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Greetings,

Anxiety is the quality or state of mind wherein a person is anxious, worried, nervous, uneasy, or apprehensive about some forthcoming event, such as a surgery.  Yes. Almost everyone has some degree of anxiety before having a surgical procedure. Some people have more anxiety than others. Medications that reduce anxiety are known as anxiolytics. Relatively small doses of the group of drugs known as benzodiazepines, which includes alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), flurazepam (Dalmane), lorazepam (Ativan), midazolam (Versed), and triazolam (Halcion) can reduce anxiety. Usually it has been my experience that they try and start me out with a little diazepam, and my response is “Umm, I need that to go to the grocery store.”. I find Lorazepam to be a pretty good alternative for me, as I can’t really tell I am on it. I am just rather apathetic to whatever is going on. During my last MRI I was given Lorazepam and I didn’t even realize it was doing anything I just thought I was particularly calm and impressed with myself, until I stood up, fell down(twice) and waved bye bye to the hospital staff, but I was doing it backwards like a baby would. I was essentially waving at myself and realized Lorazepam was some pretty good stuff. Many meds don’t agree with me personally, so it is really a personal issue that you need to work out with your Doctor and figure out what works best for you. Just remember an anesthesiologist should be present whenever a patient is given general anesthesia. Anesthesiologists are specialists who are trained in the safe use of dangerous anesthetic drugs. General anesthesia is quite safe when provided by an anesthesiologist.

In 2007 a movie called AWAKE came out. The story focuses on a man who suffers "anesthetic awareness" and finds himself awake and aware, but paralyzed, during heart surgery. It was written and directed by Joby Harold. In extremely rare cases, a patient can become conscious during surgery and subsequently recall what occurred. This experience, referred to as “intraoperative awareness,” or anesthesia awareness, is estimated to occur about 1 to 2 times per every 1,000 uses of general anesthesia. Most patients do not experience any pain due to intraoperative awareness. My first anesthesiologist had no clue what movie I was babbling about but he reassured me that yes this can in fact happen BUT rarely does and usually is only in the case of people having heart surgery as they have to be kept closer to twilight, they have to be kept closer to awake in case of cardiac failure so they can be resuscitated if necessary. I was not having heart surgery and he told me no way was this going to happen to me so I kind of stopped listening, and he basically made me unconscious pretty soon after.

“What Anesthesia Awareness Is and Steps To Take If You Experience It

• In the past 20 years, developments in anesthesia have dramatically improved patient safety and comfort during surgery. But even though intraoperative awareness is rare, its occurrence can be very disturbing and traumatic for some patients.
• Awareness can range from brief, hazy recollections to some specific awareness of your surroundings during surgery. Most patients experiencing awareness during surgery usually do not feel any pain. Some patients may experience a feeling of pressure.
• Patients who dream during surgery, or who have some perception of their surroundings before or after surgery, may think they have experienced intraoperative awareness. But such a sensation or memory does not necessarily represent actual awareness with recall during the surgical procedure.
• Some procedures are performed under local or regional anesthesia with modest levels of sedation. In these circumstances, deep unconsciousness is not intended, and patients will predictably have varying levels of recall of events and surroundings without experiencing surgical pain. Your anesthesiologist will clearly explain exactly what you should expect to experience.
• Intraoperative awareness can occur in high-risk surgeries such as trauma and cardiac surgery, when the patient’s condition may not allow for the usual dose of anesthetic drugs to be given. In those instances, the anesthesiologist will weigh the potential for awareness against the need to guard the patient’s life or safety. The same is true during a delivery by cesarean section, particularly if it is an emergency delivery. The usual doses of anesthetic drugs may not be the safest for the mother or child.
• Research shows early counseling after an episode of awareness is vital to lessen feelings of confusion, stress, or trauma associated with the experience. Alert your health care team as soon possible if you feel you had an episode of anesthesia awareness.
• Patients should talk with their anesthesiologist before surgery to discuss all of their concerns, including the remote possibility of awareness during surgery. These physicians work to ensure the best possible care of patients in the operating room.” (lifelinetomodernmedicine.org, 2012)

It is okay to be afraid before surgery, just make sure you are informed. Talk to your Doctor, talk to other people, maybe do some research on the internet(this is not always a great thing, my Doctor banned me from internet research for awhile. If you are going to look online look somewhere reputable like the Mayo Clinic).

For me my other big fear was not waking up PERIOD. I am not so much afraid of death or the afterlife but I am/was afraid of leaving my child with no parent. His father is already gone. I can’t be gone too. I need to live long and have some grand babies!!!

 Not much whimsy in Agoraphobia Gurl today, I apologize. Today is Holly’s surgery. I know with every fiber of my being she is going to be fine. I know this surgery is going to make her better and stronger. It is just hard when she is scared and vulnerable. I know she was having second thoughts last night, and I understand. So today I sit and wait for the phone call telling me she is okay, and then I can breathe again…

Love and Light!

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.

- Dr. Seuss

 

Reference

Q&A: Anesthesia Awareness During Surgery retrieved from:

www.lifelinetomodernmedicine.com/anesthesia-topics/qa-anesthesia-awareness-during-surgery.aspx - 27k - 2012-03-20