Ive had other operations but for some reason I'm afraid of not waking up and dying on the table. Surgery is 4 weeks out and I'm not backing down but still makes me tense up to think about it. Anyone else have these fears before surgery?

I intend to follow kcage's advice below before my surgery...

I plan to pray about it before the surgery and ask Jesus to be with me during it and ask him to help the surgery to be a blessing to me. I'm going to repent of anything that I believe that I need to repent of so that I can know that I'm going to heaven in case God decides that it is my time and then I am just going to try and let God handle everything else. I believe turning the situation over to the higher power will help in this situation ecspecially when we are vulnerable and have no control over our lives during the surgery. Just putting the situation into the hands of an ultimately good and loving being that has the ability to control the surgeon and the surgery while I am unconscious makes me feel better about the situation. I'll probably still be anxious but at least I know that the situation and my life are in good hands.

My philosophy is to be as self reliant as possible but I am aware of my limitations. What I can't handle on my own I leave in the hands of my Creator.

I am terrified. I keep trying to re-focus. I know I am going through with it. Mine is on the 29th of May (Tuesday). I have never been put under before. This site has been great. It has helped to ease my fears and keep me positive. Good luck with your surgery I am sure we will be just fine.

Lori

I am terrified. I keep trying to re-focus. I know I am going through with it. Mine is on the 29th of May (Tuesday). I have never been put under before. This site has been great. It has helped to ease my fears and keep me positive. Good luck with your surgery I am sure we will be just fine.

Lori

Being put under is a lot less of a problem than it used to be, I've been anesthetized 10 times over the last 51 years and I can tell you that it's become a lot better as the years have gone forward. You take a couple of deep breaths and you wake up in the recovery room.

great outlook!

I'm laying here thinking about the surgery. I have to be at the hospital at 7:00, and I just want everything to go okay. I've lost 16 pounds on the preop diet, so I'm hoping my liver is okay. Please pray for me. The surgery actually starts at 9:00.

I'm laying here thinking about the surgery. I have to be at the hospital at 7:00' date=' and I just want everything to go okay. I've lost 16 pounds on the preop diet, so I'm hoping my liver is okay. Please pray for me. The surgery actually starts at 9:00.[/quote']

I'm sure you'll be fine. The next few weeks will be hard but they will mark the start of a new life.

I am scared too but mainly because I'm afraid of how i will handle stress post-op if i can't eat it away! I am working on that w a counselor. I will probably laugh later when i reflect on my current feelings!

I am scared too but mainly because I'm afraid of how i will handle stress post-op if i can't eat it away! I am working on that w a counselor. I will probably laugh later when i reflect on my current feelings!

I plan to get a stress ball (to use often) and start a new hobby. I use to make time for myself to read novels but lately I haven't made the time. Following surgery, I plan to read a few novels, which I'm purchasing now. I've also started a book club, which starts 3 weeks following my surgery to keep busy. I'm also looking for another good stress relieving hobby to conquer during the first two weeks post- surgery. I pray that my stress relievers help to conquer my horrible eating habits. I was a Drummer and plan to pick back up a month or so after surgery. Drumming is a good workout and and awesome stress reliever. We all have something we a good at, which is our gift from God. I think that we allow life to get ahead of us and forget to do the things that make us happy. Reignite or find your gift and watch the stress melt away!

May God Bless You!

Being put under is a lot less of a problem than it used to be, I've been anesthetized 10 times over the last 51 years and I can tell you that it's become a lot better as the years have gone forward. You take a couple of deep breaths and you wake up in the recovery room.

Thanks! That really does help. I am sure its normal thinking. I just have to put my trust in my surgeon and anestesiologist and I am sure I will be just fine

Being put under is a lot less of a problem than it used to be, I've been anesthetized 10 times over the last 51 years and I can tell you that it's become a lot better as the years have gone forward. You take a couple of deep breaths and you wake up in the recovery room.

Thanks! That really does help. I am sure its normal thinking. I just have to put my trust in my surgeon and anestesiologist and I am sure I will be just fine

What I tell all my patients before rolling back to the OR is that they took a bigger risk getting in the car to come to the hospital than u will with the surgery. Unless u have numerous comorbidities and u already are in a dire condition, surgery is relatively safe. And trust me when I say that this is a very simple surgery being done. I have literally been in close to 500 of these surgeries and only two of my patients had to be sent to ICU and those patients already had several major issues going on. U will be fine, no need to fret.

Everyone is nervous about the surgery' date=' scared and nervous- I know I was!

Try to talk to someone about WHY you are feeling this way and what kind of support that they can give you. A friend, SO or a therapist. Maybe even PM someone post-op on the forum.

You dont want to keep it all bottled up and end up in pre-op- hyperventallating and pushing your blood pressure up (maybe even preventing your surgery) or end up needing a sedative that will make you a zombie pre-op.[/quote']

I totally want to be a zombie pre-op! I am a little wuss... I am more nervous about getting a shot than I am having the surgery. Tattoos.. No prob. Getting a needle stuck in my vein... Effing torture!!

Whenever I think about how nerve racking this is gonna be I just think about the people I love that weren't given a choice to have a surgery and they did fine!!

What I tell all my patients before rolling back to the OR is that they took a bigger risk getting in the car to come to the hospital than u will with the surgery. Unless u have numerous comorbidities and u already are in a dire condition, surgery is relatively safe. And trust me when I say that this is a very simple surgery being done. I have literally been in close to 500 of these surgeries and only two of my patients had to be sent to ICU and those patients already had several major issues going on. U will be fine, no need to fret.

That's good news. Being an old pro at surgery, 8 in total, mostly arthroscopic, I have gotten pretty relaxed about dealing with it. It's never fun but, IMHO, attitude is the biggest thing. If you are positive with yourself, positive with the medical personnel and leave yourself in their capable hands you will be fine.

I was filled with terror. I put off the decision for a long time, mostly because I fear all medical procedures. It wasn't actually nearly as bad as I had feared it would be and I am so glad I went for it. Look at my stats, dropping 85+ pounds since December, wow - I am now starting to live a life that i want - it was so worth it!

A week before the surgery I had my final appointment with the surgeon. I told him that I was totally committed to doing this, I knew I needed it, but I was having a hard time controlling my anxiety. It would hit me at night when trying to fall asleep especially, and it was escalating... getting worse and worse the closer I got to the date. He gave me a mild sedative that I used for the next week right before bedtime and it made a huge difference! Being able to sleep helped me feel better overall so the anxiety started to lose it's grip on me. By the day of the surgery, I was a little worried, but my much stronger feeling was "Let's do this!!! Can't wait to get started and lose this weight." Just having a little help getting my anxiety under control really turned it around and I went into the operating room (unmedicated) with normal vital signs and not feeling that crushing anxiety feeling. I remember talking to the anesthesialogist and actually being more curious about things then fearful.

I think I need to get that for dental work too - I really am a medicalphobe.

I'm still in the testing and program phase of getting this procedure done. While I'm worried about the surgery, i'm more concerned w/ the amount of time it will take to heal. I've only got 2 weeks vacation time I can take and I"m hoping to get the procedure done somewhere around thanksgiving or christmas to sort of lengthen the amount of time I can take off work. I'm worried that i have a complication I'll be shooting myself in the foot with my job. I work at a computer but I"m up and down throughout the day. it makes me wonder if i'm doing the right thing now or if i should wait, my heart keeps telling me that I really can't wait and my brain keeps saying another year and I'll have more 3 weeks pto instead and wouldn't that be better. I feel for anyone who's already at the bridge...i'm still just looking at it like hmmmm.....