I'm back

Hello again I have been off line for a few weeks so much happening in my life right now I just wanna scream...Then on top of everything else going on My surgery is 12-17-02 and Im getting anxious and nervous and scared..wondering how it all will go I have been reading some posts and the cathetor scares me it all scares me wondering if I should o a epidural/spinal but when I had my tubes tied 8 years ago it was with a epideral and when they starting to cut I freaked out on the table nad they had to put me under I relly dont remember what all happened except I woke up in recovery in pain and the nurses were not that kind. oh well maybe it is just the jitters with all esle going on in my life...I do have a question I am scheduled to work the 16th and have surgery the 17th should I talk to my dr and see if he can sign me out for the 16th so I can relax a bit... Thinking something to calm my nerves might be good with all I have ben through lately I just dont know.. Felling lost and scared.....oh well thanks again for hearing me out.........
Kim

Hi there Kim and Welcome Back. Just wanted to jump in and give you some ((((Kim)))) hugs.

Talk to your 'A' man about what type of anesthetic you will be having. I had a meeting 2 weeks before the hyst to discuss what would be used. I had a twilight general with an epidural for post op pain. The epidural was in for 2 days post and when they took out, the pain was totally manageable with just ordinary panadol (the equivalent of your tylenol I think). I stopped taking pain meds at 8 days post.

With the catheter, it is only a small amount of ladies that do have a problem. What you read on the boards is a minority of ladies who have had problems, rather than the majority that don't have any trouble at all. I was glad to have it in, saved on the having to go to the toilet. Once it was out, I was up and down like a yoyo.

If you can get the dr to give the day before op off - I say yes, yes, yes. I had 5 days pre op as a bit of me time, to gather the thoughts, prepare both me and the house for the inactivity following the hyst. I achieved heaps really, but felt like achieved nothing, but, ah well, the house and I both survived it.

If your nerves are getting the better of you and you are stressing, it might be worth talking to your dr and getting something to help you relax a little in the days prior to your op.

All the very best wishes to you for your surgery and recovery.

Regards

Thank you so much I do think I am letting my nerves get the better of me.. ...I will call my DR. again ans say help me....Thank you so much for your response.... Feel like im just losing it all.....Thanks you Again


Kim

Hi Thumper--One thing you may want to check out with your MD is the pre-op bowel prep. For many of us, a full day of prep was necessary--drinking the stuff and then running to the toilet after it gets into the sytem. I wouldn't think you would want to be at work with that going on. And as someone else mentioned, you might want to take a day or two to collect yourself. You really should be well rested and feeling ok when you go it. I actually had a week to myself prior to my surgery and didn't even go to my gym for 5 days before for fear I might pick up a cold or something. Because generally if they detect any sign of a sniffle on the day of surgery, they will cancel the surgery. So be sure to take care and do talk to your MD about the preop bowel prep. Good luck. New Yorker

Hi Thumper,

I understand you are nervous, about many things. I am 10 days post-surgery and recuperating nicely.

The catheter was nothing. In fact I was grateful for it, so I didn't have to get up to potty all the time. Once it's out, you have no choice in the matter. In my experience, I barely noticed it was there, and I barely noticed when the nurse removed it. Here's a tip, if you're nervous about when it is removed, just take a deep breath in, and as the nurse removes it exhale. It really does help.

If you want to email or private message me about anything to do with my experience, I would be glad to talk to you about it.

Take care.

Th e cathater doesn't bother me ...have had one many times in fact it will be a god send as i take a high blood pressure with a diaretic pills and if i had to get up right after the surgery to go pee then i would be in a heap of trouble. I didn't have one in when i had my neck artery operation done and when i asked for a bed pan ...I filled it up all the way to the top the nurse was afraid to move it. they give IV's and with all that fluid whoooh. so i will gladly await the cath. I had an epidural with my last 2 baby's I really don't remember too much there was so much confusion that i didn't care what was going on just that the baby's were ok. the only thing was i could still feel pressure when they were cutting and moving things around down there, and i couldn't move my leggs after. the general with the 1st one...don't remember anything on what went on during or after. I think i will have the general I haven't ever had problems with it so far (knock on wood). my surgery is on the 6th. I am going to put up the tree this week and do my decorating too. as for the bakibg the goodies well my sister said she will come over on the 15th to do them i can sit and cut out the cookies she gets to do the rest haha. she's coming back on the22nd to do more. hope i am up to it.

Thumper, I know how you feel, because
I'm feel ing the exact same things, working right up to surgery, scared of anestetic(chose this over epideral at last dr visit) thought that I may "freak out" if I was conscious . My surgery date is the 16th of December. Am having a TAH for
cysts, cloting, abdominal pain. I'm really scared too, and dont know what to expect, but I keep reading all the great information on this site for us, and the tremendous support that everyone has given me, and you know what? It is helping me to understand more as well as putting my mind at ease . I know that soon the two of us will be looking back on this and thinking"this was for the best" and BOY AM I GONNA FEEL GREAT!
:LIW:
SHEILA

Thank you all so much I know it is just my nerves and as the time gets loser I know I'll be a basket case..But I also know Ill feel better and not have to deal with it all anylonger that I cant wait for.....Well Hoping to stay healthy for my date 12-17-02........ Again thank you thank you thank you

Hi there-I am so sorry you're scared-I was too, and I lived and am doing very well now. As for an epidural or spinal, you do not have to be awake-they can give you light sedation-that's what I did, and I was so loopy and then asleep it was just fine. Ask to be put to sleep-they can do that w/out general anesthesia if you want it in coordination with epidural or spinal.
With MUCH love,
Amy

Thumper, my same day hyster sister...
It's hard to believe that we're down to only two weeks to go!! I guess i'm still too busy preping the house, christmas shopping, etc to be freaking out too badly yet. I have decided, though, that I'm going to take monday the 16th off, doesn't make too much sense to go back just for a day, plus if there is a nasty bowel prep, I certainly can't do it only between classes, etc.

I have also decided that if they will let me, I'm going for the epidural/spinal option. That and some happy juice should keep me sedated properly without having a ventelator tube, a respirator, etc. the being paralized part of the general anesthesia is what messes most with my mind. that and the thought of with the incision and stitches still new...THAT doesn't sound like any fun at all!!

Hope all is going well with you...the waiting is almost over!! :