Hi everyone, I’m finally getting my diagnostic lap next week after two cancellations, one for covid and one for the queens funeral. Now that it’s really happening I’m realising that I have a lot of fears surrounding the procedure itself and I’d appreciate any advice you have for me.
I’m scared of the anaesthesia mostly, I’ve never had an operation before and I’m terrified of going under. I’m mostly afraid of the unlikely possibilities; waking up during the procedure, being awake when they pull out the breathing tube or not waking up at all. I’m also nervous about being high after I wake up. I have issues with panic attacks and I’m so scared I’ll panic before I go under, or panic afterwards as the feeling of being high makes me panic. I’m honestly not worried at all about the pain afterwards or the fact that I’m being physically operated on. It’s just the anaesthesia.
What was your experience like? What happened when you went into the hospital? What was the anaesthesia like?
Sorry for the long winded question, I’m honestly just very nervous 😅
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never had endometriosis laparoscopy yet but ended with emergency appendix removed. Before i was scared feeling like my heart is beating to hard and too to fast . but after everything when i woke up this feeling were unbelievable never before and after felt so relaxed like best sleep ever. like your mind is getting switched off . Fingers crossed for you ! im scared of surgery too but it wasn’t that bad after all . lots of ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Hi having any procedure is scary so I can understand your fears. Here’s my experience after my lap. It was my first ever op so didn’t know what to expect at all. At the hospital I got to meet with the surgeon and the anaesthetist who asked if I had any fears/questions so hopefully you will get the same. I mentioned about the breathing tube and he confirmed that that is taken out before bringing me round. After meeting them I got given a time slot for the op. When that came a nurse came and I got changed into my gown and my partner was still with me at this point which was nice. Then I was taken through to the operating room, everyone is prepped and waiting. Got on the table and the anaesthetist explained he’d give me something that would feel like I’d had a lovely glass of fizz, I hadn’t even finished answering him before I was completely under. It was honestly seconds!! Upon waking I could hear the nurses trying to wake me but it genuinely felt like I’d just had a nap. I didn’t feel high or like I’d had any drugs or anything, just a nap! As soon as I was awake the nurses got my partner and I was given toast and something to drink. As soon as you’ve eaten, drank and been to the bathroom if all is well and it’s just a day surgery you usually get to go home. I had a slight issue with my blood pressure so had to stay overnight but everyone else who had Laps that day got to go home.
Pain wise I expected it to be much worse but I didn’t even need painkillers afterwards or for my recovery but everyone is different.
All in all the whole experience wasn’t as bad as I imagined
I hope this help and good luck. If you have any questions I didn’t cover please reach out.
hello there. I’m a recovery nurse so have seen Plenty of people being put to sleep/waking up. Your fears are completely normal so don’t worry. The anaesthetists should come and chat to you before your surgery so be open and honest with them.
Firstly, when you get into the anaesthetic room they will put you on monitoring. Blood pressure, oxygen saturations and an ECG so they watch your heart/pulse. And they will have to insert a cannula (a small tube in your vein) so they can give you the anaesthetic drugs.
Usually first they will give you a strong painkiller which should make you feel a bit woozy. Then they use a drug called “propofol”, it looks like milk. This is what will send you off to sleep. (This can sting a little as it’s going in). After that point you will have no idea what is going on as you’ll be a sleep until you go into recovery!
During the operation you are connected to an anaesthetic machine. This delivers a certain gas which keeps you asleep. You have 0 chance of walking up during the procedure (I blame poorly written medical programmes for making people believe this can happen). It’s an incredibly controlled environment. My mum has also worked in theatres for over 30 years, this just doesn’t happen!
Don’t worry about the breathing tube. You will not remember it coming out. (The process of removal is called “extubation”) and I have extubated over hundreds of patients in my life and they do not remember it as you are still half asleep when it’s removed.
If you have any worries or concerns I’m happy to answer any questions just drop me a message if you’d like!
hey! I completely understand how you feel. I felt the same when I had my first lap Thursday. However the nurses and anaesthetist were so lovely. They talk to you the whole time and put your mind at ease. I was crying before mine and they were so lovely. They put a cannula in my hand and gave me a drug that chilled me out. Then when I was lying on the op table I felt really relaxed. They put an oxygen mask on me, told me to take some deep breaths and think of my holiday. Then I woke up and it was all done. After the op I just felt sleepy and a little bit sick. I told them this and they gave me something for the sickness and I felt fine. Just tired. I didn’t feel high or anything. I had a bit of a dry mouth for a while as I wasn’t able to drink water for a few hours before and they put a tube in your throat but I had no pain. Honestly the worst part of it all was just the anxiety of not knowing what it would be like. Oh and some gas pain after! Make sure you’re prepared for that as it hurt my shoulder and ribs. Lots of walking round and peppermint tea and oil helped. Hope yours goes well lovely. Xx
I had a diagnostic laporoscopy in July but it turned out severe endo ( stage 3-4) so also involved removal of adhesions.
On the day I had pre operative assessments with the surgeon and anaesthesia team. All nice and thorough. Don't be alarmed when they go through every single risk even very rare obscur ones.
I was thankfully the second surgery of the day so only waited about an hour and a half. I had asked as I get very anxious waiting. Ask them if morning/ afternoon and rough time if possible if you think this will help you too.
The anaesthesia itself was absolutely fine and the team were lovely and chatty. First they will place a canula in your arm to give an injection of a premed drug to help anaesthetic.Then a mask with some anaesthetic gas and oxygen.
I was told prior I will feel drunk very fast and that was literally it. Brief drunk feeling then I was completely out of it! Woke up from it vaguely hearing nurses talking. Felt freezing so just said cold and was given more blankets. Didn't feel stoned just very sleepy so slept longer.
When I came around I was quite painful (had endo scarring and adhesions removed and a hysteroscopy) but got pain releif ( opiates while in hospital) . I was still able to walk to the loo etc and wasn't as bad as I had anticipated.
Also had shoulder pain which is normal and was bareable. Its just from putting air in the abdomen during lap which presses the diaphragm. Lasted about 24 hours from memory.
I stayed overnight as was urinating blood still and a bit painful but I was told the bleeding was from the hysteroscopy rather then the lap part.
As soon as you can eat, pass urine etc and they are happy with your pain level etc you can go home.
Everyones body is different but if you are having diagnostic and not any surgical removal of lesions etc the recovery time should be faster.
The incisions itself are pretty small. Mine healed very well. My abdomen was bloaty after, yet again from the air but went down over time.
You will be absolutely fine hun. It was nowhere as scary as what I anticipated and the releif after to finally have a diagnosis in my case was worth it. If you have any other specific questions feel free to ask and I will try to remember.
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