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Original poster

Feeling so embarrassed after anaesthesia. Please tell me this has happened to others?

420 replies

ShortFlighted · 18/08/2023 17:18

A week ago, I had a surgery. I was extremely nervous before being put to sleep.

When I came round, I was in a lot of pain but my throat was so dry I couldn’t say “hey, I’m in pain” , so I just started whining “ouch “ “ouch “.

Then I kept taking off the oxygen mask because it was annoying me. I also asked multiple times where my car was and had to be reminded I was in hospital at least twice. I also kept waving to thin air. The nurse was nice enough but I could tell I wasn’t her favourite patient 😳.

Now I remember it, I’m so embarrassed and feel like I was probably a real pain in the arse. Coincidentally, I had to be kept in post op because I was groggier and woozier than expected.

Reassure me please!

OP posts:
Warmsandbetweenmytoes · 18/08/2023 18:29

Also had surgery recently and upon waking asked if I was still alive 😂

YouJustDoYou · 18/08/2023 18:30

I was put to sleep fully naked in front of a room full of doctors, woke up to a baby I was then responsible for. Was, confused, ill, out of it.

ShowOfHands · 18/08/2023 18:31

DD had her first surgery aged 10 and woke up mid op. We didn't know at the time that she has a condition meaning anaesthetics don't work properly on her. She was in terrible pain, distraught and traumatised. She's 16 now and had to have surgery earlier this year. She was so worried about the anaesthetic. They gave her the maximum dose and kept a brain scanner on throughout to ensure she wasn't even nearing consciousness. It worked and she came round in recovery as planned. She burst into happy tears and gave a speech that went like follows:

"I'm gay. 99% gay. Gay except for Grantaire in Les Miserables but he's fictional but I'm about to make an exception because I'm in love and I'm in love for the first time and it's with two men. One of them is a surgeon and one is an anaesthetist and I love them both. I love them so much I'm going to press flowers for them and write a sonnet. Mum, help. I'm gay but my first two loves are men." She then fell asleep. The nurse said it was quite the loveliest reaction she'd ever heard.

Hiddenvoice · 18/08/2023 18:31

Don’t worry about it, I cried loads and asked for my mum repeatedly. My husband was sat there and I acted like he didn’t exist.

shellyleppard · 18/08/2023 18:33

After thyroid surgery a few years ago I couldn't stop being sick. As in 8 hours of constant vomiting. I kept apologizing to the other ladies on the ward as it sounded awful. My mum used to freak out when they put the mask over her face..... she punched the nurse more than once 😔

MetaverseMavis · 18/08/2023 18:34

Had another GA 4 weeks ago, to form I come round very chatty thinking I'm OK but talking babbling squallocks then go through the vomit, profusely apologising and dosing cycle. I told my recovery nurse Gloria that she was doing a glorious job and had the perfect name - I am so ashamed thank good I never have to see them again

FreeWillyWale · 18/08/2023 18:34

ShowOfHands · 18/08/2023 18:31

DD had her first surgery aged 10 and woke up mid op. We didn't know at the time that she has a condition meaning anaesthetics don't work properly on her. She was in terrible pain, distraught and traumatised. She's 16 now and had to have surgery earlier this year. She was so worried about the anaesthetic. They gave her the maximum dose and kept a brain scanner on throughout to ensure she wasn't even nearing consciousness. It worked and she came round in recovery as planned. She burst into happy tears and gave a speech that went like follows:

"I'm gay. 99% gay. Gay except for Grantaire in Les Miserables but he's fictional but I'm about to make an exception because I'm in love and I'm in love for the first time and it's with two men. One of them is a surgeon and one is an anaesthetist and I love them both. I love them so much I'm going to press flowers for them and write a sonnet. Mum, help. I'm gay but my first two loves are men." She then fell asleep. The nurse said it was quite the loveliest reaction she'd ever heard.

🤣🤣🤣😂🤣 this has made my day

FloNightingale · 18/08/2023 18:35

Another theatre practitioner here, seen it all in recovery so try not to worry.

DameCurlyBassey · 18/08/2023 18:35

Don't be embarrassed. That's nothing compared to what I've said. The hospital staff have heard worse. Much worse.

ChrisPPancake · 18/08/2023 18:36

I'm sure I've shared this on here before, but I was sedated for a colonoscopy/gastroscopy. I had a hospital gown on but kept my socks on. I do remember asking at the time if they were going all the way through from one end to the other Blush but wasn't aware of anything else embarrassing.

A few weeks later I had a follow up with the consultant who'd ordered it. While I was waiting I saw a vaguely familiar bloke who I couldn't quite place. Consultant saw me looking and said "oh that's Mr X who did your scopes".

At which point the memory of showing off my socks to him in great detail flooded back Blush Though tbf they are awesome Wonder Woman socks with capes and everything Grin

Calibrachoa · 18/08/2023 18:36

When dd came round after an op she was talking gibberish as if she was hallucinating and she was seeing double.

PonkyPonky · 18/08/2023 18:37

I told the nurse, who was the first face I saw, that she was the most beautiful person I had ever seen!

Tanith · 18/08/2023 18:37

I asked the HCP if I was a cyberman now. She was very nice and assured me I was still 100% human and that I wouldn't worry about it once I'd come round properly Blush

TinkerbellefromYorkshire · 18/08/2023 18:37

Loads of times.. l kept calling my nurse( male) Rod Stewart and asked him to sing to me.
I once accused a doctor of stealing my slippers.
They are used to it and will be forgotten about .. they deal with hundreds of patients a day.

IHateLegDay · 18/08/2023 18:38

I asked where my husband was every 30 seconds. Like for half an hour!
The real joke was I wasn't even married 😂

Dyra · 18/08/2023 18:39

I've had a few GAs. Apparently I was quite teary waking up as a kid. God only knows if I said/did anything as an adult, but it felt like going from 0 to fully awake when I was told it was time to wake up.

Sedation in the other hand.... I was having the remnants of a baby tooth extracted, then a chain affixed to the adult tooth to pull it down into place. I was extremely upset when the orthodontist wouldn't let me get up to help him.

MMUmum · 18/08/2023 18:40

I worked with a man who became aggressive while coming round, punched a nurse and caused a nose bleed. He was so apologetic afterwards and it's highlighted in his medical records now for caution

Bookchildtable · 18/08/2023 18:40

Everyone's different- dc1 is very sleepy afterwards and often has accidentsor vomits, dc2 thrashes 1around, is unaware of surroundings and generally hard work to keep safe, dc3 wants to be up and out of bed within minutes and is usually being told to be quiet as others are not well.
I'm very sleepy to the point twice I've had respiratory arrests. I once bit a nurse so bad she had to have stitches (I was unaware).
The staff will have seen alsorts and nothing will phase them. I wouldn't worry about it.

ChrisPPancake · 18/08/2023 18:40

ShowOfHands · 18/08/2023 18:31

DD had her first surgery aged 10 and woke up mid op. We didn't know at the time that she has a condition meaning anaesthetics don't work properly on her. She was in terrible pain, distraught and traumatised. She's 16 now and had to have surgery earlier this year. She was so worried about the anaesthetic. They gave her the maximum dose and kept a brain scanner on throughout to ensure she wasn't even nearing consciousness. It worked and she came round in recovery as planned. She burst into happy tears and gave a speech that went like follows:

"I'm gay. 99% gay. Gay except for Grantaire in Les Miserables but he's fictional but I'm about to make an exception because I'm in love and I'm in love for the first time and it's with two men. One of them is a surgeon and one is an anaesthetist and I love them both. I love them so much I'm going to press flowers for them and write a sonnet. Mum, help. I'm gay but my first two loves are men." She then fell asleep. The nurse said it was quite the loveliest reaction she'd ever heard.

Oh I love her too!

Zebracat · 18/08/2023 18:40

I was convinced the recovery room was a furniture showroom with the worlds most uncomfortable beds, and that the nurse was deliberately letting the other customers see my naked arse.

RainbowZebraWarrior · 18/08/2023 18:41

When I came round after general anaesthetic I told the nurse I was a famous actress and was in Coronation Street. Another time in recovery, there was a clock opposite me and I was loudly proclaiming the time and trying to work out how long I'd been in theatre for (in that way you try to pretend your sober when you've had a few shandies as a teenager)

When my mother came round from dental surgery, her dentist told her that my Dad was there to pick her up. She proclaimed loudly "That Bastard!?"

My ex DH was a lightweight when it came to anaesthetic and was trying to crack on with the female surgeon. She came to get me to look after him in the recovery room as she was sick of him stroking her arm and saying "Well Helloooo Doctor"

BaldButNotOut · 18/08/2023 18:44

Hope you're feeling better now OP.

My lovely lovely auntie, who is sadly no longer with us but who was the sweetest and kindest lady you could ever hope to meet, tried to mount the nurse when she came round. Those drugs are strong.

Elmers · 18/08/2023 18:44

Another cryer here, after every surgery I have I have come round sobbing like a baby and usually asking for my dad. I’m a full grown married woman.

i never feel embarrassed, you can help your reactions.

A post op nurse once told me (after I’d recover a little) that lots of men get aggressive coming out of a general. They probably feel mortified.

Dabralor · 18/08/2023 18:44

Ok, so you're on a website for mums- a substantial percentage of us have shat in front of everyone while giving birth. So don't worry - the staff will always have seen worse!
I hope the procedure all went smoothly and that you are recovering well otherwise 💐

MistyTrains · 18/08/2023 18:45

This is quite normal.

I kept my contact lenses in during surgery much to the annoyance of the anaesthestist (sp), the nurse had said it was ok, and it was too late. When I came round in the room where they put patients I thought I was in a space ship as there was a TV and a big monitoring table of all the patients. I then laid there trying to move and speak and all I could say was 'my eyes, my eeeeyyyyeeess' as the contact lens had indeed moved off my eyeball and worked its way round the side.

Back on the ward, a woman woke up after major surgery to fit £10,000 of metal ribwork following a car crash. The surgeon was explaining how well it had gone and how much expensive kit she now had inside her. She just said 'I know you are all lying to me, when are you are all going to tell me the truth.' He looked a bit baffled and just said he would come back later. So it affects everyone in different ways and they have no doubt seen it all.