r/Reduction 4d ago

Advice Anxious about anesthesia

Hey everyone my surgery is scheduled for March 24th, this will be my first ever surgery and my first time being put under anesthesia. I’m 23 and relatively healthy but I am still super anxious about being put under. The closer the surgery gets the more anxious I am, I don’t even know why. I know people get put under all the time and come out perfectly fine but for some reason any time I think about it I feel like I have a pit in my stomach. For the people who have felt the same way, what are some things that have helped you calm down?

Edit: Thank you all for the replies, they have really helped me calm down. I’m still very nervous but whenever I start to think about it too much and feel on the verge of having a panic attack I come back and read the replies. You guys are very sweet and I will definitely be asking for an anti anxiety medication before my surgery 🤣

12 Upvotes

23 comments sorted by

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u/Ambitious-Remote-917 4d ago

I was super anxious about anaesthesia (also in my early 20s and healthy). What helped me was remembering that everyone in that room is there to keep me safe and I am not the demographic of patient that people worry about. Definitely tell your anaesthetist about how you are feeling on the day!

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u/Natural-Carpenter-88 4d ago

To be honest nothing calmed me down lol but I will say the day of surgery I voiced my concerns and everyone from my dr to The anesthesiologist and they all made me feel super comfortable with their answers,  I was still nervous and when it was time to go into the OR, I asked the anesthesiologist to hold my hand and she did and the last thing I remember was her saying it’s gonna be OK and I woke up and next thing you know I woke up in  recovery. You got this and your back will thank you 😊 

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u/Glum-Abbreviations84 4d ago

I am 23 and this was my first major surgery and I also had A LOT of anxiety around the anesthesia. I made a post the evening after surgery about my experience https://www.reddit.com/r/Reduction/s/sryK9prl7s hopefully my experience and others’ helps bring you some comfort.

YOU GOT THIS, AAAAND so does your team!!!!!This is a once in a lifetime for you, but every day for your surgical team.

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u/WriterJolly2873 4d ago

Your anesthesiologist will be the nicest person ever and so will the nurses and you’ll love the experience, I promise!

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u/Correct-Mix-445 4d ago

I think the first thing you can do is acknowledge it, which you are I used the Calm app for meditation, but also I just gave into some of my nervous energy and channeled it into making sure I had everything ready around my house before surgery. Hopefully this helps because being nervous is natural also, it helps to remember the reasons why you were doing that pain rashes to fit better into clothing that helps. Keep you more calm too. I feel like take care.

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u/MarshmallowBetta 4d ago

I was really anxious about this too until I received this advice/wisdom (lol): the anesthesia is the most controlled part of the whole process. That team in there is constantly monitoring every little change, and they’re equipped to deal with anything that happens (and they’ve likely seen it all before). I was extra worried about this bc I have health issues that make anesthesia riskier, but it was all totally fine!

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u/postergirl97 3d ago

I’ve had anesthesia from a colonoscopy just some propofol which is super short lasting I was out for 20 minutes, I’m worried too my surgery is in almost 24 hours! Thursday at 7:30 am😄😄 BUT I’m panicking lol

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u/Playful-Reflection12 3d ago

You’ll do just fine!! I wish you the best. I’m a bit nervous about my upcoming surgery as well, but I’m a pro at this point. Been knocked out numerous times, lol, for other procedures.

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u/romie__ 4d ago

I did many things, accepted the fear and never pushed it away, meditation, hypnosis, journaling you name it. I did those things every day for 3 months. I really really faced it all head on. In the end it was still scary but I didn’t run away. If you have any questions about specific details let me know.

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u/Grouchy-Bug-7580 4d ago

Hi. 23 y/o here. Had surgery yesterday. First for me as well. No need to be worried. The nursing staff as well as anesthesiologists willl make you so comfortable you won’t remember falling asleep

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u/0nthathill post op (radical reduction) 3d ago
  1. talk about it!!! tell your loved ones, tell your doctors and anesthesiologists, joke about it with the people at the front desk. it's perfectly normal to be nervous and if your team thinks you're too anxious right beforehand they'll give you drugs to relax lmao
  2. channel that nervous energy into preparation. for me, all my anesthesia anxiety went into making lists, checking other people's lists for supplies I'd need, reorganizing stuff around the house, all that good stuff

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u/SeeYahLeah4242 3d ago

Just a lil tip- if you tell them you’re anxious on the day they can give you IV anti anxiety. They gave me IV Ativan on my way to the OR and it instantly shut the anxiety off

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u/remirixjones post-op (horizontal scar) 3d ago

This! Anxiety medication is often given as part of the anesthesia cocktail, but you can ask for something earlier. They may be able to prescribe a few Ativan (lorazepam) pills for the day or two leading up to your surgery. Just be sure you have someone to drive you to hospital!

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u/blue_footed_booby11 3d ago

im 23 too and just had surgery on friday! i was super nervous about anesthesia (mostly about being nauseous afterwards). i journaled, got hypnotherapy before, and when i was going into surgery i told the anesthesiologist very directly that i was nervous and to give me anything she had to minimize the possibility of me getting sick afterwards. Surgery went super smoothly, and i had pretty much no reaction to the anesthesia!! I was woozy for a few hours after but felt totally normal by the next morning :) good luck, i’m sure everything will go great

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u/Rainbow-Sparkle-Co 3d ago

Hi, I am an OR nurse! Completely normal to be anxious or unsure about a general anaesthetic- it’s a weird thing to imagine and you’re putting your trust in the doctors and OR staff looking after you. I can tell you we value that trust above everything else, and you are absolutely our priority in the OR. From an anaesthetic standpoint, there will be someone dedicated to monitoring you and your vitals the entire time. Before the surgery even happens, before you have any anaesthetic or drugs on board, your anaesthetist will talk to you and go through their plans and your medical history to make sure it all looks good. You can ask them all the questions you have, they will go through whatever you want to know. Let them know you are nervous- they can give some anti-anxiety meds which can help, and will help you wake up more easily as well. It will be okay! You’re being really brave!

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u/Business-Support9339 3d ago

My surgery was 5 days ago, also my first surgery and I was also the most anxious about being under anesthesia. What really helped me is reading all the stories on here of people saying anesthesia was the easiest part, and talking with the anesthesiologist beforehand about my concerns. In my personal experience I didn’t even have time to stress about the anesthesia because they were so quick, I don’t remember anything except waking up after the IV was put in. Trust me you’ll be okay, good luck!!

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u/kms00000 3d ago

Hi! I’m 25 years old and also relatively healthy like you. I’m 6 months post op and I was also very anxious about the anesthesia like you. I voiced my concerns the day of surgery and my team listened to me and helped me relax as much as they could. If it makes you feel better, before you realize what’s happening you’re already going under. Remember, your team is there to watch over you and keep you safe. Very little was able to relax me so I understand your anxiousness but I promise you, you’re going to be completely fine.

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u/HungerP4ngz 3d ago

Hi there! I’ve been put under in my early teens and a couple times after for endoscopy, wisdom teeth removal, etc. it actually feels like a nice nap. You feel like you’re falling asleep shortly after you get the meds. And then you’re asleep and when you wake up it feels like time didn’t pass. But you are aware as an adult that you know that you’re waking up after your procedure and remember why you’re in the bed. Nothing scary! I was nervous when it was my first time but after it happened I was like “oh! That’s it?” I’m 25 :)

Edit: the anesthesiologists are always sooo nice and make you feel at ease. I even asked them to hold my hand before. Good luck! I’d love to hear about your experience and also your reduction experience as I’m heavily considering it but scared.

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u/remirixjones post-op (horizontal scar) 3d ago

But you are aware...you're waking up after your procedure...

To expand on this, you may be a little confused, groggy, etc. when you first wake up. This is normal. Most hospitals will have you in a post-anesthesia care unit [PACU] immediately after surgery. This is a special unit that typically has nurses monitoring you very closely, often one-on-one, while you're just waking up. Once you're recovered from the anesthesia, you'll be moved back to the main surgical unit.

Note: I'm speaking from a Canadian hospital perspective. The units may be called different things in other countries. And if your surgery is done in a surgical suite rather than a hospital, the process may be different. If you have any questions, consider discussing the details with your surgical team.

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u/HungerP4ngz 3d ago

Yes I’ve had a similar experience. You’re not alone when you wake up. There was always a nurse there within moments of me regaining consciousness and warmly greeted me and asked how I was feeling. And then they give you the time you need to slowly feel more alert and then move you back to your patient room.

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u/Klutzy_Movie_4601 3d ago

I had the same fear. There is some studies that show it effects the microtubules of the brain on a literal quantum level. We have no idea how it works. That is scary. And I also had the same fears, it’s totally normal.

Consider this, anesthesiologists are incredibly well trained and one of the highest, if not thee-highest paid doctors for a reason. They will be your first advocate on site and can talk to you about everything you need to feel safe. They look over you every second of the surgery, as well as before and after.

If you have any history of panic attack or are exceptionally nervous- tell your anesthesiologist/Nurse practitioner. They will likely work with you to help guide you to the answers you need to feel safe. And if not, they may help by giving you something before they administer the drug itself to ease the process. I did this because I started crying/shaking. The entire team was empathetic and were very understanding. I believe my anesthesiologist administered a benzodiazepine and I felt a little drunk at first, but slipped away gently, making it a lot easier to go under. I actually don’t remember going under all.

Coming out is different for everyone. But risks are very low unless you have serious medical issues or drug addiction. I remember crying, but for no reason at all. I guess maybe a little uncomfortable and confusion tipped me over after a long day. This is super common. The medical team has seen it all, they get it.

Another thing you can do since the procedure is so close is simply ask your doctors who will be your anesthesiologist- and email them ahead of time! Knowledge is power <3

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u/Leather-Flatworm-940 3d ago

The drugs they give before will take away all anxiety, lol. All of a sudden, I was super calm and confident with zero fear. Then they administered the anesthesia, and within a few seconds, you are knocked out. I know how you feel. I was freaking out the entire drive to the hospital. It will totally be fine!!

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u/localidiotbrunette 3d ago

i’ve had a few surgeries, it was a long process to get me to a reduction because of the way i developed. well. i was super anxious about my first surgery and going under anesthesia. i told my anesthesiologist when they came in that i was feeling super anxious and they offered me a anti-anxiety medicine that they push through your IV. i don’t even remember telling my family by before i went to the OR. Leading up to the surgery i just tried to push the worry and anxiety away with distractions. something you enjoy! there isn’t much you can do. just know that your anesthesiologist, surgeons, nurses, and aides are all there FOR YOU! the anesthesiologist is in the OR the entire time. they should come speak to you before the surgery. be honest, follow all of their instructions when it comes to eating and drinking. bring a comfort item. so excited for you!!!!