Not sure who to contact/what to do... (surgery/anxiety)

Mental health
1

Two failed attempts at trying to tell my GP what’s wrong…

1. He knows my anxiety symptoms can get very bad

2. He knows anything to do with medicine and doctors makes me really nervous

3. He knows I’m really bad a talking about anything troubling me and that I tend to play down my problems (unintentionally)

4. He also knows I’m scheduled for surgery on Thursday (and that I don’t really know much about what’s going to happen on the day and that there’s no one to come with me)

Why can he not put those things together and realised there’s a huge possibility I’ll freak out on Thursday and do something really stupid. Why doesn’t he ask about that?

He’s so sweet to me, and is actually a really good doctor but for some reason he’s not connecting the dots between anxiety symptoms and surgery – like he thinks these things aren’t happening to the same person.

Not his fault though… I need to learn how to speak when I’m sitting in front of him. He’s a doctor not a mind-reader.

Should I speak to some else about this, should I contact the hospital and tell them about my "mental state" and see if I can ask some questions before the surgery.

Or should I just go in and hope for the best?

2

Hello Anya.Rose,  I have had surgery many times and it is natural to feel anxious.  I have also gone in on my own.  Most hospitals will send relatives and friends away because the nurses, surgeons and anaesthetists will want to get on with their jobs and checking details  and doing blood pressure etc. When you arrive and book in you will get a chance to ask questions about the surgery, anaesthetic and any other anxieties you have.  It's their job also to help you feel relaxed and talk you through the stages. They will also ask about your medications and if you have depression or anxieties.  You will not be the only one feeling anxious.  Hope this helps and wishing you the best.

Elizabeth.

3

Anya rose, firstly you are strong and can get through this, the surgery is playing on your mind and I have no doubts that your doctor is aware. I don't know if you are having you op on the day but when you get there just tell the nurse how scared you are and that you have anxiety. Nurses are a medicine in their own right and will help you without fail. Between now and them you need a little rewire. Have a look on the NHS website because there is information on there to help and also try to relax yourself. Where you see this operation as an ordeal, try looking at the positives, the operation will help you, you are going to be cared for by some of the best trained professionals in the world. Nobody goes in without some worries but see the positives and remember there is always a positive thought for every negative 

4

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/surgery/Pages/preparing-for-surgery.aspx

5

Thank you for this. Yes I'll just try to let them know when I get there. And do some research on my own. I was in a bit of a daze during my pre-op assesment so can't remeber any of what I was told on the day... feels like this isn't such a great thing, but GP doesn't seem concerned.

Thanks for the lovely reply

6

Thanks Elizabeth, yes this does actually help loads. I'll try to have some questions ready and then on the day I just need to make sure I actually speak.

Anya

7

I am the most anxious person you will ever meet, everything regarding my health is worse case scenario with me, I fell pregnant ended up with preeclampsia and my baby was delivered 6 weeks early via c section, (with me being awake during the procesure) if someone had told me this would happen I would have said I will never get thru it but here I am to tell the tale and it wasn't half as bad as I thought it would be. If u let the anesthetiser know that you are extremely anxious I'm sure they will talk you through it and this will calm you down, when you worry about things the outcome is never as bad as you think it's going to be.

8

I had surgery yesterday! I was absolutely terrified, the nurses and the anaesthetist were wonderful. Tell them how you feel, they have seen it all before and will help . You will be fine believe me .. 

9

Thanks for this, the hospital gave me a leaflet but it's so wordy and long and just attempting to read it made me feel nervous and didn’t really take anything in. But for some reason I could read through the info on this webpage without too much difficulty. Thanks!

10

Oh my, this sounds like an awful experience! Assuming everything turned out ok; your child wasn't effect at all and is now doing great? : )

Thanks for the reply, yes I think I just need to make sure I'm open with them when I get there next week.

11

Oh thank you so much for this : ) I do know it'll all be ok, but sometimes it's still hard to really, truly believe it... and it helps to hear (read) it from someone else

12

I have a needle phobia which doesn't help, I told them and they applied the numbing cream and that helped a lot. Just concentrate on how wonderful you will feel afterwards!