Questions About Surgery And General Anesthesia

[FutureCarmeliteClaire]

Alright, I know I'm practically begging for horror stories, but for those of you who have had surgery and/or been under general, I am curious as my pre-op is coming up on the 30th and my surgery on 12/11.

In your experience, did they put you under BEFORE wheeling you in the OR? Or did they bring you in and then do it?

Do you remember pain while under general anesthesia?

Do you remember anything while under general anesthesia?

What kind of croutons did you say while you were on pain meds afterwards?

That's a good start... I think my biggest fear with all this (besides like waking up during surgery or something) is afterwards. I'm the kind of person who won't use bad language or anything, but in situations will definitely be thinking it. A lot. Haha... So, I'm worried that I'm going to be like vulgar afterwards, lol. I've never had surgery before or even teeth pulled or anything. I was on some pretty strong meds for the pain before they figured out what was wrong, but nothing like these ones... I remember two things about being on the meds I was on, that they made me so unstable I couldn't walk, and I was very weak along with that. But also, I was a lot more emotional than usual (which is not fun to be around... haha) and VERY mood swingy. Like, one time, I was in Mass, just sobbing my eyes out because part of my face had gone numb or something (who knows... those pain meds really messed me up) and people had to calm me down afterwards. I DON'T cry in front of people besides like my family. I don't even like crying in front of my siblings. So that was very weird for me.

That's my other theory. That I'll be a complete and total emotional wreck... These days I'm already on the verge of tears most days because of stress and anxiety, and am very easily put over the edge. So, the whole post-operative thing worries me... lol.

[Ed Normile]

You will be fine, we still have the finest surgeons in the world here. Remember to pray, I would ask your surgeon to say a prayer with you. Invoke the twin brothers, martyrs and surgeons, St Cosmos and St Damien the patrons saints of surgeons to guide the surgeons hands and through the grace of God provide you with a complete cure and return to health so that you may sing His praises as a witness to His love for all.

FCC, I will add you to my daily rosary for a complete cure, may God bless you.

ed

[Nihil Obstat]

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I have been under general anesthesia once, and waking anesthesia twice.
In all cases I was first taken into the operating room, then put under. I woke up in recovery.

For general anesthetic, I remember absolutely nothing. Not even the perception of sleep. I remember feeling the anesthetic kick in, and then I remember very gradually coming to after the procedure. There was zero pain at that point. Not until much later, when I was home.
I will not talk about my recovery experience in that case, because it was seriously complicated by the first flare up of my Crohn's disease, so it was not typical by any means.
My friend actually had the same procedure (wisdom teeth) on the same day, and apparently he laughed hysterically as he went under.

You will probably be very woozy while you wake up. Probably very dizzy and unsteady for a while afterwards. You might say things that nobody understands. You might puke too, but hopefully not. Mostly it is like the first few seconds of waking up after a really deep sleep, except that state lasts for a lot longer.

The first time I had the waking anesthetic, apparently while I was coming out of it I asked the same question about three or four times. I only remember asking the last time. It did make me nauseous the first time, which is fairly common. The second time I was more careful about how quickly I drank after waking up, so I was fine.
I do remember parts of the procedures under waking anesthetic, but that is to be expected. I remember some pain as well, but I did not really care, either afterwards or during. I remember it now kind of in the same way one remembers very vague dreams.

If you have been feeling particularly emotional lately, it is possible that you will cry or something either while they put you under, or while you wake up. Sometimes people panic while the anesthetic starts to work, so they have a rather unpleasant couple seconds, but it really only is a couple seconds. Once you feel it start to work, you would not even be able to finish a full sentence. The most I could manage was "there, I can feel it now."

Try not to worry about it too much. The actual operation is usually the easy part, for the patient. It will be done literally before you know it.[/background][/size][/font][/color]

[Lilllabettt]

I've had 3 majors.
the first was a bit different, since I had already been sick in the hospital for quite awhile. but overall the procedure was the same:

wheeled me into the or, anestheologist asked me to confirm what they were going to do (cutting parts off - they wanted to be sure I understood). It was cold in the room, and they offered to get me blankets. They moved me to the table and belted me in with this heavy thing across my waist and stretched my arms out like Jesus on the cross. The chief of surgery did mine, but he wasn't there at first, but the other doctors were and they talked about their weekend plans. Somebody was cleaning surgical instruments. The nurse held my hand. Someone said "lets make you more comfortable" and then the room went wiggly. I tried to stay awake as long as possible. I did not remember anything of what happened while under. It was literally like blinking. They shot me up, the room went wiggly, then blink, then owwww. I must say that it was a very "harsh" drug. I have had a lot of drugs and honestly some of them I really enjoyed - but this stuff was harsh.

The single most painful part was being transferred from the table to the gurney. owww. my one piece of advice is to appear as alert as possible when they wake you up. My first time I made the mistake of resting my eyes and it made them begin discussing how to "watch my morphine." The 2nd and 3rd times I was prepared and made sure to make horrible faces the instant I realized I was awake. (edit: not that it hurt so bad I needed to make faces, but I wanted them to feel good about drugging me up.)

The first two times everything went alright, and they wheeled me to a recovery hall, full of people half awake post surgery, some of them moaning, others laughing. It was wierd. They kept the lights half turned off. Anyway, during this time be sure to act alert and make those faces - they will be paying attention to you and give you what you need as long as you can show them/tell them you need it. The last time there was a problem with my heart during the operation, so they put me in a special place where I had my own room and my own nurse - it was quieter but they wouldn't let anyone see me for awhile.

So ... with regards to crying/swearing ... when a patient acts like that it is said they are acting "surgical." People tend to be emotional after surgery. I did cry, not from so much from pain but from frustration. It seemed to me that most people were ignoring me. I would try to talk and they would just stare back- no reaction - or they would look at each other and not say anything. It made me sooo mad! And I couldn't yell, (tubes they put down my throat) so I felt helpless and frustrated. Do not worry about it. It is normal. Everyone has their own way of being "surgical." some cry, some swear, some try to get up from their beds and fight the nurses. No one will judge you.

Your recovery will depend a lot on what they are doing, if you are admitted or not etc. I stayed in the hospital for awhile after my operations. At first that stank, but eventually I almost didn't want to go home. The nurses sat me up in bed the first day. And the next day they helped me stand. And the next day they helped me start to walk. baby steps. The main thing to remember is that you will get through it, [u]you will get better everyday[/u]. In the middle of it I thought, look what they did to me, cut me open violently like a pig, over anad over again, I will never come back from this. But the human body is amazing and a year later I took a cardio kickboxing class.

Edited November 11, 2012 by Lilllabettt

[Vincent Vega]

A couple of months ago, I had anaesthesia (conscious sedation) for the first time as I had my wisdom teeth out. I, too, was apprehensive, not knowing what to expect. After they put the IV in, though, you go pretty quickly. I don't know what you're having done, but I was pretty far gone with even just my mild sedation. I do remember at some point hearing the doctor and nurses talking politics and giving them a thumbs up (something about Marco Rubio), and hearing/feeling a sharp crack which must have been them breaking and extracting my impacted tooth, but it didn't bother me any more than a creak in the floor bothers you as you're falling asleep.

TLDR: it's not bad at all. You'll be fine.

[DiscerningCatholic]

I got my wisdom teeth pulled and had general anesthesia for that. I also went under general anesthesia for another oral surgery back in 2008. They stuck an IV in my arm and put an oxygen mask over my mouth, and I dropped off in approximately 45 seconds. I don't remember feeling any pain while I was under, though I had weird dream-like mental happenings; I remember one was being like on an orange roller coaster in an orange room. It was weird. And then they wake up you up and you wonder, "Hmm. If I had such a nice sleep, why am I STILL SO TIRED?" And they'll usually ask you, "If you can hear us, give us a thumbs-up" or something like that.

I was super dizzy when I woke up, but I had to walk out of the office and you probably won't be walking anywhere right away, so you should be okay. I was kinda numb (especially around my mouth, which is to be expected - numbness around the area of the surgery) for a while, but it went away. I'm one of the lucky pholks who doesn't suffer from nausea or vomiting after anesthesia; that depends on each individual person, I think. '

You'll be fine!!!!!!!!!!!!! You hear horror stories and see over-dramatized nonsense on TV when, really, it's not nearly as bad as everyone makes it out to be.

Edited November 11, 2012 by DiscerningCatholic

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='USAirwaysIHS' timestamp='1352613867' post='2508043']
A couple of months ago, I had anaesthesia (conscious sedation) for the first time as I had my wisdom teeth out. I, too, was apprehensive, not knowing what to expect. After they put the IV in, though, you go pretty quickly. I don't know what you're having done, but I was pretty far gone with even just my mild sedation. I do remember at some point hearing the doctor and nurses talking politics and giving them a thumbs up (something about Marco Rubio), and hearing/feeling a sharp crack which must have been them breaking and extracting my impacted tooth, but it didn't bother me any more than a creak in the floor bothers you as you're falling asleep.

TLDR: it's not bad at all. You'll be fine.
[/quote]
I have to say, I cannot imagine having had my wisdom teeth out with waking anesthetic. I am very very glad I had general for that.
Having had both, at least with the dose they gave me for colonoscopies and endoscopy, I did feel some pain. It was not major pain, but it was there. I think I may have groaned or something at one point. I meant to, at least. I believe it was when they inflating my intestines in order to keep the scope moving. And a colonoscopy is nothing like having wisdom teeth out. I am sure the pain would not compare.
I think I probably would have found it quite traumatizing. Perhaps they up the dosage for something like that...?

[Nihil Obstat]

With regards to my first endoscopy/colonoscopy, I am very proud of the facts that:

1) I was not even the tiniest bit embarrassed that there was a room full of doctors and nurses of mixed genders looking at and into my butt.
2) I hardly choked at all on the endoscope. I did a pretty darn good job of getting it down all the way into my stomach.

It is the little victories like those that make life worthwhile.

[Lilllabettt]

i had my wisdom teeth out with no anesthesia, just local numbing. clearly i'm wearing the pantaloons around here.

[Vincent Vega]

My surgeon was impeccable. I had the surgery done in the morning, and was eating warm soup and crackers by sundown. I was prescribed a bottle of about 20 hydrocodone tables, and only had to take a single one, in two halves a couple hours apart, on the first day. I'm sure his skill had something to do with the ease of the procedure.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='USAirwaysIHS' timestamp='1352614433' post='2508051']
My surgeon was impeccable. I had the surgery done in the morning, and was eating warm soup and crackers by sundown. I was prescribed a bottle of about 20 hydrocodone tables, and only had to take a single one, in two halves a couple hours apart, on the first day. I'm sure his skill had something to do with the ease of the procedure.
[/quote]
I am very jealous. I was not able to eat anything for over two days after the surgery, and then my health deteriorated for a full year after that.

Speaking of which, because of that I would never again agree to take Toradol/Ketorolac/Acular, because we think that it was what triggered my flare-up. It was really kind of awful.
It is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory that was prescribed to me as my post-surgery painkiller. Really did a number on me just from the few days I took it.

[Ed Normile]

[quote name='Lilllabettt' timestamp='1352614361' post='2508049']
i had my wisdom teeth out with no anesthesia, just local numbing. clearly i'm wearing the pantaloons around here.
[/quote]


Yeah me too, I had to go to an Maxilliofacial surgeon as my teeth had grown roots which had wrapped around my jaw bone. he demanded I was put under, but I refused as I did not want to be unconscious during the procedure. He broke the teeth in quarters and cut away the gum to my jawbone and twisted the teeth free, over four hours of surgery for the two on the right side and just two hours for the left side. He was persistent that I be put under general anesthesia but I did not feel comfortable and finally he said he would try it and if I was stoic enough he would perform the operation. It was weird as the teeth made grinding noises and I could hear them break when he used the silver chisel looking thing to break them. I did not even feel when my jaw broke, until the next day of course. He kept saying are you allright, I had an oral tent and two different suction things in my mouth so I would just lift my eyebrow and look at him as if he was a moron, what did he expect conversation?

es

[AnneLine]

OK, we joke in my family about literally having been carved open from head to foot. Have had: eye surgery, shoulder surgery, two abdominal surgeries and two foot surgeries. And the injections into my back.

So... here's what I can tell you...

The idea of the general anesthesia scared me silly... but is actually the easiest one of the bunch. If you are nervous, let them know and they may be able to give you something to relax you ahead of time, ok? But they have you get into the angel robe thing and they probably will ask you to move yourself onto the gurney (like a rolling cart) or they might transfer you (several people move you -- 1, 2, 3, move -- you've probably see them do it on hospital shows on TV.) Then they roll you to the area near the operating rooms until they are ready for you and/or then into the operating room itself. Usually they will talk to you a little (like Lilllibettt said) and will probably ask you your name and date of birth. They might ask you what you think they will be doing with you (I think you're having your shoulder repaired, right?) You don't have to know the exact name -- they just want to be sure they have the right person... Then if you don't already have an IV started, they will start one. The IV has a little tube extender thing -- and that way when they are ready, they just run the anesthesia meds right into that IV, so you won't feel much... maybe a little coldness, or 'oddness' but I remember thinking I wanted to watch and I watched them inject it in and literally I didn't even see the whole plunger go down... and I woke up after it was all over...

If they do want you awake for any reason (I'd doubt it with what I think they are doing to you) you still aren't likely to feel anything, but you might see or hear stuff. The doctors might play some music, and they probably will talk about just about anything during the surgery. I guess when you ahve done a ton of surgeries, a lot of it is just stuff taht your fingers know how to do. Just like I can talk to someone while I type. I don't know how I do it, but I can. It's a lot like that.... That doesn't mean taht they aren't paying attention!

I wasn't aware of pain except for one of the semi-sedated ones, and as soon as I let them know I could feel it, they fixed it right away. SOmetimes they don't want to give you more than you need... so if you feel something SAY SOMETHING. This is NOT the time for heroic silence, because you will be more relaxed and easier for them to work on if yuo are not tensing your muscles because you hurt. You NEED to be as out of pain as you can be so your body will heal well. I like Lilllibettt's strategy -- might try it myself if I am ever up against a surgeon again!

They might give you the pain medicatins they think you need -- and they may wait for you to tell them if you need pain meds. If you start to feel pain, ask for the meds ASAP because it takes a little while for them to bring them (they have to get them unlocked, and somtimes need ot have more than one person there when they give them to you -- so you REALLY want to ask as soon as you think you might be hurting, OK? They also might give you the kind of pain medications where they give you a little thing to hold in your hand and push a button if you want a little more pain killer. If you get one o fthose, feel free to push it. It is designed in such a way that it WON'T let you give yourself too much pain killer -- it just will let you have so much and no more. BUT the intent of those is to be sure that YOU can control what you need....

If by some chance you are semi-sedated you might hear some other things that are kind of unnerving. I remember hearing them using some kind of drill on my foot when they were removing bunions. I couldn't FEEL anything, but it sure sounded odd!

After the surgery is over, as you wake up, I don't remember a lot except I know that they were calling my name... and I was pretty awake pretty fast and didn't hurt at all. Don't worry about anything that you might say coming out of surgery.... they've heard it all and they don't even notice any more....

I do remember one funny story.... in the recovery room when I had the foot done I was pretty alert because I had never been really asleep. The woman in the bed next to me must have been much more sedated, and she didn't speak any English, just Spanish. I know Spanish fairly well. The poor nurse didn't speak Spanish, so they had given her a card with some words to use when waking the person up. Instead of using the word for 'wake up' they used the more colloquial 'get up'... and the poor sleepy person tried to do it LITERALLY... tried to sit up and walk away on her newly operated foot! I started yelling ' no ma'am-- do NOT 'get up'... Stay in bed." Wonder what would have happened if I hadn't been tehre or had been more sleepy!!!! The nurse was very grateful!

If they are doing a shoulder repair on you, your experience with that may be a lot like mine. (I know they are doing something different/additional than what I had, but my bet is that you will have a similar recovery.... but I could be wrong.) It hurt A LOT the same day of the surgery when the meds wore off.. but it was TOTALLY controllable with the pain meds, and I learned fast to request them EARLY. By the second day, there was pain, but SO MUCH less than I had been having for months that it didn't even register... I probably could have willingly gone without the meds because my shoulder had been out of whack for almost 18 months and I'd been in total agony that whole time. The shoulder had to be opened with an incision that was about six inches long, and the doctor told me he wished he could havae done it without doing that , but that in his experience it healed better when they did it 'open.' He was worried about a scar... you know what... that scar is so unnoticable sometimes I have trouble remembering which shoulder was repaired...except that my bra strap stays up better on that side

Now it WAS STIFF for a number of weeks. That's because I hadn't been able to use it properly for ... 18 months. And it HURT to try to use it. That was tough. One of the things I did (and the physicall therapist loved this!) was put the toilet paper roll on the back of the toilet where I had to reach back to get it. If you have to do something, you can do it. Otherwise I would have been there FOREVER. I had a number of weeks of physical therapy, which included walking up and down the wall with my fingers, using something like a bicycle for arms... round and round and round... and a lot of flapping exercises like a big bird trying to take off....

I'm really glad I really did ALL the exercises, even the ones that hurt.... and pushed the envelope a bit on them... .because I ended up with getting FULL range of motion back on my shoulder. After a few days, they hurt less... and within a week or two, they didn't hurt. WELL worth doing, hermana...

Feel free to ask any follow-up questions.... You are going to be FINE.... and one of these days you'll have war stories like we do!!

And... . my husband and I joke that if the cannibals ever come to town, we won't have to worry about being eaten -- they will look at us and say "TOO MUCH GRISTLE - I'm going for someone else!" Now they will skip you, too!!!!

So pround of how you have handled this... and we're rooting for you!

[AccountDeleted]

I had all of my wisdom teeth out at the same time under nitrous oxide - I kept telling the dentist I loved him and he said 'I think you've had enough nitrous now.'

I had a general once for surgery and they had me count backwards from a hundred but I only reached 97 before I was out like a light and waking up the nex minute (it seemed like) without any memory of being under - it was rather nice except for the pain afterwards (from the surgery not the anesthetic.

And yes, I cried before and after due to an excess of emotion (after the pre-med and after the op) - but then I cry at everything it seems.

Prayers for you.

[DiscerningCatholic]

OH, and I didn't need to take any pain meds.