Experience of anesthesia

[streo]

So...I keep hearing that you fall asleep and then wake up in recovery. The surgery may take hours, but for the patient, it is a matter of a few minutes. Anybody care to share their experience of general anesthesia and if there is a timewarp?

[Marley]

That's correct streo! Which makes it such an easy process (for me at least!!). Anesthesia is the bomb! I woke up in the recovery room. I was warned I make feel nauseous, but instead I felt great. It was sad because an older man who was in admitting at the same time as me, was in the recovery room and was told they couldn't get all of his cancer. I wanted to say something to him or comfort him but obviously I couldn't talk. Sad!

If I ever have to get another surgery again, I won't be stressed at all!

[Rodney008]

Like time travel. You just wake up and say..."is it done?"

[Van'braces]

Yup... I was dreaming before coming round... I remember thinking, gah! Im not at home, and then thinking huzzah! surgery is over! I had no pain, but obviously swollen, mouth full of gauze etc. I just remember being quite happy and content (I think it must have been the drug ocean!), even though every time I coughed, blood was spat everywhere (possibly not normal, my blood does not clot very well) It wasn't until hours later that I had the worst nausea ever, honestly that was the worst part for me.

[keeponsmiling]

Anaesthesia works so quickly you barely even have time to say 'my face tingles' before you're out of it. The gap between having the drugs injected and falling asleep is about 3 seconds - no exaggerating - but coming round you will be aware that you're coming out of anaesthesia not a normal sleep. You have to make more of an effort to 'come to', kind of like when you get woken up in the middle of the night rather than waking up fully rested in the morning. Personally I had no nausea (perhaps because the only ops I've had so far were very short?) but I was really emotional. The surgeon who took my wisdom teeth out got really worried because I was crying, and I was too numb to tell him it was just relief and I felt fine! I do remember seeing the clock as I waking up and thinking 'Wow, I was only in there 40 minutes!'

[Marian]

I had my op in September.

The anaesthetist put the needle in my hand, my arm went cold and I said "Oooh, I feel like I've had 3 glasses of wine" and then I woke up in recovery to a very nice doctor who said "hello Marian". I couldn't believe the whole op was over - it's wonderful!!!

[Super Smile]

The first surgery I had was SARPE last September. That surgery was only a couple of hours. When I first "woke up" the nurse was there trying to get me to take my meds. I then had to go to x-ray for some films. I remember taking the meds and getting into the wheelchair, but I do not remember doing the x-rays. I was "awake" but not awake enough to remember any of it. After the x-rays, the nurse got me back to my bed where I slept for a few more hours. When I woke up on my own, I felt 100% good to go. I got myself dressed and started texting people. I was completely fine.

My second surgery was last month, and I had BSSO, Lefort I, and Chin. The surgery was 7-8 hours. I woke up in phases for this one. I remember taking to one of the nurses, she was asking me questions but I don't remember what they were. I threw up a lot that evening from the blood that got into my stomach. I was very loopy for the next few days. I don't know how much that had to do with the anesthesia, but it was a lot rougher the second time around. But once I passed the 4 day mark I was just about 100% better.

Don't worry about it too much. Everyone is different. But no matter what, the discomfort is temporary and you will get thru it.

[coffeecupcakes]

People say it feels 'instantaenious' or like a few minutes. For me, it just felt like a super deep sleep and totally wiped from my memory.... it didnt feel 'short', it just never existed lol. I was just that conked out.


My anaesthetist was very sneaky. He was a really good looking man though LOL, and we had such a nice chat right before the surgery, grinning and all. Then he said he was going to start injecting a few 'medications'. A few seconds later, I felt a GIANT wave of sleepiness hit me, and I kind of swayed in my head like 'what the heck?'... because I didn't realize he was putting me to sleep... then I conked out lol.

Coming to, feels very heavy but with great relief. Like a big sigh / getting to grips and thinking it went okay!