anaesthesia questions

ps also i told my ansteologist about my problems and i told him make sure im out and stay out lol..he gave me a great coctail and that was it lol..i was fine

Just fyi, for some surgeries like getting wisdom teeth out, and having a breast biopsy they do something called concious sedation, so you're not fully out anyway. They wouldn't use something like that for any kind of abdominal surgery.
Loriann

wendy, let's not scare people. I doubt that you had actual general anesthesia for either of those smaller surgeries; more likely you had a morphine drip or something to make you very sleepy, but not totally "knocked out" as you are during a hysterectomy. there is a big difference. As I said earlier, the anesthetist is monitoring your breathing and brainwaves during general anesthesia. Stella, you are NOT going to wake up during your hysterectomy. Don't worry.

I had outpatient surgery last year under MAC, no intubation. Don't remember anything. I have a condition, pseudotumor cerebri, and go for my medical clearance from my neurologist today. I also get severe menstrual migraines when my hormone levels change. You can set your watch by it. I'm expecting my body's going to love the immediate removal of my ovaries...but it will be worth it in the long run! My surgeon had some questions regarding my excess cerebral spinal fluid and the relationship to going under. I already had the fear. This was the icing on the cake. My appt is at 830am this morning, so I will know more then. I just keep reminding myself that there is nothing I can do about now and I'll talk to my anaesthesiologist when I get there. Thanks again for all your support!!

I have woken up during several of those smaller surgeries,too, because they give you a completely different type of anesthesia. I mentioned that before my first major surgery (rotator cuff repair) and the anesthesiologist explained the different types of anesthesias they use and why I woke up during those other procedures and why I wouldn't during the major one. I've had two other major surgeries since then and she was right. No waking up until the recovery room.

I don't think you have to worry about waking up during your hysterectomy. Talk to your anesthesiologist and they will explain it to you in detail. If they don't, ask for a different one. You have the right to do that.

I had open heart surgery in 1998, and that was a huge fear that I had, to wake up in the middle of them putting me on the heart/lung machine! Then I found out that they monitored EVERY little thing, they had sticky probes everywhere! At that point, I relaxed! And the Cocktail rocks, by the way! That's the best part!

I've heard of it, but very rarely and never during a hysterectomy. I didn't realize there were so many anesthesia options available these days until I got here. I was afraid of not waking up also; my anesthesiologist said I could have an epidural or spinal with light sedation where I would be asleep but not fully 'under' and not conscious of anything that was going on. I couldn't quite grasp what that meant so I opted for the general - I didn't want to know about anything until it was over! I did fine but had excruciating low back pain after the surgery so sometimes wished I had opted for the epidural, but I definitely feel I made the best choice for me. The anesthesiologist will give you all your options and there's a lot of things here on these boards that will help you as well. Either way, it will all be over before you know it! Good luck!