Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
General Anaesthetic
- Thread starter Screwgum
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
It's not the start of it or being under; it's coming round again... especially if you have to ask for more morphine, as I had to do on my last visit to hospital. Some people get ill on recovery but that hasn't happened to me in the last three operations I had.
Probably one of the greatest inventions of the last 200 years.
Probably one of the greatest inventions of the last 200 years.
Really? What's to like? One second you're awake and the next second you're waking up with bandages feeling weird with a horrible taste in your mouth.
Srsly what did you like about it?
Nope. It's not like sleeping. It's just a nothingness that feels like little if no time has passed when you awake.
When I was in for lung surgery, I didn't remember anything really except the anesthesiologist's chitchat before administering the general anesthetic. Except then, when I came to, I was under a ridiculous undulating heat blanket, had a tube through my ribs and oxygen tubes up my nose. I came out of it pretty quickly and didn't really feel the side effects many people encounter. I ended up bargaining with the recovery room nurse to watch the Colbert Report on the TV that was right beside the bed.
When I had my knee surgery a few years ago, I got general through the IV and was out like a light. All black, and no dreams when I woke up, if felt as if just a few seconds out, instead of the hour and a half that I was.
Many people wake up emotional from it. I know that I have. I generally take too long to come out of it. By too long I mean, they designate a standard "come around" time and I generally take my sweet ass time. It is not because I find it funny, simply that I seem to take a while to come out of it. I have not woken up where I wasn't slightly frightened. This has everything to do with your state before you go under I think. If you are scared you generally wake up scared. I've read up on that before.
There is the twilight sleep thing they do. I had to do that as I made the mistake of drinking about 4 oz of water prior to surgery. The true mistake was me telling them of the 4 oz, not that I did it. I dreamed while under the twilight rest and the nurses and surgeon were extraordinarily amused by me as I apparently laughed frequently. That made it difficult to perform surgery on my neck, but they managed to strap my head down enough to keep me still. To this day they talk about how incredibly funny it was. It was not until that time where I started warming up to them that the next surgery, where I was completely under, I woke up again laughing. So I do believe how you wake has everything to do with how you feel prior to.
I'll say this though, having anesthesia administered on you too many times truly screws with things like your hair, nails, skin. So if you're looking for something fun to do, I wouldn't recommend that.
There is the twilight sleep thing they do. I had to do that as I made the mistake of drinking about 4 oz of water prior to surgery. The true mistake was me telling them of the 4 oz, not that I did it. I dreamed while under the twilight rest and the nurses and surgeon were extraordinarily amused by me as I apparently laughed frequently. That made it difficult to perform surgery on my neck, but they managed to strap my head down enough to keep me still. To this day they talk about how incredibly funny it was. It was not until that time where I started warming up to them that the next surgery, where I was completely under, I woke up again laughing. So I do believe how you wake has everything to do with how you feel prior to.
I'll say this though, having anesthesia administered on you too many times truly screws with things like your hair, nails, skin. So if you're looking for something fun to do, I wouldn't recommend that.
The anesthesia part... I loved it! Can't deny that. All the prep leading up to it... not so much, altho I won't go into details - the surgery, from a certain standpoint, was "special".
So, at one point the anesthesiologist injected the Fentanyl into my bloodstream. I wasn't told to count backwards from 10, but I guess I was out by the time I would have hit 5. A while later, I woke up (and I barely remember this), and was pretty much giddy as a schoolgirl. I kept talking nonsense, repeatedly asking the nurse about the same thing (probably her hair color), at one point I got philosophical... It was fun.
So, at one point the anesthesiologist injected the Fentanyl into my bloodstream. I wasn't told to count backwards from 10, but I guess I was out by the time I would have hit 5. A while later, I woke up (and I barely remember this), and was pretty much giddy as a schoolgirl. I kept talking nonsense, repeatedly asking the nurse about the same thing (probably her hair color), at one point I got philosophical... It was fun.
To me, the whole anesthesia experience was identical to the way I sleep. Then again, I don't dream.
I have to say, I hate it. The cold run up your arm and then the dull and confused state you wake up in, not rating that.
I think I vary from some of you guys, I was under for around an hour and a half and then when I woke up I, of course, remembered nothing but it felt as if I had been doing nothing for that period, not the few seconds some describe. Maybe it's just me.
I think I vary from some of you guys, I was under for around an hour and a half and then when I woke up I, of course, remembered nothing but it felt as if I had been doing nothing for that period, not the few seconds some describe. Maybe it's just me.
I've been under 3 times. It's always the same. I think, "ehh, I don't feel anything happening", then lights out.
I was put under to have my wisdom teeth removed and I actually remembered the last thing I said to the nurses before falling asleep. I mumbled to the doctor "you weren't kidding I'll feel sleepy" and then a nurse accidently dangled a stethoscope in my face and said something about not to worry it's not a snake. I responded "that's okay I have two at home" and was out.
I woke up after the procedure less than 15 minutes later. They told me I was going to go to the recovery area and I tried to get up on my own (which I did) and started to walk without assistance, but this upset them so they grabbed me and shoved me into a wheelchair. I honestly felt just fine. There was another fellow in the recovery room that looked all groggy and ready to cry. I recall laughing at him. I also told the doctor that it was bulls*** that they didn't save my teeth as I requested and refused to pay. He told me they would have to break my legs.
The friend that came to drive me home after the procedure told me I was pretty rowdy and cursing quite a bit, but I can only recall the one instance of swearing at the doctor about my teeth.
I woke up after the procedure less than 15 minutes later. They told me I was going to go to the recovery area and I tried to get up on my own (which I did) and started to walk without assistance, but this upset them so they grabbed me and shoved me into a wheelchair. I honestly felt just fine. There was another fellow in the recovery room that looked all groggy and ready to cry. I recall laughing at him. I also told the doctor that it was bulls*** that they didn't save my teeth as I requested and refused to pay. He told me they would have to break my legs.
The friend that came to drive me home after the procedure told me I was pretty rowdy and cursing quite a bit, but I can only recall the one instance of swearing at the doctor about my teeth.
It's not like they're putting you to sleep in the 'Drifting off listening to the same annual stories from Aunt Winifred in an armchair on Christmas day after stuffing yourself full of diner' sense of being put to sleep, they're putting you to sleep in the 'Sorry, Rover is just to weak to go on, and remember in dog-years he's 130!' sense of being put to sleep.
The skill of the anesthesiologist is giving you enough of a dose to just nearly kill you. Not something I'd opt for if there is the option of a local anesthesia, but I have had at least six generals when there wasn't the option.
The last operation I had was 8 weeks ago, after I broke my jaw and they had to put plates in. I never really got nervous beforehand, I think it helps when the theatre staff joke around with you. I met my anaesthetist in the waiting area and he explained everything, and to my horror, he said he would have to give me nasal intubation while I was sedated instead of the normal through your mouth way while your asleep, which was understandable. He made it out to be rosy, he would put local numbing stuff down my nose and throat, and would stick the tube down etc and it would be sweet. So i wasnt too worried, because he said I would remember nothing of getting the tube put down. Well we got into the anaesthetic room, they put some sticky pads on my chest, for the ecg and a blood pressure cuff on my arm. Then something was connected to the IV and the a.tist said i would feel happy, hell yea, im not into most drugs, but whoa give me some of that stuff anytime, it was the best feeling ever, i mean ever! obviously it was the sedative. so he puts some nose drops up my nose to clear it, then put local gel onto a cotton bud and wiped it around inside my nose. Now this felt weird, and it was starting to go numb, so he put it further up and finally it was all numb. Then he made me gargle some local, hell that was discusting, and it made my tongue and throat go numb. I felt like I couldnt breathe properly and it didnt help i couldnt move my jaw, so wasn't feeling so great. he put a bit more stuff up my nose, and then said you'll feel the rom start to spin.hahaha they spun the bed around and into the operating theatre I go. Im feeling light headed, but ok, and they tell me to shuffle onto the operating table. they put a blanket on me and next comes the worst part. The a.tist get the nasal tube, which is as thick as a garden hose!!!!, and he puts the tv next to my head so i can see it(its fibre optic). he says, you may feel some pushing. hell you try to imagine what its like to get a hose shoved up your nose. even though it was numb, it still hurt, especially, going deep into my nasal cavities etc, and it took a fair bit of pushing. so once its thru to my throat its not as sore, but i can hardly breathe and i feel like im going to hyperventilate, at least i get a view ofmy lungs on the tv. I think im going into a bit of shock, cos i start shaking and the nurse squeezes my hand, and i feel a bit teary like im going to cry(it ok, im a female!), they put a oxy mask on my face, which makes it even harder to breathe. So i feel like im going to faint, and theyre like, youre doing well!!really??then they must have put the anaesthetics into me cos next thing I remember waking up with a horrendous sore throat, mouth, gums and jaw, and i was feeling agitated, why, i don't know. they take me to the recovery room, and im in pain.they give me pain killers, which dont work. i start shaking, which they said is from shock, and dont stop until about 30 mins later, after the pain is under control. So thats my latest experience, and apart from the whole nose hose thing, I dont mind having a G.A. In fact its kinda exciting, but yea, you're probably not all that interested in my story.
My times have been good.
The most recent, after being all connected, and having the final review of what will be done. My doctor then draws a line and initials with me watching. He asks if I have any questions of anybody in the team, and I say no, let's do it and I am out fairly quickly.
The worst experience has been waking up during an Endoscopy examination. That is a terrible feeling to say the least.
No dreams. Just dead blank space.
The most recent, after being all connected, and having the final review of what will be done. My doctor then draws a line and initials with me watching. He asks if I have any questions of anybody in the team, and I say no, let's do it and I am out fairly quickly.
The worst experience has been waking up during an Endoscopy examination. That is a terrible feeling to say the least.
No dreams. Just dead blank space.
This is correct. I frequently dream, and usually know approximately how long I've been sleeping when I wake up, but when you regain consciousness from general anesthetic, it feels vaguely like you were instantaneously teleported from the location they put you out to where you woke up.
The experiences I've had vary a little bit on the circumstances. If you're put out for an actual surgery, then when you first wake up, you might be a little bit out of it, but there aren't a whole lot of drugs left in your system and you feel fairly normal. If you are put out for just an hour, then you wake up with a lot of drugs still coursing through your veins, and there's a good chance you'll be feeling very high.