Fear of general anesthetic?

That’s how I feel about sedation, I had it for an eye surgery where I had to be awake and able to answer questions. I was completely alert, able to hold a conversation normally I just didn’t shave a care in the world, I felt completely blissfully calm. There was a drape over half my face, I had a stranger cutting 3 holes in my eyeball and rooting around in there, a whole team of people talking medical talk. I should have been nervous or stressed but I was happily chatting away and feeling great. I think it’s probably a good think they didn’t tell me what drug it was and I’ve never tried to find out because if it was something I could get hold of then I’m not sure I could resist it.

Oh and don’t worry about saying stupid things in recovery when you’re coming round. The doctors and nurses are used to patients saying weird things post anaesthesia. They’ve probably had loads of proposals of marriage!

I’ve had 5 GAs. I’m nearly 60 and in reasonable health. I’m overweight but aside from a touch of OA in my knees and an under active thyroid no major health issues (no diabetes, BP etc).

personally I love GAs! I love the sensation of going under….on one GA I had fentanyl as a pre med and last think I remember saying was ‘wow, no wonder the junkies like this!’ I could feel it going round my body a bit like you can feel a glass of wine going round. Then the next thing you know you’re in recovery coming round. I have no fear of them at all.

I’ve had multiple procedures over the past few years with general anaesthetic (endometriosis).

I promise you will be absolutely fine, and you will wake up!

You will feel very groggy afterwards and may have a sore throat. So take some throat lozenges to hospital with you for when you wake up.

I had a similar experience. Don’t remember even being given it, just a feeling of incredible comfort, like you feel when you’re settled down to the best sleep you’ve ever had. I too was incredibly nervous about it beforehand, but honestly I wish I could have bottled the amazing feeling. I still think of it! Good luck OP, it will be absolutely fine

I am one of those rare people that has real problems with GA. I mean those less than 0.5%.
I am hard to put under, keep under, and have monumentally bad reactions. I have been so sick afterwards that they could not move me out of the recovery area until late at night at the staff was stuck there well past the end of their shift.

not once, no matter how awful I have felt, have I worried for my life. I have never seen anything in my charts to indicate concern and I read everything.

over the years, the doctor’s have collected data from my various surgeries and gotten better at my GA. We still avoid it when possible and I get all sorts of custom plans, but the doctors make it work when GA is a must.

The first GA I had was an emergency one so I didn't really know or care what was going on. The rest (6 in total over the last 2 years) have been planned and I loved them, bit weird when you feel it going into your system but yes, you get an amazing sleep 🙃

Just don't shout at the theatre staff when you wake up and tell them to evacuate because there's a fire in the operating theatre 🫣😵🤣

I had a terrible fear of anaesthesia, which got worse as I got older and faced two surgeries. I had hypnosis which was a great help, and was discussing it with the anaesthetist. He said if you weren't nervous about it I'd think it more odd than you being fearful. Not sure who all the people voting YABU are, but usually if you ask if YABU on here, people are only too pleased to tell you yes, you are.

Anyway back to the discussion with the anaesthetist. We agreed there are two types of fear; irrational, where you feel what you feel and usually no amount of reassurance will help (that's where the hypnosis comes in if you fancy giving it go), and reasonable fear - worry about the outcome, could something possibly go wrong etc. And as I say, he felt it was entirely normal to be worried but that complications are rare. Hope that helps in some way. YANBU at all.

I genuinely don't understand this fear. Even in the vanishingly unlikely event that you "don't wake up", you'll know nothing about it = nothing to be scared of (I mean, if I'm going to kick the bucket, I'd absolutely want to do it under GA.... painless and straightforward).
The reality is that you have the best sleep of your life, and then you wake up..... it's brilliant!

I've had one every six months for the past four years now. I was terrified for the first one because of all the propaganda about it. Not terrified any more.

I had one last year when I had my hysterectomy and was actually looking forward to the GA.
They make you really comfy all tucked in the bed then the anaesthetist tells you to talk about something really nice then it goes all fuzzy and then your asleep. Then I remember waking up in recovery with a nice nurse by my side. I would love to have them regularly as they feel so nice

GA is like time travel. You blink and wake up hours later.
You are likely to wake up in the mood you went under in. The staff should put you at ease... talk about things that relax you or make you smile, so you wake up feeling relaxed, and probably asking if your op had actually been done because it can feel like nothing happened at all.

I completely sympathise with you as I was terrified about going under a couple of years ago for a lap and dye, I met with the surgeon and told him ‘I’m genuinely scared I’m going to die’ he was taken aback and reassured me that I was in really safe hands. You literally have an anaesthetist whose sole purpose is to monitor you for every second of the surgery and they are top at their job. Honestly, you feel sleepy and then you wake up. You’ll be fine xx

My son has been put under at least 100 times by now. Never had any issues with GA and I've found that anaesthesiologists tend to be really great and take the time to answer any questions.

One thing I always do is ask for painkillers before I wake up and that really makes a big difference.

😂

I found it to be an incredibly relaxing experience. The feeling that you get as you start to drift into unconsciousness is bliss. If it were legal I’d pay to have one every now and then purely for pleasure!

I’m in the other camp I love having a GA. I don’t enjoy the canula more than anything but that feeling when you finally get put to sleep is indescribable. I find it so fascinating. I can see why it’s daunting to some though. I’m sure you’ll be fine x

I was terrified of waking up during the operation, not being able to speak and I would be in pain.

I knew nothing about the operation until I woke up. I am still scared though. I keep thinking I have such a strong mind that I would never go under. Its stupid and irrational as I have had the operation with no problem with the anathetic.

I wouldn’t worry about not waking up. The anaesthetist will never leave you and it’s their job to monitor heart-rate, blood pressure and brain function. They will know if you are in trouble. They spend up to 8 years in specialist training, more than for any other doctor.

Ive had more surgeries then I can count. There is never a time in your life that you are so well monitored its probably the safest you will ever be. One tip is tell them you are scared they will help you. I've met some awful drs in my life but I've never met a bad anesthetist they are probably the kindest and calmest drs that exist and they are the best handholders. You will be fine honestly it feels like seconds and then you wake up.

@janeandmarysmum and me appear to be the anomalies on here. I've had three and been sick after each one. I also become quite violent. Coming round after the second GA I kicked the doctor in the balls and punched someone after the third. I am not usually a violent person.

I had my first GA a couple of years ago. Like you I was anxious about it. Really it was nothing to worry about and actually a fairly pleasant experience. Like having a nice sleep.

I had my first in around 2003 - I was terrified!
I had my second in 2011 and due to me first experience I wasn't worried in the slightest!

Well - seeing as how many people have shared positive experiences, I'll say mine was absolutely awful. I woke up throwing up uncontrollably. The anaesthetist was horrible and condescending, said the nausea and vomiting was nothing to do with the drugs I'd had. I remember being desperate to sleep but not being able to. I'd have to be very very unwell to go through that again.