Terrified Of Anaesthesia!

[lunabella007 37]

I'm really excited to get my surgery date after my consultation on the June 6th! I look forward to the results and being able to not have to think about calories all day long for the rest of my life! But I am absolutely terrified of anaesthesia! Not the procedure itself, oddly enough, just the experience of being put under.

I got my wisdom teeth extracted with a local because I was so frightened of "going under". Obviously this is not an option with bariatric surgery, so I'd like some advice--what should I do?

What was your anaesthesia experience like? Did you have any time to get scared or did you just fall asleep? Can a light sedative be given so I won't panic?

I absolutely WON'T let my fear of anaesthesia stand in the way of my getting a body that I can live in comfortably, so any advice or stories would be a great help to me!

[suzilouise 13]

I have been under anaesthetic approx 5 times. It's just like having a sleep. What is your fear of? You will wake up? Or you won't wake up?

[kczar 166]

It's natural to be nervous. You're giving up control to someone else. Let the anesthesiologist know how you feel and he/she will give you a mild sedative through your iv. Once you've had that, you won't care what happens! When I had surgery earlier this year (not sleeved yet), I let my anesthesiologist know I was claustrophobic and he made sure the oxygen mask was just close to my face rather than strapped on tight till I went under. They're truly there to not only make sure you stay under during the procedure but also to make you as comfortable as possible.

Thousands of people are put under every single day. It's really an extremely safe process. As someone (a nurse) said in another thread, you will probably be at more risk of something happening driving to the hospital than during the procedure itself.

Just make sure to talk to your surgeon and anesthesiologist. You'll do great!

[suzilouise 13]

Kczar - what great advice :-)

[his2my2our4 120]

Kczar said it perfectly!! I am also claustrophobic and my dr was very understanding. I was also given a sedative before, and while I remember being wheeled into the operating room, I really don't remember much after that. I told my dr my fears and told how I'm such a control person that giving up my control to him was a toughie. I think this must be a common thing because he knew just what to say and just how to handle my fears. I agree that you should be open with the drs and nurses...they are there to make your experience as easy and worry free as possible.

As for the anesthesia itself it really turned out to be no big deal. I also had no real experience with it (tonsils removed at 4 but really remember none of that). I worried about whether I'd wake up, I worried that I would wake up in a panic or in a ton of pain. Suprisingly, none of that happened. I was given the sedative before and the sleep came on like a light switch, now I remember and now I don't. Quick! Waking up is a little different because you wake up so slowly. I could hear things before I could open my eyes and I remember people talking to me, but I couldn't respond. It was very quiet in recovery and I was calm...I basically just slept the meds off. No pain, no panic and no real issues. I was so scared and I know how nervous you must be....take a deep breath and try to remember these guys are pros and do it several times a day. They absolutely know what they are doing. Communicate your fears and then you can work together to squash them! Good luck to you!!

[DuranFan1969 119]

I agree with everyone else, it's certainly normal to be scared of being put under. They will give you a little chill out sedation and you really won't care what happens next, which sounds strange I know, but it's true. I was extremely scared when I was going to be put under for another surgery and as soon as they gave me a mild sedative, I completely forgot why I was scared and just relaxed until they knocked me out.

I have actually woken up during a surgery before which I know sounds kind of scary, but it really wasn't at all. If you happen to wake up (it doesn't happen often), you'll be in such a haze from the sedation and the anesthesia, it won't really phase you and they knock you right back out.

You will be fine.

[BeanieandRosie'smom 31]

You can request a sedative before being put under. I had that done when I had surgery in Mexico because I was really freaked out that I was there, not because of anesthesia. I fell asleep before surgery!

I am one of those people that hates that loss of control you have when you faint, get really drunk, etc... But going under anesthesia is nothing like that. I've been put under about five or six times and it's no big deal. The last time, my doctor told me she was putting a margarita in my IV! That's the last I remember. It's not gradual, it's like one minute you're there, the next your dead asleep. It's like taking a nap, and you feel really groggy when you wake up. You don't blackout or slowly fade into it. I usually say "bye!" and I'm gone!

Also, wanted to comment on the calories thing. Just got me a little worried for you. You are unfortunately going to still have to worry about calories for the rest of your life. After surgery, food becomes a much bigger part of your life in a different way. I had lap band surgery thinking the same thing. I am now ten pounds higher than I was when I got the band. You can eat around it. You can cheat and drink with meals and help wash things through. You can get lots of calories into a small amount eating crappy foods. You can eat bits of high calorie food all day long. It's not a panacea, and WLS means something much different to me now than it did before. It's just a tool. I have to change my behaviors in order for it to work!

Best of luck to you!!

[BeanieandRosie'smom 31]

Spelling correction! " the next YOU'RE dead asleep." Re-read my post and caught that grammatical error.

[glocks90 9]

I don't like how long it is in your system, I had a tumor removed from my stomach 7 years ago and I felt like sleeping for 2 weeks. I don't think I will be out that long for this surgery but this time i have kids that need me I don't want to be sleepy, but dont want pain either.

[O.T.R. sleever 3,386]

When I went under I wasn't even aware that the gas had been turned on. They placed the mask over my nose, then lights out..... I can say I learned one thing, when I came back out I was combative (they said that's not really uncommon) fortunately the surgical team has seen pretty much every possible reaction when comming out so they were prepared. Though I know now what to advise the anestioligist of if I ever get put under again.

[Sansa 39]

The anesthesiologist told me to start counting down from 100. I can remember counting down to maybe 97 and then I was out. The worst part was waking up groggy and cranky which lasted a couple of days for me but the pain medication in the iv was pretty wonderful! I got some of the best sleep that I have probably ever had. The anticipation of giving up control can be nerve-racking but the experience itself isn't so bad.

[Jbtoby 3]

When I had my gall bladder removed 5 years ago I remember feeling anxiety as they wheeled me into the operating room. However when I was sleeved two weeks ago they had me walk into the operating room. There were also others walking into their operating rooms. We wished each other good luck!! Once in the operating room I stepped up onto the operating table and was out within a few minutes.

I think we feel lack of control in hospitals because we are told what to do all the time. Make certain you speak to your doctor and the anesthesiologist about your fears. They may be able to make small changes that help you feel less helpless.

Good luck.

[disneyteach 68]

I'm really excited to get my surgery date after my consultation on the June 6th! I look forward to the results and being able to not have to think about calories all day long for the rest of my life! But I am absolutely terrified of anaesthesia! Not the procedure itself' date=' oddly enough, just the experience of being put under.

I got my wisdom teeth extracted with a local because I was so frightened of "going under". Obviously this is not an option with bariatric surgery, so I'd like some advice--what should I do?

What was your anaesthesia experience like? Did you have any time to get scared or did you just fall asleep? Can a light sedative be given so I won't panic?

I absolutely WON'T let my fear of anaesthesia stand in the way of my getting a body that I can live in comfortably, so any advice or stories would be a great help to me![/quote']

They drug you before surgery. I don't remember much, except being rolled down the hall and they pumped up a mattress to transfer me to the surgery table. I don't even remember a mask. I woke up to some lady yelling at me for sleeping too long and some an screaming in pain. For me, if you put on some Bob Marley, I would have thought I was back in my college days.

[glocks90 9]

Don't worry about a thing, cuz every little things gonna be alright

I hate how they get mad at you for sleeping after surgery, i had that too The lady was so annoyed, Hello I am unconcious!

[Newfoundlove 95]

My anesthesiologist put the sedative into my IV first. He said, "I just gave you a couple of glasses of wine in your IV" and I said "red or white" and laid my head down on the table and that's all I remember until I woke up. My first time under and no issues.