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

[John VN]

5 times so far a love it.

 

[justhat]

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.

That's a post-dural puncture headache. It happens when cerebrospinal fluid leaks out during a spinal or epidural. It's more common to have a CSF leak from a spinal, but more common to get the PDPH from an epidural cause the needle is larger, so the leak is bigger.

The treatment for it is called a blood patch-where they draw blood from your arm and inject it into the epidural space. It clots, which blocks the leak, and the headache goes away pretty instantaneously.

 

[clori]

My dd9 broke her arm 3 weeks ago. She was given a sedative before the arm was set/casted in the er. She was extremely biligerent coming out of it. She was yelling at all the two headed people to get out of the room and demanding that anyone take out the iv. Last week she ended up having surgery on her arm which was under general anesthesia. She vomited a bit but that was the worst of it. I know she chose chocolate for her mask and fell asleep talking about chocolate chip pancakes. Oh she did ask me to scratch her nose a bit initially.

 

[MIGrandma]

I've been put under 3 times:

For my tonsilectomy when I was 5, and I don't think I was really "out" because I could hear the doctors talking. I've never forgotten that.

Then when I had my gall bladder/appendix out, and again for thyroid surgery and never had any problems either time. Just groggy for awhile.

 

[kilee]

I've been under general anesthesia twice.

The first time was a few years ago...I woke up so sick. I was dry heeving the whole rest of the day. MY husband said when he saw me afterwards (they were wheeling me into my room) he was so scared because I had no color and looked gravely ill.

The second was just a few months ago. I told them about this first time beforehand and they gave me something (though I'm not sure what it was). I had no upset stomach this last time.

The only thing I really hate (besides the fear beforehand) is that really groggy feeling afterwards. Your head just feels so heavy for the first few minutes waking up and they're trying to get you to wake up and it's like trying to recollect where you are, what is going on, and all you wanna do is close your eyes because everything is so foggy. That is how it is for me anyhow.

My husband has had numerous surgeries under general anesthesia. He has no side effects at all. He wakes up looking full of color and ready to eat.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

I was put under for my gallbladder surgery, and I didn't have a single problem with the anesthesia. Best of luck!

 

[5 for WDW]

I have been put under quite a few times. I hate waking up from it. I don't get sick or anything but, I get wicked shakes and I have a hard time with the feeling sleepy but, wanting to wake up. I know that might sound weird to some but, those that have been put under probably understand me, lol.

I have had 5 knee surgeries in the past 3 years. Three arthoscopic and 2 open incision. I have stayed awake, with a spinal, for 3 of them. The first two I was put under but, the past three I have opted to stay awake. I am more comfortable with that.

Best of luck with your surgery! I have major cartilage issues. No fun!

 

[N&B'smom]

I've had surgery and been knocked out 6 times. In the earlier surgeries I would feel a bit queasy afterwards. But the more recent ones I felt fine afterwards.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

14 times....

I have been very lucky with recovery from general.....One time severe nausea & the other 2 they couldn't get my bp to return to a normal range so that extended my hospital stay.

 

[justhat]

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.

I was young too, just turned 18yo, and I could swear that guy told me I'd be asleep for the procedure, but my husband claims I was just heavily sedated. I am not doubting him cause that is his field, but really, I totally thought I was out! I don't remember a thing from the moment the IV went in and I got extremely groggy till he was done and I 'woke up".

 

[C.Ann]

Numerous times with no problems at all.. There was one time when I was crying as they were putting me under (don't remember why) and as DawnCT said, I woke up crying as well.. I think it's like you're almost "frozen in time" - however you feel going under is how you will feel when you wake up.. Weird..

Good luck!

 

[Macca1111]

Since I think you're looking for reassurance and not scary stories, I won't tell you mine, but I definitely have a bad reaction to general anesthesia, and we found it out when I was 5. For those of you curious, I have Malignant Hyperthermia, and you can go look it up instead of me telling you the bad stuff that happened. (It's pretty darn rare, so I don't need to spook you)

That's a post-dural puncture headache. It happens when cerebrospinal fluid leaks out during a spinal or epidural. It's more common to have a CSF leak from a spinal, but more common to get the PDPH from an epidural cause the needle is larger, so the leak is bigger.

I've also had this happen. I'm so lucky! They didn't believe me tho, so I just had a migraine for a month instead of getting it fixed. Yipee.

 

[justhat]

I've also had this happen. I'm so lucky! They didn't believe me tho, so I just had a migraine for a month instead of getting it fixed. Yipee.

It should go way on its own in I think 3-4 days, so it is possible that there was something else going on I guess. Either way, that totally sucks to be in that pain for so long!

 

[laurie31]

I was young too, just turned 18yo, and I could swear that guy told me I'd be asleep for the procedure, but my husband claims I was just heavily sedated. I am not doubting him cause that is his field, but really, I totally thought I was out! I don't remember a thing from the moment the IV went in and I got extremely groggy till he was done and I 'woke up".

You can be asleep and not have general anesthesia. There are lots of levels of anesthesia and sedation.

I had general for a major surgery back in June, and I had deep sedation for a more minor procedure last week. Both were done in the hospital, in an OR, and honestly, I couldn't tell the difference. I was "out" for both procedures, but only intubated for the major one, with general anesthesia.

I didn't experience a sore throat after being intubated (and that was my biggest fear about that surgery! LOL!) and I wasn't nauseated after either one. Both times, I was asked if I get motion sick (which I do) and I was premedicated with Reglan and Propulsid to help counteract the possiblity of post-anesthesia nausea.

After my deep sedation (I had propofol) I woke up feeling just fine, in fact. Just some minor soreness of my incision. Propofol is a great drug, by the way. We use it in the ER to set bones, and the patient is "out," but it's not general anesthesia. Things like colonoscopies and wisdom teeth extractions are usually also done under varying levels of sedation, depending on the patient's history and specific needs. My DH has epidural injections to manage pain and inflammation in his herniated disc and they use Versed. He remembers nothing from when it's given until he wakes up in recovery.

Anestheologists and nurse anesthesists are highly trained professionals and want you to have a safe and pain-free procedure. OP, feel free to ask yours any questions you have about possible side-effects from the drugs YOU will be given, and what can be done to prevent/treat those effects.

I hope everything goes well for you!

ETA - OP, please do NOT go google Malignant Hyperthermia! Not until after your procedure, anyway. It is REALLY rare. I've seen it happen twice in 21 years.

Stuff to worry about: nausea, sore throat, weird thoughts - like you're in a dream (DH says really funny stuff when he's coming out of his - lol) but the big stuff is why there's a dedicated professional there just to monitor your anesthesia. So try not to worry even about those things.

Sorry - edited again - I forgot to say how I felt waking up after general. -(doh!) I had no nausea, but I had pain from the actual surgery. That is my first memory, telling my recovery room nurse that I was in pain. Once I got pain meds, I started getting more clear-headed, and when I got back to my room I was awake, but just feeling a little drowsy. When I got home (it was a same-day surgery) I went to bed, got up, ate dinner, and went back to bed. The next day, I had surgical-site pain, but no after-effects from the anesthesia.

 

[ZachnElli]

4 times, no bad reactions. Just a sore throat from the tube which I told dh needed ice cream to help with.

 

[justhat]

Yeah but with deep sedation, which is what my husband says I had for my wisdom teeth, you're still awake/aware. As I had no recollection of the procedure (which I get now that my husband has explained why), I assumed that meant I would not be awake or aware during the extraction, but clearly I was, I just don't remember it.

 

[HelenePA]

I was under twilight a few times once for a d&c, wisdom teeth and a setting of a broken wrist.. I still felt and screamed for the wrist one.. The only time I was really put under was when I had to have pins in my pinky when i broke it. It wouldn't heal in its proper position on its own so off to the OR I went.. Right after wards I was hungry! I begged my dad to stop at pizza hut even though they told me no greasy foods... I just about made it in the front door when it all came back up..

 

[Mysteria]

My only physical issue has been the chills and it doesn't last that long. They pile on the warm blankets and shortly after I'm good to go.

Other than that It's just me getting annoyed at them taking my BP 100 times. It's naturally on the low side of normal. I know that. pre-op knows that. Doc knows that. It should be passed on. Stop trying to get it higher before you let me out!

eta

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.

Is it nerves/anxiety shaking you wake up with tink? Or are you talking thrash about shaking?

 

[The Orchid]

I just went in for a ventral hernia repair on September 11th and ended up in surgery for 6 hours! They ended up having to reconstruct my entire abdominal wall. But anyway, six hours is a very long time under anesthesia and I came out just fine. I've had about ten other surgeries and never had a bad experience except with my c section, I had anesthesia awareness. Not fun!

 

[bumbershoot]

It should go way on its own in I think 3-4 days, so it is possible that there was something else going on I guess. Either way, that totally sucks to be in that pain for so long!

Doesn't always go away at all. While practicing as a chiro I had a pretty comprehensive intake form, and SO many of the women I dealt with who had had spinals or epidurals had lasting, years-later, migraines that they had never had before their spinal cord space was invaded by needles and extrinsic fluids. Very very common. MDs might not want to hear it, but others do.


OP! I used to say I had GA for my wisdom teeth, but I've since learned that true GA involves a breathing tube. Tehreofre, I did not have it for my wisdom teeth, nor for my tonsillectomy (how could they get to the teeth or to the tonsils if there is a breathing tube in there????).

Nevertheless, I have rotten nasty BAD (just kill me now feelings) reactions to whatever it is that's in those things. But I don't actually know about GA.