Hi all, I've posted before about my severe anxiety and agoraphobia. It's slightly better than it used to be but I still find it impossible to travel too far from home and get anxious and panic when in the car for too long. In the last year I haven't been able to get in the car for more than about 10/15 minutes (just into town and back). Lately my anxiety is crazy again because I need surgery to remove my gallstone-filled gallbladder because I've been having agonising attacks of pain. So I have constant anxiety because I'm scared of the attacks and I never know when they're going to happen. I'm scared to eat, scared to sleep, scared to go out, because of it. I'm terrified of the surgery - I've never had an operation before and that's causing me anxiety too. But now the thing that's worrying me the most is the fact that the hospital is 30 minutes away (if there's no traffic). Up until now everything has been dealt with via my GP which is less than 10 minutes away, but in a few weeks time I need to go to the hospital to meet my consultant. Then I'll need to go again before the surgery for the pre-op, then again on surgery day. I'm terrified and the closer the date gets, the more anxious I am. Thinking about it makes me feel sick, my stomach twist into knots, and my chest feel tight (I've tried just not thinking about it - I can't). I really don't know what to do. I need this operation for my health, but I'm already a mess just thinking about going to see the consultant - I don't even know how I'm going to force myself to get in the car on surgery day when I've got the combined anxiety of the car and surgery. I can't face the idea of being in the car for that long and being so far away from home. Please help :(
Hi, does your GP know of your anxiety?
Also, is there a chance you could familiarise yourself with the route to the hospital, maybe drive it a couple of times, getting further each time until you are comfortable with the surroundings, even take someone you trust with you?
My GP is aware of my anxiety but hasn’t mentioned it at all when I’ve seen him about my gallbladder issues.
I can’t drive so a family member is taking me - I don’t want to make them drive me around more than they have to just so I can get used to the route.
Hi i suffer from anxiety and in the last 10 months have had to have several surgeriessurgeries and i am facing my 4th4th very soon. Tell your consultant and everyonr involved about your anxiety. Thats what i do and people will understand and helhelp you through it.
Operations are scary things you are not alone but you will come round before you know it andane it will be all over.
Dont keep your worries to yourself xx
can they give you something before the operation to calm you down? like a sedative or something?
ill definitely tell my consultant, thank you x
I hahave never been offered anything but it may very between hospitals
You can insist on a short-term supply of sedatives to calm your nerves prior to surgery. When I had hip replacement surgery, I asked my doctor for sedatives and he gave me a short-term prescription for 5mg Valiums, which helped me to get through the pre-op anxiety. By-the-way, the pre-op anxiety was so much worse than the actual operation. I’ll take physical pain over anxiety any time. And yet my whole life has been preoccupied with dealing with this dreadful condition. All my best wishes and prayers go with you.
i think you should ask a friend or family member to drive u there. if they cant then maybe get an uber? that should get rid of some of the driving anxiety. i COMPLETELY understand how u feel 1000000%. im so sorry about ur operation but think about th end result. yes its going to be a terrifying experience but once its over and healed u wont have to be anxious about the attacks of pain.
I’ve got valium prescribed to me for my anxiety anyway, so I’ll take some before I get in the car, I just don’t know how effective it will be if I’m freaking out.
Between the pain I’m in with my gallstones, and the awful anxiety, I really can’t decide what’s worse!
Hi Julie. My Mum is driving me there because I can’t drive. I wish I could drive - I’d feel more in control then and know that I can stop whenever I wanted.
I am looking forward to the end result and I’m trying to remind myself that it’s all worth it, and that I can’t avoid it.