Have you ever wondered what can happen during anesthesia?
A lot of things in life are downright scary, and anesthesia is definitely one of them! That’s why the question from above stands tall: how often do you think what’s happening to our brains and bodies during a surgical procedure where we need anesthesia?
Although it may sound scary, besides a deep sleep, are there other things that happen during anesthesia? We’ve talked to a few anesthesiologists, and we found out some interesting things that will make you say “woah” throughout the entire read. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
In 3, 2, 1, take a deep breath because we’re about to start with the number one “symptom.”
16 Responses
My experience after open heart surgery was that I remained unconscious for almost 2 days. It was declared that I suffered a stroke and would be partially paralyzed on the left side if I did recover. I awakened and had no ill effects. The neurologist had never taken any tests and was totally wrong to make that diagnosis causing my family pain and anguish.
Unfortunately, I was one of those patients who woke up but my body was still asleep… The neurological connection from the brain apparently took a long hot minute to finally connect for my body to start working again. Rather frightening feeling realizing I was in a comatose state but fully awake unable to move any part of my body. The information in this article was very helpful for me to connect all the dots. Can anesthesia do harm to your brain?
There is also a possibility during the brain “reset” that patients come out “changed” or different. Rod Steiger, a famous actor known for his role in the movie”In The Heat Of The Night”, alleged that he was no longer the same person after anesthesia. Be that as it may, I have a brother-in-law who swears that his father somehow went from a stern, serious and stoic man to a gadfly and somewhat clownish guy after a heart procedure. My brother-in-law grilled me about my heart procedure and noted that I didn’t seem to change at all while his father was now a different person. I had seen Rod Steiger in an interview and didn’t put much thought into it until my brother-in-law complained about his father.
Quite interesting…
While under general anesthesia for a deviated septum, I woke up mid surgery, listening to the doctor and nurses. I then spoke, asking a question not related to the surgery, and then they put me back under. There was no pain either. It wasn’t discussed afterward.
I’ve had some emergency surgeries that saved my life. I was fine. Mostly, I think I scared the doctor, but he only lost it after he finished his calm objective excellent surgery. Interestingly right before going into surgery I told the doctor I was confident he would save me and he said “Let’s go save your life”—so I think this is a great attitude, because the mind affects the body and the outcome of surgery is always better if all concerned expect a positive outcome.
Helpful information and educational
Thank you so much.
YOU ARE COMPLETELY OUT OF IT AND SLEEPING AND RESTING OUT OF CONTROL AND IN SLEEPING SOMBERLY AT THE HANDS OF THE DRS. AND ANESTHETICS AND PROFONAL AND DRUGGED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE DR. AND THE MED TEAM AND YOU HOPE AND PRAY YOU WAKE UP AND ACHIEVE NOTHING TO REMEMBER AND THE PAIN WILL BE LESS WE ALL PRAY AND THAT IS WHAT I CAN BE GROGGY AND OUT OF IT AND WAIT TILL THE FEELING SUBSIDES BEFORE LEAVING BY LAW SO THE HOSP STAFF ARE PERMITTED TO LET YOU LEAVE BY RIGHTS
I have been put under several times and have never had a bad effect, thank the Lord. I’ve had ether as well as more recent types of antesethics.
Years before I married my wife who was a surgical RN I told her I loved her during the time they started the anesthesia. I guess the body knows LOL!!
Great info. Thanks. God bless.
I have had anesthesia several times! 100, 99, 98 – lites out! Never experienced any of the above! maybe I did and didn’t even realize it! this was interesting read though
My daughter has been anesthesiologist for 17 years and my mother in law as well. Both say very rewarding career. Very interesting article
I woke up during a procedure to check my esophagus. The Dr and nurse were yelling at me because I was fighting the tube going down my throat. I was scared and unable to move or tell them I was awake and they were yelling at me 😡 This was not my first procedure like this but I knew enough to know yelling at a patient that is supposed to be unconscious is just mean! The second procedure with the same Dr was just as unpleasant. He was supposed to be a good Dr. But he didn’t realize I had done my research and knew he had lied to me. I didn’t say anything to him right then as he was doing at least 25 or more procedures at the same place so I knew he had little time to discuss what he had said to me. He never called me or tried to schedule me for another appointment because he knew he had not diagnosed my issue. So I went online and gave him a bad review. My two experiences with this man were so unpleasant I had enough of his so called practicing medicine on me. He was not a compassionate person and failed to discuss either incident with me. That rates as failure to help me.
“Anesthesia” comes from Latin “an-“ (without) and “-thesia” (feeling, or sensation). A basic tenant of Medicine is “use the smallest does of a drug to achieve the needed result”. If an anesthesiologist uses too little drug then the patient may move, or regain consciousness. This is sometimes called “OK OK anesthesia”, because the surgeon will say “He’s moving!!” and the anesthesiologist will say “OK!!! OK!!!” 🙄
Sometimes amnesia is more important than anesthesia. If a procedure hurts but the patient has no memory of it… no harm/no foul. It’s that “tree/forest” thing. Proprofol is called “milk of amnesia” because it looks like milk and although it does nothing to control pain it is sometimes the only drug used for brief painful procedures