Lost and Afraid

I can imagine it was very frightening to wake up. 

It's not easy to trust someone else with your breathing. It's also not easy to trust someone putting several tubes inside your body with lights, cameras, cutting tools, and staple guns.

But you really should do it anyway.

I topped out at 475 pounds. I had already had two knee surgeries because of my weight. I couldn't find a surgeon to do arthroscppic knee surgeries without general anesthesia. Finding one who would do WLS without a general might be impossible.

I had RNY because I was falling apart. I was looking at future surgeries for knee and hip replacements, and I have no doubt I was eventually going to need heart surgeries, stents, coronary bypass -- all kinds of surgery to keep me from killing myself with food.

Do the weight loss surgery. Worry about the surgery and general anesthesia, but let them do it anyway. You are facing many other surgeries if you don't. And a short, limited, and painful life.

I can relate to the fear.i had it before my very first procedure I had to have it done in OR.  

I had a total of 2 hour in OR (a short procedure - but time in OR was 2 hrs) done under local - spinal tap. After 1 hour - i was given the choice to be "put under general" I welcomed that.  Unless it is a very short  procedure - or somehow superficial (skin, limb) I would never choose spinal tap over general.  

I was heavy at that time -(before my RNY) and it took 3 trials to get the meds into my spine.. (I was fat - he had to dig to get to the spine). The OR was cold - very cold... and they strapped me to the bed so I would not move...  my arms were strapped so they have good access to my veins..  I was cold, and helpless. I got very uncomfortable in pain (were I could feel  it - my upper body) and I couldn't move - shift to adjust my position.  - ..and being exposed so they could operate added to my discomfort...  after one hour - the nurse and anesthesiologist noticed that  I was in great discomfort -pain - not from the surgery - but from all other conditions... when they offered to put me down for the rest of the procedure  I welcomed it...  And the place they put the spinal tap bothered me for a few weeks...

I had some local numbing done - for a relatively short procedures... that was OK. Very much so... 

But even my last colonoscopy was done under general anesthesia...  (I woke up during my first - when it was only a general - twilight - never again)

If you don't have WLS, the reality is that there may be many more surgeries in your future.

Good luck- only you can make this decision.