To be scared of having general anaesthetic?

[IndiaRose22]

Posting here for traffic really!!

I have an op at some point this morning to remove my gallbladder, so keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic. When I was talking about "whipping it out" I don't think I actually thought this far ahead and now it's here and I'm bricking it! That's all really, being a softie and over thinking - how do they make sure I'm asleep? Do I really not feel anything during?

They did this to me recently.. I waited on the bed all day and then got told to go home.. all the planning that goes into a hospital stay when you work and have kids, need a lift etc 😭 I went in a month later.. it was late in the day when I went into theatre and before they took me I was expecting them to cancel again.
They seem to get a lot where the previous op is bigger than they thought because they haven't had time to do recent scans etc.

The general.. no dreaming, feels like no time has passed.. literally sleep and then wake up.

I was really afraid before mine but as others have said cannula in, count backwards from 10, asleep and back again in what feels like an instant. Not the four hours I was actually under. I just felt like I'd had a lovely sleep. My throat was a bit sore from the tubes and I needed morphine to get through the initial pain of my particular procedure but that was also lovely while it lasted

I’ve had lots. Youll meet anaesthetist before operation for a chat and questions. Tell them you’re scared and first one.
once down at theatre, You’ll chat away to staff and anaesthetist in the pre op room while they get cannula in. They’ll be asking you all sorts of random stuff like you’re their new best friend. Then they’ll say they’re going in with anaesthesia and it’ll be a bit cold into your hand. And pop mask on. It’s all very clam, friendly, chatty, sometimes they make you count, other times they just keep asking questions about random stuff
thats it then.
no dreaming, no awareness
next second, as far as you’re concerned, you’ll come to in post op ward. So,e times tube is still in yor throat and they’ll be removing it and you’ll sort of be aware, but it doesn’t hurt and you’re pretty out of it and dull witted
youll be on post op about 3o mins, you’ll be drifting between sleep and awake and nurses will be checking on you with random questions again . You’ll be very comfortable, drugged and in a lovely calm haze.
when ready they’ll take you to the ward

2 things then

1. always ask for pain meds in plenty of time, don’t wait till it actually hurts. Don’t be brave. You need sleep to heal so get dosed up as much as possible
2. be prepared to be tearful, depressed and down for 2-3 days. Anaesthetic has that effect on some people. You’ll also be exhausted. It takes at least 48 hours for anaesthetic to get out your body . Be prepared for that. It isn’t anything to worry about, just make sure person looking after you knows and indulge in looking after yourself as mindlessly as possible. Lots of tv . Reading can be a bit too much like hard work IMHE. And Chocolate. 🤣🤷🏼‍♀️

I've had my gallbladder out. You will be absolutely fine. You will drop to sleep in seconds then next thing you know your being woken up in recovery. Like the blink of an eye. You don't dream. It will be like no time has passed. Recovery for me was great, few days of being sore then right as rain, and I had a 6 month old to look after at the time. To be pain free from that gallbladder is great.

I love having a GA. Feel all light and fluffy afterwards like Iv had a good kip.

Yes I've got an 18m old at home so hopefully as good a recovery as yours!

Chiming in with my love for a GA! I've only had 3 - and usually cry at some point during prep because it is a little anxiety inducing even if you know what's going on - but still think they're grand. Anesthesiologists are quite possibly the loveliest, funniest people you'll meet at the hospital (apart from the porters!).

For me my GAs have been like a blink. The last one I had a few seconds of head-spinning like I'd drank too much then I was awake, clear headed and SO THIRSTY. I said something to the nurse then 'I must have said that a few times already' and she told me 'no, no, you've just woken up' so it is just like someone hitting the restart button. Some people do feel poorly when they come round but fingers crossed it'll be a smooth experience and a speedy recovery!

I’ve had a few GAs and always found anaesthetists to be the nicest drs. They put you right at ease and then you just fall asleep. All good.

As an aside I had my gallbladder out last year and it was the best thing that’s ever happened to me (though be prepared for having very unrecognisable poop for a while afterwards lol).

I don't think anyone is unreasonable to be worried before they had one, but I've never met anyone who was still scared of them after the first. The pre med is lovely, its the only time I don't feel anxious.

I’ve had 5 general anaesthetics in my lifetime (I’m 40), my most recent was in the summer. Honestly, from all my experiences they are nothing to worry about. The anaesthetist will speak to you before you are taken down to theatre, so you can speak to them about any worries you may have. They will take you into a prep room where they get you ready and administer the anaesthetic to you. They put a line into one of your hands, give you an oxygen mask to breathe through and then they tell you once they start the process of giving you the anaesthetic. This year they warned me it would either feel very cold or like my hand was under a lot of pressure (I felt both) but it lasted mere seconds and then I was out. It’s so quick, you literally don’t have time to process it! Then the next thing you know, you are waking up in recovery. I’ve never dreamed or anything, it’s literally like no time has passed at all, it’s so weird! The only issue I’ve had is that I’ve usually woken up vomiting in recovery, however this year I told the anaesthetist and he gave me something to prevent that and it worked thankfully. You will feel very tired on waking, I really struggle to stay awake as all I want to do is sleep but that feeling does pass. I hope your op goes OK 💐

@IndiaRose22 I had a GA yesterday for an operation on my foot. Also have an 18 month old at home, who appears to have forgotten how to sleep! It was lovely, had the canula in my hand, chatting to the anaesthetician and then woke up to someone saying my name. Didn't notice a thing, was 'under' for less than 30 minutes I think and felt more refreshed when I woke up 🤣
Hope you get the op sooner rather than later so you can just get it over and done with

I've really enjoyed all the GAs I have had. It's lovely in that moment before you lose consciousness when all your little aches and pains magically vanish.

The anaesthetist will be very experienced in knowing how much anaesthetic you need in order to be out of it. I had a defibrillator implanted five months ago and they stopped and restarted my heart and I was none the wiser! You’ll be fine x

I also have to have a GA in a couple of weeks for a hysterectomy...my first ever surgery at the grand age of 53. Thank you so much to everyone who has posted on this thread ..it's really helping me to feel reassured and less scared!

When I had to have a hysterectomy I was so scared I cried hysterically at home the night before. My DH even said that we could cancel the op which we both knew we actually couldn't as I needed it. I can't believe how scared I was. When the nurse came to talk to me and take my BP etc before the op, she commented that she could see me shaking.

Everyone was so nice and reassuring. Like everyone else has said, I was asked to count down from 10 and I don't think I got beyond 7. Next second I was waking up. And I did feel a bit silly about being quite so scared.

I hope you don't have to wait 6 weeks!

Feeling all warm and fuzzy at the nice comments about anaesthetists on here - massive clue in my name that I am one. @IndiaRose22 we know how scary it can be for patients but we do this day in day out, for the sickest patients imaginable and those having routine surgery. We are there to keep you safe and you are our focus at all times!!

They usually give you an injection to stop nausea and vomiting before you come round.

Yep - you just go off to sleep, no dreams, no awareness of the time passing at all. Then suddenly you are awake, it's lovely.

It's like the best ever sleep of your life after getting pissed extremely quickly and then you wake up with no hangover.

You'll be fine x

I had gallbladder removed in spring. I was terribly anxious beforehand, in fact I was crying the whole time they were prepping me. They were very kind, wiped my tears and reassured me. They asked me lots of questions about what I’d been up to at the weekend and instead of asking me to countdown, they said tell us about your plans. I could see it was 10.30am on the clock, I started telling them about my garden and then I woke up in recovery at 1.30pm. That was it.

I did take a long time to come round apparently, so they just kept me in recovery longer. Turns out I don’t metabolise the GA very well, so I was very sleepy for a good 24 hours afterwards and had to stay in overnight. It was super nice to be able to just drift off to sleep very easily once I was back on the ward.

After the op, keep on top of your painkillers, you’ll need them. Don’t try to be brave! Also keep drinking water, your mouth and nose will feel very dry from the oxygen mask.

I’ve had several generals anaesthetics. Honestly, this is not something to be worried about, you’re awake one minute chatting to the nurse and then wake up the next in a warm bed being offered some toast.

I last had a GA about 40 years ago when I had a rhinoplasty. I'm now 68 and was recently diagnosed with gallstones after being taken to hospital after phoning 111, who sent an ambulance. I was told I may never have another bout of biliary colic again and so for the time being I decided against having my gall bladder removed. The doctors say that many people have gallstones and never know. My first and only bout of biliary colic was a result of trying a keto bar which had a high percentage of fat. My diet is normally quite low in fat.

Now that I'm old, my only fear about having a GA is whether it may affect my brain and cause, or speed the onset of, dementia. Is that a completely ridiculous fear, or is that a possibility, albeit a remote one? I admit to being an extreme pessimist (I have lifelong depression and anxiety btw and will always need to be on ADs).

Agreed - I am always convinced I will get to 1 and be smug! Never happened...

Having a GA is the most fabulous experience! Had one when my gallbladder came out too, and it was the best sleep of my life. It's just a shame we can't have them regularly.
I am genuinely not sure what there is to be scared of, because you just wake up in recovery when everything is done and dusted.

I had my gallbladder removed just over a couple of weeks ago, it was such a relief as I have been suffering from attacks for 6 years and been on the waiting list 2 1/2years.
The ga was actually fine. I'm quite an anxious person and can't stand anything over my face, but everyone put me at ease.
I've got a 2 1/2 year old and a 1 year old, so just take it easy afterwards. I had my op Friday, husband back to work Monday. I was fine except lifting kids In the car and their cots.