COPING UP WITH PRE-SURGERY STRESS & ANXIETY

If you're feeling anxious about having heart surgery or a procedure, you're not alone.

We have tips to help you feel better from an expert. It's normal to feel anxious before a planned surgery or procedure - you may be worried about having an anaesthetic, feeling pain or being away from home.

You may also be concerned that the surgery won't go well or that the recovery afterwards will take a long time. "Before any surgery or procedure on your heart it's completely normal to feel worried about the possible risks," says Dr Anne-Marie Doyle, Consultant Clinical Psychologist at Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals.

Anxiety can make your heart race Palpitations. It can make you feel breathless, sweaty or like you're about to be sick, and you may have trouble sleeping. It can also make any pain you have worse. If you're anxious during an appointment about your surgery, it may be hard for you to take in and remember important information.

Dr Doyle says that understanding what's happening in the body when you feel anxious can help. "When we are worried, we go into 'fight or flight' mode, which gets the body ready to react to danger. This increases our blood pressure and heart rate, tenses our muscles and increases our stress hormones, and puts us on alert.

"It's a normal response to stress but understanding it can help us find ways to deal with it. For example, if you focus on relaxing tense muscles, it sends a chemical signal to the brain saying: 'I am safe', and you may start to feel calmer."

NOTICE YOUR FEELINGS

Reflecting on your feelings in the run up to surgery can be helpful.

"You might feel hopeful or scared.