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Anxiety and Fear about this whole process

whitneynlee

whitneynlee

Member
I have just started the process for having a VSG done. I have completed my initial consult, my first nutrition appointment and last night I had my sleep study. Im not sure what triggered it but I had a couple of panic attacks before the sleep study. I usually have no problem sleeping, ever. But I only slept 1 hour during the study. My fear was so strong, there is NO WAY I’ll be going back to redo it.

The second half of this has to do with the things my surgeon requires prior to surgery. I have to have an endoscopy done. I’ve had one before but I was wide awake. This surgeon requires patients to be under local anesthesia to do it (which is scary to me). Then he requires patients to take blood thinners via injections that they give themselves, a month before and after the surgery...which seems very strange to me. I know blood clots can be a problem but injections, seriously?

Lastly, this surgeons office doesn’t have a patient advocate for people to talk to and answer these questions. So I feel alone and like I’m on my own to figure out what’s supposed to happen.

Any advice any one has on how to navigate all these things and to mitigate anxiety and fear. I’m currently running on 1000% anxiety!
 
Wow, is there another surgeon you can see for a second opinion? Some of that sounds really invasive and my Dr didn't require locals or shots. I had to have an echocardiogram for the heart, an ultrasound for the gallbladder, psych eval, counceling and 6 months of dietician appointments.
 
I have noticed from some of the postings dr have different test they what done before surgery. I just think they are wanting to make sure everything it covered. I had, psych evaluation, 6 months dietician classes.
sleep study, was send to a pulmonologist,cardiologists, then I had what the call pre- admission testing. Blood work, urinalysis, chest X-ray, ultra sound, some more pulmonary test,blood has test. It seem like I was seeing a dr everything day. My stress, and anxiety level were so high. No blood thinner etc. so I guess it just depends on the doctor.
 
AnnieLuv said:
Wow, is there another surgeon you can see for a second opinion? Some of that sounds really invasive and my Dr didn't require locals or shots. I had to have an echocardiogram for the heart, an ultrasound for the gallbladder, psych eval, counceling and 6 months of dietician appointments.
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There definitely is Annie....but this surgeon is my second opinion lol. The first surgeon was rude and had a kind of ‘god like complex’ so I knew I needed to keep looking. This surgeon is kind and I know he just wants to make sure all is well before I go in for surgery. I just think some of it is, like you said, invasive.
 
Nicelady said:
I have noticed from some of the postings dr have different test they what done before surgery. I just think they are wanting to make sure everything it covered. I had, psych evaluation, 6 months dietician classes.
sleep study, was send to a pulmonologist,cardiologists, then I had what the call pre- admission testing. Blood work, urinalysis, chest X-ray, ultra sound, some more pulmonary test,blood has test. It seem like I was seeing a dr everything day. My stress, and anxiety level were so high. No blood thinner etc. so I guess it just depends on the doctor.
Click to expand...
Nicelady....a friend of mine told me not to get hung up on what different doctors did and did not require prior. Which I think lends itself to your point that they just want to make sure everything is covered. Sounds like you also had to have a lot done beforehand. I’m not glad you were anxious but it is nice to hear your anxiety level was high because it means that it’s normal to be afraid of this stuff. I’m still 3-4 months out and my anxiety is through the roof. I want to nip it in the bud now and not let it get worse as I get close to surgery.
 
Agree completely! Thank you for your reply! I’ve read several of your comments on this forum and I like your mix of tough love/practicality and tenderness. This can be a scary time with all the changes and things moving quickly. It feels good to hear a nice word. I plan attending a support group at this place and I’m going to ask about the blood thinners. Maybe I’ll request to be on the oral ones and see what’s he says.

There is a lady in the office who does “finance/scheduling” but for anything having to do with the surgery itself or the medical appointments, they make me wait to ask a surgeon when there’s one available. Just seems like there should be a person in between. I need the more humanistic aspect of medical care. Surgeons can be cold and as a matter of fact sometimes.
 
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