Anxiety and Surgery

[mitchjoann132010 288]

Okay, so I have VERY bad anxiety. I plan and plan and plan even small things like my grocery list. I have what my therapist says is OCPD (Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder) and anxiety. I'm just wondering if there is anyone out there with anxiety as well and how you plan on handling your surgery day. Mine is at 7:15 am but start the process at 5:30 am so I'm not only going to be tired from the 2 hour car trip (3 am is not an optimal wake up time for me) but I am also not going to be in the happiest of moods. Therefore, positive thinking is out the window. I can try maybe breathing techniques. My anesthesiologist seems to completely disregard anxiety so I might have to point blank tell her to give me something that morning or I am going to make a run for it.

[Creekimp13 5,838]

Call your surgeon's office. Ask if you can take a little xanax on the way to the hospital. (obviously not if you're the one driving. LOL)

My doc let patients take a little xanax.

I'm usually a nervous nelly about medical procedures, but I surprised myself and didn't need "courage in pill form" .

You might surprise yourself, too.

Truthfully? Having that xanax in my purse and knowing that I *could* take it....was almost as good as taking it.

Placebo is good medicine sometimes.

Plus...you know...I have a xanax for the next time I fly. LOL. Win, win.

[mitchjoann132010 288]

I'm going to have to do this. I think you're right, just knowing I have it with me might be enough to quell my nerves!!!

[brookie 89]

mitchjoann,u have been planning & waiting for so long,dont b nervous,u are gonna do great.i had to just relax & leave it in God’s hands.try & get that xanax though if u can,lol

[Creekimp13 5,838]

When you think about your anxiety about surgery....try to flip it in your mindset...to instead focus your anxiety on obesity related conditions you are more predisposed to suffer by remaining obese. That way....you can feel relieved you're doing something to prevent them.

I know that sounds a little bizarre....but it worked for me.

Why be scared of a surgery with extremely low mortality that you've prepared for, had tests to ensure your safety, etc....

When you should really be a LOT more afraid of remaining heavy and carrying much more risk for heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc.

Be afraid of the more likely threat.

[mitchjoann132010 288]

That is a great way to look at things and honestly calmed me down a little bit even as a read it. I'm thinking of creating a list of reasons like that and take it with me that day when I feel anxious. I think since its my first surgery it's just a little terrifying that I'm letting go of all control and putting my body in someone else's hands to cut parts out of me.

[DaleCruse 756]

Have you considered that your greatest strength (the ability to control outcomes) has become your greatest weakness (nearly paralyzing you from taking positive action)?

I say this only because I recognize it's the same situation for me.

You are not alone.

[Frustr8 7,886]

Yes mitchjoanne, but they are going to take such good care of you it's almost like being wrapped ion a caccoon of love. And like a butterfly you will spead your beautiful new wings and fly so pretty. Maybe for a few days right after you might still feel like larva but soon you WILL FLY! And I too hold this thought in mind for my own surgery when it comes. I am much less afraid of the surgical process than continuing to live in this fat sad body which could break down at any time. So far I have not had many of the other bad effects of obesity but I realize I could explode like a time bomb with them before long. So I will claim the victory of Surgery Day and continue to use this tool for my body's benefit. And my daily life will be v etter for it.😛

[mitchjoann132010 288]

DaleCruse you are right. With OCPD it is channeled in a more positive form but it has become a weakness with this situation. I appreciate that I am not the only one out there like this!!!!!

Frustr8 I love your positivity! You are very inspirational and somehow just from reading your post it takes a little more stress out of this situation. I love the way you look at things it's magnetic!!

[Frustr8 7,886]

My late hubby had OCD, had a little exit ritual,before he would leave our house, he would tap the left side of the door frame 8 times, starting at shoulder height and descending to about waist height. Lived will the man for 44 years, some days I feel I absorbed some by osmosis. Considered vetting a t-shirt I saw in a catlogue. Said " I have CDO, it is similar to OCD except everything is in alphabetic order, the way it should be!". and now things do have to be under control or I get very tense. That is part of why waiting and waiting for a surgical date Makes me very tense. I love sequential order in my life, that way it is more controllable. I make lists for I have a fear of forgetting things from the grocery. I even have started a,list for,my🏥 immediate post surgery. So mitchjoanne, I am your "soul sister" if only by adoption.😛

[mitchjoann132010 288]

SUMMARY:

1. OCD is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder where as OCPD is Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder.
2. Obsessions and compulsion are present in OCD and not present in OCPD
3. Symptoms of OCD often fluctuate at times, but with little change in personality.
4. OCPD seeks treatment because of some conflicts; OCD seeks treatment because of psychological stress.
5. A person with OCD is preoccupied with behaviors that are senseless while a person with OCPD is obsessed with rules, organization and perfection.

Read more: Difference Between OCD and OCPD | Difference Between http://www.differencebetween.net/science/health/difference-between-ocd-and-ocpd/#ixzz5CfLEZgk5

You bet, it sounds like your husband definitely had OCD whereas it sounds like you have developed OCPD traits like me. The main difference between OCD and OCPD is that OCPD doesn't really cause diruptions in everday life whereas OCD and the obsessions cause a person to not be able to properly follow through with some everyday tasks. For instance, your husband having the tap the doorframe could have caused him to be late for work (not that he was) but if he happened to be running late one day he still would have preferred to run late so he could tap the doorframe causing a disruption in everyday life.

OCPD is obsessed with organizing, list, planning ahead. These traits are normal to most people however we tend to carry it a little overboard for instance if I created a calendar for April and wrote in my schedule, if there is a slight change to the schedule that I would have to pencil in onto the printed sheet, I would create the entire sheet again from scratch just because I would hate that one flaw of a pencil mark.

[wjgo 272]

From reading threads here, anxiety is common.

My anxiety was from the worry of carrying out the post-op diet successfully. Completely unfounded, it's far easier than I ever imagined as in not difficult, just need to start early with Water. I got about 5 hours sleep total for the two nights before surgery. While sleep is great, it left me sleeping the entire time I was alone in the hospital room, and had blinds down the entire time.

Maybe get a hotel room close by night before.

Anxiety is normal. I even had anxiety and second thoughts in the surgery recovery room. That quickly passed as the effects of anesthesia wore off. So, I wouldn't say all of your anxiety could be sourced to ocpd completely.

Sent from my XT1609 using BariatricPal mobile app

[mitchjoann132010 288]

Hi wjgo when I created the post I said it is from Anxiety & OCPD. The OCPD is the part where I've been a perfectionist planning everything to a T from the Pre-Op steps that my insurance has made me jump through for the past 10 months which has caused me to be stressed and has caused me to overplan. But yes like the title of the post it is in regards to Anxiety and Surgery and like you stated the worrying that it can bring on even during and after surgery is very stressful. It is common for most people however it can become exacerbated when you do already have anxiety as that is what anxiety is.... and obviously if this is the first surgery someone has ever had it can make a stressful situation become even more stressful. Thanks for the warning on no sleep. I know they say that it is really important to get sleep for the recovery process so I will try to get some essential oils or something to maybe help the sleeping process before surgery.

[redhead_che 824]

I mentioned my anxiety diagnosis about a million times in the pre op process so my surgeon understood how serious I was about taking an anti anxiety med the day of surgery. They gave me IV anti anxiety medicine despite the anesthesiologist’s push back. I won that battle. I ended up needing two more doses post op before discharge. No issues or side effects, my team was understanding.

[Sunshineprincess 58]

I actually have OCD and anxiety. I do my rituals and sayings and list and if you get interrupted you have to start over because it's like you envision something terrible happening if you don't do them. Anyway my anxiety added to the mix and I have dark thoughts about surgery but I've decided fear has controlled my whole life so I will get this surgery and live. One of the things I can suggest that has been helping me lately when I get anxious about surgery is anchor imaging. Whenever your thoughts wander to dark side you automatically make yourself envision your anchor image. Sounds odd but it has been helping me so it's worth a try. I know actual surgery day I will be a mess but I'm gonna try my best to not be. Good luck to you.