So nervous about surgery!!

[Allijackson]

Has anyone had surgery? I am having a surgery on my knee to remove scar tissue. It is minor and I won't be staying the night at the hospital, but they do have to put me under. I am scared of being put under anesthesia. What do they do before surgery and stuff? Thanks! xxx

[Ugliness]

I have had surgery well over two dozen times. Yes I've had my circumcision against my will and it was extremely painful. I had a vasectomy and my wisdom teeth removed. Other than that I have had LOTS of brain surgery. First one was ehen I was a few months old. Last one was in 2002. The only ones I was awake for was circumcision and vasectomy.

Often times you'll be able to speak to the doctors prior to the procedure and you can also ask questions there. However. You say it's day surgery. Okay.

First and foremost. GET SOMEONE TO ACCOMPANY YOU. Some places make this mandatory. If not it's still a good idea. If you drive you should NOT drive home.

I always hated them giving me a shot in the side of my butt prior to surgery. Apparently it's necessary to help prepare your body so the general (the one the knocks you out) anaesthetic can be more effective.

Often times they want a urine specimen and taking a shower/bath beforehand to help ensure as clean an environment as possible is recommended. TYPICALLY they will give you an IV. Yep the needle in the arm attached to a bottle. It helps to give medication. They have usually done this to me but not always.

Two basic ways to knock you out, medication through the IV or gas, putting a mask over your face. It doesn't matter if you relax or not, but it will be most helpful to you if you DO relax.

Sometimes when I had numerous operations in a given month I'd be in tears because I had to go back again. Even with all my - experience - I am still not "used" to it.

Often they try to get you to calm down by having you count backwards from an arbitrary number.

USUALLY you don't make it to the end of the count. I did once. Counting back from 10.

They told me to do it again from 100. That worked.

The feelings I get when going under may differ from others but this is an example.

I have tinnitus. Ringing in the ears. Typically it gets louder and louder.

I sense an odour. They say it's like onions. Okay, onions, but with a medicinal scent.

You get a bit of a headache, your head feels numb, and then ----

You can't control yourself. You can't keep your eyes open any longer. You're asleep.

You can't feel a thing. And I don't believe you dream. I have no recollection of doing so.

They do their thing.

And then you wake up. Usually in the recovery room. Oh don't worry. They are

monitoring you at all times. You won't "wake up" until they're finished with you. Trust me.

When I say "usually in the recovery room" in some places it may be in another spot, maybe your hospital room, but again, usually in the recovery room. Often they are mandated to keep you there for a period of time based on the length of the surgery. Once I asked for a newspaper to read until I could go back to the ward.

But you may feel for a second as weird waking up as you did going under. That will pass. Your incision spot may be sore. But when you're alert they'll let you go.

As I said, have a friend to take you home. In some places it's required.

[TheOtherSide]

Well if that's all theyre doing you'll be fine. itll take a day or two to recover and you'll be walking again.. my 2nd surgery I had more maniscus taken out (1st was acl replacement and removal of mansicus) and I was walking by the end of the day.. don't do that by the way not smart.

[fuzzysocks]

I've never had surgery before but I know how you feel. I'm having all of my wisdom teeth taken out next week. I have 2 that are partially impacted so I will be put under and I'm nervous. I hope your surgery goes well though!

[Allijackson]

Ahh we're noobs! Well good luck with yours too

[Ugliness]

My dad came to transport me out of there when I had my wisdom teeth out. The stupid fool tried to get me to drink out of a cup just to watch me spill it all over myself (we are NOT on good terms anymore). But I used my hand to guide the cup. I wasn't going to give him his jollies at my expense. Best wishes.

[candlewax]

Aw, don't be scared. It's normal to be a bit nervous. I was when I went in for my oral surgery. I wasn't even aware I'd been knocked out until I woke up. I was like holy crap, I was asleep? :/

[Shpongolia]

You have very little if anything to worry about. The surgical success rate for something like that is very good. Do you worry about anesthesia and being out? You can always do a local especially if it's for the knee. I've had three local anisthesia surgeries. One of them was to remove excess bone tissue from my finger.

[Allijackson]

For your local anesthesias, did they use an epidural? Just wondering. They said I could choose to get knocked out or the epidural and the epidural's in the spine so I was like OKKKK then please just make me go to sleep! Thanks for the answer :)

[Ugliness]

If she's squeamish about it all happening then general may be better than local but of course, the doc will decide.

[Longshot]

I had 3 surgeries all on an outpatient basis (no overnight stays). I had to be put under for all of them. I was not nervous about 2 of them -- they were simple enough. The 3rd was of some concern because I had a very serious medical problem. (I was probably more concerned about the problem and not the anesthesia.)

As for anesthesia, just be sure you tell the nurses and anesthesiologist about any allergies you have; any meds you are taking; and any vitamins you take. It will go fine.

[Ugliness]

I ran out of space in my long winded spiel. Yes. Excellent point. Mentioning all those details.

[kheserthorpe]

Do you need to be put under? If not, stick with local. I don't see why you'd need to be under for that.

[Allijackson]

They said I can either get an epidural (which you stay awake for, but it's in the spine. Um, no thanks!) or I can get the gas.

[Ugliness]

Gas? Oh wow. Better than a needle. I couldn't always get away with that.

I've never had an epidural (except a lumbar puncture) and when my wife got one for her C-section I thought that's what they used it for. Silly me.

[kheserthorpe]

I'd go with epidural.

[saphirasilverwings]

I have never had surgery. But I had to be put under when I got my wisdom teeth out. It was weird but okay.

[icarainbow2]

Having your wisdom teeth out is surgery.. Oral surgery.

[saphirasilverwings]

True! I was thinking about that as I wrote my answer. But I just don't feel quite the same way about it...

[Ugliness]

That may technically be regarded as surgery if they are doing an invasive procedure (cutting or digging into you no matter how far). I was told I was so impacted that they had no choice.

[saphirasilverwings]

Yeah, technically anything that's cutting or removing any parts is surgery. But I still don't think of all that stuff as a major "surgery" in my mind.

[martyfellow]

I alays distract myself by flirting with the nurses. That brightens up their usually grim day

[Anonymous]

Well I've had surgery a couple times. I was not nervous at all. For me it's really fun being put to sleep. Before surgery they talked to me and then they told me when they were putting me to sleep and the next thing I knew I was waking up.

[Allijackson]

Thanks, that's reassuring! And kind of funny that you thinks it's fun being put to sleep. I'll try to have some fun with it... Lol

[Ugliness]

I wouldn't call it fun but I guess somebody does. But yeah, the good doctors will be helpful about the whole thing.