Getting REALLY scared about anesthesia!

Hi ladies! First I want to say what a tremendous help you have all been to me already and I appreciate it. I have 6 days til my TAH and tomorrow is my pre-op. I was just told by my nurse that called from my insurance company that I would be totally knocked out with a breathing tube during the surgery. I guess I never thought about what they would do. Now that I am thinking about it, I'm completely freaking out! I am SOOO scared that I'm going to wake up in the middle of the surgery! Does that happen? Not to mention I'm already freaking out and obsessing over everything else, I just have something new on my plate of freakout. I've been having bad dreams about the surgery, or that my doctor calls me and tells me that there's more things wrong with me. I've always been an emotional person, but I just see to be whacko lately. I know it's normal and all that, but it just doesn't seem to make it better. My heart goes out to all of you, thank you for everything too!

it sounds like you are having general anesthesia...which they put something thru the IV and put you to sleep..dont worry, you wont wake up...they are doctors and anestheologists there to make sure you are sleeping and not feelling anything...dont think about that.
I will be having a TAH the second week in march (hopefully) say that because I have a mild cold and my blood pressure is acting up...but my dc spoke about instead of general anesthesia, he said that he prefers for me an epidural, which is being numb from the waist down and you dont feel any pain for 24 hrs, which sounds nice.
you try to keep busy, lister to music, relax, that is what I am trying to do until "my day to go to the castle".....I will be praying for you on the 4th...you will be ok....

Sweetie,

Freaking out is totally normal. I did it too. The anesthesia is no big deal. They will just put you to sleep and then intubate you. Other than a possibly scratchy throat, you will never know you had it. You will not wake up during the surgery - you will be sound asleep and the anesthesiologist will be right there monitoring you to make sure everything is ok and that you stay asleep. If you have any concerns or anxiety before the surgery, speak up and tell the nurses, surgeon, and anesthesiologist. They work together as a team to ensure that you are comfortable with everything that is happening to you. I used alot of different relaxation techniques and kept reminding myself why I was having the surgery and how much better I would feel afterwards. I found that taking deep slow breaths with a happy thought between each breath worked well. You will be fine. Good luck to you!

Hi Lolee8

The best part of the general anesthesia is going to sleep and remembering nothing when you wake up! (Nausea is a common complaint, however). The first time I had a general, I swore up and down that I didn't have a tube down my throat until my surgeon told me that yes, I did. I thought I just fell asleep from something in the IV !

The anesthesiologists are focused completely on you during surgery, that's why they get the big bucks! LOL

My surgery is tomorrow morning, have to be there at 6. I am not worried about the anesthesia in the least.

My best to you...

Hi
If you are really worried about waking up, ask them if they monitor your brainwaives--a lot of anesthesiologists do that. But even without that, they have so many other ways to monitor and make sure youdon't wake up, you really can relax about that.
Deb

I thought I was the only one who had crazy dreams about my surgery....I wake up in the middle of the night, teeth clenched and strange dream running through my head.

I have my pre-op appointment on the 4th and I'm scheduled for surgery on the 12th. I have so much anxiety because I have not had my pre-op and there are soOO many questions...I hope to feel more at ease once I can talk over all my concerns with the DR at this appointment. I think this is true of anything, information is power.

General anesthesia is freaks me out a bit, but my hyster was last Friday and they gave me some Versed in my IV in pre-op. Which not only calmed me down but pretty much but me to sleep so getting wheeled back to the OR was no big deal. I thought the worst part would be in the ER waiting for the general to take effect. Instead, I was totally relaxed and sleeping and don't even remember 'counting down' to fall asleep.

Really, waiting is the hardest part.

I have had several surgeries and do not do well with anasthesia but.. I can tell you that I have never woken up in fact, I have trouble waking up when I am suppsed to. I did find that when I finallly discovered that I was allergic to Morphine the whole process seemed easier because I was given a different pain med in my IV during surgery so, the anasthesia did not affect as adversly.
You will do fine. This is my 5th surgery which has involved anasthesia and HAVE NEVER woken up during. GOOD Luck! God Bless

Lolee,
I was a little concerned about the general anesthesia too so i asked at my pre-op if I could stay up and just get the shot in the back like I did for my c-section, i was told "you don't want that honey, with a total hyst you would feel too much" enough said, I remember how scary all that tugging was during C- section /this surgery i am going to sleep! Anesthetists really do a fabulous job, they keep watch every second you are under- you will be safe and much more comfortable this way Best wishes hatrick

Hi Lolee,

I am weighing in with my 2 cents worth, too. Freaking out a bit is completely normal, however, you will be fine under general anaesthesia. The Drs watch you like hawks and you will remember nothing.

When I went up to the OR floor they could not have been nicer. But I never even saw the operating room because I was out so fast from whatever they put in my IV. Good Stuff!

If you are that nervous about it, please talk to your Dr beforehand. Perhaps you can get something to help you relax a bit.

I was told the same thing about the spinal...no way. Going with the general was the right choice for me. Worst part is the scratchy throat and dry mouth. Take lipbalm and drink lots of water. Also try to remember to breathe nice and deep afterwards to clear all the anaesthesia out of your system.

Trust me, and all of the other wise Sisters, you'll be fine, honey.