Surgery: Have you ever been put under with a 'general anesthetic'?

[Lovely2CU]

...and did you have any bad reactions from the anaesthetic?

 

[Kim&Chris]

I had some surgery just a few days ago, and they used general anesthesia.

I've had general anesthesia before, and it always makes me wake up feeling very nauseous. This time, I told the anesthesiologist (sp?) beforehand, and she gave me some sort of meds that helped a lot.

Is this your first time with general anesthesia?

 

[Lovely2CU]

Yes, it is. I'm having keyhole surgery on my knee for damaged cartilage.

Is this your first time with general anesthesia?

 

[LaraK]

I've had a couple of surgeries. I come out crying. My five year old has already been put to sleep six times. He does great, he's just mean when he wakes up

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

I had no problems at all. They wheeled me in and I remember the anesthesiologist asking me to count backwards from 10, I only remember getting to 8. I didn't have any bad side effects from it at all.

 

[AshleyW]

I was under a general anesthetic when I had my wisdom teeth removed. It wasn't bad at all. I counted backwards from 10, fell asleep. The only weird thing is I had some crazy dream while I was out. I made the mistake of watching "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" before my surgery, so my dream is that I was laying on a conveyor belt going through a factory (like at the intro to the movie, right?) except it wasn't a chocolate factory, it was a widsom teeth removal factory.

After I woke up though, I was fine. I did feel pretty out of it, though, as soon as I opened my eyes I asked my mom "are we still at the factory?" One of the surgical techs and my mom had to hold me up to get me to my mom's car, and my dad said as I was walking down the hallway I had this stupid grin on my face like I was feelin pretty good But aside from the weird dream and not being able to walk afterwards.. no bad side effects at all. Hopefully my stupid story makes you feel a little better about your surgery.

 

[DawnCt1]

I've had a couple of surgeries. I come out crying. My five year old has already been put to sleep six times. He does great, he's just mean when he wakes up

It seems if you go to sleep crying, you wake up crying. Me? I wake up with an itching nose.!

 

[justhat]

I was under a general anesthetic when I had my wisdom teeth removed. It wasn't bad at all. I counted backwards from 10, fell asleep. The only weird thing is I had some crazy dream while I was out. I made the mistake of watching "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" before my surgery, so my dream is that I was laying on a conveyor belt going through a factory (like at the intro to the movie, right?) except it wasn't a chocolate factory, it was a widsom teeth removal factory.

After I woke up though, I was fine. I did feel pretty out of it, though, as soon as I opened my eyes I asked my mom "are we still at the factory?" One of the surgical techs and my mom had to hold me up to get me to my mom's car, and my dad said as I was walking down the hallway I had this stupid grin on my face like I was feelin pretty good But aside from the weird dream and not being able to walk afterwards.. no bad side effects at all. Hopefully my stupid story makes you feel a little better about your surgery.

Did you have your wisdom teeth removed in a hospital or the dentist's office? I only ask cause I was 100% sure I was put under with general anesthesia for my wisdom teeth extraction (they were all bony impactions), but turns out I was not. My husband is an anesthesiologist and has assured me that dentists (including mine who was an MD in addition to being a dentist/oral surgeon) cannot put you under in their office, an anesthesiologist has to do that in a hospital/surgery center. Additionally, with a general anesthestic you would have to be intubated (tube down your throat).

Apparently what I had was sedation and then an amnesiac drug so you forget everything that took place, but I was actually awake the whole time. He's working overnight tonight, otherwise I'd ask him what the names of those medicines are. My husband does that a lot for various procedures (like colonoscopies). I still taunt him and say I was put under, but he says that is not possible since my wisdom teeth were removed in the oral surgeon's office with no anesthesiologist.


I did have general anesthesia for sinus surgery, however, and the only side effect I had more throat being horribly sore from the intubation. I did get extremely nauseous on the drive home, but I think that was more a combo of the painkillers (codeine makes me very nauseous) and the blood I was swallowing.

My son also had general anesthesia at 7 months old and came out of it totally fine.

 

[JessicaR]

I wake up from surgery with severe nausea and vomiting that is difficult to control. Last surgery they used scopolamine patch in conjunction with other strong Antiemetics. It seemed to last forever. The anesthesiologist met with me and told me for future surgeries I was to request EMEND prior to my surgery. It worked like a charm when I had a total thyroidectomy.

I have severe motion sickness and there seems to be a link with that and general anesthesia for myself.

Oh yeah, I also wake up with the uncontrollable shakes and warm blankets are very welcome!

 

[renee920]

I was put under with general anesthesia for an emergency appendectomy when I was 15 weeks pregnant. I came out of it with no problems or reactions, and my son turned out ok too.

 

[AshleyW]

Did you have your wisdom teeth removed in a hospital or the dentist's office? I only ask cause I was 100% sure I was put under with general anesthesia for my wisdom teeth extraction (they were all bony impactions), but turns out I was not. My husband is an anesthesiologist and has assured me that dentists (including mine who was an MD in addition to being a dentist/oral surgeon) cannot put you under in their office, an anesthesiologist has to do that in a hospital/surgery center. Additionally, with a general anesthestic you would have to be intubated (tube down your throat).

Apparently what I had was sedation and then an amnesiac drug so you forget everything that took place, but I was actually awake the whole time. He's working overnight tonight, otherwise I'd ask him what the names of those medicines are. My husband does that a lot for various procedures (like colonoscopies). I still taunt him and say I was put under, but he says that is not possible since my wisdom teeth were removed in the oral surgeon's office with no anesthesiologist.


I did have general anesthesia for sinus surgery, however, and the only side effect I had more throat being horribly sore from the intubation. I did get extremely nauseous on the drive home, but I think that was more a combo of the painkillers (codeine makes me very nauseous) and the blood I was swallowing.

My son also had general anesthesia at 7 months old and came out of it totally fine.

Hmm. Well then. I guess I'm not sure. It was in an oral surgery center, and there was an anesthesiologist there. But no tube down my throat. I was like 16 and my parents came with me, so I guess I didn't really pay attention.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

I wake up with the shakes every time. I ask for the morphine to contradict them before going under... Helps every time, but delays your release from recovery.

 

[RitaZ.]

Twice. One time for an emergency c-section and the other time for my gallbladder removal. When I woke up from the c-section, my heart was beating really fast. It wasn't a pleasant experience. After the gallbladder, I felt nauseous. The nurse said that my fluids were low and that was causing the nausea. Other than that, no problems. I don't know if those reactions were caused by the anesthesia, but that's how I felt when I came to.

Oh, I did have some throat irritation the day after the surgeries. I remember it well after the c-section. I guess that was caused by the breathing tube.

 

[monkey68]

I had general when I was 10, and I woke up crying, but otherwise was fine (besides the fact that I couldn't talk, since I had my tonsils removed).

 

[dizluvah]

I have been put under general anesthesia twice and they always fuss over me because I have other serious health issues, heart problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc and I have never had any bad side effects.

IMHO the worst part is having to listen to the waiver being explained before signing it - you could die, blah blah blah - THAT is the worst part - they scare the bahgeezus outta ya.

 

[Pin Wizard]

I can think of three times right off the bat. Yet not for a c-section...go figure. Actually, whatever was used during the section made me feel not so good, and I got a huge headache. The OB said that was the anesthesiologist's fault...he let me up too fast.

For a D&C I had general...I felt great afterwards! Even went out for a walk.

 

[swald91]

Whatever they give you at the oral surgeons to "put you out"....works great with me!!! Feel a little groggy but ok. My own dentist -they all love to see me come in & even ask if I'm getting nitrous....people can hear me laughing in the waiting room with that stuff!!!!! I even told my dentist it was the best $75 I ever spent!! LOL I did have issues when I had my C-section-same as another poster with my heart rate-they were very concerned b/c they could not get it to normal...I wasn't under for that though...

 

[skuttle]

I had my first surgery ever in June of this year. I had to have general anesthesia. I was SO nervous. I wasn't nervous about the procedure at all...I was terrified of the anesthesia! I was scared I wouldn't wake up, or that I'd have a bad reaction to it.

It wasn't a problem for me at all. I was groggy for most of the day (this was outpatient surgery), but I was able to eat a bit between naps without any problems. My throat was sore, too.

About 20-30 minutes before I was scheduled to be taken to the OR, they gave me a shot to calm me down. It was great because I was starting to get really nervous. I was chatty cathy after that shot! LOL! I remember getting to the OR, moving onto the table, talking to my Dr about her showing my DH pictures of everything afterwards, then the nurse fussed at me for not taking deep enough breaths. Next thing I know, I was waking up in recovery. I was in and out of it for a while, went straight to bed when I got home. Woke up a few hours later and ate a light lunch, then went back to sleep. Woke up for a light dinner, and then went back to sleep. The next day, my back was sore due to the procedure I had done and my throat was sore, but I was able to go to my DS' T-ball game with no problems.

 

[HsvTeacher]

I've been under general anesthesia twice and woke up and vomited both times. It wasn't pretty, but other than that, I was fine.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I had a D&C and my gallbladder out under general. No problems with that.

I did have a problem with the painkillers after my gallbladder though. I got hives from every painkiller. So, I guess I am allergic now.