Question:
BTC: Question about the sedative

How soon will they give me my sedative? What is going to be the kicker is the waiting in the lobby part. I feel like, if they could give me a relaxer there, I'd be, well, relaxed. I'm really bad with stuff like this. I'm probably the biggest baby a doctor's ever seen. I have unrealistic fear when i go to the dentist. I have to get the laughing gas when i go, cause I tremble and just have anxiety. How soon after I arrive will they sedate me? Regardless of when they give it to me, I'm going to try very hard to relax and be as much at ease as humanly possible, I'm just wondering WHEN they give it.    — Toni M. (posted on December 30, 2002)

December 30, 2002
First, I signed in. We waited in the waiting room for ten minutes. Next, I was ushered into a pre-surgery treatment room. My husband could go in with me. The docs (it was a teaching hospital), the anaesthesia docs, then nurses, etc. all came in little groups. After about forty minutes to an hour, they took me to the OR. There they put in the IV and gave me sedation. You will be so busy that time will go galloping by. I was fortunate in that I had only a bit of anxiety that a prayer with my DH helped taper off. If you are super anxious, tell your doc ahead of time. Good luck.
   — Mary Ann B.

December 30, 2002
Every hospital has their own procedures for how they do things and when, however, if you don't show up too early, you can generally expect to show up, be called back pretty quickly, change clothes and get IVs started, and then you'll see the anesthesiologist. Once you see him, he can order you the *happy juice* and chill out some. I've had many surgeries and 9 out of 10 gave me the opportunity to have something to relax me well before entering the OR. Good luck to you ~ only 13 more days til surgery for me too!
   — thumpiez

December 30, 2002
Ok, I had my surgery at BTC in Illinois. I came in...signed in a waited in the waiting room for a bit. I was then shown where my room would be and unloaded my stuff, got into my hospital gown and chatted with my roomie and mom. About 30 mins later, a nurse came and walked me and my mom down to the prepping area. My mom wasn't allowed to come in with me so I said good-bye to her in the hall and went in. They lay you down and begin putting on the compression socks and check your belly for any little hairs that might be poking out. They'll also start your IV. You've got 1 or 2 nurses working on you constantly asking how your doing. I was there for maybe most 10 mins. I saw my surgeon and he asked how I was and then asked me to sign the final consent form. After that...I was given the happy shot. I was pretty relaxed to begin with, wasn't nervous or anything...the shot just completely made me fell giddy and sleepy. Very weird! LOL...Once thats in...they walk you to the operating room where you slide up on the table and instantly I felt them putting the actual compression thingy's on my legs. They put the oxygen mask on my face and that's all I remember. Then I was waking up. Once I got down to the prepping area...time went VERY quick. As I said...all that took no more than 15 mins till I was out cold. Good luck with everything!!! Hope this helps. Happy new year!!!
   — Christie N.

December 30, 2002
When you wait in the lobby that is the longest part but when they say come upstairs they mean say goodbye to your family your going back. As soon as they get your ted hose on and your iv in they give you the knock out shot and I don't remember one thing after that. I don't remember going to the operating room nothing after the shot. It is a kind of amnesia drug also that makes you forget even when you wake up and believe me IT WORKS!!!! Good Luck!!!!!! Peggy Adams open rny 9/20 -70#'s
   — Peggy A.

January 2, 2003
As a BTC nurse, I can tell you that you won't get anything to relax you until after you are up in the pre-op area and have signed by the anesthsia consent form AND the surgical consent form. How long you wait depends on how long the cases before you take because every case is different and we never know how long a case will take because once you get in there they find different surgical condition in your tummy (depending on your size and previous surgeries and scarring). We do try to relax you and, at our BTC, we allow one family member to be up in the pre-op area with you. We take about 30 minutes alone with you to get your IV started and to ask personal questions, but then you visitor can sit with you until they roll you into the operating room.
   — Lynette B.