After a GA, is there meant to be someone there when you wake?

[ItsAllaBitDeathlyQuiet]

It was an abortion, I woke up crying with no idea where I was. I asked the woman in the bed next to me "have they done it?", she burst into tears. This is 10 years ago and I still feel like shit for her, and me. Don't mention the baby.

That sounds awful for you and her. Don't know if someone has to be there but I would have assumed so especially for an abortion. Sorry this happened to you.

Thank you Ooosha, I would have though so too. I still think that girl next to me hadn't had her "procedure" yet and I upset her.

It wasn't 10 years ago, it was actually nearly 20, so I suppose maybe things were a bit different then. I hope they have improved.

My God - I would have thought so. You can have complications coming round from anaesthetic. How awful for you
I would actually have a word with your GP, they might be able to arrange for you to talk this experience through with someone, if you think that would help.

Thanks BTP, no there was no-one there. I was put back in the bed I had been in on a ward.

I only get upset about it when I'm very stressed, but tbh it's a whole can of worms I'm too tired to open (wrt counselling etc).

I 'spose I just wanted someone to say, "OMG, YES! There should have been someone there to remind you what you were doing there" .

It was like that feeling waking with a massive hangover knowing you have done something truly awful, and then it hits you. And you panic.

Yes there definitely should be someone there - people often vomit or become very agitated and can injure themselves or choke so need close observation. Also you can have a bleed etc. and if no-one is close by you can bleed out within minutes.

Thanks whomoved.

I'm in Ireland so I had to go to England for it. Bloke was rich farmers son, I worked in local posh restaurant where his father/family were considered bigwigs, all kept v hush hush. His cousin put an envelope through my door with £500 to go to England.

That's bloody appalling, especially if it was private. :(

Thanks, yes it was private, it was a Marie Stopes place somewhere in London. "Something" Hill, begins with a "C" I think.

There should have been someone there when you woke. And not just to hold your hand. .

There are two components to GA - one to make you sleep and the other to paralyze you (so you don't move during the operation). Paralysis is supposed to pass before the sleep. But sometimes it doesn't, and you can find yourself fully conscious but unable to move or breathe. This happened to me.

I've heard about that CoteD, it sounds horrific.

There probably was someone with you when you first came round, possibly in a recovery room just outside the theatre. But after you woke, and they talked with you to make sure you had come round and knew where you were, you fell asleep again. The next time you woke you did not remember the first waking, so it was all new and raw for you.

I've had two GAs, with one I remember the first waking, with the other I do not remember the first waking.

If you are still tormented by the experience, then its a good idea to get help to process it and give yourself some peace. Hypnotherapy is very good for this sort of thing.

This was the place.

I have had the same as PrettyCandles for most of my (too many to count) GAs, not remembering the actual coming round but being told I gave a high number on the pain scale, said I was hot, even once thought the surgeon was my boss from work and told him he didn't have to check I really was ill. Sometimes it came back when they told me, sometimes completely blank. They probably had checked that you weren't medically in any danger before you were moved to the ward and left to sleep.

It does sound horrible for you but wouldn't necessarily been an okay experience if someone was there, it was a hard thing to deal with whatever the details. It is unlikely that a nurse would have found the exact phrasing and told you exactly what you wanted to hear and made it all okay. Were you completely alone or was there a friend or relative there to hold your hand? If you were completely alone, I do think they should have treated you more delicately but I'm not sure that this one detail of your care is the root of the pain you are feeling. You seem to want to lash out, name and shame the clinic, but probably know that things will be unrecognisably different there now so are not expecting to change things at the clinic - think about what you do want and find a way that suits you to work through it. Good luck.