Do you get nervous before surgery?

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I have to have a root canal tommorow. This is my first, and hopefully my last. I'm 13! I'm WAY too young to have this kind of surgery. I know it probably won't hurt, as I'll be anesthesized, but nevertheless, I'm still nervous. Why am I so scared when I know nothing bad is going to happen to me?

I'm not sure why you get nervous, Chris. From what I understand, it's pretty normal, though.

I had to have a septoplasty this summer (they straightened the inside of my nose so I could breath better). I was nervous, but I did not even know it. I felt really sick and my stomach was bothering me the day before the surgery. When my mother asked "Are you nervous?" I told her no, but that I didn't feel too well. And she said, "You're nervous and you don't even know it!" After thinking about it for awhile, I realized she was right, which made me feel even more nervous and kind of shaky .

Anyway, I've never had a root canal, so I'm not sure what's involved, but I hope all goes well with it.

Hello,
I've had two operations so far. One when I was 4, and the other when I was 16.
The first was a total anesthesy. I remember fighting with the nurse, who had to try twice to put the gas mask on my face. I didn't know that was part of the game...It makes me laugh now, but I was very angry back then, I thought "what are they doing to me?"
Then the second time, I was only partly anesthesized. I knew what would happen, and how the surgeon would work. Actually, I felt pretty excited about being operated and I chatted with the surgeon and the nurses.
Do you know how the surgeon will work on your operation?

You're scared because (a) this is a new experience and you don't really know what to expect (b) the prospect of ANY kind of surgery is unpleasant whether it major or minor; and (c) you are putting your safety in the hands of a stranger who is -gasp! going to take your consciousness away from you for a while! and, last but perhaps not least, you won't be in control of what is happening. (Some people worry more than others about this)

But don't worry ....you are reacting in a perfectly normal way! I guess most people are a bit scared of surgery and the need to have general anaesthesia, even if - unlike you - they are not brave enough to admit that they're scared.They are also -maybe illogically - afraid of pain. Well, while you are under anaesthetic you feel nothing, and although with some operations there is some post-operative pain and discomfort, I guess with a dental procedure you wont experience anything much. Oh, you might feel woozy and experience some nausea afterwards and although I know that the feeling that you are going to vomit is no fun, it wont last long. And you might feel just fine after you wake up!
I personally have experienced surgery about eight times (not counting
dental surgery) ranging from fairly routine operations to extremely serious ones and I've learnt its not nearly as scary as you imagine. So try to relax, it'll all be over quicker than you think.
Good luck ... I hope you'll be pleasantly surprised to find it is not as scary as you imagine!

I haven't actually had surgery since I was about 6 (to have an abscess removed from my right shin-bone - that was blinking painful I can tell you....), so I can't really say - I'd probably be terrified though.....

I've had several surgeries under general anaesthesia and under other forms where I was awake. I had a tonsillectomy & adenoidectomy at 9 under general, uterine fibroid embolization at 26 (under heavy sedation), it is sorta like the angioplasty procedure, septoplasty under general at 28, had 2 cesearean sections with spinal block with both my sons and during the second c-section, I had a tubal ligation done as well (Feb. 7th 2001 and May 21st 2003) and an arthroscopy done under general in July 2004.

I think the part that makes me most nervous is usually I can't keep anything down for over 24 hours after the surgery and I can't stand being sick. After my c-section with my oldest son I spent a few hours sick before I could even get to enjoy having him with me. I was nervous with the second spinal block, the first was done with an emergency c-section and I was already in so much pain I didn't notice it being done, with the second, I was aware and it was a planned surgery.

When I had my gallbladder out I was a wreck until I actually got to the hospital - crying for no reason and not sleeping - and then I was just perfectly calm - and the stuff they give you right before you go in the OR - I wish I could have a prescription for that! After that shot they could have done anything they wanted to me!

I've had so much dental work done I don't even think of that as surgery anymore . . .

Good luck, though - I think it is normal to be nervous - especially for control freaks like us who have likely had some bad experiences with Drs.

When I was 11, I had my tonsils out.

The doctor was great, as far as explaining he was going to put me under. I knew that the mask would go on, he explained exactly how it would feel, and I just went and did it.

Then, when I woke up, the damned nurse had this hose blowing air in my face. I felt like my throat had been ripped out, plus was dizzier than anybody has any right to be, and I just CANNOT take this nurse blowing crap in my face.

I blearily brush the hose aside 3-4 times, and she keeps planting it right back into my face. So, I proceed to lay her out with a single right cross. The fact that this happened while I felt I was dying and was seated I still view as an enormous accomplishment.

I felt bad afterward, but I couldn't speak due to my throat, and she simply would not get the message that I DID NOT NEED that damned air hose in my face.

Two days after my 11th birthday I got laser surgery to remove this mosquito bite that had been clogging a blood vessel on my face for nearly four years. Only, they used this type of numbing cream that you just rubbed on your skin an hour before the surgery. Only problem is that the numbing cream never worked for me so I got the full blast of the laser on my skin. It was awful, and I had already been nervous.


Don't worry about the root canal though, the anesthesia will always work. I've had a few fillings that have been no problem. My brother has had teeth pulled and didn't feel a thing because of that and my mom has three false teeth plus multiple root canals to boot and they're all still fine....I should check out my dental history, I didn't realize my family had such teeth problems.


You'll be fine!

I had tonsils and andnoids out when I was four. Before then and for a few years after I had chronic ear infections and illnesses. The final straw for my parents was when I had scarlet fever I was also a mouth breather which my parents didn't like.

When they stuck the mask on my face to knock me out, I took one whiff of that noxious smelling gas and I wanted nothing to do with it. I fought with the people in the operating room while they held me down and the anathesiologist shoved the mask up against my face until I fell asleep

The worst part about dental surgey is the numbing process. In march 1992 I had to have three baby teeth pulled becasue they weren't coming loose on their own and my adult teeth were starting to grow in on the outside of them. In fact you can see it on my sixth grade photo.

The most painful part was getting the needle poked into my gums, which in itself did not hurt too much at all. The little bit of novicane in the tip of the needle goes to work the instant it hits the gums which greatly dulls the pain of the needle.

You'll do fine chris!