Off Topic: Has anyone here had surgery where they put you to sleep?

Whoson1st · Jan 7, 2005

I'm facing surgery for removal of a "lipoma". A fairly large one according to the surgeon. It has been there for several years but has recently started to grow in size. The date has not been set up yet-as I wait for a call in the next couple of days.
Anyway, the surgeon said I would have to be put to sleep for the operation which he said would take about an hour.
I've never faced something quite like this before--so my question is: do they make you sign aa sort of last will and testatement before putting you to sleep.
If I don't respond further it's because, I'm scared "sh##l#ss".
Thanks if anyone knows anything.

WorldRunner · Jan 7, 2005

I've had three now. My biggest one was the one on my shoulder to repair some damage from athletics.

It's not as bad as you may think. Before any operation you do sign a waiver that says you understand the risks (which include death)

Don't worry man...The drugs they give you during and after the surgery are better than anything you'll ever find on the street.

You get wheeled into the operating room and they give you a warm blanket... There's 10 nurses and doctors running around preparing stuff. Pretty soon a doctor comes in and says hi and tells you he's putting you to sleep.

Within 1 minute you won't remember anything that happens in the next x minutes (length of surgery)

They'll wake you up in the operating room but you'll never remember it. You'll fall back asleep and they'll wake you up in the recovery room where you'll feel very very groggy but overall not bad.

My shoulder surgery is one of the most difficult to recover from other than hip replacements and back surgeries. It was very painful. I'm not familiar with your procedure but you should be fine.

Honestly....the worst part for me is not being able to eat for 12 hours ahead of time (or whatever it is) LOL.

When you watch surgeries on tv they always look bad. And you are actually "awake" when they take the tube out of your throat but you won't feel anything or remember them even taking it out. You're not even close to coherent the entire time. You won't remember a single thing.

Dante · Jan 7, 2005

whos on....here is some info on that it says what you have is not that serious and sometimes does not even have to be treated....I think you will be fine...why are you having it removed??? is it cancerous?

http://www.hmc.psu.edu/healthinfo/jkl/lipoma.htm

RDC-3 · Jan 7, 2005

heres a pretty gorry incident that happened to me. Several years ago I had serious eye surgery performed for which i was admitted into the hospital for. I was put under and woke up in the middle of the surgery and saw my freaking eye out of its socket. I was a little groggy but remember the Doctor telling me to hang in there ...he was almost done and the pain was excruciating. I havent had any surgeries since and never will again.mOst doctors are quacks.

jjgold · Jan 7, 2005

You do not even know your out, they inject it into arm and that is it and your out, painless

I had it done 4 weeks ago for wisdom teeth, woke up before I knew it and it was over

Drugs after surgery for most people make you nautious and queezy stomach

Stick to Advil or something

Good Luck guy

Whoson1st · Jan 7, 2005

Dante said:
whos on....here is some info on that it says what you have is not that serious and sometimes does not even have to be treated....I think you will be fine...why are you having it removed??? is it cancerous?

http://www.hmc.psu.edu/healthinfo/jkl/lipoma.htm

Dante, My regular doctor said ;"No Doctor can say it is not Canerous without a biopsy, but he doubts it is. The surgeon said something about it would need to be drained a few times most likely. It's on my back and is about the size of a golf ball--maybe a little smaller. Surgeon said something about affecting the muscle possibly.

Thanks to you all-Doctors are like all folks. Good and Bad. They are under SOME SERIOUS PRESSURE.

Dante · Jan 7, 2005

well best of luck WHoson...lipoma's , I was reading are hardly ever that serious ...i think you will be 100% fine ..keep us posted

THE SHRINK · Jan 7, 2005

I've not only had multiple surgeries requiring general anesthesia, putting me to sleep of course, but I have been successful at putting myself to sleep using my own recipe of drugs...

arty:

bookie · Jan 7, 2005

The only surgery I ever had was a circumcision.
When I woke up from the operation the nurse came in to change the dressing and naturally I got a hard on. Would you believe the bi tch wacked my new penis with a pencil to make it go down.

Im not kidding.

Dante · Jan 7, 2005

THE SHRINK said:
I've not only had multiple surgeries requiring general anesthesia, putting me to sleep of course, but I have been successful at putting myself to sleep using my own recipe of drugs...arty:

Shrink?? tell us something we do not already know sir...thanks :howdy:

THE SHRINK · Jan 7, 2005

bookie,

Some of us are SICKER than others, lol...

What a story and if it had actually happened to me, I'd NEVER have shared it...

You are crazy guy and I love it!!!!

Jarbo · Jan 7, 2005

Have had back and knee surgeries. It's much easier than you think and if you are in pain you will wish you had done it sooner. My advice;

Ask someone you trust for the best Anesthesiologist there is in your area, wait until he/she is available, this doctor is more important than the surgeon.

Ask for a drug called Versed before surgery, it calms you and erases any memory of the event until you wake up.

Make sure the surgeon you have has done this procedure before many,many times, you don't want a rookie cutting you open.

Best wishes.

TheGeneral+ · Jan 7, 2005

OMT, I can relate to your worry 1000% and I wish you the best Sir.

Slash · Jan 7, 2005

No, I always prefer to be completely awake, whenever I get an operation.

theswami · Jan 7, 2005

Been there done that 2x. 1x for compund ankle fracture (hardware installation) and 1x sinus surgery.

If your doctors are good they put you to sleep and you do not remember anything about the surgery. The worst part about the surgery is the hour immediately after. You wake up groggy and you take a second to remember where you are.

Dante · Jan 7, 2005

theswami said:
Been there done that 2x. 1x for compund ankle fracture (hardware installation) and 1x sinus surgery.

If your doctors are good they put you to sleep and you do not remember anything about the surgery. The worst part about the surgery is the hour immediately after. You wake up groggy and you take a second to remember where you are.

good to see you bumping around Swami

HuckFinn · Jan 7, 2005

Jarbo said:
Have had back and knee surgeries. It's much easier than you think and if you are in pain you will wish you had done it sooner. My advice;

Ask someone you trust for the best Anesthesiologist there is in your area, wait until he/she is available, this doctor is more important than the surgeon.

Ask for a drug called Versed before surgery, it calms you and erases any memory of the event until you wake up.

Make sure the surgeon you have has done this procedure before many,many times, you don't want a rookie cutting you open.

Best wishes.

versed is really nice. i had a liquid shot of it in a paper cup and it chills you right out. once they hit you with the iv and you start counting backwards, it's nothing but a blank. don't sweat the operation, everything will be fine. good luck....HF

Noreaga+ · Jan 7, 2005

I was gassed once... when you start to wake up..its a trip... you are so loaded and out of it..its crazy

when I came to I asked what time was it about 50 times in the matter of an hour

STONER · Jan 7, 2005

i know i dont post much, but felt compelled to address this topic. i too once had the gas just like noreaga. he is right...definitely a trip once you start to come too. but i have also been put to sleep as well. i had surgery to remove a potentially cancerous polyp from my throat. i must admit it wasnt as bad as i had originally feared. the surgeon was great and talked me through the entire procedure before hand. the anestesiologist (spelling?) came in just b4 they carted me into the OR and said verbatim " just gonna give ya a little margarita right quick." i remember trying to lift myself off the bed cart and on to the operating table (all of this takes place in a matter of seconds). next thing i remember i have two nurses (admittedly very attractive) slappin my face telling me to wake up. the next few hours were spent recovering and feeling like i downed a whole prescription (no pun intended) worth of vicodin. my point is whoson1st, it really isnt as bad as you fear. hope everything goes well for you and you are on the road to a speedy recovery in no time. take care.

stoner

DarrylParsons · Jan 7, 2005

I've had it once and the story is similar to WorldRunner's although I don't remember getting high. What I do remember is waking up and having absolutely no clue how much time had passed -- felt like about 5 seconds but it was actually about 2-3 hours. Groggy feeling lasts about an hour but is no worse than an average hangover.

An excerpt from universityhealth.org...

Complications from general anesthesia

Serious side effects of general anesthesia are uncommon, especially in people who are otherwise healthy. However, because general anesthesia affects the whole body, it is more likely to cause side effects than local or regional anesthesia. Fortunately, most side effects of general anesthesia are minor and can be easily managed.

General anesthesia suppresses the normal throat reflexes such as swallowing, coughing, or gagging that prevent aspiration. Aspiration occurs when an object or liquid is inhaled into the respiratory tract (the windpipe or the lungs). To help prevent aspiration, an endotracheal (ET) tube may be inserted during general anesthesia. When an ET tube is in place, the lungs are protected so stomach contents cannot enter the lungs. Aspiration during anesthesia and surgery is very uncommon. People are usually instructed not to eat or drink anything for a specific number of hours before anesthesia so that their stomach is empty to reduce this risk.

Insertion or removal of airways may cause respiratory problems such as coughing; gagging; muscle spasms in the voice box, or larynx (laryngospasm); or bronchial tubes in the lungs (bronchospasm). Insertion of airways also may cause an increase in blood pressure (hypertension) and heart rate (tachycardia). Other complications may include damage to teeth and lips, swelling in the larynx, sore throat, and hoarseness caused by injury or irritation of the larynx. Other serious risks of general anesthesia include changes in blood pressure or heart rate or rhythm, heart attack, or stroke. Death or serious illness or injury due solely to anesthesia is rare and is usually also related to complications from the surgery. Death occurs in about 1 in 250,000 people receiving general anesthesia, although risks are greater for those people with serious medical conditions.<SUP>1</SUP>

Many people who are going to have general anesthesia express concern that they will not be completely unconscious but will "wake up" and have some awareness during the surgical procedure. However, awareness during general anesthesia is very rare.

source link: http://www.universityhealth.org/115447.cfm