Anyone have surgery?

[Paula]

Ok girls and guy, I am scheduled for my gastric bypass on April 9th and I'm getting a little scared. I've never been under anesthesia so I don't know what to expect. Can anyone tell me what it's like? How do you feel when you come around? Did anyone have complications?

[Robin Carlton]

Paula, I had my Gall Bladder out in 2009 and I was absolutely terrified of going under but I can honestly tell you it was no big deal. They give you a little something to relax you before you meet the anethesiologist and then he does his magic. When I woke up I was happy and peaceful and everyone I met was my friend on the way back up to my recovery room. I'm excited for you! Good luck!

[emmasmommy]

after my gastric bypass, i was a little out of sorts and was a little panicky, but that's just my nature. i shook uncontrollably (like i was cold) but it eventually went away. once my pulse was back to normal, i was fine.

[nikkiARNGwife]

I've been put under twice. It wasnt bad at all.. I really don't remember much of recovery room either time and mostly just slept all day afterwards.

[littlekiwi]

I've had tons of surgery right from a young age and it was fine

[Lyd]

When I had my thyroid removed in 2008, I was nervous for the exact same reason. It turned out just fine. When I came out, I was in some pain - not terrible, but the first thing I remember saying was "Ow." And then whoever was there with me said, "Okay, giver her a little more." LOL. After that, I felt fine, and the anesthesia itself was no problem at all. Good luck with everything Paula! I'm excited to watch your journey over the next months.

[Paula]

Thank you all so much! I'm feeling much less nervous about this. =)

[Txcorey]

I had knee surgery a few years ago. It seems like they put the mask on my face to give me the anesthesia and I was out in seconds. It's just like you go into a very deep sleep. My mom was in the recovery room with me because dh had to work. She said that I woke up once and looked kind of wild eyed. I asked what time it was and was out again for a bit. Then I woke up for good and felt fine, just really ready for something to drink. My son just had his tonsils out a few weeks ago and he woke up crying, but that could be from being young and scared (he is 5). My biggest problem after my surgery was the morphine drip they gave me for pain management. It kept me awake the whole night after the surgery.

Good luck on your surgery.

[kscwgirl]

they say with some of them you wake up the same way you go under. I went under crying when i was little and woke up crying. it does make me naseous though, so they always give me something in my iv and i'm fine. I've been under numerous times and never had any problems.

[Darcy Baldwin]

I don't remember the week after my emergency gall bladder surgery! The stuff did a number on my memory- I count that as a good thing because I know I was in a lot of pain.

[BrattyMeg]

Last time I had surgery I just remember asking the anesthesiologist why he put powder in my nose (??) and then throwing up after surgery *boo!* I recovered quickly though just a little woozy

[isaacsmom]

I've been under multiple times as well. And really, it was not a big deal. They watch really close to make sure you are comfortable when you wake up. Though, my last surgery I woke up to a little girl crying across the room and I asked them where my baby was -- the last two surgeries prior to that were my C-sections, so I guess I was expecting to have a baby when I woke up. lol.

[newdesigner5]

I get very nauseous from the meds (twice now). But other than that, you go to sleep and you wake up. Easy as that.

[jessica31876]

I was put under for two c-sections. I do not remember a lot before or after. It was not bad. Probably a similar amount of pain for what you are doing although Ive never had that surgery. I was up the next day moving around pretty well. I also had numerous procedures on my neck where I was under but for a lot less time. Honestly all I remember of those is sitting in a room next to where the procedure is done drinking juice and eating cookies (they want to make sure you can eat and drink).

[kristijoy]

I was nervous my first time too. But did just fine. I didn't have any problems with the anesthesia and had one of the most fantastic anesthesiologists. They are really there to help you, so before the surgery make sure you talk with him/her about your concerns. They will answer all your questions. I woke up groggy, but in good shape.

The main piece of advice I would offer is to be as specific as you can about how you feel when you wake up. If you feel neaseus, pain, dizzy, or whatever let them know. That is NOT the time to just say something nice like "I feel OK" especially if you don't. When you wake up, you might still be on an IV (I was) so they can offer things immediately, neasuea meditation, fluids, pain meds, etc...

They will help you!

[LenaGardner]

I've had 5 surgeries, but only put under for 2 (the 3 sections I was awake for). I had two very different experiences with the 2 generals, because they were MUCH different surgeries.

When I woke up from my hysterectomy, I was just immediately in an incredible amount of pain, and I was miserable, and irate. I did not react well at all. When you have a hysterectomy, they generally give an epidural and you're awake for it, or they give a general and you're out. My doc chose a general, which is the more popular method. Well it was serious abdominal surgery, I have a vertical scar from my navel down. That hurts So apparently I was throwing stuff and hitting people (I don't remember this). A truly extreme, horrific reaction. They had given me the highest dose of pain meds they could give me, so they brought the anesthesiologist back in and they gave me an epidural in the recovery room so that I wouldn't feel the pain for the first 24 hours or so. It was an immediate relief, and I was fine from there on out. It really was an extreme reaction to an extreme surgery, though.

My funny story from the kidney stone surgery I had, though, was that I woke up and felt fine. Which was nice. The nurse kept saying, "Oh look at you, you're doing so well!" But my funny side effect I had from the anesthesia this time was that they had put a stent in my ureter and it hurt/made it feel like I had to pee. And I KEPT repeating myself. "Oh, I feel so much better, but I have to pee. Can I pee?" And then the nurse would say, "If you really have to, I can get you a bedpan, but if you can wait till you get back up to your room you could use the restroom." And then I would say, "Oh, okay, I can wait then." And then we'd go through the whole thing OVER AND OVER. By the time I realized that something felt familiar about it, and I said, "Oh wait. I already asked you that, didn't I?" She said "Honey, you've asked me half a dozen times." and then I realized she was right. I've seen people on TV have memory issues after a surgery but I thought it was just drama, apparently it really happens LOL. I was fine after an hour though.

[ryliesmom]

I've had general anesthesia three times. The first I don't really remember since I was just 8 years old (tonsils removed). The other two times (14 - knee surgery and 28 - D&C) I was very cold and nauseous. I threw up both times but I have like the weakest stomach in the world anyway. Other than that I was fine. With the D&C, my throat was sore the next day from when they intubated me, but that was the only time that has ever happened. Overall, it wasn't bad and some of the best sleeps I've ever had.

[MamaBee]

I've had two eye surgeries when I was 7 and 8... I remember that all like it was yesterday!! As for the actual going under... I just remember lots of swirling colors... otherwise all was fine... just really, really tired. For my second surgery... my mom didn't want to spend another night in the hospital like the first surgery... so I remember her telling me over and over... "look alive!"... haha... we still joke over that...

[nikkiARNGwife]

I have a funny from one of mine..I had a outpatient exploratory lap when we were going through infertility testing. And you know how that is..they want you up and out of there as quickly as you can..well they let me sleep a few hours and then got me up to get ready to leave..DH went to get the car and the nurse was helping me get dressed and then for some reason felt I could handle it on my own when I was obviously still out of it with the anesthesia..DH said he came back to the room and I was sprawled out on the bed naked from the waist up and looked like I'd passed out drunk or something lol. So it makes you loopy for quiet a while afterward..at least it did me lol

[Stacey42]

I've had two, an emergency appendectomy in 2002, 11 days after I had a c-section and my gall bladder in 2004, 4 weeks after my VBAC. I was in hysterics before both surgeries. I couldn't help it, postpartum emotions overwhelmed me and I was sobbing about my poor orphaned babies the whole way into the OR both times. And a part of me was so embarrassed I was carrying on like that. I kept apologizing in between the sobbing. They'd given me something to calm me down before we left the pre op area but it did nothing. The second time the anesthesiologist commented he'd never seen anything like it before. Apparently, since i'd warned him about the last time he'd given me enough I ought to have been totally out of it before I even left the room.

But I woke up alert and calm. Both times the first thing I said was "what time is it?" The docs had given us a time frame for how long the surgery ought to take with no complications and I reasoned if I knew what time it was I'd know how it went.

[nanienamou]

I've had one general anesthesia when I got my vertical sleeve in November 2010. All i remember was being transferred to the surgery bed and speaking with the nurses and about how the place did not look like the operating rooms in Grey's, lol! They gave me a shot while we were speaking, and I was knocked out cold (pretty sure mid-sentence, lol)

When I woke up, about 6 hours later, the only thing I could say was ouch ouch! The pain was bad, so they immediately put me on a morphine drip and I started to feel better soon after. No nausea, shaking, nothing. It went way better than I thought it would.

[LJSDesigns]

Originally Posted by kscwgirl

they say with some of them you wake up the same way you go under. I went under crying when i was little and woke up crying. it does make me naseous though, so they always give me something in my iv and i'm fine. I've been under numerous times and never had any problems.

This is me too. The first time I woke up violently ill, (my poor sister was leaning over me at the time), but after that I've always had the anit-nausea med added to the iv and been fine. They always ask you to count backward from 100 and I have yet to get to 97. I did have a serious sore throat after all three surgeries though.

Good luck with your GB Paula.

[LenaGardner]

They didn't have me count this time, I just went from feeling fine, to feeling relaxed, to waking up.

I ALSO joked with the nurses about how it didn't look like Grey's Anatomy They must get that a lot!

[ryliesmom]

I forgot to add to ask for nausea meds. If you tend to sick easily, just ask them and they'll give you some. I did that last time and it helped a ton.

[Sherri Tierney]

I've had 7 surgeries but only been put under for three of them. The other 4 were pregnancy related and therefore just epidural or spinal block.

The first surgery I was 15 and it was a tonsillectomy. I had a major reaction to the polyester gown they put me in at the hospital and I started breaking out. I also have bad veins that roll and twist and are tiny to boot and no one could get my IV started. My surgeon actually came in and managed to get it started himself. Then some medication they gave me made the wallpaper start dancing and I started to feel sick. Going under wasn't a big deal at all but waking up I was miserable. They had the stupid oxygen mask on me and I kept trying to rip it off and my throat was bleeding pretty heavily which was causing other problems. That is DEFINITELY not the norm though. I had a lot of issues after that surgery with my throat and a lack of healing.

About 4 years ago I had knee surgery. I was freaked out because I remember how I felt during the surgery as a teenager. This time, easy peasy. I was out and back and felt great... no nervousness, no reactions to polyester (cotton gown at this hospital!), no dancing wallpaper or crazy talk coming from me (I apparently told my aunt my arms were green before), etc. I hobbled in to the hospital and I WALKED out (albeit slowly but I walked out better than I went in with only a wrap on my knee!).

Two years ago I had a D&C that they put me under for (not pregnancy related, crazy abnormal uterine bleeding related). Once again, everything went smoothly and I walked out of the hospital better than I went in. I went in with crazy bleeding and walked out with what resembled a super light end of my period day. The anesthesia was fine, I felt good.

The nausea meds they give you before anesthesia make me nauseous, ironically. Its taking them on an empty stomach. If I have an empty stomach I don't do so well. I also found that after my knee surgery and D&C I just wanted to stay asleep. They were talking to me to get me to wake up and I told the nurse to just give me 5 more minutes. She said I was going to have to wake up so my husband could come in and see me. I told her he had seen me sleep before. LOL

[carrie1977]

The first time I had surgery I was 17 and my appendix burst when on my grad night trip to Disneyland. Yeah, that sucked. Once they had me in the room they just kind of talked to me and asked me questions about myself. I remember them asking me how old I was and what school I went to...after that I remember nothing. When I woke up I was really groggy but felt ok other than that. I loved those little leg massager thingies and was really sad when they took them off.

The second time was for a DNC after a miscarriage. I woke up feeling pretty good. I made the nurse laugh because I commented how September was spelled wrong on their white board. She told me "you must be ready to go home." LOL!

Good luck to you! I'm sure you'll do just great!

[dana]

i've been put under several times as well (appendix, ovarian cysts, knee surgery - maybe others ? LOL) - and have never had any problems at all except for some nausea the first time ... now i tell them that and i get the anti-nauseau meds asap.

good luck!

[Paula]

Thank you all so much! Considering I'm having stomach surgery, I am going to ask for the anti-nausea meds. I don't want to be throwing up after having that done and risk anything getting torn etc. I also need a sedative because I'm pretty scared about going in there.

[SeattleSheri]

I had no issues when I had my sinus surgery. The anesthesia worked very quickly and I was totally fine when I came out of it.

[kristijoy]

Originally Posted by Paula

Thank you all so much! Considering I'm having stomach surgery, I am going to ask for the anti-nausea meds. I don't want to be throwing up after having that done and risk anything getting torn etc. I also need a sedative because I'm pretty scared about going in there.

Excellent idea Paula. They should be able to give you some vallium type thing to take the night before and morning of.