How do you deal with the anxiety

]I have scheduled my TVH or LAVH for 1/31/07 my question now is how do I deal with the anxiety from waiting? I am already starting to panic at times and really need to find some ways to cope. Thoughts? Suggestions?

I did it by cleaning, pitching and organizing. Now, I'm glad I did!

You manage it any which way you can. Sometimes it helps to be busy, sometimes what you really need to do is just feel your anxiety and get through it, moment by moment.

I think you'll find that you can go for days and it doesn't seem real and then sometimes it's totally there and it has you by the throat.

You'll find lots of support here from women in the same situation .... this will help tremendously!!

Sweetie, you've heard this before, but I'll say it again, the waiting truly is the worst (or at least was for most of us).

I had to wait about 7 weeks for my surgery after scheduling and felt much the same way as you. I called my doctor and got a prescription for anti anxiety meds. I could only take them in the evenings, but it did help a lot.

Keep busy. I cleaned everything - including my attic. I sold old items on ebay (which has helped with the loss of pay from being home), cleaned closets, donated lots to goodwill. It really helped me focus my anxiety on something positive and not keep it pent up.

Visit here often too, it became somewhat of an obsession for me while I was waiting (still is!). Do whatever works for you - exercise, go out with friends, anything to pass the time!

Hang in there!!

Christine

May I make a suggestion? Plan to have everything done one week before your actual date. This is my final week, and I have to deal with severe back pain caused by stress as well as my last period. I don't feel like doing ANYTHING, and I have a ton of stuff that needs doing! I wanted to leave some things to do this week to keep myself busy, but now I think if I had everything done I would still have found things to do but wouldn't have the pressure of doing them like I do now.

First of all, enjoy the holidays! Focus on pampering yourself, getting your nest ready for your homecoming, perhaps get some meals prepared and frozen. When you get down and stressed, visualize yourself "on the other side" of this, feeling renewed energy and good health.

And of course, come back here often for advice, support, friendship, and hugs!!

Personally, I just kept my eye on the prize. I remoinded myself that at the end of the day when surgery was done I would be pain free, I would be able to sleep, urination would no longer be a major part of my daily existance and I would finally get my life back. I would be able to make actual PLANS, and assign timetables to them. I could finally stop living for the fibroids and start living for myself again. Those were the thoughts that got me through all of the wait and the anxiety that I just was not getting things done fast enough and that the last couple of weeks were passing too quickly and all the mess that came with it.

I just had surgery on Friday and you know what? I can sleep. Urination is now just something that is done, not that HAS TO BE DONE now or else, I have some plans, I am no longer living for the fibroids because they are tucked away in a path lab somewhere and all the things that I was stressing that I didn't get done in time are completely irrelevent because I have my life back and a few weeks off work to get them done now if they really did need to be done in the first place.

For once, that light at the end of the tunnel was not an oncoming train.

Anne -

Did you just schedule your surgery? I found the week or so after I scheduled mine was bad (maybe 2) and then once I found this site and kind of had runs through everything 200 times in my head, the anxiety dropped considerbly. That's not to say I didn't have moments including one total melt down at work, it just got a lot better.

If you don't feel it is lightening, you might want to discuss this with your Dr. Too often we as women just tough out things we should feel confortable seeking assistance with.

I was really worried about walking in that morning and actually other than a brief (really 2 or 3 seconds) going through the double doors I was calm and just wanted this behind me.

Waiting is hard. The 1st 36 hours Post Op are hard but it gets better from there. I think when people say 'waiting is the worst part' it can be met with distrust in that it doesn't match anything going through our heads. But I think waiting is awful because our minds run wild. I think those first hours after are hard because we are trying to get our bearings. BUT it gets better fairly quickly.

Focus on the upcoming season. Try to enjoy it. Tell yourself you will wory about this after New Years. Tell yourself this each evening and you will probably find it will help.

Best wishes on your journey. If you have any questions, feel free to ask here or PM me.

Julie

I have only had a week to prepare and surgery is this thursday.4 weeks ago when I went in for an exam that I havent had in5 yrs I never expected this. I go into the docs 2wks ago and he "mentioned" hyster. I went back last tuesday and he was ready to do this on that thursday.I said no!! I needed at least a week.WELL, its been one BUSY week. My thoughts hit me like now, late at night when everyone and evrything is quiet. PANIC sets in hard core. Right now Im doing laundry and later I will be doing the floors , again. I have a severe panic disorder along with OCD so keeping busy is really my only option. I know that by time i go in I will be exhausted so Im hoping I will sleep well,LOL! You, Ms. Anne have a long wait. If I were you I would put it out of my head for now and enjoy the holidays like A New Life said. The worrying will come, thats for sure. I think we all worry ourselves sick. And yet there are so many wonderful stories of recovry, but we still worry. I am UP and DOWN. I worry and I cant wait. By time this thursday I will be in full PMS so hopefully I will catch Aunt Flow B4 she gets here.My PMS makes my panic alot worse so I may not even be back here til after I come home. YES, A New Life has it right!!!!Enjoy your holidays!!!!! You can prepare alittle in between , just dont get so wrapped-up[holiday pun ] that you dont enjoy yourself. When its time we will all be here

Thank you everyone, I really appreciate your suggestions. You have some good ideas for keeping my brain focused on other things and also looking forward to after it is is done and behind me. Thank you and I also look forward to any other thoughts, suggestions, etc. this is a great site, I am SOOO glad I found it.