Surgery

Marlon5

I was diagnosed with IDC in March and I am scheduled for a wide excision next week. I’m absolutely terrified about the surgery and anaesthetic. Not sure how to deal with this overwhelming anxiety. 

Marlon5

Marlon5 said:

I was diagnosed with IDC in March and I am scheduled for a wide excision next week. I’m absolutely terrified about the surgery and anaesthetic. Not sure how to deal with this overwhelming anxiety. 

Scaredycat

You’ll be fine. The surgical teams & anaesthetics are really good these days. Have you had many surgeries before? 
 I had this surgery including the lymph node biopsy two weeks ago. The pre surgery tests are probably the worst of it as I’m a needle phobic. This surgery was one of my easiest ones.
One of my uncles once told me that surgery is like having a tooth out, you go to sleep, wake up & it’s all done. That helped me a lot in the past.

kmakm

Perhaps speak to your breast care nurse? You might also like to talk to the anaesthetist and breast surgeon about your anxieties. They may be able to ease your worries.

I had a wide local excision and then a week later, a re-excision for margins. Anaesthetics are very sophisticated these days, and the aftermath of both surgeries was discomfort rather than pain (except when I bent down to unload the dishwasher - ow!l). You'll be OK. K xox

Sister

Yes, absolutely speak to the anaesthetist - he/she can give you something to calm you down.  For me, it helped to focus on the fact that I was getting this thing out of me.

Scaredycat

That helped me as well, re focussing on getting it out. The quicker it’s out the better. I’m more relaxed now it’s out. 

Marlon5

Thank you for your comments, much appreciated.