Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to talk navigation

Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Unflip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Unflip

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

1 2

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

General health

Any advice, dd having general anaesthetic tomorrow?

33 replies

Lilliput · 21/09/2006 20:13

She is first on the consultants list tomorrow so we have to be there by 8am. She is having a GA because she has had a recurring stye on her right eye and a number of white spots on the inside of both lower eyelids and the opthamologist wants investigate what it is. I was told she probably won't be in overnight as long as she recovers from the anaesthetic ok but should I be prepared for an overnight stay anyway? She is only 3 but not dry at night, should I put her in a pull up for the surgery time? Any other advice or tips would be great. I have had virtually no experience of hospitals so I have very little idea of what happens. Thanks.

OP posts:

Report

CJinSussex · 22/09/2006 23:27

Hi Lilliput - I'm really pleased it all went OK and you enjoyed a nice cuddle (bonus )!!

Megalegs - hopefully that bottom tooth will have settled down in another 3/4 days and the op will go just fine. Keep us posted!

Hugs to the lo's.

anniediv · 22/09/2006 21:50

Lilliput, I was thinking of you today, so I'm glad it was all okay. And good luck to you Megalegs for when your LOs have their ops

Lilliput · 22/09/2006 21:48

Just curious, but what are your kids going in for megalegs?

OP posts:

MegaLegs · 22/09/2006 20:51

Good to hear that Lilliput. Glad it's all over for you and dd. Wow it sounds like she was brilliant!! I'm feeling a bit calmer about it now although ds has had a bad day today. He is teething and one of his new bottom teeth has been just breaking through for a couple of days. It looks v.sore and a bit like an ulcer and he has a slight temp. Hope he's ok for Tues as they won't operate if he is unwell. hope your dd has a good night and is not too sore.

Lilliput · 22/09/2006 19:20

Well I am glad I have got that experience under my belt. Dd was brilliant, probably because she didn't really know what was going to happen. She marched into the anaesthetic room, passed the nurses station, they all said they had never seen anyone march in there before! They couldn't get a vein on either os her hands after trying a couple of times so she had to have gas. God that was horrible, she struggled but as you say megalegs it knocked her out pretty quick. Really awful to have her go floppy in my arms and see her eyes roll backwards. Of course once she was out I burst into tears but everyone was really lovely, said everyone cries as it is quite a shock to see your lo like that.
I;m really glad I started this thread last night as I did feel much more prepared.
When she woke up and was carried back to the ward she sobbed for about 15 minutes as we curled up in bed together. I'm sorry to say that I quite enjoyed this as she is a very independant 3 year old and very rarely really needs me in a physical way. She then slept for another hour and was back to her usual bossy self pretty quickly especially once she had had jelly and ice-cream!
Her eyes look really really puffy and I think she was pretty surprised to see herself in the mirror this evening.
Thanks for the advice and support!!

OP posts:

MegaLegs · 22/09/2006 10:16

Thinking of you and your dd this morning Lilliput - let us know how she is, you are and how it all went.

Blu · 21/09/2006 22:53

Megalegs - DS had 4 GAs at about that gas, and they used gas first. He did struggle, but the more they struggle, the quicker they conk out because the struggling makes them breathe faster. It takes less than 10 seconds. The best anaesthetist we had actually took the tube off the mask and wafted the gas under his nose, so that he was a bit woozy by the time the mask went on. Mind you, so was I!
Gas is better for little ones as it is harder to find a vein - they do that once they are asleep with gas, and put the iv ines in.

Good luck both of you - it will be over much quicker than you think.

Lilliput · 21/09/2006 22:43

Thanks everyone, I'll let you know how we get on.

OP posts:

CJinSussex · 21/09/2006 22:14

Lots of good advice already. My DD1 (age 4) had GA earlier this year - she did look very small in her big bed but mummy was very brave - right up until I left theatre and then I was in tears! DD1 was also very brave, had canula in back of hand. The staff were brilliant and lots of fun. I cuddled her when GA was administered, she was momentarily confused and then out like a light.

I waited back on the ward and they rang me when her op was finished so I could go up and wake her up (that took some doing but it was about 2am by this point). Then she needed oxygen through the night but wouldn't keep the mask on (couldn't suck her fingers) so nurse & I sellotaped it onto the pillow next to her nose. I 'slept' next to her and she didn't move all night. Although it was quite a traumatic episode in our lives, it was quite lovely that night, she never gets into our bed so it was a bit like her being a baby again (god, I'm filling up!!).

I'm sure a pull-up will be fine but they'll tell you what to do - put gown on, no hair clips, no nail polish, etc. DD1 was allowed to keep her cuddly rabbit with her though.

Lilliput · 21/09/2006 22:14

Sick even though he had been starved! Not nice!

OP posts:

geogteach · 21/09/2006 22:00

Second what everyone has said about it being worse for you than them. DS1 has had 3 and we have always been taken back to the ward and made a drink. All I would add is take a change of clothes as the first time DS was very sick over me and himself, not plesant to sit around in. Since then he has had an antisickness with the anaesthetic.

Ellbell · 21/09/2006 21:46

Good luck Lilliput and MegaLegs

Dd2 fell over a year ago (when she was 3.6) and cut her lip open, and they had to stitch it under GA. Not much to add to what others have said, but lots of sympathy and support. I guess with the pull-ups thing it'll depend how long your dd is likely to be under the anaesthetic. My dd was only under for about half-an-hour (though it felt much longer to me!) so she was OK. I put her on the loo before she went down to have the anaesthetic (but it was a bit odd in terms of timing because she'd eaten just before she fell so she had to wait till the food was out of her system and they ended up doing the op at about half past midnight, so she was fast asleep beforehand and I had to wake her up for it...) and she was fine from then on. She was very distressed afterwards, but I think that was mainly because she just wanted to sleep (it was about 1.30 a.m. by this point!) and everyone was trying to wake her up to make sure she was OK. She woke up in the morning as if nothing had happened, though, polished off two bowls of coco-pops and two slices of toast (despite swollen lip like a boxer's and 6 stitches) and demanded to go home. So I think it's realistic to expect to be in and out in the day if you're going in early a.m.

Good luck. Will be thinking of both of you.

Lilliput · 21/09/2006 21:45

go for it megalegs!

OP posts:

MegaLegs · 21/09/2006 21:40

It's the bit when they give them the aneasthetic that is worrying me the most. DS4 is 15 months old so I presume he will have the gas, a friend says they often struggle. DS1 ha schosen to have magic cream and the mouse straw! (canula). DH is staying ayt home with the other boys. Where do I wait? It's going to be the longest wait ever! ( Sorry Lilliput, have slightly hijacked your thread!)

skippydog · 21/09/2006 21:36

Not really it was the horrible bright red eye-whites - lasts quite a while - but not so much bruising.

Lilliput · 21/09/2006 21:32

Do you reckon she'll looked as though she's been punched afterwards?

OP posts:

skippydog · 21/09/2006 21:24

One thing I will add - my boys had this surgery - and the one thing that totally freaked me --- if they ask you to hold her while they administer the anaesthetic - it is the most horrible feeling in the world - so not like them falling asleep as the drugs make them completely limp.
Still remember it from 10 years ago - so be prepared.

SoMuchToBits · 21/09/2006 21:22

Try to be calm right up until she's asleep (even if you then bawl your eyes out!), as she is more likely to stay calm if you are. It might help to take a favourite toy or comforter to leave, so it's there when she wakes up in the recovery room, if they allow you to. I used to work in a recovery room,and it was much better if the children had something familiar when they woke up.

Yorkiegirl · 21/09/2006 21:21

Message withdrawn

carol3 · 21/09/2006 21:16

yes, will be a day of waiting, take plenty of magazines for you and little one. Saying that though if your first on the list you'll my be home mid afternoon.

Lilliput · 21/09/2006 21:13

I presume I am going to be doing quite a bit of hanging around?

OP posts:

carol3 · 21/09/2006 21:00

lilliput, don't be hard on yourself, i cryed everytime I left the anesthetic room.

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Email address

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

anniediv · 21/09/2006 20:51

Also, FWIW, ga for whatever reason isn't 'minor', and can affect you just as much for a big or small procedure if it's your dd or ds having it done Try not to worry.

anniediv · 21/09/2006 20:50

Lilliput, the staff are really understanding and you will not be the only one wiping their eyes I can assure you!

Lilliput · 21/09/2006 20:48

I am so dreading it and yet it is probably something really minor to a lot of people whose kids are really sick and in and out of hospital a lot. I will feel a real prat if I cry at some point.

OP posts:

Unflip

1 2

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.