Has anyone here had surgery?

[ChrisMC]

I am having my gallbladder out in about a month and I'm a little nervous...I have never had surgery before and the idea of being put under is a bit freaky. If the thing wasn't causing me misery I probably would let it be, stones and all, but since eating anything lately gets me clutching my chest, guess it's time to get it done. Doc says I'll be out of work about a month, thank god for my vacation days and short term disability insurance, otherwise missing that much pay would make things pretty tight.

[Bryancd]

I have gone under general anthesia three times. When I was 7 to have my tonsils out, when I was 19 to fix a broken knee cap, and in my early 20's to remove a cysts in my right chest muscle. It's no big deal, you just fall asleep, don't sweat it. :)

[ChrisMC]

Yeah, I guess so. Everyone says it's not that big of a deal to have your gallbladder out....but it seems bigger to me. I'm sure I'll say it's no big deal when I recover, before that I'll be a wreck.

[Meds]

Yeah I've had surgery, appendix bit mine ruptured so had to have emergency op. I was sick down a rather attractive nurse.

You'll be fine, as Bry said you get to snooze, that's about it. You'll have some discomfort when you wake up but that's to be expected. Take your time on recovery if they say a month then make sure you rest for a month. If you need to have your GB removed then it has to be done.

Ps just think of the nurses ;)

[robbo1510]

I had my gall bladder removed about 18 months ago. Had it done as a day patient (key hole surgery). It's understandable to be a bit nervous-I was!  I saw the surgeon before my op who went through the procedure, and also explained the possible complications, however small they may be. The surgery took about 1 1/2 from leaving thw ward, to returning. I rested for about 3-4 hours and was then allowed to go home. I was off work for 2 weeks (my job is fairly sedentary) and since then I have had no issues. Good luck!

[billybob476]

The only surgery I've had is LASIK, which can hardly be considered surgery. My mother had her gall bladder removed at least 20 years ago. It was also the "keyhole" procedure and she doesn't remember it being very bad.

[Rico]

Had my tonsils out when I was maybe 7-8 and my appendix out at about age 18.  No big deal.  Surgery is usually just falling asleep and waking up and it's over.  It's the recovery part after that's the painful piece - in some cases.  I'm sure Quadshot and iceman will chime in on this thread.  Just try not to worry about it.

[Jobydrone]

I was put under general anesthesia for abdominal surgery and I remember as I was waking up I said something rude or profane to one of the nurses, but I can't for the life of me remember what I said or why I said it.  I just remember that the nurse looked at me like I was a microbe or something. 

[QuadShot]

Hey Chris...yeah, I've had 9 surgeries since 2005, so I guess you could say I've got a little experience. Long boring story, but I used to compete in the Scottish Highland Athletics and (years ago) played Semi Pro football. So, as a result I beat the crap out of my body. Had 2 knee surgeries, carpal tunnel on the right, 4 surgeries on the right shoulder, the last resulting in total shoulder joint replacement, and about 2 months ago, carpal tunnel and ulnar nerve relocation in the left arm (nerve damage, had to move the nerved to a different location). I get worried every time I go under, but it's really extremely safe. Honest. The surgical team is very experienced and typically awesome at what they do. Do yourself a favor though, try to clear those negative thoughts out before you do in to pre-op. That way you'll just relax and enjoy the ride. Yep, those few moments before you're out are COOL! :)

In fact, while I have the "floor", I have a funny story to tell about one of my times. See, I'm not a small person, 6'2" and about 300lbs. Built for destruction my coaches used to say! Anyway, they wheel me in to the OR and they're getting things set up, and the anesthesiologist begins his cocktail. As I'm starting to feel a bit loopy, I look at the orderlies and ask them if they want my help moving me to the table. They say it would be best, and I tell them, you'd better hurry then because in about 60 seconds you're on your own!! :)

Dont' worry Chris. You've got a great community of friends here pulling and praying for you. You'll be groovy in no time. Enjoy your recovery and milk it for all you can!! :) God Speed buddy.

[ChrisMC]

Ha, yeah the one positive is I haven't had a great length of time off for well over a decade, so I can catch up on some reading and rewatch old shows (Babylon 5 is first on the list) and recover. My problem is I obsess about the bad stuff that can happen with thinngs. I'm getting better though. Thanks for the thoughts guys.

[Roddenberry]

When I was 6, I had corrective eye surgery.  They buggered it up and I had to go back, but the worst thing was, they didn't warn me, that when I woke up, I wouldn't be able to see/open my eyes.  Possibly the most scared I've been in my life.

[Feathers]

When I was 6, I had corrective eye surgery.  They buggered it up and I had to go back, but the worst thing was, they didn't warn me, that when I woke up, I wouldn't be able to see/open my eyes.  Possibly the most scared I've been in my life.

Ouch! I had my eyes done (squint correction) at 3 (as did my daughter). Fortunately it went OK for both of us.

[X]

Okay, last October, I had my appendix removed. The process was pretty clean. I was in a lot of pain and morphine made me not care. As time time approached for the surgery, here's what happened:

Nurse: "We're going to give you something to sleep before we get to the operating room."
Me: "That's kind of warm"
Nurse: "Let's start moving you." We move about five feet from where we started.
Me: Shut eyes briefly
Nurse: "How are you feeling?"

I recall nothing of the surgery at all. It's like two hours of my life was deleted and it was pretty cool. From my perspective, I blinked and it was done.

[RickPeete]

I have had two surgeries.  Once when i was nine because I ruptured my spleen and once when I was 17 to remove my tonsils.  In both cases, they gave me a shot of something to calm me (made me loopy) and then after wheeling me into the OR, they told me to count backwards from 100.  I never even made it to 94.

Next thing I know, I am in recovery room and feeling no pain (that came later. lol)  But seriously, surgery is probably the least detail you will remember from your stay.

My wife had her gallbladder out and I got to watch part of it.  They did it laproscopically so she had three small holes to show for it.  She was sent home after an overnight stay and just recuperated for 3 weeks.   Then she was fine.  No problem, dude!

[ElfManDan]

I've been put under 4 times. Each time it's been quick to my memory and I just went down and woke up just fine. My only thing is after waking up it's always really weird and every time I've been back on me feet faster than the nurses like.

Though one thing during my nose surgery they scared me by telling me when I woke up I might just break into tears (cause I guess it happens) and that I would have to answer how much pain I was in from 1 to 10. But when I woke up I am pretty sure I was high. The first words at the moment I woke up I managed to mumbled out were "What's up everybody?" And I answered 0 for the pain. It was only later when the drugs wore off that maybe a 2. Removing the splints from my nose a week later that was probably an 8 though, but it was only for a moment. Surgery itself is really fairly painless and hopeful you'll have a speedy recovery too.