General anasthetic

I've got to have one tomorrow. I've been told it's really good experience but I'm still very worried as I've never had one before. Can I have some positive experiences please - really no horrid ones as I'm scared as it is!

Being confined to bed isn't good either as I am tempted to Google and would probably end up on whenanastheticgoesbad.com or something equally soul destroying.

I've had three in my time - at the ages of 12, 30 and 35 - and all went well. You may feel a bit groggy when you come round - but, depending on what you're having it for, if you've been told not to eat for a while before hand, you will probably feel very hungry more than anything. The coffee and toast I got when I came round from my last one was the most delicious snack imaginable at that moment. Going under is a bit weird, but so many of life's experiences are.

Don't worry - good luck with it.

I really enjoyed going under. One minute you're wide awake, and starting to count, the next minute you're coming round after the op. It's amazing.

I was really, really nervous about having a general anaesthetic and I've had 3 to date.

The first one I had, I was so nervous they gave me something to calme me down which the anaesthetist described as "like a gin and tonic" which was lovely. As for the anaesthetic itself, you feel a little 'pain' sort of sensation in your hand when it goes in, they ask you count back, you get to about 2 and you're asleep. It really isn't as bad as you are thinking it will be. When you feel the little pain in your hand, think of something nice and you will have nice dreams (well, that's what they told me anyway).

When you come round, you just feel a little sleepy. Two out of the three times I've had one, I came round within minutes and felt fine. The other one wasn't so good but that was because of me, not the anaesthetic.

I hope that helps. believe me, I was bricking it before I had the first one and it really isn't as bad as I imagined it would be.

Thank you. Feel a bit better. I'm not too bad with the needles having had to administer my own injections for about two weeks so I think I'll be ok about that bit, although I've been cheating the pain of that with some cream that makes the skin go numb so might put that on too help.

I was glad to read that the MRI went OK chelley, you're very brave.

I've had two but with gas rather than needles, once as a kid and once as a teenager - neither time was a problem. The second time I wasn't too nervous because I'd already been through it once, but the anaesthetist (sp?) was really great - rather than getting me to count, he talked to me about what I enjoyed doing (hockey at the time, bizzarely), and then told me to imagine I was running around on a hockey field having a great time as he put me under. It's a good way of making people feel relaxed, I think, and making sure they have a good experience. Coming round was a bit like being drunk. I remember finding everything a bit too funny, much to my mum's bemusement.

Good luck with it - I'm sure you'll be fine :)

Thanks. I didn't feel brave, lol. I felt like a big girl !!

Hope it goes ok. You'll be fine, really.

if you've been told not to eat for a while before hand, you will probably feel very hungry more than anything.

The first time I had a general, I was NHS and I had ben told not to eat from midnight the night before. As I was nervous, I couldn't eat anyway so I hadn't eaten since 8pm. My op was scheduled for 6am but - being NHS - I finally got wheeled down at 5pm so I'd had nearly 24 hours with no food. When I came round, the nurse gave me some water and the first thing I said when I came round was

"you haven't got a big mac, have you?"

heh

I was told I was going to be out for an hour. When I awoke it was exactly an hour later.

I'm going to sneak round to the grafton and get some decent pjamas in a moment, I've just realised I have horrible nightwear!

Unless you have to stay in, I wouldn't bother. If it's day surgery, you'll be wearing a gown which doesn't cover your arse, lol.

Oh joy, that'll be a treat!!

Apparently I have to take something with me, it's Bourn Hall so bet they have dress codes even for patients!!!

Survived it. It was a very odd experience, I was determined to keep my eyes open just in case they forgot I hadn't gone under and then there I was dreaming about shopping in the Co-op (!) and the bed was being wheeled in the ward and Mr S was gazing at me with the appropriate level of concern.

Anyway, all your advice was all very helpful, I didn't feel too nervous - thank you.

>>it's Bourn Hall

Oh! Hope everything goes ok for you.

Thank you, so far so good ;)

glad it went ok. have a nice recovery