Going to hospital on Monday to have my gall bladder removed.

It’s actually completely asymptomatic at the moment so maybe I could just leave it (or maybe it will explode and kill me in ten years time, who knows).

But I’ve been reading about post-operative conditions, and Post-Operative Cognitive Disorder looks like a real downer. I don’t really fancy waking up and finding my brain is broken for months or even years to come.

So, in the interests of science, tell me your experiences of this hateful sounding process.

I’ve had LOTS of general anaesthetic surgery over the years, feet completely rebuilt over multiple surgeries due to CMT plus all the usual childhood conditions etc.
Never had an effect on me.. twitch, dribble, MILLENIUM HAND AND SHRIMP!!!

When I came round after the op I felt great, yet it took me 24 hours to feel I was in control of my life again.

Good luck with yours OP!

Had surgery last year on a severely infected knee joint. No option emergency surgery to clean joint and hope antibiotics do the trick or no operation and almost certain septicaemia.
Obviously had op felt weary after waking up but no side effects whatsoever. I think it is a case of 99.99% ok 0.01% have issues.

Had it twice, best kip I’ve ever had & no probs after.
You’ll be fine!

Thanks for the encouragement! I’ll post back here afterwards, assuming I can remember my password….

I had general for a wisdom tooth extraction. No side effects at all.

had general in november, it was ace.
had 2 x 6 hour procedures in the last 18 month, where I would have paid a million to have been allowed general.

everyone is nervous abput it but whatever the risks they will be far less than the risk of not having the operation

Never had any issue with the 4 I have had.

Last time I had a general, I apparently hit on the anaesthetist. No idea what I said, I just remember her saying that she didn’t think her husband and children would think much to that!

Seems it’s quite common for people to be horny or aggressive when they come around. Other than that, I was fine.

I didn’t like it, felt sick for hours after, couldn’t eat or piss for days.

What’s the sitch with the gall bladder? You were saying that there is a chance that you might keep it. What are the doctors saying about that? I’m always in favour of leaving things alone if at all possible, but if the only reason why you’re not going to have it out is because you’re worried about going under then you should probably have the operation…

Apparently after one of my childhood surgeries i was quite aggressive, the kids in the ward were winding me up about the nurse not letting us watch Blakes 7 – i understand i was quite vocal about it! 😳

I had a 3 hour operation with GA in April last year. I’d say all was good afterwards but I was definitely more prone to tiredness and lack of ability to concentrate for a few weeks after.

Rachel

When i had a GA, they explained quite slowly that the biggest risk was not being able to wake me up, when i asked why they just said because youre dead.

Youll be ok,

I’ve had several…all been fine, I quite enjoyed that spaced out sensation in the post-op room. Remember chatting away non-stop for hours with the bloke in the next bed along after my abscess op…didn’t once cross my mind he didn’t speak English, we were in France at the time 😳

Had my fair share of weed, acid, shrooms, Ecstacy/MDMA, speed, Ket, coke, so a GA is just a good snooze – you’ll be fine!

Had it twice – first time was gas for a tooth out when I was young and with hindsight, was my first trip.

Other than that, I’ve been given drugs unwittingly twice – once in a club some geezer I knew gave me a can of coke laced with acid – he was a tad disappointed when I didn’t lose it, but rather thanked him for the free drugs. The second time was my second time under General, last September – the fools told me they were giving me something to keep me hydrated – the cold feeling rushing through my veins was weird but not unpleasant and the last thing I remembered.

The worst side effect I experienced was itching for a few days after.

I walked out of the hospital as soon as I woke up, with gunk leaking out of the new holes in my knee. Felt bloody fantastic.

Had another when I had a smashed tooth removed, (pork scratching incident.)A friend had to collect me as I was off my tits and they wouldn’t let me leave alone.

You’ll be fine.

Been under 6 times. Wake up real quickly and been fine straight away every time.

Yup, you’ll be fine. I’ve had three in the last six months, no issues.

Good luck.

I had it once following a broken hand (mountain biking incident) and I was far more worried about having the cannula inserted than the GA itself!

Both went down just fine.

Was under GA well into double figures in the early 90’s but since then only a couple of times, i used to look forward to it as i i guess you could say i have the sort of personality that is open minded and i quite like my brain to have a vacation from it’s every day duties……i blame it on my predilection for shrooms, acid, mescaline, DMT etc……. 😉

My 10th time on my last surgery on the 21st december. And its all been the same. Venflon inserted, a lovely pain killer (fentanyl) then profopol, 7 seconds of a wonderful floaty feeling, then what feels like a minute later feeling very drugged drugged in a nice way in recovery.

only time I hated being under is waking up on intensive care still intubated (tube in to breath) was very weird and scary.

The last time I had a general they couldn’t bring me round.

In fact I’m still dead.

Stop researching medical facts on the internet.

You’ll be fine.

Had six. Woke up tachycardic once but some painkillers sorted that, morphine drips are ace! Other than painfrom the op they have all been fine. Stuff they used to knock me out last week wasnt nice though, it was like injecting ice in my arm most unpleasant.

Read stuff on the internet and you will find doom and gloom. Ask your doc they are more likely to tell you the facts.

A GA is a hell of a lot nicer than a Spinal block and sedation. It’s a different experience at each hospital. Bolton for my knee it was pain killer then profopol (the white stuff) and was really prolonged drift to sleep. Chorley for a sigmoidoscopy under anaesthetic was a heavy dose of fentanyl then profopol and instantly out.

Blackburn for a Hernia I was gassed and that was weird and I felt a bit sick after. Woke up everytime pain free, but most of the ops I’ve had they have given a nerve block in the area as well as the GA

Only complications I’ve had is low oxygen Sats 89 to 92 on 4litres of oxygen probably due to the morphine and the last time I had a very low temperature post op (34.2)

Well I don’t feel like they’ve fried my brain, so I guess it’s ok 🙂

Now just need to persuade my bladder to start working properly, or get one those Boots home catheterization kits.

I’ve had 3 Ga’s in the past few years, all fine, and surprisingly refreshing, just like a good kip really.

I had a sedation for a cardiac ablation procedure and it was bloody horrible. Felt crap and hungover for hours after, but that could have been from having my heart seared….

Guess everything went well then. If it was removed due to gallstones then goodbye pain 🙂 It’s quite a deep op although the four little holes you’ll have in your abdomen don’t suggest it. Now get used to managing what you eat/drink and, equally, managing your personal waste disposal system 😉

Red meat or Tomatoes can cause havoc after GB out, my Mrs can’t eat either since having hers out.

Do they still use Ketamine for GA? When I was a kid I had my tonsils out and my memories of the whole thing are bizarre to say the least. Years later when I tried Ketamine recreationally it seemed very familiar 🙂

Had g.a a few years ago also for g.b, relived to get it out and no probs at all without the g.a.
I’m laying in a hospital bed now (had to knock off hospital wifi as it wouldn’t open this thread) waiting for g.a as I’m going in for spine surgery first thing in the morning.

Mainly use propofol now (white liquid) and fentanyl on induction. Well they have for the last four ops I had.

Do they still use Ketamine for GA?

There is some evidence that 0.25-0.5 mg/kg pre-incision might reduce the incidence of chronic post surgical pain, but I wouldn’t use it as the sole induction agent for routine anaesthesia.