Please help me. I have to have a General Anesthetic. Petrified about it. Having panic attacks, and been sick?

Question

I have to have a general anesthetic, but am absolutely petrified. What is it like?
What does it feel like?
What happens?
Does it hurt?
Is it really scary?

Please help me. having panic arracks, and being sick.
Soooooooo terriffied, and hugr butterflies, and shaking constantly PLEASE HELP ME

Answer 1

Hi, please don't worry yourself too much, it really isn't that bad. Stubbing your toe or elbow hurts more than the injection and then you will just fall asleep, easy.

You could try taking some 'Kalms' tablets to help with the panicky feeling in the lead up to the date, you can get them in Tesco or Boots or any chemist. Check if you can take them before having the anesthetic though. Please don't work yourself up over it, you will only make yourself think it will be worse than it actually is.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

I have to give you 2 answers because you didn't specify whether this will be by gas or an inter-venous injection. Either way, please believe me, it does not hurt nor is it scary. It will be done by an anesthesiologist who is an M.D. If you trust your docs, you can trust this guy. He does this a bunch of times a day, and he was through practicing when he finished his residency. The only discomfort you will feel is if it is done inter-venously, and that will be nothing more than like giving blood. What is really good about a general - as opposed to a local - is that the time you are under will seem like no time at all, and when you wake up you will wonder what all the fuss was about. The docs and nurses are really great - they expect you to be "scared", and they will talk to you to calm you down, AND YOU WILL CALM DOWN!! (That's an order!!) Going under is just like going to sleep, and you're not afraid of that, are you? I have been put under both ways, and I assure you it was a piece of cake. Think about the good the operation will do you. It's really the docs that have to do the work. You just lay there and be a good kid!! So stop with the panic attacks already!! You are not the first one to have an anesthesia. Be glad you're having this done today and not 200 years ago!! Now THAT would be something to worry about!!!!! Hope this helps!! Let me know how you're feeling after reading this. If you're still panicing, I will try to give you some more "counseling".

Answer 4

It's funny because I actually suffer from the exact same thing as you. I got a new one on my upper arm yesterday, and the ENTIRE day I was sick to my stomach. I was freaking out for nothing. Honestly, the pain is not that bad. You get used to it after a couple of minutes. It's different for everyone obviously, but here are some tips I kept in mind: - Have a good meal before hand, or make sure you have something with sugar in it. This is to avoid you passing out. -Bring a friend. I brought one and all my anxiety disappeared. The support you will get will distract you and possible convince you to look tougher than you actually are. Well at least that's how I see it -Check out the tattoo place and make sure it gives you a good feeling. Being comfortable is number one. My tattoo artist was a woman, a very comfortable and friendly person. She talked to me the entire time and I was fairly distracted. -Breath. Honestly, the best thing you can do for yourself is control your breathing. Just focus on that, and that only if you get overwhelmed. Unfortunately, it's unwise to take blood thinners like Tylenol or Advil before hand. As well as any other medication, just to be safe. But you don't really need it. Just follow the steps, concentrate on anything else other than the pain or the buzzing sound.

Answer 5

OK...get over it right now! All that will happen is they will give you a pre-anesthetic injection and put you in la-la land; you will go to sleep. Thennnnnnnn.....you will wake up. It's not unlike waking from a dream; you won't remember a thing. You will have concept of time. You may be disoriented when you awaken and there will be someone with you at the time watching your every move and your vitals. The best thing you can do for yourself is relax and stop thinking negative thoughts. That will cause you to fight the anesthetic. Be sure to tell the staff how you're feeling before your surgery. They are trained to help you. Ain't nothing to it, honey. God gave us anesthetic to care for sick people and not give them any pain. Thank Him for that. Godloveya.

Answer 6

Hi. I can offer you advice from both sides as Im a nurse and have been with many many people before and after they have anaesthetic, and also have had a few anaesthetics myself. Like everyone else has said already, there really is nothing to it. I wouldnt recommend taking your own relaxant the day of the surgery itself as you will have what they call a pre-med (tablet) before anyway. Do let them know your worried, but honestly its completely normal to be freaked out about it. The anaesthetist will place a mask over your mouth / nose, with oxygen coming out - place the anaesthetic injection into the cannula which is already in your hand / arm and all through this you will have people chatting to you its a surprizingly pleasent experience. You will gradually fall asleep. During surgery you will be constantly monitiored, making sure you remain asleep all through the surgery - dont worry you wont wake up during surgery. In what seems like a few minutes you wake up ..... you will feel groggy, dopey, maybe feel a bit nauseous with a possible sore throat but nothing bad at all ..... promise. Depending on your surgery you may be a little sore and stiff, but this is all recified by the nurses and doctors who will make sure you get enough pain relief to remain comfortable. For the rest of that day you will be sleepy, all depends on how long your surgery lasts. Hope everything goes well for you, Take Care and try not to worry too much.

Answer 7

Ask to meet your anesthetiologist (sp) beforehand so that he/she can go over what will happen. Most do this anyway before surgery, but it may calm you to know days before (depends on how you view things).

They will start an IV to keep your vein open and administer medicines throughout your surgery and afterwards. If it hurts, ask for them to numb the area a little first. I have thin veins so I dred the starting of the IV, but the pain doesn't last. Try to squeeze someones hand.

When you get to the operating room you will be hooked up to different monitors (like blood pressure, etc.). The doctor will be at your head and will let you know when he injects the medicine into the IV tubing and he may even give you a little gas to relax you. He may ask you to count backwards, your eyes may feel heavy (just say a prayer or think about your favorite person in the whole World). Don't try to fight the medicine.

In recovery they will wake you up and ask you how you feel. Let them know if you hurt or feel thirsty, etc.

Good luck with your surgery and yes it is scary because you don't have control, but know that people go through this sometimes several surgeries in a lifetime. Think about all the little kids who have cancer or diseases and they are some of the strongest patients.

Answer 8

i have had loads....and loads.
the only bit that hurts is the scratch in your hand when the needle goes in.
as the medicine gets into your body you can actually taste it, that's not great but not something I'd say was terrible.
than the next thing you know you are waking up.
personally afterwards i can sleep for England but some people don't even feel drowsy.

everyone is different, so your experience may be different from mine but really it's ok! honestly it's nothing to worry about and it's natural to be a little nervous.
it's not scary at all, you'll be great, it may be the best sleep you've had in months.

you'll be fine, hope this has helped. if you need answers to more questions email me any time x

Answer 9

it's absolutely fine honest, when you go down to theatre about three nurses keep you chatting while a needle is put into your hand and within seconds you dont know anything else until you wake up feeling completely pain free. I was really scared, and Im a big baby, I cant even watch operations on tv, but Ive had general anesthetic three times and its nothing to be scared of.

Answer 10

Please relax. I had a general anaesthetic last year when i had a miscarriage. They will take you into a room, either a private one or the operating theatre, the doctors and nurses are great, laughing and joking with you, they are lovely. I already had a canullur (apols spelling) in my arm, they injected the anaesthetic into this, but you may just have it in your arm, it lasts seconds and doesn't hurt. They then put a mask over my face and were still joking with me. They said that they were going to count to ten and I would be asleep. They got to about 5 and I just felt so sleepy i couldn't keep my eyes open. I closed them and then I woke up in the recovery room. It doesn't hurt, it wasn't scarey, if anything it was so relaxing. One minute you are awake the next minute you wake up and it's all over.
Please don't worry, you'll be fine and when you wake up you will wonder what you wre so panicked about!
Take care!!