Your consultation with the anesthesiologist usually takes place just prior to your surgery as you are waiting in the pre-op area. He or she will review your medical history and ask about your past experiences, if any, with anesthesia. During this time, I was able to express that after my past surgeries, I had a badly damaged throat that was so raw I had to hold ice chips in my mouth against the area. As my throat healed, I could feel a scab in my throat for weeks. It was quite uncomfortable.
As a result of speaking up about my experience, the anesthesiologist assured me about her approach. She said this might have occurred because the intubation tube that was used was too large for my throat. She said she would switch to a smaller tube. Well, as a result, I did not have a raw throat after my mastectomy! There was absolutely no pain or discomfort in my throat.
Pre-Op Medication: My anesthesiologist was very compassionate. During our consultation, I expressed my nervousness, especially about the waiting period in the pre-op area. Sometimes these waits can seem endless as surgeries get postponed and your surgical slot gets bumped to a later time. Well, she offered me a fentanyl lollipop to calm my nerves. It was such a relief!
The fentanyl lollipop is a narcotic lozenge on a stick that is absorbed by rubbing it against the inside of the cheek. It is a morphine-like drug, so it helps to calm anxiety as you wait. Plus, it helps to be slightly medicated as you walk into the operating room. Otherwise, you are walking in cold turkey, which can be quite intimidating.
If you do not want to ask for a fentanyl lollipop or do not want to risk that your anesthesiologist will not provide one, then you may want to consider asking your surgeon for a prescription for a tranquilizer that you can take the morning of your surgery.