Local anesthesia: Any experiences?

Does anyone know how this works? I’m scheduled for surgery to remove a cyst on my eye. Last time I went in for this, they were supposed to use local anesthesia because I passed out twice during the prep. The anesthesiologist ended up refusing to perform the procedure and just handed me a diagnosis of epilepsy—which I don't even have.
I've finally decided to go through with it again, but honestly, I'm nervous about the local anesthesia. I'm wondering: will I be fully aware of everything happening while they work on me? And is it actually possible to lose consciousness while under local anesthesia?

From what I gather, "locally enhanced" basically means you’re gonna be SLEEPING! 😉 But don't get it twisted—it's not full-blown general anesthesia. They just hit the surgical site with standard local numbing, and then they give you some kind of sedative to knock you out. It won't put you under like a heavy anesthetic, but you'll probably feel all hazy and drowsy, maybe even drifting through a weird dream state. Either way, you won't feel the procedure happening; you'll practically be out of it... plus, the risk is way lower than going under completely! 👍

rapidheron2 said:From what I gather, "locally enhanced" basically means you’re gonna be SLEEPING! 😉 But don't get it twisted—it's not full-blown general anesthesia. They just hit the surgical site with standard local numbing, and then they give you some kind of sedative to knock you out. It won't put you under like a heavy anesthetic, but you'll probably feel all hazy and drowsy, maybe even drifting through a weird dream state. Either way, you won't feel the procedure happening; you'll practically be out of it... plus, the risk is way lower than going under completely! 👍

The surgical site—you mean an injection right in the eye? 😲Will they sedate me beforehand? I tend to pass out whenever I get poked with a needle.

click here

Michael Patel11 said:The surgical site—you mean an injection right in the eye? 😲Will they sedate me beforehand? I tend to pass out whenever I get poked with a needle.

They might just use numbing drops to anesthetize the eye locally, you know? But even if they do... man, you're probably looking at having an IV line set up. You definitely don't want to mess around when it comes to this kind of stuff.

Epilepsy isn't actually a contraindication for anesthesia; in fact...

I don't have epilepsy—I’ve already proven that. I know about the brownout effect; that's actually what caused my last collapse. I need to understand every tiny detail of how this will affect me so I can prepare and avoid passing out. I assume they'll give me something to calm me down or help me sleep, like the post says, but it doesn't specify if that happens before the injection or if I won't even see it coming. Is it possible to lose consciousness during anesthesia?

Thanks for the link! 😉

It’s pretty hard for me to give you a play-by-play of exactly how things go down since I don't know the specific protocols at your hospital, but here's the general gist:
The night before your surgery, they should ideally give you a sedative pill so you can actually get some decent sleep instead of lying there staring at the ceiling, stressing out about what's coming tomorrow.
If they don't offer it, just ask your doctor for it—don't sit there and suffer through the anxiety if they try to brush you off.
Then, on the day of the surgery, right before you head into the OR (maybe like thirty minutes to an hour beforehand), there’s this thing called premedication. They’ll hit you with another sedative, maybe some other meds too, just to take the edge off the tension. Usually, they do this via an injection, but it's not uncommon to get a pill again—something like midazolam or maybe some diazepam.
By the time you're rolling into the operating room, you'll be feeling pretty groggy and honestly, you won't really care what happens next.
Since we're talking about general anesthesia here, there’s going to be a full anesthesiology team involved. You might find it hard to avoid that momentary lightheadedness when they start the IV. You should definitely mention any past experiences you've had with fainting—they'll likely ask you during the pre-op exam anyway, and the anesthesiologist needs to be ready in case you tend to pass out. For instance, you could suggest elevating your legs while they set up the IV... just a thought... but seriously, don't stress about how you'll "survive" those few seconds of dizziness. Depending on the procedure and how you're doing, the level of anesthesia can vary; you might just be lightly sedated or completely knocked out.
Don't sweat it, everything is going to turn out just fine.

Personally, I think general anesthesia is way better than local. At least I don't have to suffer through the pain or actually watch what the surgeons are doing. It just lets me sleep through the whole thing in peace. Of course, they run all these detailed tests before you go under, so you can be pretty sure everything will go smoothly. I wasn't even scared of the general anesthesia itself; honestly, it was the local stuff that terrified me. After one really bad experience, I decided I wanted to avoid local at all costs. I didn't feel sick at all when I woke up from general anesthesia—no nausea or anything. I guess it really depends on what kind of surgery you're having, though. I'm not entirely sure what they typically use for eye surgery. My own experience is limited to general anesthesia for a tonsillectomy and then local anesthesia during a lower wisdom tooth extraction, which was just... awful. I was still feeling the effects of that local anesthesia procedure five months later. So, based on my own experience, I wouldn't recommend going to an oral surgeon at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine.
I’d suggest going to Madison Square Garden instead because I had such a positive experience there, and the surgery went great without any lingering pain.

Scott Allen10 said:It’s pretty hard for me to give you a play-by-play of exactly how things go down since I don't know the specific protocols at your hospital, but here's the general gist:
The night before your surgery, they should ideally give you a sedative pill so you can actually get some decent sleep instead of lying there staring at the ceiling, stressing out about what's coming tomorrow.
If they don't offer it, just ask your doctor for it—don't sit there and suffer through the anxiety if they try to brush you off.
Then, on the day of the surgery, right before you head into the OR (maybe like thirty minutes to an hour beforehand), there’s this thing called premedication. They’ll hit you with another sedative, maybe some other meds too, just to take the edge off the tension. Usually, they do this via an injection, but it's not uncommon to get a pill again—something like midazolam or maybe some diazepam.
By the time you're rolling into the operating room, you'll be feeling pretty groggy and honestly, you won't really care what happens next.
Since we're talking about general anesthesia here, there’s going to be a full anesthesiology team involved. You might find it hard to avoid that momentary lightheadedness when they start the IV. You should definitely mention any past experiences you've had with fainting—they'll likely ask you during the pre-op exam anyway, and the anesthesiologist needs to be ready in case you tend to pass out. For instance, you could suggest elevating your legs while they set up the IV... just a thought... but seriously, don't stress about how you'll "survive" those few seconds of dizziness. Depending on the procedure and how you're doing, the level of anesthesia can vary; you might just be lightly sedated or completely knocked out.
Don't sweat it, everything is going to turn out just fine.

Thanks for the detailed breakdown. I know it’s just a few seconds of panic and it doesn't technically hurt; it's not the pain I'm worried about, it's just that little voice in my head fighting the needle. I’ve fainted within half an hour of having blood drawn before, and the most frustrating part is that doctors don't seem to listen until I actually pass out—only then do they start asking questions and explaining things.
Do you know if it's possible to lose consciousness during the anesthesia itself?
I'm just terrified they'll postpone the surgery again. I don't have the energy to deal with this uncertainty all over again.

Michael Patel11

Honestly, you really ought to experience an alveotomy on a lower wisdom tooth yourself... then maybe you'd understand what true fear and helplessness feels like. I mean, imagine having someone basically using tools like a hammer to chip away at your jaw just to reach an impacted tooth—all while under local anesthesia, and let’s just say the conditions at the School of Dentistry weren't exactly top-tier. If I had suddenly collapsed, there wouldn't have been anyone there to help me because it isn't exactly a hospital! I'd never step foot in there again, even if they were the only dentists left on Earth. And those unbearable, throbbing pains that hit me a few days after the surgery? I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.

So, yeah... getting blood drawn is honestly a tiny thing in comparison.

I guess you really shouldn't be that scared of this upcoming procedure. When you're under general anesthesia, you actually lose consciousness—that's the whole point, right? With your local anesthesia, you'll just be a little numb and drowsy, but I don't think you'll lose consciousness entirely. Maybe you should ask the doctor user about lenses? Since he's an ophthalmologist, I'm sure he could give you a much clearer picture of what the surgery entails and how long it'll take.

How did they actually find that cyst in your eye? Has your vision gotten worse in that eye? And where are you going for the surgery?

Good luck, and I really do believe everything will turn out fine!

I know there are plenty of much scarier things out there than your surgery, but that’s not really the issue. The problem is how my body reacts to being poked—it's just an involuntary response. I’m wondering if syncope is possible under anesthesia—specifically, can my pulse drop below 30 or 35 bpm, and what actually happens then? My priority is that they finish the procedure regardless of whether I lose consciousness; I just want this thing gone.

The cyst on my eye is incredibly obvious. It looks like I’ve been hanging out in too much sun because it's filled with pigment, so it even changes color and gets darker during the summer. When I tried wearing a contact lens after a year, I realized the cyst had grown significantly (almost reaching the edge of the lens). Essentially, it's a mole that's expanded, so it has to come out. I'm heading to Beverly Hills for the surgery. I have some prescription and astigmatism, but that shouldn't affect the cyst itself.

Regarding those specific details about fainting and how the anesthesia works... you really ought to ask your surgeon at the hospital where you're having the procedure. Maybe even bring it up with the anesthesiologist directly. I guess nobody on a forum like this is going to give you a medically accurate answer. Just talk to your doctor; then you can actually find some peace of mind and get the facts straight. You mentioned being nervous even about just getting blood drawn from your arm, so I suspect maybe you’re feeling a bit extra sensitive about all this—and honestly, most people deal with blood draws without much fuss. If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?

Good luck! Please let us know how the surgery goes.