Scared of having a General Anaesthetic

Believe me times have changed and for the better. I had my knee replaced last year and was talked into having a spinal anaesthetic- I knew nothing about it. Before, I have always had a GA with no ill effects. Go for it.

I understand your fear completely as it is one I share. I have never had an anaesthetic. You have survived two and you will do so again no reason for you to think any different. The other lady is not you. You will feel so much better once it’s done and you’ve recovered. Plan a treat for yourself later for being brave

Tell your care team about your fears. They understand that people are nervous and are skilled at putting people's mind at rest. Good luck!

I would imagine that there are a few people who die under anaesthetic but very limited in number. You need an operation and it will make life better for you. I am sure the risks are low but ask the doctors. People are afraid of many things and I don’t mean to make light of your fears but I am sure you will come through this ok and feel much better after. Hope all goes well for you.

The lady that passed away was probably very ill which you aren’t but I realise however practical you think you won’t actually get rid of the feelings but keep going over and over them I think talking it through with a professional should help

No you’re not being silly. People do die during operations but very rarely from the anaesthetic itself. The procedure you are going to have whichever it is is not normally high risk. You will have a pre-op assessment and you could talk to the nurse then about your fears and ask if that can be put in your notes. On the day you’ll meet the anaesthetist but that’s a bit late for helping you get through the time from now to June. Generally GA techniques have got better and better and I think anaesthetists have too. I had a GA in February and the day before unbeknown to my husband I made sure all my paperwork in the study was sorted out and all my passwords available - and I was having a low risk procedure too. What would have helped me in recovery room would have been knowing in advance what I might be hooked upto post operatively so it wasn’t a surprise ( and a bit of a worry). So I’m not saying don’t worry, don’t be silly etc but just try and keep your mind busy. I only had to wait a week so it wasn’t so long to worry in but I watched loads of mindless TV and went on MN as they do wonderful supportive threads on these issues and I got loads of great advice such as what nightwear to have and clothes to come home in and likely recovery times and all that distracted me and was very informative, supportive and kind. It’s better than GN for this sort of thing simply because there’s so many more members - I found several people in exactly my situation

Do you know if you are having a laparoscopy or an open procedure?

It’s a perfectly rational anxiety. Talk to the anaesthetist if you can, or ask the clinic team to explain the type of anaesthesia possible with your surgery. I had a bladder repair while wide awake with a spinal anaesthetic. All very comfortable and non traumatic. So do ask, don’t just sit and worry.

My husband goes in for a hernia repair next Tuesday. He has never had a general anaesthetic, and is also scared. I've had two, and wasn't worried about either. As an operation is out of our control, it's natural to be afraid. Try not to worry too much.
I'm reassuring my husband, but I don't think it's doing him much good.

I’m the same. About 15 years ago I had to go in for a minor op. I told the nurse I was scared, and the anaesthetist came, sat on the end of the bed, and explained the whole procedure. My last question was “How long will I be under?” “About fifteen minutes” he said. I felt really silly, when I thought about people having long, complicated operations, but he told me not to worry. Last year I had a lumpectomy, and again the anaesthetist came and explained everything. It was very reassuring. Tell the nurse about your fears, and I’m sure you will be reassured. I hope you make a good recovery.

I’ve just looked it up. The death rate under anaesthetic is 0.06% and includes those undergoing emergency surgery for life threatening injury.

You’re safer than you would be if you stayed at home!

Thank you all for your comments and yes I will have a chat to everyone! Maryeliza 54 I have been told I will be having a hysterectomy vaginally, but my Consultant wants to take 'a look around' just to check things out as if my womb is in its correct position my bladder will be repaired, but it will probably be the full operation as my cervix is low. I am planning to get everything in order and keeping my mind busy is driving me nuts. I swing from moments of fear to moments of excitement as I want to get back to normal. Thank you all, I think I do feel better (for now)

My friends DH is a consultant anaesthetist. He says that anaesthetics have never been safer and that they are a completely different ballgame to even 10 years ago in terms of side effects. There was a really big gap between my most recent op and the previous one and I was dreading it as I’d felt so ill and been very sick after it. I couldn’t believe it when I woke up feeling absolutely ok, barely groggy and not at all nauseous. You’ll be fine but definitely tell the nurses and the anaesthetist on the day that you feel really scared.

I had a general anaesthetic when I was 7 for a tonsillectomy. I was sick in the bed as I was coming round, and was told off by a very scary and very strict ward sister.After she left a West Indian nurse came and gave me a big hug and told me not to worry. She was so kind I’ll always be grateful to her. After my recent op I felt fine- no nausea at all. Anaesthetics are improving all the time.

Viviness I don't think you're being silly, its a very natural anxiety.

But you can talk to your team (or even your GP beforehand) and ask for something which will help you feel calm about it.
As MiniMoo says, we are out of control in such situations, so understandably feeling scared, who wouldn't? But also, we are in the hands of experts who have been through this routine hundreds, if not thousands of times before.
Put your faith in them, not your anxieties

I'm looking forward to reading how you've bounced back to full health and feel wonderful again!

Thank you - feeling a little better and more positive after reading the last three posts. I'm now planning what to do when I'm fully recovered and trying to be positive and ignoring the negative thoughts. Thank you all once again.

for both knee replacements, I had an epidural and spinal block-and I really do not regret it. Much faster recovery and no side effects. I had one for an emergency C section, after long Labour due to transversal breech - in 1973, in the very early days (the first one they had done at the Hospital).

Definitely plan a holiday for when you are recovered. As others have said, anaesthetics these days are extremely safe, look at the hip replacements on 90 year olds done now that would have been out of the question a few years ago.

In the days when I was nursing, we used to give omnopom and scopolomine an hour before theatre, the scopolomine to dry up secretions, and the omnopom (morphine derivative) to remove all worry, it certain did that, you went down to theatre floating on air! No longer prescribed, but the morphine type drugs you will have on waking will leave you floating happily above any pain.

I hope everything has been explained to you in detail so you know what to expect. Your anaesthetist will come and see you about an hour beforehand, do ask him any questions worrying you, he will reassure you. You will probably walk down to theatre and lie on a trolley bed in a little anteroom, you won't see the theatre itself. An injection will be given into your hand or arm, which will make you feel woozy, and you will be asleep within 10 seconds. The next thing you will know will be the nurses talking to you as you come round in the recovery room, any you will be wheele back to your bed.

You will have a catheter in with a bag attached to the side of your bed, and quite likely a drip in your arm for 24 hours. You may have oxygen being fed just under your nose for a few hours. One word of warning, beware the senokot if you are sensitive to it, and only take one of the two tablets!

I am sure it will all go smoothly, I imagine you will go 'off air' for a few days, but do come back and tell us how you are getting on when you feel like it? Wishing you a speedy recovery.

I’ve been a nurse for over 40 years and at one point worked in a very busy Intensive Care Unit and the Operating Theatres and I can say it is extremely rare for any patient to need IC or die following an anaesthetic. If you are reasonably healthy and don’t smoke then the risks are low. One thing I did learn is that you increase your risks of problems if you drink alcohol the day or night before because it can react with anaesthetic drugs. My last job was Senior Nurse in Urogynaecology so I consider myself really knowledgeable in that area. Hysterectomy and Prolapse Repair are no longer considered major surgery thanks to the advances made in that area. You could be discharged within 48 hours. There are some great websites that give you up to date information such as patient.co.uk. I gave the website some professional information recently around prolapse repair. The website is run by clinicians in the UK. Send me a message if you’d like more information and good luck.

I'm another one who's fortunate not to have had surgery needing a general anaesthetic and as Grandmajan has already said, it's rare to die due to the actual anaesthetic as it's usually underlying " undetected " problems in the patient that are the cause-----such as in the elderly.
I don't even remember anything amiss while training in the 50's and 60's while on a very busy surgical ward, so you can imagine the advancements in surgery since !

Although a frightening prospect to many, this particular type of " repair " surgery is so common that I feel sure that the surgeon could carry it out in their sleep. I wish you well and you will be well after this procedure. Great care will be taken I assure you.

Well, DH went to day surgery for his hernia op. He went on at about 11:30 and they said I could come home. He is second in the list, and I have to ring the unit at about 15:30 to see when he can come home. I expected to have to stay, but apparently that wasn't necessary.

Viviness I have always been scared of LA, I have had many.. I tell the anethatist that I am afraid and he always gives me somthink for it to a lot easer juspt tell him/ her how you are felling hope this helps

I have had 4 c sections was the first in UK to have 4 I had 2 with SBlock brilliant way to do it if you can..

Have had many general anaesthetics in the past and wil, admit , for the first time, that I actually like the feeling of drifting off. I know, I’m weird- I’ll get my coat! ? lol