Help -Worries about the anaesthetic mask

[TwinkleTwinkle]

Moving on to my next worry ... I am claustrophobic & am having nightmares about the actual surgery. Can anyone tell me if they put the mask on your face before you lose conciousness? I am really scared this will panic me. I know you may think "why is she going through this if this is a problem" but I need the op for health reasons & will just have to get over this fear, but a heads up from all you post op-ers would be a big help. :cry:

 

[Miss Tickle]

Hi, I can't stand anything over my face and am terrified of having a Genral. I did my hypnotherapy exercises right up until I went to sleep and can't remember them putting a mask on before surgery. Afterwards it was an under the nose jobby which was not scary. I think you should mention it to your anaesthetist at your pre-op and I'm sure they'll be able to do it without putting the mask over your face.

 

[TwinkleTwinkle]

Hi, What type of hynotherapy exercises did you do? I will speak to the anaesthetist when the time comes & hopefully he will leave the mask until I am in la la land. If I carry on worrying at this rate I won't need the surgery ...lol.(I wish) xx

 

[yorkiegal]

I'd let them know about it so they can help you to keep calm. When I went in to the operating theatre they had me lay down on the bed and they gradually gave me small amounts of anaesthetic through a canula to help me get all relaxed. So the mask wasn't held up to my face until the very last second when I could barely keep my eyes open anyway. I vaguely remember taking a couple of breaths and then I woke up.

Btw I woke up in a major panic attack and am claustrophobic myself. Apparantly it's very common when people come round in recovery for them to hyperventilate. The nurses were great and I was soon fast asleep again. I think they must have given me something.

 

[Jane]

I had to have the mask on for a little while with just oxygen running through it, and I am claustrophic too. It was a bit nerve racking and I kept pulling it a little bit off my face, then the anaethetist said I had to keep it on to help with breathing during the op (I had respiratory issues), so I just closed my eyes and counted. Before I knew it, they were putting me to sleep. so don't worry about it, it is really not that bad at all.

You may find that some don't even have it at all, mine could have been just because of my breathing.

 

[Big an Bouncy]

I was asked what music I liked so was busy listening to chris rea as they knocked me out!Have a word they will do anything to help you relax.

 

[Haylz6]

All I can remember is going into the room and lying on the bed... They then tapped my right hand to get a vain.... Next thing I know am in hdu(always in 1night after at the hosp I was at) can't remember mask's or being put to sleep or recovery.

I'm really bad with things on my face, but I peferred the mask to the nose ones, the nose ones freaked me out, after 2mins I forgot the mask was on n I wondered why ppl couldn't understand me.

U will be fine hunnie xx

Sent from my iPhone using WLSurgery

 

[Durhamlass14]

Like other said its a very light mask and you are nearly asleep when they put it on

 

[Rosebun]

Twinkle you can always tell the Anaesthetist about your worry when you go in for Pre Op. Or just before surgery they will come and chat to you.

I was so dopy from the pre med by the time they put the mask on I did not care much.

Rosebun.x

 

[TwinkleTwinkle]

Thank you all for your reassurance ... I will try to find some hypnotherapy methods & talk to the anaesthetist as it seems not to be an unusual thing to be afraid of .... thank you again x :wave_cry:

 

[trayj99]

i hate the mask on my face, so previous surgeries i have told them, and they put me to sleep using an injection and let me hold the mask myself so its not touching my face and then when i wake up they use the nasal tube for oxygen instead of the mask... just explain to them they are really good about it x

 

[Mio]

I think I might look into some hypotherapy as well - I have panic attacks and claustrophobia and I'm scared of needles *lol* Only had one GA before (to get my wisdom teeth out when I was a teenager) and it wasn't a great experience so may have a chat with the team when I go in.
Thanks everyone for your help!

 

[yummymummytobe]

I had the same worries as you before surgery & made sure i let the team know & was allowed to hold the mask myself I also informed them of my bad sickness in the recovery room & was given double the anti-sickness meds xx hope this helps your fears xxxx

 

[tiffanyxo]

i was wondering about that too. becos i had my tonsils out 3 years ago, and i remember them trying to put the mask over me and i felt so out of control of myself i started punching and kicking, they had to strap my head and dhands down, took me 13 seconds to knock out.

im hoping this happened becos i was unprepared and had no idea about a gas mask like that, and i hope to god im okay with it this time around