To ask what it's like to go under GA

[HerRoyalStressHead]

I've never been under general anaesthetic and I'm due to have an operation on a herniated disc in my neck on Wednesday.
I know I always need more local anaesthetic than they think. Does that mean I'll need more general or is it completely different? In case you haven't gathered yet I'm absolutely clueless.

I had my preop and they said I'll be out for the count before I even count back from 10 to 6. But I've got this fear I'll get to one and still be awake.

What happens if I am still awake?
What if it doesn't work for me?
What if I wake up during surgery?
I'm panicking.

It's a big deal as its the forst time ill have ever been under.

They've said the op is an easy one
They've said that it'll be quick and over with before I know it. But what if there's complications? What if I don't get my grip strength in my hand back? What if I'm still in pain with my neck after? I know I should have asked the preop nurse all this but we were worried I wouldn't even be able to have the op as I'm waiting on an echo to confirm there's nothing structurally wrong with my heart and confirm doctors diagnosis of POTS. She said she'd phone me if things were not going ahead and I've not heard anything yet so I have to go under the assumption it is still going ahead and now all these fears have surfaced. Argh.

Funnily enough, I was thinking the other day how it's probably unlikely I'll need one again (which is obviously good) but I was sad that I wouldn't get that amazing sleep! 😂

I had my first GA last year. Like you I was terrified. I was really worried that I would try and fight being put under and that would panic me.

But I didn’t need to worry. The doctor knew I was nervous and he was really kind. He said he was just going to give me some fluids first before the GA and then the next thing I knew was that I woke up in recovery. There was no counting back from 10, no awareness that I was going under. It was a case of “I wonder what it will feel like when he puts the prope-……… oh, it’s all over, thank God, I’m in recovery”

I did feel queasy when I woke up and told the nurse who put something into the IV which instantly made me feel better.

Honestly there is no need to worry - they do it all day every day and they are experts. You won’t wake up half way through as they are monitoring you the whole time and would give you more drugs to keep you further under the second you started coming up before you even recognised consciousness.

I've had two GAs and each time it was like a light switch being flicked. One moment I'm yakking to the anaesthetist, the next dark. Then I wake up and it's as if no time has passed. The first time I got panicky that I'd woken up too quickly and that the op hadn't started. The nurse chuckled and reassured me that I'd been happily unconscious for over two hours, and that my pesky herniated disc had been dealt with in full.

I had a GA in the summer. Felt very anxious and alone going down to theatre.

Anaesthetist was lovely. I felt sick and she gave me something for it and instantly I felt better. I was teary and she chatted on about how she’d, ‘Set me off,’ and how sorry she was.,

Then she said, ‘I’m going to give you fentanyl,’ and we chatted a bit about drugs crisis in US. Then I felt euphoric (I mean really amazing) then I was asleep.

Panicked for a second when I awoke but immediately there were nurses voices telling me where I was and not to be afraid and slightly bizarrely bunting above my head announcing that this is ICU.

Good luck with your op. All will be well.

I had that when I had a detached retina operated on. Opened my eyes to bright lights, and thought they were wheeling me into theatre. Nope-it was the recovery room!

It’s one of my favourite things!
I always try to tell the docs that o feels bit dizzy as I’m going under but I never get to finish my sentence.
Waking up, I always feel like I’ve had the best ever sleep of my life. I love the feeling of coming round. I always jitter a bit with cold when I wake you so they put this heated blanket thing on me which makes it even more lovely.

I've had a couple and you just count backwards from ten and you're asleep before 1 . You just drift off it's nothing to worry about at all .

Another one agreeing with everyone else that it’s a really pleasant experience! I had major cancer surgery last year- my operation apparently lasted about 8 hours not that I had any idea! Honestly the last thing I remember is chatting away to the anaesthetist & the next thing I remember is coming around & calling out to a nurse for water.

I’ve had two GAs. I was very, very nervous for both, but on both occasions the anaesthetist and nurses could not have been kinder or more reassuring.

The first time, I was quite tearful as they wheeled me to theatre. A nurse held my hand the entire time. Once I arrived the anaesthetist was talking to me and was so relaxed and chatty, he really put me at ease. I was asked to count back from 10, I don’t remember getting further than 10, and then next thing someone was saying my name to wake me up.

The second time was a little more dramatic (not for me personally, but the circumstances) because just after I was wheeled into theatre there was an alarm and about half the people who had been there for my surgery had to rush off to assist with a different surgery. I was left with the surgeon, anaesthetist and one nurse, but they were so lovely to me. I had had a baby a few weeks previously and they were asking me about him and being so kind. Again, I don’t remember anything after being asked to count backwards. It’s like from that moment time just skips to the point where you wake up.

I remember before both being very anxious about exactly that - that there would just be a chunk of time missing from my life. It is a strange feeling but nowhere near as odd as I was expecting. You adjust very quickly.

I will say that I didn’t have the experience of feeling like it was the best sleep ever that some PPs have. For me it’s like missing time, there isn’t the sense of time having passed like when you are asleep.

I also found the process of coming round tricky on both occasions. Upon waking each time I was very, very sick - presumably a reaction to the morphine. I also felt quite dazed and confused. The care I got in recovery was amazing - they know there is a chance of sickness and they’re fully prepped to give you a bowl and clean you up etc. They were so kind to me.

I also had a really sore throat the second time - I think from the tube that goes in there. If I ever have another GA I will bring soothing sweets for after.

I was very tired and a bit zoned out for a few days after, so make sure you’re prepared to take it easy and look after yourself.

I would definitely not describe a GA as a pleasant experience but the anticipation is much worse than the event, and you will have lovely, kind people looking after you. Both of mine were fine, and if I ever had a third I would be much less worried in advance.

I had emergency surgery last year (ruptured ectopic). You're really well looked after under a GA. I met the anaesthetist first to go through my medical history. He got me to take my inhaler first (asthmatic) and he explained what they were going to do. He said his job was to focus on me through the operation and make sure I was ok.

When I was in the pre-theatre room bit he put me under fairly quickly. I needed a second cannula and he said they would do things like that whilst I was asleep. I was anxious as was in surgery within an hour of my scan so not much time to mentally prepare. All the team were lovely and chatted to me and cracked some jokes to put me at ease. The anaesthetist did a couple of tests to check the line and then gave me the GA and said to count back from 10. I remember laughing as I felt so wonderfully light headed after I got to 7.

Then I woke up in recovery what felt like a second later. A PP said it's like when you fall asleep during a tv show and then wake up and find it's finished which is exactly what it was like for me.

I understand the fear. I had emergency surgery a few years ago under GA but I was way too out of it to care, if anything I was relieved to go to sleep for a while… I woke up very delirious, couldn’t stop giggling about absolutely nothing. I don’t remember them putting me to sleep, you do just count and then you’re out and that’s the end of it until you wake up.

Second time wasn’t an emergency and I woke up uncontrollably sobbing, I just couldn’t help it. Again though, no big drama going to sleep, it’s quite peaceful actually. Be prepared for a sore throat for a few days afterwards.

It’s fantastic and I can see why people become drug addicts. As if I needed any more warning other than common sense, it’s a reminder to me never to try heroin as I’ll like it too much.

That heated blanket was wonderful. I was a bit cold when I came round and they gave me that and it was like the joy of sinking into a nice hot bath without having to get wet.

Good luck OP, definitely let them know you're anxious, but in my experience the medical staff are all extremely kind and reassuring. As others have said the drifting off is 'easy' you don't get very far with the counting backwards and the next thing you know you're coming round. That is a little disorienting but hopefully then you get something like a morphine drip with a clicker (you self administer by pressing the clicker - don't worry you can't overdose though you could press the clicker repeatedly and it won't give you more than you can have within a given time period) by way of painkiller - I've had that a couple of time and it's rather lovely - whenever things get a bit too clear you just press the clicker and everything gets all floaty and fuzzy again - very relaxing!

Oh I should add re your fear of waking up during surgery - one of my best friends is a consultant anaesthetist - the anaesthetist is monitoring you and your vitals extremely closely the entire time, and adjusting anything as needs be, so you won't wake up before you're supposed to.

Hahaha yes I've had the exact same thought! I've had two operations under GA in my life and I really did enjoy the morphine I was given afterwards!

I had Valium for an eye surgery, it was blissful, I was laying there with surgeons cutting holes in my eyeball and talking about surgery type stuff and I could not have cared less. I was so relaxed.

I've had a few and always had fab experiences. Be prepared to cringe at the things you say after (and before if you've had a pre-med). I was sedated for them to do nerve blocks before my last one and distinctly remember giving the anaesthetist a lecture on why the NHS should go paper-free. I've also said some ridiculous things on waking up.

I had ga earlier this year for the first time and I was mega anxious. Had to wait NBM until 7pm which was pretty awful.

as for the actual GA though I loved it. I was worried about not knowing where I was when I came round but there was just a nurse there talking me through it and she was lovely. The “coming to”
part is really gentle and relaxing. I didn’t notice the “going off” part at all.

The only thing I’d caution on was that once I had fully come to I was as high as a kite. Then I couldn’t sleep that evening.

For me it was like switching off a light. None of that slow fade some people describe.
One minute I was fully "in the room", the next I was completely gone.

The next thing I knew, it was like someone was calling my name from really far away, and shaking my shoulder (I had eye surgery, so I guess that was okay!) And it was like crawling out the deepest heaviest sleep I've ever had.

But within 20 minutes I was fully awake, and sat up having a coffee and a sandwich!

I just had a GA on Tuesday. My second one. Last time out I woke up extremely nauseous so this time I told every nurse and the anaesthetist that I’d need an anti emetic. It’s not uncommon, and I woke up with no nausea.
I still feel a bit knackered though, four days later.

I'm a redhead and always need extra local. One minute I was awake, next minute I was waking up. That was a 5hr one for a disc herniation
I'm a bit weird as I ping awake, want food and then can't sleep for a day or so!

It'll be fine. If you don't go under they don't start the surgery. They know about these things. When I had my eye operation I was given a big injection of white stuff and I think I managed to count down from 10 to 7 and next thing I knew I was in a bed 8 hours later, and I could hear DH talking to the older woman in the next bed. My eyes were bandaged. Actually she was sitting in the chair by the bed, and she told my DH she was tired. He said 'I expect you'd like to get into bed'. I mumbled out loud 'I bet you say that to all the girls', and that's how they knew I had come round.

If you need more local to take effect and have POTS, do you have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome? EDS comes with resistance to local anastethic usually, it always takes longer to work with me and i need more.

I've had 3x general and I only had one slightly dodgy experience BUT I was hemorrhaging at the time so it may have been more blood loss than the actual GA where I felt like I was falling but it was only for a second.

My feeling of the GA was really pleasant, they were all lovely and reassuring. Even coming round, it was great and I got an ice lolly! (To stave off sickness).