Cyst removal surgery. Have to have GA. Freaking out.

I have never had surgery with general anesthesia before and I am so scared I will die during it.

I hate the thought of being put under so badly that I want to just skip the surgery all together. But, I don't want to keep having to worry that this freaking cyst is sarcoma when I know that it's benign. I hate health anxiety. But, I don't know what to do anymore. I have no clue why they just can't give me a local and then just take this out. I'm thinking about looking for a second opinion to see if we can do a needle biopsy. What should I do?

Depending on where the cyst is, and what nerves it touches, you can’t always do local. However, they might want to put you under because they think you will freak out on them if you remain conscious.

I was in such a state over the removal of my BCC I had to plead with them to just let me have a local. If they think you're going to be very nervous, you might have to fight your case on this one.

The derm I went to before the ENT offered to do it with just a local. Maybe I should call her back up and see if she will. She didn't think it was a cyst though. But, a bunch of other docs have. The ENT said that's even what it looked like on my CT scan.

It depends on the surgery and how you're likely to feel during it, if done under local. I had one operation under local, but they put a cannula in anyway just in case I wanted a general. Next time I had surgery, they laughed when I asked for local. I was petrified with my first general, but if that's what's needed please don't worry. They're super safe nowadays. Whether local or general, I've always found a pre-med helpful to calm any pre-theatre nerves, so might be worth asking about. Bear in mind how you might feel having the procedure under local and whether you might find that just as difficult. Hope all goes well.

Thanks Swan!

Ok. So I contacted the dermatologist I go to and she can biopsy it with a needle. So, I am doing that on the 10th. Here's to hoping it's benign. But, I am so scared of soft tissue sarcoma.