Pre-Op anxiety

[nevinson]

I am to have a double bypass procedure. Still yet to be given a date. I will have the first meeting with the consultant this coming Monday, 1st Oct. I have been waiting about 3 months. I find I am increasingly becoming subject to bouts of anxiety which can be quite intense. Anyone else suffer with this kind of anxiety and have any views/tips with dealing with this?

[DebbiB28]

Morning. I have been waiting for what seems an age for all tests and appointments to finally come to the conclusion of a surgery date which is next Thursday. I think the anxiety is really difficult and is also different for each person. For me I have just dealt with it on a day to day basis - some are better than others. If it gets overwhelming I would see your GP and mention it at your appointment. Although horrible, it's a normal reaction I guess. I wish you well on your appointment.

[nevinson in reply to DebbiB28]

Thank you DebbiB28

I'm new to this world of Forums. I have managed to forget my password three times so far and there is some delay in getting it reset. Consequently I am a bit behind and haphazard with my responses!

I think your right that anxiety is different for each person and as you point out, I find it very variable within myself. Also, for me the anxiety gets locked on to things that are not directly connected to the operation - various things that I would like to have sorted before hand.

Good luck for Thursday and a speedy recovery

[Hidden]

The next time you go in to the hospital ask for the hospital booklets about your procedure. They are very helpful and although they may not alleviate your fears, they are very thorough and factual. I can say the operation is the second most common operation to rectify a serious heart problem. What to do to make yourself feel better? Thats easy, start planning your new life after the op. Your heart will be as fit as a fiddle and the MOT certificate should last the rest of your life. Although common, these are life saving operations. I am not a religious person, however I thank god for the gift and if you keep these facts in place, you may actually look forward to the beginning of a new life.......Good luck and be happy

[nevinson in reply to Hidden]

What a very positive reply ticking-ticker. I thank you. I think the idea of visualising life after the op is very positive and the notion of perhaps a divine gift potentially instils a sense of gratitude. I will try and look at the hospital booklets but my inherent squeamishness is prohibitive. However I will persist and work towards your advice of "keeping these facts in place" and working towards a new beginning.

Thanks again, Nevinson.

[invictaAlec]

Hi nevinson.

Whereas your surgery is now the subject of discussions and scheduling mine was unplanned following a rapid blue light journey to the magnificent St.Thomas' hospital in London.

As I lay in my bed on the ward in misery and full of anxiety it only remained for a slot to become available. I've never been brave about this sort of thing but I did experience a strange calmness. Other people on this forum have said the same. I think it comes because of a realisation that the surgery is necessary. Struggling along as you are is not an alternative.

My calmness started to bring with it a lot of positive thoughts. I wanted to be better, I wanted rid of my unpredictable and inefficient ticker. I allowed myself to start thinking about the recovery process. I knew I was in a world class hospital surrounded by brilliant health care professionals. Put your trust in them. Let them mend you.

Alec.

[nevinson in reply to invictaAlec]

Hello invictaAlec

I did start a response to you yesterday whilst waiting my turn for a doctors appointment. When the time came I made the unfortunate decision to leave the message half way through thinking I could continue it later. Now I have a chance to carry on my half a message has completely disappeared!!!!!

It is interesting and reassuring the link you make between fully realising the surgery is necessary and the onset of calmness and positive thoughts. Maybe once I am more engaged with the process instead of waiting, ie - meeting the consultant and getting a date and understanding the procedure more, perhaps this state of mind is something I will come to experience. Also, as you say, I really do need to put my trust in to the health care professionals. That is something I hope will be initiated in the meeting with the consultant on Monday.

Thank you for your insightful input.

Nevinson

[invictaAlec in reply to nevinson]

Nevinson,

Good luck with your meeting with your consultant on Monday. I'll be thinking of you, you will not be alone.

Even now I think back to every last person who helped me in one way or another along my bypass surgery journey. The friends and family who surrounded me, the sister who comforted me in the middle of the night when I felt afraid, the smiling lady who brought me my lunches post op, the ambulance driver who took me in and turned up on the ward a week later to see how I was doing.

Keep us posted mate!

Alec.

[nevinson in reply to invictaAlec]

Hi Alec

I certainly will keep you posted. It is amazing the sense of help I feel already from these posts and replies. Participating in a forum is as new to me as the procedure I am facing.

I'll let you know how the meeting goes.

Nevinson

[Hidden in reply to nevinson]

Me again - Did you get all of your questions sorted with the appointment? Just a little question, what more could you want to know about he procedure and hope the surgeon has helped. Are your concerns now fulfilled?

[wiltsgirl]

Hi, you are bound to feel like this, I'm not sure there is anything that I did only to find out as much as I could about the procedure (this may or may not be your way). I had little time to wait as I was an emergency and had my triple within two weeks of an angiogram. What I will say is that you are in the most experienced hands and everything will go fine and you will be up and about in no time at all. You will survive and you will feel so much better. Take care and hope you get your op soon xxx

[nevinson in reply to wiltsgirl]

Hello wiltsgirl

Your right, I am bound to feel anxious, after all who wouldn't. However, sometimes it gets overwhelming and debilitating and all horizons look too bleak. I just need some way to contain the anxiety when it becomes overly much. What is becoming plain from your reply and some of the others is that I need to have a lot more trust in those very experienced hands that are going to make me better and also start to think about life beyond the operation instead of being fixed on it, but I don't find that easy.

Thank you very much for your response.

Nevinson

[wiltsgirl in reply to nevinson]

Hi Nevinson, I hope my response hasn't caused you a problem? There is no doubt how you feel. Is it just this or have you experienced this with other 'big' things? If so may be you need to speak to your GP or Cardiac Nurse to see if any 'helping' therapies can be suggested. You will get through this and we are all here to support you xxx

[Maxijazz1]

Hi Nevinson. Like you I had a double bypass (only went in for a stent) and totally agree with ticking-ticker. I was sooo nervous and found my anxiety levels were through the roof. I asked for all the leaflets regarding my operation and also spoke to staff on the ward. I had lots of good advice and although this did not necessarily alleviate my anxiety I found the information very helpful. I am now 4.5 months on and hand on heart!! I feel incredibly lucky, well and agree that the MOT on the heart has given me a new lease of life. Please rest assured that the feelings you are having are normal and understandable. There are lots of us like you who can identify so you are not alone. BHF also offer sound advice. Good luck for Monday with your consultant. l wish you all the luck in the world and a long and happy life.

[nevinson in reply to Maxijazz1]

Hello Maxijazz1

My anxiety levels are going through the roof and I hav'nt got a date yet.

I have decided to inform myself. I have down loaded a leaflet from the BHF about the procedure and shall begin studying it. The trouble is I am so squeamish I don't find it easy.

The fact you feel very lucky with the new 'post mot' lease of life is very reassuring. I also feel put at ease by the fact what I feel is normal and shared by others.

Thanks for the wishes of good luck I will take them to the meeting.

Nevinson

[Maxijazz1 in reply to nevinson]

Hi nevinson. Perhaps you can ask the consultant if there is any pre-op counselling available. I have had post op counselling through the cardiac rehab team and thought maybe there is something available pre-op. Just a thought. Good luck and very best wishes

[Sammycat]

Hello Nevinson - I am following your post with interest. I am in a similar situation in that I am awaiting surgery (AVR)- planned I believe for 24 October - & am seeing the surgeon this week. I am beside myself with worry and anxiety - and whilst I know this seems to be a "normal" reaction, I am not quite sure how to deal with it. I also have a phobia about hospitals which doesn't help, so I hope you don't mind me jumping on your post and having an avid interest in your replies.

All the very best for tomorrow. Keep us updated!

[Hidden in reply to Sammycat]

I could be very brutal and just say that we all have choices and when discussing options and dreading the future, there are some heavy duty things to remember. You don't have to go to hospital, you don't have to have the operation, so therefore there is now nothing to worry about.......or is there........what will happen if I don't have the op? How long will I live? Will it be long? Will it be short? Will I know? So how as that?............You NEED the operation, you have NO CHOICE, other than the ones I mention. So the decision is yours entirely and you were told that at the beginning------shall we go ahead then - being the usual one. I hate dentists and I hate needles and I hate the smell and the pain and at 68, have NEVER had an injection in the mouth......until six months ago with a rotten tooth that was so painful, I was grateful just to get rid of it. The process was not pleasant but far less traumatic than how I had worried how it would be. So worrying had no good outcome, just made me feel awful. Please remember they don't have people waiting who want to see what happens - everyone is a priority because the surgery will cure a humungus life threatening problem. Look to the future and to what you WILL be able to do afterwards. If you want I will talk you through a blow by blow account of my operation and rehab and going home etc. But what good will it do? Your experiences could be totally different then I'm a liar and a drama queen. Hospitals are not fun, it will be unpleasant and no doubt it will hurt a bit, but when I walk out I will be so much better, with so much to look forward to........."Always look on the bright side of life - sing in a cockney accent, half naked, in the town hall

[nevinson in reply to Hidden]

Hi Ticking Ticker

I had the meeting with the consultant on Monday and he is going to get my procedure pushed through as urgent. It will be a triple and not a double bypass. I feel good about the consultant he took time to calmly explain everything. His approach had the consequence that I think I'm facing up to the reality a little better though it's still scary.

I am a musician and the unfortunate consequence of becoming an urgent case is that I am now not allowed to play any more live gigs until after the procedure. The consultant put it this way - I take it you want to do live work after the procedure then you had better stop doing it now. So now I cant wait to get well.

Nevinson