Nervous here....going in for surgery today

[abbaking]

Hello. I am very nervous today. I am having surgery for the first time since i was 8. I know what to expect (hopefully) and, although outpatient same-day surgery, I am tense.....cant sleep at all. I guess my biggest "Fear" is the anesthesia - I am the type of guy that needs to be in control of my alertness. The fact that a medication can knock you out in under 10 seconds scares me for some reason....Its like being suspended over a pool of water and not knowing when the cord will snap.

Just need some TLC and advise here.....

Any advise i welcome

[Isitpossible, LPN, LVN]

good luck and try not to let fear overtake you...let us know how u do!!!!

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

i have the same control issues. I was mildly annoyed when i was 18 and had a tonsillectomy and all the doc said was "night night" -no warning that they were pushing the med and i was out before i could even react. Maybe tell the anesthesiologist to warn you before you get your injection -or tell them you'd like to count to 3 together before it's administered.

Good luck for a safe operation.

[RNandRRT]

haha I was the exact same way 5 years ago. The dread of being under anesthesia and completely not in control was almost a pure phobia. But the funny part is that after about 12 hours of dread, you all of a sudden wake up without even knowing it happened. I remember the CRNA saying, "okay this..............." and then in PACU.

[Aberdeen]

I have the same control issues and I feel for you. It is has been a long time since I have been under anesthesia, and I hope to keep it that way for a long time to come. The closest I have come in the past few years was passing out after receiving an injection. I turned to tell the nurse I thought I was going to and all I got out was "I think iurghfurrr...." and that was all she wrote! Good Luck and I hope everything works out just fine.

[Keepstanding, ASN, RN]

what kind of surgery ??

[PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN]

Hopefully your whole experience turned out well.....

[gtbarn06]

I had surgery last week for a C-5/6 fusion. I have control issues also. I did a lot of positive self talk, and reminded myself of the good hands I was in. I have a thing with the anesthesia also. I felt better once in the operating room, because I new it was finally happening. The nurse said the anesthesia is going into my IV and then a mask for O2 was put on my face and I was told to take a few breaths. I said, " Is there something in this oxygen besides the oxygen." That's all she wrote. I had been given some Versed before cause they could tell I was nervous. Great stuff...Best wishes to you!!:)

[locolorenzo22, BSN, RN]

I had a lap chole last week....I was nervous the night before....

while I was waiting, I was more nervous about being able to pee right before surgery so they wouldn't put in the foley.....

As I was being slid over to the bed, I dropped the hint that I work upstairs to the OR staff, and the CRNA said, "oh good, then you'll know what I'm giving you.....Versed, fentenyl, and propanol...." good night to me.......woke up in PACU like 2 hrs later with 7/10 pain, and felt better after 10mg of morphine.....was home within like 4-5 hrs slept the rest of the nite....

so many of these are routine.....you'll be fine, post after to let us know how u are....

[Moogie]

I think one of the worst times to be a nurse is when you need health care yourself. Because of your education and experience, you know exactly what can go wrong.

I hope all goes well/has gone well for you. Take care!