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Original poster

What are general anaesthetics like these days?

40 replies

Fluffycloudland77 · 27/11/2013 20:31

I've got to have one after Christmas.

OP posts:
Theas18 · 27/11/2013 20:35

My last one a year ago was really rather pleasant in a sort of trippy way!you know how sleep sucks you back in if you wake too early? - quite a bit of that in the recovery room lol

My abiding memory is however that it anaesthetises your taste buds much longer than everything else. I was on Bupa (posh!). So had smoked salmon and lemon meringue ice cream an naice coffee and it all tasted like cardboard!

Beastofburden · 27/11/2013 20:42

Had one ten days ago, out for three hours.

Much, much nicer than the ones I remember. The sticl a tiny needle in hour hand, pop a mask over your moutgh, your arm goes weirdly cold, and then it is three hours later, and you are snuggled up under what they call a "bear hug" which is a kind of warm disposable blanket, with people calling your name.

They don't bother with premed these days, they just give you anti-sick pills while you are under.

I was eating tomato soup within an hour and up and about next day. My soup tasted fine :)

You may well spend a pleasant night on oxygen which feels delicious, like being up a mountain in fresh Swiss air, and with a dinky machine strapped to each leg, which inflates cuffs all night long to stop you getting DVT.

WaitingForPeterWimsey · 27/11/2013 20:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PoppadomPreach · 27/11/2013 20:45

I love them! Had 3 in past 9 years and loved them all.

Might just be me though.....

Beastofburden · 27/11/2013 20:45

Second that. I am a champion puker. I puke when in a car, boat, train or airplane. I puke when pregnant, with headaches, or if overtired. I puke if I eat chewing gum, bacon fat or tough meat. I puke on my poor long suffering dentist unless he is VERY careful.

I didn't even feel queasy.

Littlefish · 27/11/2013 20:54

I'm afraid I have to give an opposing view because I absolutely hated having my GA 18 months ago.

I was terrified before I went down to the operating theatre which obviously didn't help. I went under ok, but suddenly became aware of people talking around me saying things like "I can't find a vein", "her vein's collapsing". I had no idea whether I was still under the anaesthetic or not so I started to panic. I was, in fact, in the recovery room and the operation had finished.

A few minutes later, I asked the nurse what the consultant had done (as there was a possibility of him doing an additional bit of surgery once he had started). She just gently patted my hand, but said "I can't tell you, you'll have to speak to your consultant or your husband".

This refusal to tell me what had happened made me panic again as I immediately started to imagine that something horrible had been found, or had gone wrong. I was forced to phone dh who had gone home when I was still very, very groggy to try and find out what had happened.

All in all, it was a horrible experience. I'm sure that experiences like mine don't happen very often though.

Original poster
Fluffycloudland77 · 27/11/2013 21:05

I'm having a cervical polyp out, apparently it's quite big.

I said leave it in there and Ill book a nursery place for it but she's having none of it.

How soon do they let you see your dh? Are you fully conscious by then.

OP posts:
paddyclampo · 27/11/2013 21:06

I've had quite a few over the last couple of years ranging from 1 hour to 6 hours. Was extremely nervous, especially for the long one but I needn't have been!

It's quite a nice feeling as you go under and the next thing you know you're in recovery!

I also found that the medical staff were so kind and couldn't do enough for me. At no point was I in any discomfort, not nausea nor in pain.

The worst part of it for me was the thought of it!

WowserBowser · 27/11/2013 21:06

I had one on Thursday. It was nice. Maybe what heroin is like! Made everything seem ok. Good luck op xx

paddyclampo · 27/11/2013 21:08

Fluffy my DH went home to sort the kids out but he came to visit me at 6pm (got back on ward for about 4) and I was fully conscious and lucid by then.

GW297 · 27/11/2013 21:13

I had one recently. The actual op is fine. You are totally out of it and don't remember a thing. I was very sick when I woke, which is nothing new for me. They put opiates in my drip when I woke up too which I loved - they felt amazing! I could eat and dress myself shortly afterwards and then I was discharged. I had 2 weeks on the settee though as I felt completely wiped out. I had a large uterine polyp removed plus a laparoscopy for endo. Good luck with it all op.

HSMMaCM · 27/11/2013 21:22

Just don't read a really gripping book just before you go in. Apparently I was telling the recovery nurse the whole story and I can't even remember doing it.

IsabellaPasta · 27/11/2013 23:18

Had two in as many years. Lovely sleep. Sick after though but they can medicate to deal with that.

babyjane67 · 28/11/2013 07:19

How many people are wiped out by the ga?
Im having a polyp removed tonorrow under ga&a few people have said they were wiped out for while!
ive git a5yr old dd!
My dp is off tomorrow&sat but back to work sun
So i obviously wanna be able to see to her properly!
Have you got young kids gw?if so how did you cope?

Lonecatwithkitten · 28/11/2013 07:55

There is variation between hospitals, anaesthetists and patients as to what they do. I had a premed when I had GA in summer, but did not want any opiates as they make me so sick. I had a continuous rate infusion (CRI) as all the inhaled anaesthetics also make me very sick.
This was the very first time I have not been really sick (went in once for day surgery was still there 5 days later). This was a variation on their normal protocol to try and recent sickness.

WaitingForPeterWimsey · 28/11/2013 07:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Beastofburden · 28/11/2013 09:18

OP you need to take advice on how much rest from your GP or surgeon, not from us, it will depend on what you are having done. I've been given six weeks off but it was a bigger operation. FWIW I could have managed a toddler fine by the end of the first week, if I had a different operation and it was just the anaesthetic to consider. I think a weekend is a bit optimistic.

TheFuzz · 28/11/2013 10:58

It does vary with people and sometimes it can vary that one is OK, and the next isn't and you can be a bit sick.

I've had no issues. Twice recently. Very slick operation, pre theatre ward, quick chat and joke with staff, wheeled into anaesthetic room, more chatting, canula in, chat, premed injection (not needed but they prefer to give them you for those that get anxious) and immediately after, the anaesthetic. Out like a light, no counting.

Wake up with an oxygen mask, and maybe intravenous for fluids. You come round quick, wheeled off to ward. In my case I was out of the hospital within 2 hours of coming round !

Other than being a bit wobbly trying to get dressed soon after the op, no issues.

Next day fine. The pain meds I find worse, and hate codeine as it blocks me up, so I drop the pain meds as quickly as possible.

babyjane67 · 28/11/2013 11:35

Thanks all
i last had a ga4&half yrs ago&was absolutely fine but i have read that it can affect you differently as you gey older
Beastof yes i forgot to ask yest so will tomorrow when i go in
It says in the leaflets they gave me that it should wear off pretty quickly but if it doesnt theyll keep they may wanna keep me in

MinesAPintOfTea · 28/11/2013 11:46

I woke up thinking I was being smothered because I felt like I couldn't breathe and there was this thing covering my face. The nurse had to force me to keep the oxygen mask on. Aside from that, it was fine. I did vomit, but mine was emergency surgery and I'd been vomiting for two days when I went in for it.

IME they only let you see your DH at visiting hours, so it could be a few hours before they let you see him. It'll be worse for him though, you won't be as aware of the passing of time immediately afterwards.

digerd · 28/11/2013 12:34

The GAs are much better than years ago. In 1982 I had 2 GAs in 2 weeks. We woke with a terrible dry mouth but was not allowed to drink for hours. Even then I always brought the soup up during visiting time in the evening.
Pros were the beloved massive valium injection at 8am before the op, and we were all flying on cloud 9 being wheeled down to theatre/prep roomGrin. But not done nowSad
GA in 2001 for a 3 hour op and no feeling sick but no pre-med.

GW297 · 28/11/2013 17:46

Babyjane - I stayed at my parents for 2 weeks and they looked after me!

babyjane67 · 28/11/2013 20:14

Ah rite!lol
Thats not an option for me as my dm is87bless her!
My dp is only gonna work til12sun so im not on my own too long!

paddyclampo · 28/11/2013 20:43

If it's only a short op you may well be fine! Once had an hours worth of general anaesthetic on a Friday morning and I definitely made it to DS's football match on the Sunday afternoon so was OK-ish by then :)

lottieandmia · 28/11/2013 20:45

I had one in 2007 and one in 2012 and I actually enjoyed the experiences, An odd thing to say but they were not unpleasant in the least.