Scheduled, then panicked especially could use tips on General

This morning I scheduled my hysterectomy for mid-May. Then I started getting so nervous. I am the main caretaker for my 9 yr old son (we are especially close), not sure how he could go on if anything happened to me, etc.. It has made me jumpy - spilling things, etc. My biggest source of anxiety is general anesthesia. Can you help me feel less nervous about this? Also, I am worried I will not sleep the night before and wonder if anyone went into general on no rest.... I am sure I am overreacting and would love to hear about your experiences: with general, with anxiety, and with the operation as well. She will try to go in laprascopically but the size means there is a more than 50% chance they will switch to open abdominal surgery. I had a uterine fibroid embolization a year ago but it has continued to grow (one at 12 cm another at ~9 cm).
Thanks for any tips, reassurance or shared experience.

I'm am going though the same feelings right now. My surgery is April 16th. I have a 5 year old and 18 month old. I have had laperoscopy surgeries before but I am terrified for this. Im sorry you are going through these feelings and worries but I'm glad I'm not alone. I don't have any advice but wanted to tell you that you are not alone.

I really thing it is something we all share, this terrible anxiety about having this hanging over our heads..My anxiety was so bad my blood pressure was just plain nuts...but..let me assure you that mine worked out well, the people that will be taking care of you are professional and caring, and will be very very careful to be sure everything goes well.

When I woke up in the recovery room I was so relieved,..it was such a good feeling to be finished...to have it behind me.

I think one of the best ideas is to talk about your fears, vent all you want, you will find many women on here that are feeling just like you do...

I didn't sleep much the night before my date at the castle, but got caught up just fine...it won't hurt you to lose a bit of sleep even though it feels like you will never be normal again..

Take care! Do everything you can to prepare for your recovery, and be kind to yourself!

I understand your fear of anesthetic. I had my SAH on February 7th and the last thing I remember saying before I was given anesthetic was, what's the mortality rate", the nurses and doc's chuckled. I was scared at that moment but surprisingly calm before hand, I knew it was the right thing to do. Everything worked out just fine, you're getting ready for surgery and moments later, so it feels, you're awake in recovery. I had very large fibroids and felt immediate relief once I woke up. I also listened to a meditation by Health Journeys called "Imagery for surgery" which really helped calm my nerves. It is so normal to be nervous, you're not alone.
Here's the link to the meditation.
https://www.healthjourneys.com/kaise...fulSurgery.asp
Is there a possibility they made do an epidural as well, I think their is less anesthetic involved?
Wishing you all the best!!

I was petrified before my first general-and everyone thinks they're going to die-but 11 surgeries later, I look forward to it.
about 15 yrs ago, anaesthesia as a specialty developed checklists to make anaesthesia safer. The types of anaesthesia are safer-mostly gases which are quickly reversible. they monitor you very closely. the result is that you are more likely to die in a plane crash than receiving anaesthesia. the risks of modern anaesthesia are mostly confined to those w comorbid health conditions-apnea, severe respiratory disease etc. Remember, they sucessfully operate on very sick cardiac pts.
No, it doesn't matter if you don't sleep the night before. You'll sleep great the day of surgery.
Ask your doc if you can have some ativan for night before to relax you. But, nothing to fear.

Thank you all! Zara, funny you should mention cardiac surgeries. A doc at one of the offices I got to in Seattle died during surgery a few years back and it spooked me a bit (though I do not know the details). It was open heart surgery and you are right that even those usually go fine. I am pretty healthy. And likely to get healthier because when I am nervous I like to run! (though running hurts with fibroids this large :-( ) I told my family I will stop calling it D-Day and start referring to it as V-F Day (Victory against Fibroid). Thank you all. Each of your comments helped me get a bit calmer and I will surely review them several times before surgery.

I was terrified before surgery. Never had any surgery before and up until I was hospitalized on Feb 15 for severe anemia had never even been in the hospital. I got almost no sleep the night before and spent that night and the 2 hour drive worrying.
Turns out it was all for nothing. It wasn't nearly as scary or painful as I made it out to be.
Our minds are capable of causing enormous anxiety.

I am a single mom with an 8 1/2 yr old by. I'm very close to him and I too was terrified that I would have complications.

I had only been under general anesthesia once when I was 18 yrs old and had severe shakes after (I was terrified and no one told me this was a complication and it was OK) I asked a lot of questions during the pre-op visit. This helped a bit.

I got no sleep the night before surgery. My son was staying at a friends because my surgery was scheduled for very early. I had done my last minute cleaning and fretting and tried to rest by watching a video that was very quiet and calming. It didn't help.

I was very calm when I got into the hospital and my good friend and I joked and talked while waiting for them to escort me to the OR. She is a nurse (like me) and so we were joking around with the staff, it was a bit surreal. I was taken into the OR and continued to joke esp about my first surgery (done by a Dr. Savage- not kidding).

Next thing I knew, I was in the recovery room. I asked about my ovaries and then if I had a catheter because I felt like I had to pee. My friend came in and told me how good my color was. I was fine. I was up and moving within an hour of getting to my room. I called my son after he got to my friend's home after school. I could here the relief in his voice. I'm glad I spent the night at the hospital but I was glad to be home the next day.

Ask questions of your health care staff and here & vent here. We have been there and are here for you. I am so glad I found this site, it kept me calm and informed. I still find out what is to come and it helps me prepare.

Stay away from the post-op site until you are post-op. Many of the posts are women asking for advice or having problems. Many of us who don't have problem are getting on with our lives and don't post about that. I had visited a couple of times pre-op and realized it was making me crazy so I stayed here until I got home after surgery.

I totally understand your fear! xoxo

I was able to pull it together and rest on the fact that what will be will be and all we can do is get ourselves ready as best we can. Take time preparing your recovering space... take time making and freezing meals in advance... take time getting loads of things to read and do (cross words, knitting, crochet, felting, what ever lol)... and take time really building that bond and preparing your son for how things will be for a while afterward and how amazing he will be at helping you in the first days and weeks (and hopefully maybe some friends or family too?)

All of that will not only keep you busy and help you pass the time, but it will also give you a sense of peace knowing that you've prepared things to go as easily as possible after the fact.

I know that going in with a positive attitude really helps recovery time as well

I have had 5 abdominal surgeries and each time I can't sleep worth a **** the night before lol - But you DEFINITELY make up for that after LOL! I am sure that being well rested helps - BUT - I wouldn't stress over that. Do your thang girl

*huge hugs*

Pre-surgury anxiety and my imagination were the worst part of surgery for me. I had a TAH and was able to have a spinal block and sedative instead of general -- would do that again! But, I couldn't have any water to drink until about 8 hrs after surgery.