"disgraceful experience made my fear worse"

What I liked

The consultation carried out before the surgery was very fast 25 min.

What could be improved

I am needle phobic and have a major fear of medical needles I shake, sweat, feel dizzy and my heart rate is through the roof, have no idea why. I went to QA for wisdom tooth extraction under general anaesthetic. I was so petrified that when the nurse rang me for a pre-op I burst into tears. I was told the surgery involved this: consultation, surgery (30min), recovery (45min), and a 2nd recovery (2hr). She decided to let my partner in with me for everything apart from the surgery of course and the 45min recovery. I left my partner for surgery and broke down, I was put in a room where no one was with me waiting to go in. No one had any consideration for my fear and i was told the cannula (a tube in your vein) will not hurt but be a scratch so was not offered any numbing cream or anxiety tablets. Needless to say it all hurt with no pain relief, when i awoke 2hr 30min had gone by and I woke with a breathing tube in my throat (not been told this would happen). A nurse told me straight after my surgery that children are better than me which made me feel bad of my fear!!! Staff were discusting towards me and my feelings. in the 2nd recovery my partner was not allowed in like promised, making me petrified as I predicted and my pulse was so high, they said they wouldnt discharge me unless it went down.

Anything else?

My partner who was told hed be allowed to see me after 1hr and 30mins was waiting in the car for 4hours! he was worried and come into the ward but was turned away so he rang the hospital of which they would not speak to him! he rang my mother who then rang the hospital and they said if anything bad had happend to me they think that theyd be told!!! In the discharge unit a nurse slyly tried to take the cannula out my hand! I was not told how long to keep the socks on for and was apsolutly discussed with the staff since they did not ring my partner, i had to use my phone in the hospital to contact him myself!! im going to Chichester hospital from now on!!!!