To ask you what general anaesthetic is actually like?

I'm not being rude, RainSoakedNights.

There should be a phone number on your operation paperwork and your surgery appointment letter.

Consultants' secretaries are not the right person to ask.

Fluids you can see through ie transparent with no pulp or bits or milk, like clear apple juice.

Some hospitals permit sports drinks.

But if you are in any doubt and you don't want to ask the hospital why not just stick to plain water?

It's only for a few hours of your life.

And me, wish I could have one every night 😆

If it's not on the sheet of pre-op preparation instructions then I suggest you ask the hospital.

It is absolutely main character syndrome to think anyone gives a toss how you look except you when you are having a procedure done. And yep, you do think that, which is why you care.

Anyway, you do you.

Wow @RainSoakedNights 87 posts on this by yourself😳

You care because you care about what other people think. That's how caring about your appearance works, and it's why even the most uncaring of us combs our hair and wears clean clothes before we go out.

I wouldn't say vain so much as having main character syndrome.

The reality is you don't believe me and think others will notice. They won't remember you, and you will make no impression on them, good or bad, provided you are polite and all goes smoothly.

But you're clearly going to keep pursuing this, so sure, as you wish.

I was prescribed electrolytes one time but it was ahead of a very long surgery.

I cannot stress enough how little anyone will care what you look like. Nobody will notice or care, at all, if you are gorgeous, hideous, fat, thin Or anything in between. They simply won't care, they have done procedures on thousands of people, you are just a body to them. Sorry but it's true.

As for the anaesthetic, you will conk out super fast and wake up with no feeling of any passage of time. You will be a bit woozy and might talk a bit of rubbish for a few minutes. I've been knocked out about 8 times for a number of procedures, and it's only a bit anxiety producing the first time.

Oh, and you'll feel totally normal by the next day.

Only ever had a short GA, was a very stressed, sleep deprived parent at the time, and terrified. It was wonderfullll. Last memory was of the anaesthetist chuckling, then work up feeling lovely and sleepy. Unfortunately the nurse seemed to want a tea break so was yanked out of the sleepy state abruptly. I hope you enjoy the big sleep and all goes well.

Unless you are being prescribed electrolytes for a medical reason - it is just one day.

Can't you just have plain water on the morning before your surgery?

This is true! I'm a chronic insomniac but both times I've had a GA I was out before they said a word about counting down etc!

You’ll be fine Op. You need to stop getting yourself all het up about it tbh - it’s a 30 minute procedure. You’ll chat to the team, needle in, bang you’re done.

You say you’re scared about waking back up - it’s often no different than waking up early from a normal sleep. You just become awake. Nothing scary.

It doesn’t matter what you wear - your team will tell you if you need to get changed and what to take off.

You don’t need any further information tbh. You’ve been told what to do. Anything else they’ll tell you on the day.

It’s day surgery not a dangerous experimental op! And everyone’s first time having surgery is their first time! It’s normal to be nervous, it’s not normal to be absolutely terrified and stewing over questions about bras.

I got majorly told off for still having my contact lenses in. I didn't own any glasses and I am -10. Wasn't planning on having an op and had been in hospital for 10 days following sudden admission. Nurse said keep them in. She may have said just tell them. They nearly didn't operate, he was so cross.

He was right though, I woke up going 'my eyeesss, my eyyyeees' as they had knocked one of them into the corner of my eye and it was scratching like mad.

I also thought I was in a space ship when I woke up as it was the recovery room. There was either a very large TV or it was a monitor showing some medical data. Then there was someone standing at a podium controlling it all. It was definitely a spaceship in my head 😂 Lots of beeping going on.

They are very nice though and are usually all fussing round you as you come round.

I was terrified, had a full on panic attack on the table before being put under. They put something in my cannula and i suddenly felt fantastic, like i’d drank a good few g&t’s😂i then remember the mask being put on and just not being the slightest bit scared anymore! Then i guess i must have fell asleep. Unlike most posters on here though i dont really remember waking up in recovery! It was very hazy for me (but not scary), think i must have been dosed up on pain meds.

I've had 8 or 9 GAs and they've all been fine. What I found funny was getting the anaesthetic and going to sleep with my glasses on. Then when I woke up, my glasses were back on.

I know they would have removed them for surgery but it just made me laugh.

I saw this video on Instagram by an anaesthesiology nurse after my most recent surgery and I was stunned by how in-depth their assessments are, and a lot of it is stuff that you wouldn’t even think they are looking for!
www.instagram.com/reel/DIU6UkXM_f6/?igsh=c3MxMGg5cWc1Zmxs