Eeek!Panicking-surgery brought forward

Hi all,I've just had a phone call telling me my TVH & posterior repair has been brought forward from April to February 26th.I'm scared!I was hoping to have lost a couple of stone before surgery,and to have stopped smoking for at least a few weeks,but it hasn't happened yet.I don't do anaesthetics well,I was really scared last time after being woke up-I couldn't breathe very well.I'm panicking and feel like I've got so much to do before surgery,but I don't know where to begin.Anyone else going to the castle shortly and feeling like this?
Jen

I had the same surgery that you are having plus an anterior repair to boot, just four weeks ago. I am doing great. I did not have any problems at all and only pain one day at about 3 weeks when I over did it the day before. See if you can have a spinal if you do not do anethetics well. I had something call duramorph added to the spinal and it keep me pain free for the duration of my short hospital stay. I did stay overnight but was in my room for only about 18 hours so it was considered to be outpatient.

I think it may be a blessing to not have to worry about the surgery for the extra month or so. Too bad about not having time to lose the weight and stop smoking but it might still be a good trade off.

I am struggling not to gain too much weight as I am not able to return to my exercise classes for 12 weeks because my prolaspse was extensive and I am 60. I can not lose weight by dieting alone--- I need to do my classes.

Good luck.

Downyocean but you can call me Kayk

First, sweetie, stop and take some deep breaths!!

Now, I don't know about you, but planning always makes me feel more in control, so get out a notebook! Make a list of all the things you had hoped to get done before surgery. Some things will be self-eliminating with the change in surgery date (like losing a couple stone). Some things (like smoking cessation) need to be done immediately! Get nicotine replacement if you have to (that is available in the UK, isn't it?) Now, everything else on your list, assign it a priority. A for "must get done" B for "really, really would like to get done" and C for "I'd like to get it done, but hey, they world's not going to come to a screeching halt if I don't" (after all, if you went to the ER for an emergency situation, and they had to do immediate surgery, you'd still cope, wouldn't you?) Now, break down the list of As and Bs into the number of days you have left (your surgery will be the day after mine), and get done what you can! The rest will really wait, or someone else can do it!

Lastly, if you're really panicking, and it's keeping you from sleeping and/or being productive, talk to your doc about a short-term anti-anxiety. Xanax or some other drug in the benzodiazapine category can work wonders!

As far as the anesthesia, what exactly about it scares you? I used to be terrified by the stories I'd heard about people who were actually cognizant during surgery but couldn't move or communicate because of the anesthesia. Then I expressed this concern to my doc who said if I've successfully had general anesthesia in the past, I can have it again. This problem shows up the first time or two you have it. If it's nausea, talk to the anesthetist ahead of time. There are excellent drugs to combat this!! In fact, as soon as a recovery room nurse asks me if I'm feeling nauseated, I say yes, even if I'm not! I've thrown up after abdominal surgery before, and it's not pretty! Lol. I'd rather do a "preemptive strike" anti-nausea drug. I ask for Zofran (as opposed to Phenergan) because Phenergan is a narcotic antagonist, which means if you give Phenergan and morphine together, the morphine is less effective.

My point is, most anesthesia concerns can be dealt with! Knowledge is power! Ask questions, express your concerns, ask how your concerns will be dealt with! Also, as soon as they get an IV started on surgery morning (or afternoon), you can ask for something for anxiety. There's a lovely little drug called Versed (doesn't work for me, but works very well for most people) that some just refer to as "happy juice". The anesthetist can put some in your IV, and in just a few minutes, you'll have trouble imagining what you were ever worried about in the first place! Lol!

Oh, one more thing: if the hospitals there use the same pain scale as American hospitals do (here, they ask you to rate your pain on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the worst imaginable pain, and 1 being almost no pain), don't try to be brave and heroic and downplay your pain! (Some people will not say "10" because they figure someone who's just had a limb hacked off while conscious would hurt worse!) If it's the worst pain you've ever felt, it's a 10!! This is not the time to try to be brave! It is much easier to stay on top of your pain than get on top of your pain! So ask for meds when you need them!!

Best of luck, sweetie, try to stay calm, we're here for you!