Before her surgery, my mother was scared and her doctor (and the person at the anesthesiology consult) said she could take xanax up to and the morning of her surgery. Xanax kept her going and also allowed her to get a night's sleep before surgery.

I sometimes think doctor's forget about helping with the patient's anxiety because they have been through similar surgeries and are confident of their abilities and the outcome. You, on the other hand, are thinking the worst...or worst than that if that's possible.

Xanax took the edge off my mother's fear. I took one too the night before the surgery so I could be as calm as possible for her.

Someone else has already said it...the waiting is the absolute scariest time. Once the surgery is over, you will know what you are dealing with. As you can see from the survivors who write on this board, we all have within us more strength than we know. You will be able to count on that strength when you need it.

As a caregiver, I have found that writing in my journal has helped me deal with my anxiety. If you don't already keep one, you may want to start so that you can get your fears on the page. Giving voice to them sometimes helps defuse them.

Good luck. We will all be waiting to hear from you after your surgery!