What Going Under General Anesthesia is Like

General Anesthesia Explained

If you’ve never been put under general anesthesia, the thought alone can be scary enough to make you not want to go through with a procedure. General anesthesia is a combination of both drugs and gasses that work together to cause a person to go unconscious so that they cannot feel or be aware of what is happening during a medical procedure. Going under does not just put the person to sleep as some may assume. Going under anesthesia causes the brain to not be able to respond to or feel any pain signals or reflexes so that the procedure can take place without the patient feeling what is going on.

General anesthesia is usually done for procedures that take a long time, expose the patient to an unpleasant environment, affect breathing, will inflict significant pain if awake, and that results in significant blood loss amongst other reasons. It is important that you only go under general anesthesia by a professional anesthesiologist, as they are specifically trained in anesthesia and monitor your breathing, heart rate, and other vital functions while you are under the anesthesia so that it is safe and effective.

It is also important that you and your doctor have talked in depth about your physical health before going under general anesthesia. In this article, we will go over how you can prepare for going under general anesthesia and what it is like during the process. We will also go over what happens post-surgery. To prepare, you will often be advised to fast for a short time before your surgery. Your doctor will give you specifics, but it is because when you are under anesthesia your muscles in the digestive tract and airway will relax and it is important that there is no food in the stomach that can cause other issues.

There are also certain medications that can have an adverse effect during surgery, so it’s important you discuss all medications that you take regularly, both prescription or over the counter, to be sure they are safe to take before surgery. Before the anesthesia is administered, you also will likely be asked to discuss your health, medications, and any other health-related topics that the anesthesiologist will need to know prior to surgery. Remember, anesthesiologists are specifically trained in this, so it’s important to remember and feel confident that you are in good hands.

How the anesthesia medications are put in your body is usually through an intravenous line that is put in around your forearm and administers the medication into your body. Another way to do this is through an IV drip and will depend on the patient. Another way to go under anesthesia is through a mask that you can breathe in the gas as well, which more children prefer to go under with, as it is less invasive. Talk to your doctor about your options so that you feel safe going into the procedure knowing what is going to happen. If necessary, the anesthesiologist will insert a tube down your windpipe to maintain oxygen and protect the lungs.

Again, you will be under the watchful eye of a professional while you are under the anesthesia to make sure that it is going well. Once the anesthesia hits your bloodstream, the results are almost immediate. You might be asked to count down by your anesthesiologist to both help distract you as well as allowing them to see your body’s response to the anesthesia. One thing to also remember is that anesthesia will cause amnesia, so you will not remember the experience. When you come out of the anesthesia, you will likely experience some common side effects such as feeling “loopy” or behaving as you wouldn’t normally. A popular thing to do for friends and family coming off anesthesia is to videotape the reaction, as you can surely find on the Internet. Patients who have gone under anesthesia often say they feel as though it never happened because of the amnesia, and wake up feeling somewhat confused at what is going on. Overall, after the procedure, you will likely need to rest and take it easy. You may also be prescribed certain medications to ease any pains that may be a result of the procedure.

As a whole, going under general anesthesia is nothing you should worry about. Your anesthesiologist is a trained professional, and it is such a common procedure. Make sure that you listen to all of your doctor’s instructions for preparing for as well as healing after the surgery. Going in knowing what is going on can often ease your mind, so be sure to keep this all in mind.