Asleep for surgery?

Question

Hi!

I'm having surgery soon and the doctors said I'll be asleep for the whole thing. I'm curious about this part. I had novocaine at the dentist once but I've never been "knocked out" before. What does it feel like to get put to sleep? Do you get drowsy or anything before falling asleep?

Thanks! I really appreciate all your help!

PS: I don't know if they're going to use gas or IV

Answer 1

I am not a doctor or anything, but I can tell you about my experience at least. I had full anesthesia for oral surgery and all I remember about it is going to sleep very quickly and then waking up feeling GREAT. I was so loopy and happy they had to take me out the back door. I felt like I'd had the best sleep in my life. Honestly, I wouldn't worry about it too much and I'm even a little envious that you get to "go under"! lol

Answer 2

novocaine on that note was used as a local anesthetic..only a certain area was devoid of pain..

i assume that you will undergo a major surgery since you were told that you will be asleep throughout the procedure.. you wont feel a thing.. the anesthesiologist will probably use inhalational anesthetics (by way of a face mask) to put you to sleep first (others just fall asleep while others get a little drowsy.. but its a fast process.. you might not be able to finish counting up to 10) then a muscle relaxant will be given through your IV to relax the muscles so they wont contract during intubation.. then he can intubate you (insert a tube down your trachea).. once anesthetize, you wont feel anything (that's why its important that they get your exact weight to compute for the right amount of anesthesia).. this process is general endotracheal anesthesia.. then they can operate on you..

some anesthesiologists just use TIVA or total intravenous anesthesia (if i remember it right) but im pretty sure that there is no intubation done.. anesthesia will be given through the IV.. but this process will not put you in "deep sleep".. ive seen some patients (women who give birth usually) who wake up once in a while as they were being sutured.. but mostly, they dont remember that..

i hope ive been of help in some way..

goodluck on your surgery! have a speedy recovery..

one more thing.. your anesthesiologist should see you prior to surgery.. he's suppose to discuss how he'll do the procedure.. feel free to ask questions..

Answer 3

I have had surgery under a general anesthetic, it only felt as though I was sleep for 5 minutes, but to be honest your not sleep your just kind of doped up, because anesthetic that puts you to sleep is banned, because it may kill you if you don't wake up, so when they put you under the medicine you talk in your "sleep" this was my first surgery ever and I still don't remember, how i got from on the bed to the chair......You have nothing to worry about you are in good hands, it will be over in no time, depends on what type of surgery you are having. Good luck, remember don't worry about a thing, just don't be afraid of the needle its only a prick and I am 15 years old and took it, Once again good luck <3

Answer 4

I have been unconscious for surgery before.

In my case I was given a drug to relax me and then another drug was given to me through an IV. They told me to start counting backward from 100 and I never made it to 90, most people don't. After that they may have used gas, I am not sure. But it felt just like going to sleep only quicker.

I talked with a surgeon lately and he told me that they now use drugs to make sure you won't remember the operation. In fact many patients don't even remember making it to the table. All of this is done to make it as easy for you as possible.

Answer 5

I was having a c-section done and was awake and under spinal anestisia, but during the operation i started to feel pain, i said that i could feel pain and the next thing i knew i was awake in the recovery room. I think it took them half a second to knock me out. I was not drowsy at all. but this is still a little different i hope someone else can answer better.

Answer 6

I just had surgery and if you are going under anethesia you are really gonna be asleep. Plus you have some amnesia, of before and after. Also they give you a shot of something to relax you so you feel high right before you go under. All in all its not bad .

Answer 7

You won't even know when you go to sleep. They give you the anesthesia in an IV and BAM! you are gone. La la Land. You will wake up in recovery and not know what happened.
Good luck!

Answer 8

If anoesthesia is given by a competent doc you will never no what happened. You will feel that you have got a good sleep & have woked up as fresh as never. You have neither written of your age nor type of operation. Why they don't use spinal anaoesthesia?

Answer 9

now days they put a drip which goes into your vien in the arm generally. they put the stuff in there and you just go to sleep and there are doctors watching you all the time you just wake up and of coarse you do feel different depending on what you are having. but its like sleeping and that time is gone like a whiz. its neat but can be scary if you think about it.

Answer 10

they will ask you to count backwards....say from ten.......by 8 you will be out cold!

you willnot remember a thing other than waking up groggy like getting woken in the middle of a deep sleep- maybe a little more dopey.

no worries!