Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

General health

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

how long after gen anaesthetic until you feel normal

60 replies

southeastastra · 12/11/2008 16:50

again?

OP posts:
googgly · 12/11/2008 17:00

bump, as I need to know this too!

neolara · 12/11/2008 17:02

I had a light general anaesthetic (under for about 20 mins) and it took 24 hours before I stopped feeling unco-ordinated.

MadamDeathstare · 12/11/2008 17:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Podrick · 12/11/2008 17:07

I took 4 weeks

MadamDeathstare · 12/11/2008 17:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AstroPup · 12/11/2008 17:10

recently had GA - Was under for about an hour, and felt wobbly for a couple of hours but was resting. 5hours after i did a quick whizz round tesco and thought i was going to die! Felt fine as soon as i took it easy though and next morning (about 16 hrs after GA) i was absolutely fine.

southeastastra · 12/11/2008 17:11

4 weeks!

i had op yesterday at 3 under for an hour. felt ok this morning, quite buzzy, now feel awful and dizzy.

OP posts:
Aniyan · 12/11/2008 17:14

I've had one general anaesthetic - was under for about 30 mins and felt fine within an hour or so of coming round. Didn't risk driving for 48 hours afterwards as I don't think you're insured for a day or two after having a general, but didn't really feel any after-effects at all - of the anaesthetic, anyway.

combustiblelemon · 12/11/2008 17:26

It really depends on the individual. Sorry you're feeling shitty.

aliasdictus · 12/11/2008 17:28

Hi, interestingly it depends more on the type of surgery rather than the time taken. A simple op such as looking in the bladder or knee only needs a light aneasthetic, even if it takes an hour. A keyhole operation on the tummy needs a far more complex series of drugs and muscle relaxants that will have far more effects. A painful operation such as a toe or hand will need a good dose of powerful analgesics which may last for hours. By and large the effects of the most complex anaesthetic will be over by 24 hours, hence the no driving/no machinery ban and any subsequent problems are more likely to be due to the surgery or the body's response to the surgery.

frostyfingers · 12/11/2008 17:35

I've had a fair number of generals (6) and am bad with them - coming round my bp hits the floor and I start fitting. I'm also very susceptible to things like painkillers,sleeping tablets, cough/cold remedies (child's dose knocks me out. I once had pethidine for a kidney infection, they gave me a low dose because of how I reacted which should have lasted a couple of hours, lasted 12! Interestingly the last two I had were a year apart and each time it took me longer to recover. Most recent one I would say it was about a month before I felt ok (kept dropping off to sleep and feeling woozy all the time). I wasn't allowed to drive for 6 weeks after surgery, but not sure I would have done if I had been. Did get fed up of people saying how tired I looked too!

southeastastra · 12/11/2008 17:36

oh that's interesting alias, i had an edoscopic sinus op, maybe i had a stronger anaesthetic, just didn't think i'd feel so woozy now. only had two before and am sure i didn't feel this rotten.

still it's only just been 24 hours. i have no patience.

OP posts:
NotQuiteCockney · 12/11/2008 17:37

Depends on what they do to you, and how long you're out.

I had a relatively minor op in the spring, I was probably out for 20 minutes or something - not long at all, anyway. It went really well, but it was a fairly serious operation (eye-related, but they had to break my nose ). I wasn't happy to leave the hospital that night, and it was a week or two before I was back to normal. Granted, I got a small infection, but still ...

happywomble · 12/11/2008 17:55

Have had three and remember feeling drowsy on the day of the GA but fine by the next day, I think. On one occasion I remember having a sore throat for a short time afterwards.

I think you would feel back to normal by the next day in terms of the anesthetic after effects.

southeastastra · 12/11/2008 20:57

ooh poor you nqc i can empathise with anything nose related atm.

i keep feeling hyper then knackered.

OP posts:
petitmaman · 12/11/2008 20:59

mu mum always says it takes 6 weeks for your body to fully recover and you should allow yourself this time

superdenki · 12/11/2008 21:05

i had surgery in march and felt groggy and washed out for about 3 days afterwards - luckily my post-op instructions were to lie down for 5 days straight afterwards (it was a retinal detachment) so i had plenty of time to rest and get over it.

Dottoressa · 12/11/2008 21:05

I had a 2-hr GA last week, and I didn't really notice it having much of an effect afterwards (to my surprise!) It was in the middle of the night so I was tired anyway - but I think I was so glad to be pain-free the following day that I didn't really register any GA effects!!

ThingOne · 13/11/2008 19:31

I think I've had four. When I've had long surgery and lots of anaesthetic it's been a long time before I've got over it. I recently had some simple day surgery and clearly had a simple lot of drugs to go with and was right as rain in a few days. I didn't drive for a while due to pain so can't say when I was safe to do so.

Thomcat · 13/11/2008 19:32

Think it took be about a week. I was under for about 4 hours, something like that.

Had horrid dreams and just felt tired and bit off for about a week.

serenity · 13/11/2008 19:45

I think it can depend on the individual as well - I was under quite a while, but if you discount the effects of the surgery itself, was fine the next day. My Mum on the other hand had a minor op, out for 1/2 hour or so but it took her a couple of weeks to feel herself, and she felt very rough the first week.

southeastastra · 13/11/2008 19:46

i still feel awful two days later

OP posts:
NorbertDentressangle · 13/11/2008 19:52

Are there different "qualities" of anaesthetic ?

Its just that I've had 4 GAs -the first 2 left me feeling awful afterwards (nausea, vomiting, dizziness).

I mentioned this to the anaesthetists before my last 2 ops and they said that they would take this into account (can't remember exactly what they said but I think it was implied they would use a different grade of anaesthetic??). Anyway I was fine after those ops.

southeastastra · 14/11/2008 12:18

still feel awful, 3 days later

OP posts:
ThingOne · 14/11/2008 14:22

Can you ring your GP? Do you fee nauseous? Headache? You can get drugs to ease these. I get given anti-emetics and headache things with my anaesthetics as I know these are a peoblm for me.