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Surgery Fears
For the past two years I have been having a sharp pain in my right shoulder. I have been to many doctors and nobody can diagnose it let alone find a way to fix it. I am in constant pain despite the surgery I have already had. I am going to be having another surgery very soon and I'm so scared. I'm only 15 and I'm being told I might need a joint replacement or I might have to live with this pain for the rest of my life. As if this isn't bad enough, I'm deathly afraid of hospitals and needles, something I've been having to deal with a lot. Any advice on how to deal with my injury and fears?
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Maybe give some free advice about: Injuries?
I am a great deal older than most of the advisers on this site, so my advice will be somewhat different from what you may have received and may continue to receive from others.
I cannot tell you how to overcome your fear of surgery, but I do have two suggestions for you. The first is to ask the hospital or surgical center if they have a psychologist who you can speak to that can work with you to overcome this fear. Most hospitals and surgical centers do have people on staff to help patients relax before surgery. A patient who is relaxed and in a sense looking forward to their surgery have better outcomes and heal faster than those who go into surgery all tensed and fearful.
My second suggestion has more to do with your pain than with surgery. I too suffer from chronic pain as a result of an auto accident. There is not a surgical correction for my problem and I have been placed in the care of a pain management physician. These physicians are anesthesiologists who of course specialize in pain. My treatment involves drug therapy, mostly non-narcotic, some shots directly into the area of pain and just recently acupuncture. Now as for the shots, you mention you do not like needles well neither do I but I do not like the level of pain I am in either. Before the take me in to the surgical room, they use a fluoroscope to place the needle where the medication needs to go, they give me an IV; after they prep me and they are ready to go the nurse gives me some medication through the IV and I get very sleepy and usually fall asleep. Even if I do not fall asleep I feel almost nothing and remember very little of the procedure and leave the center about 20 to 30 minutes after the procedure to give IV medication time to wear off. As for the acupuncture I have not felt one needle. Ask your doctors about pain management instead of more surgery.
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Hey there,
I can relate to you a fair amount. I am 18 and I have had several surgeries in my life. I have had my kidneys removed at 5, a kidney transplant at 7, and just recently I had minor brain surgery (I say minor because they just removed a tiny piece of my brain because I had brain bleeds when I was little). So, I have had way to many needles in my lifetime to count them all.
The only way you are going to feel better about going for surgery is to do the things you love and keep telling yourself it will be fine, for it will be fine. When you do the things you love, your body will be happier, your mind will feel satisfied, and any stress you are having will go away. It may take a few days, but believe me, doing fun activities will help you to feel better on the inside. If you have friends, have them over for a get together or sleep over before you go for surgery. Friends are always supportive and tend to make you feel so much better. It is nice to know you have someone who is there for you, who cares for you, and who is thinking of you.
As for your fears.. overcome them by telling yourself "this is for the good of my health" and "once it is over I will be thankful and in less pain". It is difficult to conquer any fear at first, but with the strength you have within you, you can overcome anything. Plan to have a friend see you after your surgery too, that way you will see a friendly face when you are recovering. Also, friends were made to help you through this journey. Just remember... there are hard times in life, but within time there is great healing <3
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