamiracle12 i feel your pain. I suffer with horrific health anxiety and was absolutely petrified. Petrified it wouldn’t work and I’d be in pain on one hand but on the other, petrified I’d die!

It was FINE. He put the drug in and I started to panic a bit as I couldn’t really feel anything happen apart from my heart pounding from nerves. This was a split second and next thing, I was back in recovery absolutely fine, like nothing had happened, munching on a biscuit!

Youve got this, I promise xx

I was nervous about it too, and like others, nobody was allowed in the room with me (it's essentially a minor surgery so the room has to remain sanitised). However they did let me listen to music, though I fell asleep instantaneously and woke up in recovery with no recollection of anything. It's honestly completely fine. I have a friend who's had three egg collections at the same clinic and she doesn't fall asleep like me but says she gets a nice buzz from the sedative 😂

Thanks for all your kind replies ladies. It's weird as I don't have needle phobia. I think it's the vulnerability of it all and also I've no idea how I'll react as never been sedated. Can't help but think I might react badly or feel pain whilst sedated. Scares me alot. I definitely feel more reassured hearing some of you ladies had the same phobia of sedation like me and you managed to go through with it. Honestly I feel like as soon as they try to sedate my i am going to either have a panic attack or leg it of the table lol. I have a feeling I might have developed a phobia due to having seen a family member in and out of hospital since a kid x

@Needamiracle12 I can echo what others have said really - I was in deep sedation for both my egg collections and felt very nervous going in (I find surgical settings very triggering post surgical TFMR) but the anaesthetist put me at ease - I'm sure they're so used to it - asking me what I did for work etc and kept me talking and distracted. The 2nd time I tried to pay more attention and noticed feeling like I'd had a few glasses of wine and them boom, awake in recovery. I've had 3 general anaesthetics and 2 deep sedation egg collections and felt less woozy and clearer headed coming out of the sedation, only for a few mons really, and then felt fine but a bit tired after. They'll talk you through everything and keep you calm, I'd suggest explaining in advance your anxiety so they can be mindful and try to minimise time waiting around in the theatre setting if that'll help you. You'll be absolutely fine! Xx

Really sorry about your tfmr. Thanks yeh I am going to write it on the pre op form and I'll tell them on the day too. Counting down the days now! I can't say I've ever heard of sedation complications from anyone on here so hopefully it'll be ok. Thx for your words of encouragement. I do wish my husband was at least able to hold my hand though whilst being sedated. I think they should allow this if you're severely anxious x

They don't give anything for calming nerves day before so diazepam wouldn't be an option unfortunately. How do you feel when they're putting the drug into your arm? Like do you feel dizzy etc? Thx

Hi. You're a soldier having gone through so many collections. I wish I had that strength. I've also been crying non stop tbh for the last week since surgery day is getting closer and closer. There's a few things that make me feel afraid/uncomfortable. One is i am petrified I won't wake up or I'll react bad as never been sedated. I've noticed painkillers generally don't have an effect on me so i am worried I'll be in pain during the procedure. I find Gynaecological things extremely humiliating especially when it's men doing them but unfortunately a lot of good gynaecologists are men. I've been raised very much with the view of keeping modest and covering up and I know this is medical but it just feels so wrong. It makes me feel super vulnerable not being awake. I am worried there will be a complication and our chance of ever having kids will be gone. I've always been very anti medicines anti medical stuff unless no choice which I know this is but still doesn't make it easy. I don't like the thought of playing with nature. So yeh there's a lot! X

You sound exactly how I was. I honestly kissed my dogs and OH goodbye that morning, expecting to never see them again! Dramatic to some, but anxiety is overwhelming and feels so real!

Some say you may feel dizzy, I just feel a little panicky as thought ‘oh dear, here we go!’ But before I could even finished my thought, I was back in recovery.

I did find laying on the bed, with strangers in there daunting but I kept telling myself it was all for a good cause.

The only thing I can say is I have another EC coming up in a few months and I’m no Worried at all! (And for me that’s huge as I’m on medication for severe health anxiety!)

@Needamiracle12 sorry you are feeling anxious 😥 I was also feeling anxious before my egg collection a couple of weeks ago, as I had never had any type of sedation before! It was a bit overwhelming and I had all sorts of scenarios in my head but as everyone else on this thread has said, it is honestly totally fine! If anything I would say it’s pleasant 😂

once she put the canula in, one of the nurses was talking to me about something else and then the anaesthetist said ‘your head might start to spin a bit’ and after a couple of seconds it kind of felt like when you go into the toilet on a night out and realise how drunk you are haha, next thing I know I’m being offered a cup of tea and biscuits in recovery!

you will honestly be fine 💜

Hey yeh this is literally what my thoughts are right now. I was just thinking today I'll give our little dwarf bunny a good cuddle before we head in next week. And I want to say goodbye properly to my husband on the day incase.... I am so glad you're feeling good about your second EC. It definitely gives me more reassurance I will be ok I hope. I guess it's just getting over this first sedation experience and hopefully I'll be ok going forwards if I need any more. Thx so much you've definitely given me a peace of mind xx

Thanks yeh I keep zoning out and dreaming about bad scenarios on the day. I plan on gritting my teeth and I might tell them beforehand to try to distract me and do ot quick before I run of the table lol x

I'd also never had any medical procedures/anaesthetic or hospital things at all before. I've never had anaesthetic before or since but from my experience it was like what I'd expect an GA to be honestly! It was a drug they put in through a canula and the anaesthetist was chatting to me (or trying to!) about my holidays...I think other times they've asked me to count backwards from 10 or whatever and honestly the next thing you know you're usually waking up in the recovery room.
I've had a friend who's had a conscious EC with some sort of medication or gas and air (and I've commented about her expeience on another thread) where it was painful and she hated it. So you should also try and view it positively and how good it is you're able to be sedated at your clinic! I would never do it unsedated! You absolutely won't be in pain or awake during the sedation.

There were 4 or 5 staff in there with me too and I just remember thinking how lucky I was to have all these medical people there looking after little old me and how I was their number 1 priority for the time I was in that room and it was super reassuring. Try thinking about that. Also you can tell them and you'll probably have a nurse willing to hold your hand or similar if needed...I think ive had that before too. Think of all the people who've been through this and its really not going to be anything to worry about!

Thanks yeh you make a really good point about even being able to have sedation. I've had a hycosy done and gosh was that painful! I guess it'll be what it'll be. I really hope it's a positive experience for me just like how everyone who's responded has had. Thx for all the tips. I'll definitely make a conscious effort to let the nurses know on the day and I found out the waiting room where my husband will be is really close which gives me a little comfort knowing he's just outside x

I found it really relaxing actually and I didn’t feel a thing. Fell asleep seconds after they started the medication. There were 2 staff with me and they were both really nice and caring. When I woke up my partner was with me and for a while I could still feel a relaxing fuzzy feeling. I felt a little bit achy the next day but I didn’t need any pain relief or anything. You could ask if your partner can come in with you until you have the sedation ? If you explain your phobia they might allow it. Good luck with everything.