What is it like to be put to sleep under general anethesia?

Question

I am so scared! I have never been put under. Is it safe? Is it scary? Is it hard to wake up? Were you afraid you wouldn't wake up? What is the whole process like?

Answer 1

It is like nothing--one minute you are awake and the next you are awake again, except you have had surgery. No dreams, no memories, no anything scary.

I have had surgery SOOOOOOO many times. I almost look forward to the going under part b/c it is so restful, like the best sleep ever.

I don't ever worry if I am going to wake up b/c what would that help? If it happened, oh, well. But most people have no problems and there are bazillion operations a day with everything going fine, so there's no reason to think you won't be fine, too.

Good luck, and just relax and now---count backwards from 100 "good night!"

Answer 2

(32) 9/22/07 9:00 p.m.CDT
I've had a lot of surgeries, after awhile it just becomes a run of the mill process.
Okay, this is what happens on the day of your surgery.
They take you down to the surgical wing.
The anethesiologist comes and talks to you. This is to make sure, you understand what's going on. They are really nice & good at their job.
Usually, you already have an IV connected, if not, then they put a needle in your arm & start you on fluids. This is usually how the sedation gets into your bloodstream. Plus they give you oxygen with a little bit of sedation.
Sometimes they ask you to count backwards, sometime they just want you to talk. Next thing...You are under. I never dream when I'm under but there are some people who said they did.
Whatever.
You get your surgery.
They take you to ICU and or to recovery.
And after a bit, someone comes over and gently calls your name & you start to wake up.
Sometimes when you first wake up, you'll have a sore throat, don't worry, this is normal
This is pretty much all there is to it. If you still need to talk. You can always email me.
mk

Answer 3

I only had a general anesthesia once. One minute I was on the OR, talking to a nurse, the next thing I know... puff! I'm out. You don't even have time to feel sleepy or anything at all, you just become unconscious. It's not scary at all, since you don't feel it coming.

The waking up part depends on the person. Some people wake up feeling good, others not so good (kind of dizzy). In my one-time experience, I threw up as soon as I woke up. That part wasn't pleasant, but hopefully you'll wake up feeling better than I did. :) I just mention it so that you can be prepared if it happens to you.

As for being safe, well, I'm not a health professional, but I'd say it's pretty safe. It's very uncommon for people not to wake up afterwords, and when that happens it's usually due to surgery complications, not to the anesthesia itself. But that is something you should ask your surgeon, to make sure all your doubts are cleared, okay?

I sincerely hope your surgery goes well! Good luck! :)

Answer 4

I had to have general anethesia twice. Both times it was pleasant. First they give you something to relax you. In less than 1/2 an hour you are feeling really nice. Then they go ahead and put you out via something in an IV. You never know anything. The second time they asked me to count. I don't remember getting very far. Then they were waking me up and it was really tired. They gave me some crackers or something and juice to get me going again. But the overall process was nothing to be scared of.

Answer 5

I am 40 something and just went through that recently. I was scared, and had all the same questions you have. First off let me assure you it is very safe. The anesthesiologist will be there the whole time. It wasn't really scary because my Doctor gave me prescription for a Valium to take the morning of. A good breakfast I must say! After that happy pill I could care less bout anything. The worst part for me was that it involved oral surgery. I had to fast prior to the surgery and then eat mush after wards for what seemed like weeks!

Answer 6

It's safe. It isn't really scary, and it isn't hard to wake up. I wasn't afraid I wouldn't wake up, and the whole process is... well, almost like it doesn't happen.

You just pass out... and then when you wake up, you just wake up all of a sudden. Millions of people are put under general anesthesia every year... you'll be fine. Just talk to your doctor if you have any concerns. That's what they're there for.

Answer 7

It depends on the type of general anestesia they use, usually the effects of them are pleasent. Some make you dizzy or cause the room to spin, some may put you into a dreamy fantasy world, others just knock you out completly and cause you to wake up not remembering what happened. But there was that weird one they gave me called ketamine that made me think the whole time I was in the life of a bouncing smiley face in some forrest african forrest surrounded by zebras. Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) causes the world to look blury and voices mumble and make the room spin in circles without making you dizzy. But other ones just make you forget everything past the time you get the injection.

Answer 8

It's just like going to sleep. It's really nothing to worry about at all, but being nervous the first time is totally normal. I've been through it many times, and each time I still worry "what if I don't wake up..?"... but of course, I always do! ;-) Some people wake up very emotional... even crying. (I do) but that's normal too!

I don't know what procedure you're going to have, but the rate of death resulting from anesthesia itself is extremely small. Providing you're young and relatively healthy to begin with, you've nothing to really worry about.

I would suggest having a chat with the Anesthesiologist before your procedure... and the nurse too. They are sure to answer your questions and will put you at ease.

Good luck, honey... don't worry. Take care, and hope you have a speedy recovery!

Answer 9

Girl...I love it. I've had so many surgeries and procedures where I had to be put under. You just lay there and they put a medication through your IV. You don't feel it at all and know nog
thing. You sit there and you can even carry on a conversation and all of a suddden you're just asleep. You don't remember a thing! And just as fast as you went out is as fast as you come back out of it. There's nothing to worry about at all. You sometimes feel a little groggy as you come out of the anethstesea, but that's all. It's so wonderful to know that you bipassed all the pain and heartache. Relax and try to look forwaqard to it rather than afraid of it. Good Luck!!!

Answer 10

i was put under it when i had my wisdom teeth extracted. i wasn't scared just nervous, find a doc w a good reputation, and you'll be alright! they will hook you up to several monitors that let them know how your doing during the process, such as your pulse ect. its done by inserting a needle in the top of your hand, i won't lie that hurt. they told me when i woke up and was coherent i could leave. and waking up was like waking up in the morn, no biggie. they left the room. i looked at the clock for almost 10 min.... then woke up feeling fine. i didn't wake up confused or anything, i just wanted to leave. the only thing that relieved me was knowing its a common procedure done by someone who is more than qualified. and its painless. i assure you, you have nothing to worry about.