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Terrified of Gallbladder Surgery

Posted , 15 users are following.

nola.angie
nola.angie

I am scheduled for gallbladder removal on March 29th, and I think this is the most scared I have ever been in my life. My fear isn't the surgery, or the pain afterward, but of the general anesthesia. I've never been under general before, and I'm absolutely terrified at the thought of not waking up from it. 

The plan is laparoscopic. How long does the surgery take? How long will I actually be under anesthesia? I'm just ready for it to be over already. 

0 likes, 68 replies

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  • caitlyn12660
    caitlyn12660 nola.angie

    Posted

    Surgery took 2 hours but I also had a tap block before that anesthesia offered which minimizes post operative pain. This was my 3rd time under general. One for heart surgery, one for sinus surgery and then my gallbladder removal. It’s not scary at all you will be given a medicine like versed that helps you relax. I call I the i don’t give a crap drug because it kicks in seconds and you are so relaxed and chill. All the worries are just gone. You might even fall asleep on them. General anesthesia means that you are so deep a sleep you need help protecting you airway. I have found each time the anesthesia teams to be so kind and answered all my questions. You will want to sleep a lot of after. Anesthesia is the easy part. You will do great! Best wishes for a speedy recovery 
    • Mrsoscared
      Mrsoscared caitlyn12660

      Posted

      General anaesthesia does mean you are in a deep sleep it in fact means you are unconscious lol

      but no you are incorrect about it means you need help breathing, where did you get that from ?

      the reason you are intubatid in with the gallbladder surgery is because it’s high up and affects the diafram !

    • caitlyn12660
      caitlyn12660 Mrsoscared

      Posted

      Well it does protect your away and yes I am aware of the fact that is not a deep sleep. I am not stupid. I have been through it 3 times I know. Yes I am aware that drugs affect your diaphragm and you can’t breathe with out support while you are under. Yes you are intubated to help your breathe which is this main reason but it also protects your airway, for as long as it’s needed. 
    • caitlyn12660
      caitlyn12660 Mrsoscared

      Posted

      I never said anything about it being a deep sleep at all. But it’s very scary for a lot of people. So if I can help ease Someone’s anxiety about it I will and I am not anestheolgist.  The assigned anesthesiologist will explain everything.  And when I meant sleep I meant the fact that when you wake up from your procedure in recovery you are very tired and you feel exhausted and sleep a lot due to the affect of what’s left of the drugs in your system. Which is what I did when I got home I was super groggy and tired from the surgery and the anesthesia itself that I slept a lot. Lol.

      Thanks for your concern though and saying something I will try to be more clear in the future. 

      I know there is tons of inaccurate information. Which is why I would never suggest a forum for medical advice. It’s a good place to vent and talk to people who relate. I will say that my 2  years working for a Pulmonology practice as an administrative assitant doesn’t qualify me at all to give medical advice and I wouldn’t dare. My degree is English literature, That’s what I have the background and qualification to do.  Anything that falls in the books , reading and writing category I can help and teach about all day every day. Lol. On this platform What I will do is try my best  to support someone who is going through surgery or is post op who is scared an anxious. To help them get a little peace of mind during a scary time. 

    • Scottie13
      Scottie13 caitlyn12660

      Posted

      Couldn’t have put that better myself! I’ve had 6 surgeries and sometimes it’s good for these really nervous people to hear it broken down into basics. So general anaesthetia is described as being in a deep sleep by most doctors. As saying you’ll be unconscious sounds so scary in comparison. Don’t worry about how you explained as it sounded exactly like I would have as well xx
    • Mrsoscared
      Mrsoscared caitlyn12660

      Posted

      What are you talking about ?

      read your first post please , about you never said anything=thing about it being a deep sleep at all !!

      thats exactly what you said in yr first post on this topic !! 

      Its their for you in your words in black and white !!

      your exact words are 

      GENRAL ANAESTHESIA MEANS YOU ARE SO DEEP ASLEEP !! 

      thats your post !! Go read it !!

      And I was indeed one of those really nervous people lol and the worst thing for a very nervous anxious person is people telling them things that they know is incorrect information , because very nervous people , like me tend to do extreme research into these things , and know the facts only too well lol

      and I can only give you an example of myself of course , but if had read that , It would have made me even more apprehensive lol as I would have been thinking well I know that’s not true as I know general means unconscious lol.

      oh and Scottie you are of course correct when you say doctors refer to general as a deep sleep , yes they do , but that’s the problem for an anxious nervous person , most of them do not trust doctors as they do not tell the whole truth do they ?

      or do they Scottie ? You tell me ?

    • nola.angie
      nola.angie caitlyn12660

      Posted

      Thank you for your post! I will definitely need medication to calm me when I arrive. I will be a basket case. 
  • biliarydyskines
    biliarydyskines nola.angie

    Posted

    i did endoscopy and colonoscopy with General anesthesia , they put the anesthesia and count down starts , by 10 you will sleep and then you will wake up ,will not feel pain. The pain will start after some time. for me that was first time , i was thinking why they are just waiting, but by the time i think ..thats it .. i went into sleep mode.

    All the best for your surgery. Enjoy life.

  • karen_35577
    karen_35577 nola.angie

    Posted

    Don't worry, these days the anesthesia is very advanced and pretty safe.  Think of all the operations that take place!  I've been under 4 times in my life & fine.  Now when you wake you don't even feel sleepy from the anesthesia.  The laparoscopic is really good, I didn't have pain after my appendix was removed, a little sore but ok!  You heal so much faster too!  I was only having to rest a week & fine!  Is your gallbladder causing pain?  Is it inflamed or have gallstones?  I've been sick a year & a half but they aren't positive it's my gallbladder so worse not knowing or able to eat much of anything!  Try to relax & breath.  Also take deep breaths if you have oxygen after the op to clear the anesthesia & think positive!  smile.  

    • nola.angie
      nola.angie karen_35577

      Posted

      Thank you Karen! I don't have the gallbladder attacks that most people speak of. I had one, 3 years ago that sent me to the ER thinking that I was having a heart attack. Through bloodwork they discovered that it was my gallbladder, and wanted to remove it that day.  Due to the fact that I was so scared of the anesthesia, I refused. So for the past 3 years I have been living with this constant pain under my right rib cage, which at times is worse than others. In September my doctor recommended surgery, as I had an ultrasound that showed my gallbladder full of stones. Because she knew how scared I was to have surgery, she entertained me and prescribed Ursodiol to try to dissolve the stones, knowing that they wouldn't work.  Sometimes you have to be on it for years to dissolves the stones, and once you stop the medication, they will come back. So here I am, scheduled for surgery. 

      The only symptoms that I really have is the pain under my right rib cage, sometimes a feeling of fullness and shortness of breath after eating, acid reflux, and a little nausea at times. 

    • nola.angie
      nola.angie biliarydyskines

      Posted

      I had been on it since September last year, and stopped taking it at the beginning of March. I think the doctor pretty much knew it was a waste of time, and was only doing it to pacify me. 
  • jill_38536
    jill_38536 nola.angie

    Posted

    All i can say is please do not worry. I had mine out 12 months ago. Went in early morning and out by 4pm. Only problem i had was what to eat. Just lay off fatty food for a while. As far as the op is concerned you won't know anything about it. You won't need help dressing or walking. And i must say you are not on your own feeling scared. It's natural. Good luck. You will be fine!! Jill

    • nola.angie
      nola.angie jill_38536

      Posted

      Thank you Jill, I appreciate your post! When I met with the anesthesiologist she asked if there was anything she could tell me that would make me feel better, and unfortunately, the answer was no. Because the truth is, there isn't anything that anyone can say that will make me feel better.  However, it does help a little by reading the experiences of others. 

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