Anesthesia experiences?

Honestly, I was just as wired as a marathon runner after my first one; I felt like I could have jumped right out of bed. But the reality was that I spent the entire night tossing and turning because my back was absolutely killing me.

As for the second surgery, things went completely off the rails—it dragged on for hours when they had clearly planned for something much shorter. Who even knows how many extra doses of anesthesia they pumped into me to keep me under?

Look, thousands of people wake up from anesthesia without a single hiccup. But now, here we are, obsessing over whether we’ll be that unlucky one-in-a-million case where everything goes sideways... I mean, maybe you'll just walk under a falling piano today. So, let's all just sit here and panic about the piano potentially crushing us, because hey, anything can happen, right? 😉

Elizabeth Miller8 said:The role of an anesthesiologist carries immense responsibility—something most people fail to grasp entirely. It seems the surgeons are always showered with flowers and gifts, while the anesthesiologists—who essentially held their lives in their hands—are rarely given a second thought. Though, of course, everything ultimately rests in divine hands.

I couldn't agree more... there’s even a little joke floating around medical circles:Why did Sleeping Beauty sleep for a hundred years? She had a terrible anesthesiologist! 🙂

Raymond Bennett9: There really is nothing to fear; anesthesiologists know exactly what they're doing. You certainly don't need any extra stress before surgery... everything will be fine!!!!

Arslan said:I’ve had spinal anesthesia for knee surgery, and honestly, it isn’t painful at all. First, they apply a local anesthetic to your back, then there’s this weird numbing sensation while they find the right spot on your spine, but you stop feeling much after that. Then comes a warm sensation in your legs, and suddenly everything just goes numb. They give you some sedatives during the procedure to help with the nerves—it makes things feel a bit hazy, but I’d take that over losing my mind lying on the operating table any day. The whole anesthesia process went smoothly with zero side effects.

I’m in the same boat regarding spinal anesthesia. 👍
Look, I lead an interesting life, which is why I’ve ended up having eight surgeries so far. 😁
Seven times I was under general anesthesia, and every single time I was just relieved they weren't touching my spine. I was constantly paranoid, thinking, "What if they mess up?" and other nonsense like that. But for the eighth time, because of my knee, I went with the spinal, and it’s actually great. 👍
There's no pain, no nausea, no headaches, and none of those other miserable side effects you get from being knocked out completely.
That said, for someone asking about spinal anesthesia specifically, it wouldn't work for a shoulder issue since the site is too high up.

I was under general anesthesia for a three-and-a-half-hour surgery... I assume they knocked me out completely 😉😁

I didn't experience any side effects at all, aside from feeling a bit groggy.

I actually requested a spinal block, but the doctors told me they don't perform those for abdominal surgeries 😕

I always feel nauseous for the rest of the day, and once night rolls around, there's absolutely no chance I'll get any decent sleep after general anesthesia. It honestly feels like they overdo it on the dosage every single time 😁

I’m honestly at a loss for words... I’m currently in the ICU recovering from surgery, and I just witnessed some patients looking absolutely miserable, throwing up constantly. The nurses mentioned they definitely hadn't been fasting properly. And by "fasting," I don't mean skipping a meal for a day—I mean that grueling, multi-day hospital "cleansing" process they put you through.

banderas said:I always feel absolutely nauseous for the rest of the day, and once night falls, there's just no way I can get any decent sleep after general anesthesia. Honestly, I sometimes wonder if they've been overmedicating me every single time.😁

Well, if they actually had overdosed you, you probably would have slept like a baby for once.😁

Elizabeth Miller8 said:The only way you'd actually get some decent sleep is if they overdosed you first.😁

🙂 , it’s actually quite the opposite.
See, we aren't talking about "sleeping" while the anesthesia is active. We're talking about that 12 to 16-hour stretch after you wake up, where the lingering effects of that total muscle relaxation can really mess with your rest.😁

Betty Rivera14 said:I honestly don't even know how to put this into words... I was just in the ICU recovering from surgery, and I saw some patients who were vomiting uncontrollably. The nurses insisted they definitely hadn't eaten anything beforehand. Of course, when medical staff say "nothing by mouth," they aren't just talking about skipping a single meal; they mean that total, grueling systemic purge that lasts for days.

Look, you really have to take everything those nurses say with a massive grain of salt because they can be completely wrong sometimes...

...because personally, I hadn't eaten a thing, and yet there I was—throwing up nothing but fluids, obviously.

Haha... maybe I was actually right there in the ICU with you! 🙂 😁 😉

Betty Rivera14 said:I’m honestly at a loss for words... being in the ICU following surgery, I saw some patients who were vomiting terribly. The nurses suggested they clearly hadn't fasted properly. And by fasting, of course, I don't mean skipping one meal—I mean that whole "hospital style" purging process that drags on for three days.

Betty Rivera14, that three-day purge was because of your abdominal surgery, not the anesthesia itself. When it comes to the anesthesia, the rule is simple: soup for lunch the day before, coffee or water is fine until midnight, and then absolutely nothing. Oh, and smoking isn't exactly encouraged either. That part was the hardest for me—I didn't even give up my morning cigarette before the procedure, and surprisingly, I felt fine. I even had one two hours after surgery—much to the horror of the nursing staff, but addiction is what it is. 🙂 Still, I wouldn't recommend it...

The hardest part for me was being unable to have a 😱 😢

Betty Cox30, a cigarette just two hours after surgery???

Weren't you in the ICU?

banderas said:🙂 , actually, it’s quite the opposite.
The issue isn't really about "sleeping" while you're under anesthesia; rather, it's that deep, heavy slumber lasting 12 to 16 hours after you finally wake up. That happens because the intense muscle relaxation from the procedure 😁 can cause some real issues during recovery.

I honestly can't say for sure, but I know from my own experience that when I had a minor outpatient procedure, I couldn't sleep a wink all night. However, when I went under for a much larger surgery, I ended up sleeping for nearly an entire day straight—once they finally brought me back around from the anesthesia, of course.

Whether that's a direct side effect of the drugs or just my body being completely wiped out from the stress of it all, I haven't the slightest clue.

Lucky you 😢

I haven't slept in two days and two nights... ever since I was stuck in the ICU. There were six of us in there, with those brutal fluorescent lights burning overhead 24/7. One person is being a jerk, another is yelling, someone else is throwing up... the pain, the thirst...

It won't happen again.

Betty Rivera14 said:Lucky you. 😢

I honestly haven't slept for two whole days and nights... just thinking back to my time in the ICU—there were six of us crammed together under those harsh, blinding fluorescent lights that stay on 24/7. It was pure chaos; one person was being difficult, another was losing their temper, someone else was throwing up... the pain, the thirst, the sheer exhaustion...

It hasn't happened again.

I completely understand where you're coming from. 🙂

...And then there was that night when I couldn't sleep at all, and it felt like the universe was mocking me because everyone else was sound asleep, snoring away while I just lay there wide awake. 😱

Elizabeth Miller8 said:Thousands of people wake up from anesthesia without any issues at all. Now, here we are, obsessing over the idea that we might be that one-in-a-thousand outlier who gets screwed over... I mean... maybe today is just the day a piano falls on your head. So let’s all sit here and stress about the piano falling on our heads, because hey, it’s technically possible. 😉

Oh, goodness, that wasn't what I meant ( 😁 ). There were some very specific cases about a year or two ago—just a handful of them in a short window. I know there was an investigation into why, how, and what happened... I can't recall the exact details anymore, so I thought maybe someone else here would remember.

As for the anxiety, listen, I don't fear most things that seem dangerous to the general public, but there is one thing that doesn't exactly terrify me, but rather fills me with this intense, deep-seated unease. And that is anesthesia and the dentist (my boyfriend is my dentist and he does a perfect job, which really highlights how irrational these emotions are 😉). Of course, it's not quite the same thing, but when you feel that way, hearing about other people's experiences means a lot more if they just stay quiet.

By the way, after both of my surgeries, I was wide awake like a rabbit the second the anesthesia wore off, though I couldn't move an inch because of the pain, so I wasn't much of a "rabbit" in that sense (Look, these were very specific shoulder surgeries, so I don't want to scare anyone). Then the nausea hit immediately; it didn't even take thirty minutes. And now, here we go again.

Betty Rivera14 said:Betty Cox30, a cigarette just two hours after surgery???

Weren't you in the ICU?

I was in the intensive care unit—but since it was just laparoscopic surgery, I was up and moving almost immediately. Despite the nurses' protests, I insisted on a quick walk to the restroom, though naturally, I was closely supervised. Once they realized I wasn't about to keel over, they let me light up—I suppose I must have looked sufficiently unhinged. 🙂

Elizabeth Miller8 said:Man, you really have to take what those nurses say with a grain of salt because they can definitely get things mixed up sometimes...

...I mean, I totally skipped breakfast and then—bam—ended up throwing up, just some liquid obviously.

haha...maybe I was actually right there in the thick of it with you during 🙂 😁 😉

There’s actually a whole science behind why people throw up after anesthesia, and it usually boils down to two main things...

First off, standard post-op nausea and vomiting is usually just a side effect of the anesthetic itself. It's still circulating through your system and basically messing with your brain centers, triggering that sick feeling. So, honestly, whether you ate or not doesn't really change that part...

But the second reason is way more critical for any anesthesiologist to worry about... going under without an empty stomach is incredibly dangerous because of the risk of aspiration. That’s when stomach contents get sucked into your airways while you're being put under or during the procedure if you aren't using an endotracheal tube. This isn't something to joke about; it's super easy to run into serious trouble when that acidic stomach stuff invades your delicate lung tissue.

So, bottom line: fasting before surgery is primarily about keeping yourself safe, no matter what kind of procedure you're having.

nimbleskipper13 said:Anesthesiology is a modern, highly reliable field of medicine. The protocols, medications, and equipment used here in America are identical to those used anywhere else in the world....
Why don't you just head down to the entrance of any local hospital and conduct your survey there? 😈 🙂

Alright, I’ll admit it—I think you’re great. You're always ready for a fight, usually quite witty (poor MacGregor 😂), and honestly, you're quite a catch.
While I recognize we have world-class orthopedic specialists, I find it hard to fully trust our healthcare system. There just isn't enough investment being made.
It would be ideal if some of those top-tier surgeons also practiced privately. Is it possible to have shoulder or knee surgeries performed at private American clinics? Can anyone recommend a good one? Or are places like Mayo Clinic or Cleveland Clinic the best bets? If they are, am I allowed to choose which specific surgeon performs my procedure? (As if!)

Raymond Bennett9 said:Alright, I have to admit, I'm a fan... You're always feisty, usually pretty funny (poor MacGregor 😂), and honestly, you're quite easy on the eyes.
I know we have top-tier orthopedic specialists here, but I don't really trust our healthcare system. They just don't invest enough money into it.
It would be ideal if some of those elite surgeons also practiced privately. Can shoulder and knee surgeries be done at private American clinics? Any recommendations? Or are Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins the best bets? If they are, can I actually choose which surgeon performs my operation? (I highly doubt it).

wow... this guy is flirting with me 🎉 🎉 🎉

There are plenty of private options, of course!
Have you heard of Nemec?
Well, he runs his own private orthopedic clinic over in Matulj. 😎

They asked me which type of anesthesia I preferred for my leg surgery, and thinking I was being smart, I opted for a spinal block. Now, I’m left wondering if it was due to my own physiology or perhaps just an unskilled anesthesiologist, but after the injection into my spine, the medication barely performed its job; it merely dulled my pain receptors slightly. Before I could even voice my concerns, they quickly sedated me. 😁 However, the aftermath was far worse: the following day, I was struck by that agonizing post-dural puncture headache that left me completely bedridden for eight days. I am never opting for a spinal again! 👎

On a different note, I have undergone general anesthesia on two separate occasions, and I didn't experience a single side effect—not even a hint of nausea.