This writing is addressed to all those people who have asked me about this topic:
Everyone, absolutely everyone, is afraid when they tell us that we should have surgery. There is no quality of superhero that will make us escape the feeling of anxiety that we experience when we know that “we will be operated on.”
But you know what? It’s completely normal. It happens even in the simplest situations of everyday life: when we have to speak in front of a crowded auditorium, when we expose the sale of a product, when we have a meeting with the work team, when we prepare to give a class, even when we go to a doctor’s office, we feel afraid.
The important thing is not to scare ourselves with the unknown and do something to remedy it.
WHAT TO DO? Here are 6 tips that can help you overcome your fear of surgery:
1. INFORM YOURSELF! Have knowledge about all the steps of the surgical procedure to which you are going to gothrough, inquire about its details, verify its advantages and risks, be aware of all the sensations that will be experienced throughout the process (before, during and after ) all of them psychologically will help the patient balance the anxiety characteristics prior to surgery. The key is to fill the space that our brain has prepared for fear, with knowledge, in such a way that there is no room for self-warming with the unknown, but to fill us with real and positive content. Watch it, this knowledge must come from the correct medical source, not everything we see and hear on the internet is true, the excess of misrepresentation could cause a worse discomfort, so be careful when getting informed, try to do it with the correct people
2. CHECK WITH A FRIEND. We almost always have a known doctor nearby, and if we do not have it, surely a friend of ours will have it! Doctors, even if you do not believe it, get great satisfaction when our patients give us that vote of confidence. It is our job to heal! Establishing appropriate surgical strategies for our patients is like a “tailor made suit”. To make the patient recover their quality of life is our greatest satisfaction.
3. TALK TO YOUR TREATING DOCTOR. Ask what the operation will consist of, and how he will address it. Lean on him. Is not your doctor the person you can call at any time with confidence? This is an important point to consider when choosing it! Being able to express your fears and tell what you feel is a way to obtain more information about the content of the surgery and reassure you that you know and are well informed about the procedure.
4. ALWAYS TRY TO HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE. If you think that you are prepared for the operation and that everything will turn out well, your body will be predisposed to it and will recover more quickly. Remember that in the case of Bariatric Surgery, pre-surgical preparation is one of the fundamental elements for the success of your surgery.
And the final tip:
GET ORGANIZED WITH TIME. It is important to plan ahead so that things go as planned. It is preferable to consult with your health insurance all coverage options before performing any procedure. Trust in your doctor at this point also plays a basic role, fortunately when the surgery is carried out by expert personnel, for sure by this time, you have already gone through all the previous medical examinations, and will have determined if you are completely fit for the procedure.
There are countless factors to consider before performing a surgery, which can vary from one patient to another at the time of your evaluation.
It is not just about performing the intervention and waiting for everything to go well, a thorough analysis of each particular case must prevail, especially to verify the associated diseases that might occur and to know the medical history of the patient.
Pay close attention to your first date, this will help you to decide. Remember that the empathy and trust you have with your doctor, are essential elements to overcome the fear.