Apprehension about General Anesthesia

[Bndtoslv 292]

It's normal to worry but you will be fine! I've had 4 surgeries. One time I even had a dream and woke up thinking I had a nap!

[Bndtoslv 292]

I don't know what Versed is, but it sounds delightful! I think the "going under" is the thing I'm scared of most of all. I don't have a surgery date set yet, as I'm still in the early stages of this whole process... but honestly, sometimes I think the fear of the anesthesia might be enough to make me back out. I don't want to do that, because I know it's the right thing for me, but damn it's scary!

Going under is super quick. They usually start with something to take away anxiety.

[Spinderella 9]

I am BEYOND anxious and nervous about the anesthesia in general. Of course, I'm naturally nervous about the surgery as a whole, but I have a massive fear about the general anesthesia part.

If someone here could really help lessen or give me some guidance on this, I would be so thankful.

In a nutshell, my family gave a very personal fear to anesthesia and until now, I've been free from ever going under. But now, after a sleep study said I had "mild apena", my surgeon felt that it wasn't a big deal from a treatment standpoint.

The people at the sleep study HARASSED me and said that if I didn't get the CPAP machine, that the anesthesiologist would forgo my surgery and/or would do it and I wouldn't wake up. (!!!!!!) I was so upset and crying at this point because no one had told me that having apena in any form would hinder from me having my surgery.

After I purchased the machine, I just couldn't use it. I tried and tried, but with a chronic pain condition that I suffer with, this only made things more uncomfortable with the little sleep I get as it is.

When I told my surgeon and his assistant, they were very upset at what was said by the sleep study people and they said that it won't be an issue. HOWEVER, I see a pain management doctor and she also has specialties in anesthesia and post-operative pain and she tells me (even without being my doctor for WLS or PCP), "What? You have sleep apena? You can't take that lightly and if you have your surgery and don't do the CPAP machine, you'll DIE and never wake up from the surgery."

I mean, she said that IN FRONT OF MY DAUGHTER last week. I was in tears.

This is truly making me afraid that I may leave my just 3-year-old daughter and husband behind and I'm just so worried I'm making a horrible mistake and heading to my doom. It's hard enough having to deal with pre-op and getting prepared for this life change.

Help!