How to get over getting sick while watching surgery?? Experience?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
V

veg MD

New Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Members do not see this ad.
I never though of myself as one to get sick while watching surgery, but all of a sudden this year I get hot, flushed and queasy and I almost black out. But I'm completely fine when I don't see the official cutting-into-the-person part. Because of this I'm very apprehensive about going shadowing because I don't want to pass out in the operating room and embarrass myself:scared:. I talked to a few physicians and they said to not force myself and I'll get over it when I have to, but I want to get over it ASAP. I plan to be a surgeon:xf:and I will not chicken-out just because I'm scared of watching surgery.

Has anyone else been like this?? Do you know any way to get over it?? Continue watching surgery to desensitize myself??
Any bit of info will be tremendously appreciated 🙂
 
veg MD said:
I never though of myself as one to get sick while watching surgery, but all of a sudden this year I get hot, flushed and queasy and I almost black out. But I'm completely fine when I don't see the official cutting-into-the-person part. Because of this I'm very apprehensive about going shadowing because I don't want to pass out in the operating room and embarrass myself:scared:. I talked to a few physicians and they said to not force myself and I'll get over it when I have to, but I want to get over it ASAP. I plan to be a surgeon:xf:and I will not chicken-out just because I'm scared of watching surgery.

Has anyone else been like this?? Do you know any way to get over it?? Continue watching surgery to desensitize myself??
Any bit of info will be tremendously appreciated 🙂
Click to expand...

I've seen all different types of surgery and have never gotten sick.

However, several female colleagues of mine have gotten sick and had to leave the room. I notice that it is more prevalent in females.

I would suggest you eat before you watch the surgery and just try to stay apathetic, ie., don't get yourself too worked up over it.
 
You need to watch more surgery. Maybe compression hose will help? They look like regular knee high socks but they're tighter at the bottom.
 
Desensitize yourself by watching the most gorey movies in existence. Saw I - IV, Scream I - III, etc.!

Nah, it usually is how you sensitize/desensitize.
 
I'm scared about this too! :scared: I'm shadowing a pediatric anesthesiologist soon, and I think it will be really awesome and interesting, BUT, I've never seen a surgery (in real life) before! I have no idea how I will react, and I don't want to pass out and make a fool of myself, he's writing a letter for me!
 
Make sure you're healthy the day you go in.

Eat a good breakfast, lots of protein. Getting hypoglycemic will make you feel faint, long hours of standing will make this worse... Wear comfortable shoes and make sure to shift your weight frequently. You want to keep the blood moving in your legs so don't lock your knees. I haven't tried compression stockings, but I've heard that these do help.

As for the sights and smells... there are some that you'll need to desensitize yourself to. If you have a problem with blood, you might see if you can see some laparoscopic cases first. These aren't totally blood free, but there isn't as much as an open case, plus you'll see a fair bit on the monitor. The Bovie (electrocautery) does have an interesting smell to it, that just takes some getting used to. If you're having trouble, try breathing through your mouth.

Try the above, get a few more surgeries under your belt... but do be sure to excuse yourself and go out to sit down if you're feeling faint or nauseated. No one will be upset, they'd definitely prefer it over anything happening in the OR.
 
I used to have this problem.

True Story: My senior year of high school I was volunteering at a blood drive (setting it up and everything, NOT donating blood) and while I was watching them start the IV in the person, I passed out cold in my high school gym. Now, this was super embarrassing, especially because I had already announced to alot of people that I was going to be pre-med in college.

Fast forward to today, I have worked in an ER for 2 years and seen TONS of different things much more "bloody" than starting an IV and I have not passed out and don't feel queasy at all. The previous posters are definitely right, you have to take the emotion out of it. Also, you really need to force yourself to watch and get used to what the body looks like inside and out. Don't worry, the more you watch, the easier it will get. This is OBVIOUSLY why med schools expect you to have significant clinical experience/shadowing. Some people will realize the blood doesn't bother them at all, and others might find out the medical field might not be for them.
 
All of the above seems like good advice on what to do. I too have had problems with this, and like you, would like to be a surgeon. I dont think I have even heard anyone that like me, just has a problem with the actually incision. So I am glad I'm not alone.

Watching incisions does help. I watched the draining of some abscesses and found that watching the incision didnt bother me this time. Like Depakote said, making sure that you have a lot of protein for breakfast is helpful as well. I have also heard, for women at least, that if your iron levels are low, it can contribute to this as well.

I also noticed that when I did get light headed while watching the incision, I found myself thinking, that is an actual person, that could be be sitting there. I would say that it would be best to try and dehumanize the surgery, if at all possible.

Good Luck
 
Depakote said:
Try the above, get a few more surgeries under your belt... but do be sure to excuse yourself and go out to sit down if you're feeling faint or nauseated. No one will be upset, they'd definitely prefer it over anything happening in the OR.
Click to expand...
Definitely. NO shame in asking to go outside. I've talked to cardiologists adn surgeons and some have admitted that they hate it when people pass out in the OR more than people ducking and heading out. SOMEONE has to go over and help you/make sure you're alright and time stops for you.
 
I've seen several surgeries and never had a problem. But the one situation that DID give me pause at first was watching LPs (lumbar punctures, popularly known as "spinal taps."). I was a clinical research volunteer in a busy ED, and one of my studies required me to watch every LP that occurred during my shift. I'm no wimp in general, but I found that watching a large needle get stuck into a patient's spine definitely made me feel a little strange the first time I saw it. (I've since heard that this is fairly common.)

It didn't help that it was a very hot summer day when the AC wasn't working very well, and I was crowded into the patient's tiny ED cubicle along with 2 MDs, the patient and a bunch of equipment. I was shoved up against the wall, and there was barely room to stand. Just as they stuck the patient, I started to feel woozy, but there was no way I could get out of there without causing a major disruption. What to do? I realized that I was standing right next to the red metal biohazard trash can, which had a very sturdy lid that would support my weight. I sat down on the improvised "stool" for a couple of minutes and felt much better. I watched about a dozen more LPs subsequently, and never had another problem.

The OR was a cinch in comparison to that first LP. The room was much more spacious, and the AC was working perfectly. I was also lucky enough to be observing an unusually friendly surgeon, a female who came over and introduced herself before the procedure. She asked if I'd seen surgery before, and when I said no, she replied, "There's a stool in the corner, and if you feel strange at any point, don't be shy about sitting down. I don't insist that people stand in my OR." I thanked her, but never needed to sit. It's a good thing I didn't, because as soon as the resident heard her say that, he took the stool!

So, if you're anything like me [a female with low blood pressure], it might be worthwhile to take in an LP or two to toughen yourself up before watching surgery. And I definitely recommend compression stockings if you have to stand for long periods.
 
i've probably been de-sensitized by killing hundreds of mice for research.
 
Just try and relax and try to watch a few videos (so you are able to Pause and Stop).. Don't be worried though and just slowly work your way up. My first peak came in the ER were I almost threw up only because the Dr. did right before me... So its just a Pre-Med thing..
 
I love surgery, never gotten sick or anything. Try eating before and relax....if nothing helps you might want to consider a new specialty.
 
watching videos are different than watching the real thing.
I worked in rat research that involved in killing rats usually by decapitation, and had no problem. I've also seen many gory videos (like saw and hostel) including video of a guy who got his face literally split in half because of failed suicide attempt.
but the first time I saw an ENT doing a simple endoscopy, I got light headed and had to step out for a bit, although that maybe also because I didn't eat beforehand.
 
Take steroids. More testosterone should strangle the wuss in you.
 
Quadratic said:
Take steroids. More testosterone should strangle the wuss in you.
Click to expand...


And put a strangle hold on your balls.. Just what I wanted.. To be tough and have shrunken balls and man boobs.. Sweet lol
 
Poliscidoc said:
And put a strangle hold on your balls.. Just what I wanted.. To be tough and have shrunken balls and man boobs.. Sweet lol
Click to expand...

Those are prices paid for being a tough surgeon wannabe.
 
veg MD said:
I never though of myself as one to get sick while watching surgery, but all of a sudden this year I get hot, flushed and queasy and I almost black out. But I'm completely fine when I don't see the official cutting-into-the-person part. Because of this I'm very apprehensive about going shadowing because I don't want to pass out in the operating room and embarrass myself:scared:. I talked to a few physicians and they said to not force myself and I'll get over it when I have to, but I want to get over it ASAP. I plan to be a surgeon:xf:and I will not chicken-out just because I'm scared of watching surgery.

Has anyone else been like this?? Do you know any way to get over it?? Continue watching surgery to desensitize myself??
Any bit of info will be tremendously appreciated 🙂
Click to expand...

The only time I got quasi-sick during surgery was when I was a medical student on my surgery rotation and had to fillet open a piece of intestine with fecal matter in it. The surgeon thought it would be funny for the student to do that and then send the intestine with the tumor and the stinky feces to the pathologist. I was glad I had double-gloved that day.
 
TopSecret said:
The only time I got quasi-sick during surgery was when I was a medical student on my surgery rotation and had to fillet open a piece of intestine with fecal matter in it. The surgeon thought it would be funny for the student to do that and then send the intestine with the tumor and the stinky feces to the pathologist. I was glad I had double-gloved that day.
Click to expand...


I knew that wrapping up twice was not a bad idead
 
I worked as an orderly in an OR so I saw, help, shaved and cleaned a lot of interesting and smelly stuff.

I found that its all on your perspective when you see something. For instance I had to hold a rotting stub of a patient who had hand a trans-metatarsal amputation but his PVD was so bad the wound couldn't heal and therefor they needed to amputate bellow the knee.

Anyway, while I was holding it, instead of focusing on how gross it was, I looked at it from a "scientific" point of view. For example: "wow you can see the Subcutaneous fat at the wound site, look how the body rejects the staples or hey thats what a real muscle looks like!"

So to summarize, mentally prepare yourself before you go into the surgery. Get excited that you will be able to get a first hand look at living human anatomy! Especially if you want to be a surgeon you should be pumped. And if the smell is bad, you can either put vasaline under your nose or as fork a betadine swab and put it on the nose of your surgical mask.

Surgery is cool stuff!
 
Poliscidoc said:
I knew that wrapping up twice was not a bad idead
Click to expand...

Yeah, I always wear two pairs of gloves because you never know when a glove decides to break down while your whole arm is in the abdominal cavity feeling around for the spleen that your attending wants you to feel or if you have to handle really foul-smelling feces.
 
awasod said:
I worked as an orderly in an OR so I saw, help, shaved and cleaned a lot of interesting and smelly stuff.

I found that its all on your perspective when you see something. For instance I had to hold a rotting stub of a patient who had hand a trans-metatarsal amputation but his PVD was so bad the wound couldn't heal and therefor they needed to amputate bellow the knee.

Anyway, while I was holding it, instead of focusing on how gross it was, I looked at it from a "scientific" point of view. For example: "wow you can see the Subcutaneous fat at the wound site, look how the body rejects the staples or hey thats what a real muscle looks like!"

So to summarize, mentally prepare yourself before you go into the surgery. Get excited that you will be able to get a first hand look at living human anatomy! Especially if you want to be a surgeon you should be pumped. And if the smell is bad, you can either put vasaline under your nose or as fork a betadine swab and put it on the nose of your surgical mask.

Surgery is cool stuff!
Click to expand...

It depends. Sometimes some surgeries go on for so long that you'll never see daylight and you become hungry, tired and sad that you can't scratch your forehead to alleviate an itch or wipe some sweat from your brow.
 
i ALWAYS used to get queasy just THINKING about surgery and blood. now im all cured and find it awesome!

strategies you ask?
-eat a good meal before, don't go in on an empty stomach
-go to youtube and watch surgeries, i remember trying to find a really really bad one thinking, if i can handle this, i'll handle anything
-try to not watch the patient go in/talk to him/her, its easier to handle the surgery when you dont see it as a person. i went into my first one when the person was already draped and covered so it was almost like it could have been a mannequin
-if you can, try to lean against the wall. that way if you feel bad lean against it and close your eyes
-the smell is unique, but dont let it bother you
-a lot of ORs have music playing, focus on that
-the more you see, the easier it becomes!
 
ProtonatedAlchy said:
i ALWAYS used to get queasy just THINKING about surgery and blood. now im all cured and find it awesome!

strategies you ask?
-eat a good meal before, don't go in on an empty stomach
-go to youtube and watch surgeries, i remember trying to find a really really bad one thinking, if i can handle this, i'll handle anything
-try to not watch the patient go in/talk to him/her, its easier to handle the surgery when you dont see it as a person. i went into my first one when the person was already draped and covered so it was almost like it could have been a mannequin
-if you can, try to lean against the wall. that way if you feel bad lean against it and close your eyes
-the smell is unique, but dont let it bother you
-a lot of ORs have music playing, focus on that
-the more you see, the easier it becomes!
Click to expand...

You get desensitized to it in gross anatomy.

After a couple of weeks of gross anatomy lab the shock of it all wears off and you'll be discussing what to have for dinner and what to do on weekends during dissections.
 
Don't think of it as an actual person, you have to dehumanize the situation. A man walks up to you in the ER holding his eyeball. Don't think "ewwww, an eybeall" think "oh, there's the iris, the pupil, visceral body, the sclera, etc" think of it in scientific terms.
 
Compass said:
Desensitize yourself by watching the most gorey movies in existence. Saw I - IV, Scream I - III, etc.!

Nah, it usually is how you sensitize/desensitize.
Click to expand...

Don't forget Grindhouse: Planet Terror!! Good lord the gore in that movie.... 😱

Anyways, I have a little anxiety thing when it comes to that stuff too, and even though I know I'll be fine and never get grossed out by anything, I find that I overthink a lot and it throws me into a panic. If this is the case for you, just remember to breathe, focus on what the doctor is doing and check out the monitors and things, and also remember that what is being done is HELPING the person, that's a really big thing. When you see someone being sliced open, it's easy to freak out thinking of the pain or whatever, but you have to remember that the person isn't feeling it and that the operation is making them better, not worse (...hopefully 😛)
 
I got to observe a trauma in the ER today. I don't ever feel sick, I just get light headed and my vision becomes really bright and blurry.
Its really unfortunate that I have that reaction because blood doesn't bother me and its pretty cool stuff to see. I could have even seen the person's heart if I wanted to, but when the nurse asked I was feeling light headed and the last thing I wanted to do was faint while standing next to the patient with their chest cracked open.

I haven't really figured out what triggers the light headedness. I ended up walking out a couple times, sitting down and then going back in. Maybe I'll try watching that Live OR website. Anyone know what I'm talking about?
 
MsAmbitious said:
Don't think of it as an actual person, you have to dehumanize the situation. A man walks up to you in the ER holding his eyeball. Don't think "ewwww, an eybeall" think "oh, there's the iris, the pupil, visceral body, the sclera, etc" think of it in scientific terms.
Click to expand...

:laugh:

And what live OR website? Drop a link
 
Omni said:
http://www.orlive.com/

A website where you can watch authorized videos of everything from neurosurgery to heart transplant.
This is what I'm going to do in place of shadowing. 😆
Click to expand...


dude that is an amazing site. watched so many videos..

and I am still LMAO at your comment about shadowing and that freaking animated dude. :laugh:
 
bump

so i was shadowing a surgeon today, first surgery ever, and inhaling some smoke from cauterizing some blood vessels put me over the edge. classic dizzy, blurred vision, suddenly hot + sweaty, nauseous etc.

so these symptoms are a result from a sudden drop in blood pressure, yes? why (just curious...)?

premedmind said:
I've seen all different types of surgery and have never gotten sick.

However, several female colleagues of mine have gotten sick and had to leave the room. I notice that it is more prevalent in females.
.
Click to expand...

i read since womans have to care for bebes they are naturally more sensitive to things that could be potentially dangerous/biohazard



edit, cancel question, thank you google.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I'd recommend hunting or butchering your own animals, chicken, fish, etc. .... same sights and smells as the human body, just without the human soul.
 
Everyone starts out on some level of disgust -- I definitely did. However, you are absolutely desensitized to it. Those open leg fasciotomys don't even scare me anymore 😛
 
I'm just confused how you plan to be a surgeon, yet everything a surgeon does makes you want to blackout... Good luck with that...
 
premedmind said:
I've seen all different types of surgery and have never gotten sick.
Click to expand...
Have you ever seen an abdominoplasty? I'm like you I seen ortho,cardio,neuro,and general surgery vids, but an abdominoplasty made me get sick lol. After a couple of those I got use to it.
OP I would just start with small surgery videos (invasive surgeries) and work your way up.

DOH! I just notice this thread is 4 years old.
 
veg MD said:
I never though of myself as one to get sick while watching surgery, but all of a sudden this year I get hot, flushed and queasy and I almost black out. But I'm completely fine when I don't see the official cutting-into-the-person part. Because of this I'm very apprehensive about going shadowing because I don't want to pass out in the operating room and embarrass myself:scared:. I talked to a few physicians and they said to not force myself and I'll get over it when I have to, but I want to get over it ASAP. I plan to be a surgeon:xf:and I will not chicken-out just because I'm scared of watching surgery.

Has anyone else been like this?? Do you know any way to get over it?? Continue watching surgery to desensitize myself??
Any bit of info will be tremendously appreciated 🙂
Click to expand...

Even though this post was a couple years old, many people are probably are still in the same boat. I was at one point. I passed out while shadowing a GI doc the summer of my freshman year in college. I think I was watching an ERCP, the patient started gagging, and next thing I was on the ground. After getting stitches in the ED (hit my head on the Mayo stand on the way down) and calling my dad to pick me up, my dreams of becoming a surgeon were crushed. True story. I got over it though.

It's common. Check out these studies.
1. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/9/14/
2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16837484

Stay hydrated, make make sure to move your legs/feet around, & eat. Don't put your mask on too tight. Communication with the doc is key. If you start to feel like you're going to pass out, just sit straight down on the ground, no matter where you are. Try to start with something low key if possible ( AAA repair might not be a good starter). Again, the doc might be able to help you out with this if you communicate. The cadavers you dissect in med school are likely to eliminate most of the emotional responses associated with cutting into a human body, and other emotional responses in general. :laugh:
 
I'm not a fan of gory movies at all nor did I grow up hunting. I was fully prepared to pass out during surgery but instead, I found myself craning my neck and constantly pacing the room to get a better view 😀

Some advice (though I am still a lowly pre-med):
1.) I have years of experience that handling animal and human body fluids and body parts. It's less shocking when the actual body is not in the room. Also, you get used to hearing all these A&P terms. Then it's pretty cool to see the real thing.

2.) Other posters have mentioned that most of us are particularly grossed out by one thing and not another. I know I would be pretty disturbed by seeing a brain, and so I didn't look for shadowing opportunities in neurosurgery.

3.) I know shadowing is hard to come by, but maybe it would be better to start out shadowing in surg path or anesthesia. That way you could be in the OR and become accustomed to the environment, but with less exposure to surgery itself.

4.) Laparascopic surgery could be a good option, too, since it's not terribly invasive and you get to see the body parts on a TV screen. It seems less personal and more abstract.

5.) You can watch videos of surgery on youtube, with a tiny screen and often poor video quality.

6.) No one should get too stuck on a medical specialty at this stage!

EDIT
7.) Also before I started shadowing I had >1 year of clinical experience, so I was very used to being around patients in various stages of sickness and disability, with leaking body fluids and tubes stuck in them.
 
Last edited:
If you get queasy watching surgery then perhaps surgery is not your thing?
 
Surgery has never bothered me. The only two things that made me queezy in the OR were giant spinal needles and the smell of burning flesh. In my case, it just took some time to get used to. I could eat lunch in an OR at this point.
 
Depakote said:
Make sure you're healthy the day you go in.

Eat a good breakfast, lots of protein. Getting hypoglycemic will make you feel faint, long hours of standing will make this worse... Wear comfortable shoes and make sure to shift your weight frequently. You want to keep the blood moving in your legs so don't lock your knees. I haven't tried compression stockings, but I've heard that these do help.

As for the sights and smells... there are some that you'll need to desensitize yourself to. If you have a problem with blood, you might see if you can see some laparoscopic cases first. These aren't totally blood free, but there isn't as much as an open case, plus you'll see a fair bit on the monitor. The Bovie (electrocautery) does have an interesting smell to it, that just takes some getting used to. If you're having trouble, try breathing through your mouth.

Try the above, get a few more surgeries under your belt... but do be sure to excuse yourself and go out to sit down if you're feeling faint or nauseated. No one will be upset, they'd definitely prefer it over anything happening in the OR.
Click to expand...

ventulus18 said:
Even though this post was a couple years old, many people are probably are still in the same boat. I was at one point. I passed out while shadowing a GI doc the summer of my freshman year in college. I think I was watching an ERCP, the patient started gagging, and next thing I was on the ground. After getting stitches in the ED (hit my head on the Mayo stand on the way down) and calling my dad to pick me up, my dreams of becoming a surgeon were crushed. True story. I got over it though.

It's common. Check out these studies.
1. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/9/14/
2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16837484

Stay hydrated, make make sure to move your legs/feet around, & eat. Don't put your mask on too tight. Communication with the doc is key. If you start to feel like you're going to pass out, just sit straight down on the ground, no matter where you are. Try to start with something low key if possible ( AAA repair might not be a good starter). Again, the doc might be able to help you out with this if you communicate. The cadavers you dissect in med school are likely to eliminate most of the emotional responses associated with cutting into a human body, and other emotional responses in general. :laugh:
Click to expand...
Man, necrobumped again, huh? I was about to reply with a "Wow, I haven't seen Depakote around in so long!" Then I realized that post was from '09. Fail.

FWIW, for those currently battling this issue, desensitization is the best therapy. You can even seek out this therapy from a psychologist or psychiatrist. But shadowing and being open with those around you about your tendency to feel queasy and the fact you're trying to overcome it would probably be best.

Some people have difficulty only when viewing gore via video while others only have difficulty in person. Whichever setting you're having difficulty with, seek it out and expose yourself gradually: systematic desensitization.
 
Don't lock your knees. Every few minutes squeeze your legs, then your thighs, then your bum. Shuffle your feet. Take deep breaths.

Don't hesitate to look away from the surgery. I look away every so often even if I'm feeling fine.
 
Not surgery, but close: I once asked a medical student who was giving me a tour of the cadaver lab at her school if the squick factor was something you ever got over when cutting up dead bodies. She said yes, because medical school is so fast paced, and there is so much to cover, eventually you just start seeing the bodies as work you have to get done, and it becomes very routine. I wouldn't worry too much about it. I'm not personally squeamish, but I have a thing about ripping skin off, so during my anatomy lab, I made my partner skin our cat specimen. I can tell you I got over that pretty quickly one day when he wasn't in class and I realized my grade was on the line 🙄
 
pyrrion89 said:
You need to get used to gore.

Go here for some gorey pics (NSFW): http://www.reddit.com/r/gore
Click to expand...

Looking through those I was like "Seen it at work, seen it at work..." then I got to the severed dog head 😱 and before I read the story, I thought she'd killed her dog from the picture and cut it's head off and I think I threw up in my mouth a little. Okay, maybe I take it back about not being squeamish :barf:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Butalbusaur
How Common Is It To Get Ghosted By Schools?
Replies
5
Views
1K
Butalbusaur
Butalbusaur
FutureDOCTORR123456789
how many hours in research should I get
Replies
1
Views
493
CheeesyBoi
CheeesyBoi
D
  • Locked
3.79 vs 3.8? Is it worth it to go over credit limit, sacrifice sanity for a semester and get that bump?
Replies
16
Views
2K
Drythagoras
D
D
How to list old experiences (~10 years old) in addition to current experience?
Replies
1
Views
484
polymerization
polymerization
I
When to start being worried for not getting IIs?
Replies
3
Views
2K
karaya
karaya
Top