URGENT - fear of anaesthetic / imminent operation

[oasis123]

Hi ,
I'm new on here ... and desperate ... i am due to go into hospital tomorrow for a planned caesarian section. i have already backed out of two planned sections at the last minute through intense panic and fear much to my own and other peoples frustration. I am ten days over my due date and this baby has to come out tomorrow no matter what. I cannot back out again.

I am terrified of the anaesthetic - spinal. i am not great with needles but can deal with them.. it's more that i am terrible with medication , the idea that something is invading my body and that once it is in my system i cannot do anything about it , and that is sending me into sheer panic....i met with an anaesthetist who gave me way too much information and now i am just wanting to throw up at the thought of it. i am truly terrified that such is my fear it will kill me , by a drop in blood pressure or a heart attack. I am terrified at feeling everything go numb and not being able to get away. my fear is so severe that although i have talked with medical professionals and friends about it it just isn't helping as i know that i cannot get out of this and as the time looms i am feeling like i am waiting to be excecuted , that is how severe my terror is. i know that people get that i am scared ... but not how scared ... i am seriously terrified that my fear will kill me...i cannot even think or get excited about my baby ... i just feel like i am losing my mind...please , please can anyone offer any words of advice or help ?? thankyou so much in advance..

[tayside lassie]

oasis i can understand your anxiety but you really will be ok ..have you had a caesarian before ??? .. i had my 4 all by caesarians it will be over before you know i and then you ll have your wee baby in your arms ...

[kittykat]

I too can understand your fear, i too may need an operation on my back but it has too be a general and this terrifies me, I can only tell you i know a few people thats had the spinal and they have said that it is fantastic, you will get a local first and one good thing with it being in the spine you won't really see anything. But just think of the fantastic little person you'll be given at the end of it, keep focused on this and remember fear can't kill you it just makes you think this......you really will be okay.........just a thought can they give you anything to calm you down a bit before you go?? xx

[diane07]

Do you know what hun, i was absolutely terrified of having the spinal epidural with my last child, and i mean terrified.......... But let me tell you this........it is a piece of cake..........a walk in the park.......and had i have known how easy it was i would have had it having my other two instead of putting up with all that pain.

I panicked over the thought of not being able to move my legs etc..but do you know what.........when you're there you won't even think about it.

So stop worrying, i promise you its as painful as brushing your teeth.

You won't even feel that needle

best wishes

di xx

[befuddled1]

Hi oasis123
I feel for you. It's horrible to feel that terrified. And it's worse when you think other people don't get it, it can make you feel very alone. I had to have an anaesthetic for an unexpected operation a couple of weeks ago and it was probably the most stressful thing I've ever done. But I have come out the other side of it and I'm ok.
I don't know if there will be anything I can say to help that you haven't already heard. I don't think you can die from the fear, it just feels like that. I would make sure you tell someone who is with you when you have the anaesthetic just how terrified you are. The people who will deal with the op are experts in what they do and are there to make sure you are ok. I guess having someone there with you if you can may be the key thing. Making sure someone knows how horrible you feel, so you don't feel alone in it. Other than that, as I've said you've probably heard all the advice and maybe the best thing you can do for yourself is to use any distraction technique that works. I was doing lots of wordsearches. Other sorts of puzzles didn't work but wordsearches were the right level of engagement somehow, didn't require too much thinking but did require some concentration.
You will be ok. Let people know just how scared you are, that your psychological needs are as great as your physical ones. Ask for someone to be with you. Distract yourself. It's ok to be this terrified, you don't have to hide it. You can do it and you'll be ok.
My thoughts are with you.
befuddled x

[oasis123]

Thankyou so so much for your support everybody ... i went to see a fabulous hypnotherapist yesterday who specialises in hypnobirthing and i learnt some great relaxation and distraction techniques ... the moral support from you all is amazing , thankyou so much,yes i am still terrified but feel like i at least have some tools to work with ... and i am going to tell the anaesthetist /doctor etc exactly how scared i am as you suggested ...i'm going into hospital in an hour .... thankyou so much everybody and i will be back on here soon as i am up and about .. xx

[tayside lassie]

glad to hear you feel better in mind ...

GOOD LUCK XXXX

[befuddled1]

Thankyou so so much for your support everybody ... i went to see a fabulous hypnotherapist yesterday who specialises in hypnobirthing and i learnt some great relaxation and distraction techniques ... the moral support from you all is amazing , thankyou so much,yes i am still terrified but feel like i at least have some tools to work with ... and i am going to tell the anaesthetist /doctor etc exactly how scared i am as you suggested ...i'm going into hospital in an hour .... thankyou so much everybody and i will be back on here soon as i am up and about .. xx

Well done oasis. It's great you feel you have some ways to handle it now even though it's still very scarey for you. Still thinking of you.

[ElizabethJane]

Hope the birth went well today. Very best wishes

[doodah]

I've just read your post Oasis. I hope that all went really well for you.

Wendy xxxx