Hi there.
I'm 51 and having an operation in two weeks. I've never had a general anaesthetic before and am a bit apprehensive.
Have any of you had a general before? What should I expect? Did you wake up ok? Is it just like a deep sleep? Upon waking, did it feel like just seconds went by? Will I feel sick? Will I feel tired for days? What could you tell me that can prepare me and ease my nerves?
Thank you kindly.
4 Replies
I've been under GA once for hernia repair surgery.
It definitely doesn't feel like a deep sleep, when you've been asleep you know you've been asleep and you wake up feeling rested. Waking up from GA feels more like abruptly jumping from one moment in time to another. One minute you'll be sitting on the bed in the pre op room, the next you'll be flat on your back in a brightly lit different room that's bustling with nurses and doctors and machines. It's a little bit disorienting but that subsides pretty quickly.
I woke up a tiny bit confused, I can remember having a completely nonsensical conversation with my nurse (bless her for not laughing lol).
Physically, I just felt a bit strange, not even necessarily in a bad way. I couldn't really put my finger on it.
They made me eat a sandwich in recovery, once I'd kept that down for half an hour I was being discharged. In hindsight though, I probably should have spent the night in hospital for observation
I felt quite tired for a few days, I think that was more related to the pain killers than the general though.
Ive had a few operations over the years. For me it felt quite quick. Like a few minutes went by but logically I knew that wasn’t the case pretty quickly.
The nurses and doctors are very kind.
I’ve never felt sick afterwards.
How you wake up will somewhat depend on the surgery. The quicker and less invasive the surgery is the faster you will feel back to normal.
Tubal ligation I felt back to normal super fast. Breast reduction which is a longer surgery and obviously more healing took longer.
Tbh it felt like time just skipped and it was great. I was so freaked out beforehand but bang recovered so quickly. I need not have been as anxious as I was. Easy to say I know. But just trying to reassure you it is definitely not as bad as you imagine it to be <3
It’s quick! I had so much anxiety about it too. One minute your talking to them, the next your out, then your waking up in recovery. If you feel nauseous during any stage tell them and they will give you something to stop it!! Make sure you do this, it’s a common reaction.