It is common for people to experience some anxiety around an upcoming surgery. It can be a stressful time. Have you found ways to conquer or ease these anxieties and keep a positive outlook? Some people find music or the company of animals comforting and helpful.
Thank you for sharing your tips here!
This support group was a great deal of comfort for me – talking to people who could relate to what I was going through gave me peace. The #1 comfort was prayer.
I have my surgery coming up and I listen to music and go for long walks so I wont thank of it
I made a playlist of uplifting songs that really helped me. I also started a blog to write down what I was going through. I had a total a-ha moment aswell one day which really helped me, simply realising that I had done all my hard work for now, it was someone elses (the surgeons) time to step up. Try to think of it like you’re letting someone else take your burden from you and above all keep talking, be it online or to your friends and family, don’t bottle any of it in x
I prayed for God's guidance after which one night I had a dream which spoke vividly to me and gave me peace that God was in control.
After this dream, trusting God, I decided to dwell on God and not to allow myself at all to think about the upcoming operation or what it entailed. I kept thinking about nice memories and pictured myself in places of peace.
The day of the operation I got ready, purposely put lipstick on then shortly after went into the theater for my decompression.
I kept my thoughts away from the operation, I refused to think about it at all. I kept my thoughts with God and other nice things. I woke up afterwards when I was in high care, hungry as anything and asking for steak!
We have to stop ourselves from thinking graphically about the operation which evokes fear, and train our mind to stay with our places of peace and prayer. May God bless you.
Wow Flerrie… Wow. Quite inspirational.
For me, what's helping is that I have other things to focus on and getting organized. I am working on getting the kids all set with their arrangements for the first 2 weeks, getting the house situated, picking up the things I need now and for after the surgery, getting all the loose ends tied up at work and making sure that my campus can support itself barring any major glitches (which I have lined up a couple of people to take care of just in case).
Also, I'm making a bucket list of sorts. It's a list of all the things (both big and small) that I look forward to enjoying/accomplishing once the surgery is over. I know that all of them may not be possible and even if they are, some of them may take a long time to work up to. But it's helping me to keep a positive outlook on the whole situation.
The last thing is that I use my support circle to help when I get an anxiety attack regarding everything that's going on. There are times where, as hard as I try to break everything down into bite-sized chunks, that it threatens to swallow me whole. But, I'll call my mom, my sister, or one of my friends and let them know that I'm in panic mode and what detail triggered it. They will help me calm down and come up with a solid game plan.
I was so anxious, nervous and frightened that I asked my neurologist for Xanax. I also have fibromyalgia and this medication helps relax my muscles much better than anything I’ve tried.
Thank you all for your wonderful tips! I am sure others will find great comfort in these.
Hugs,
Laurie
I had my surgery in 2009 and still experience anxiety and insomnia. Has anyone else suffered LONG TERM anxiety and insomnia from this type of surgery? Mine is going on 6 years now. If so what do your doctors give to relieve these symptoms?
Thanks,
Arthur.
Take Remeron and stillnox. The Remeron(or any tablet with mirtazerpine as main component) on the long term. It has many positive results for us. Google it.
Arthur said:
I had my surgery in 2009 and still experience anxiety and insomnia. Has anyone else suffered LONG TERM anxiety and insomnia from this type of surgery? Mine is going on 6 years now. If so what do your doctors give to relieve these symptoms?
Thanks,
Arthur.
God. It all goes back to God for me. I think this is my backpack. So, I try to honor the lessons of this journey and recognize that we all have our backpacks in life.
I also think prayer provides me with perspective, so I remember that this health issue impacts my loved ones too. It helps me to take responsibility where I can and to receive from my loved ones when necessary.
Right now, I am unable to drive due to the chairi drops. I found I was complaining too much and whining too much for my own comfort. So, I started to pray about it and I asked for a miracle.
The next day, I started to list what was great about not being able to drive. I started to realize that I was now in charge of the music in the car, and I also realized people were chauffeuring me everywhere, which is a great act of love and kindness.
Finally, I started to appreciate being the passenger. It is far less stressful, and I realized the list of loved ones willing to drive me was longer than I could have ever imagined.
So, what started as a complaint became a reminder that I am truly blessed.
Blessings to all, Brian