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Look, Pandas, we don’t wanna scare you, but we also don’t want to lie to you: there’s a small chance (teeny-tiny, really) that you might wake up during surgery. One minute you’re enjoying a cup of tea with the Mad Hatter in Wonderland, the next—your eyes are open and you see a bunch of doctors looking down on you.
Confused, maybe even a bit scared, you then drift off again. It’s not a situation you can fully be prepared for, but it’s something you should be aware of beforehand if you ever have your wisdom teeth pulled, have knee surgery, or anything else. The internet is full of stories about anesthesia awareness, and we’ve collected the most memorable ones from all over r/AskReddit to share with you today.
Don’t forget to upvote the posts that impressed you the most. And if you’ve got any similar medical horror stories to share with all the other readers, you can do so in the comments. Do we have any Medical Pandas in today? You can tell us all about your own experiences with anesthesia, too.
A small warning for those of you who are slightly more sensitive than the rest: this article might make you a bit uncomfortable. If you’d like something else to read, check out our post about dogs doing cute and funny things over here. Those of you who feel brave should scroll down.
Dr. Andrew Carroll, the CEO/Medical Director of Atembis LLC and Family Physician, was kind enough to share his thoughts on doctor-patient interactions before, during, and after surgery. "Doctors should be spending time discussing the risks, benefits, alternatives, and intended and expected outcomes of a surgery in detail. However, patients should demand from those same doctors the ability and time necessary to ask any and all questions they have prior to that surgery, and not on the day of surgery. If you have questions about your surgery (as long as it’s not emergency surgery) you can always delay your procedure to ask the questions that need answers," he explained to Bored Panda.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
SCRAPE SCRAPE SCRAPE GRIND GRIND GRIND CRRRRRGHSLUUUUURRRRP CRRRRSCHLUUUUURRRRP SHHHHHHKKKTTTLUUUUURP...
"he's moving a bit, would you... thanks" ... ksssshhht zzzzzzzz...
Dr. Carroll noted that patients ought to remember that there's an entire team attending to them during surgery. "The person monitoring your anesthesia has a responsibility to make sure you’re comfortable, your pain is controlled, and ideally you’re asleep during any sort of significantly invasive procedure," he told Bored Panda.
"There are also nurses watching you and the surgeon will often notice when a patient is not fully under. Speaking to the medical professional after the surgery if you had an unexpected outcome such as waking, will educate that professional so that they do a better job in the future. A physician not willing to accept criticism to improve is not truly a professional," he said.
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#2
I'm a big guy and when the anesthesiologist gave me the dose he told me I would be asleep in 10 minutes. About 15 minutes later I'm lying there still awake and I can hear that they are about to start. So I decide to give a "hey there". The doctor was astonished and was like "you're still awake??". So they have me another dose and I finally drifted off. I woke somewhere in the middle of the surgery and I could tell they had no idea I had woken up. I started to feel a lot of pain but I was afraid of startling the doctor, making his hand slip...so I kind of quietly saying ow but got louder and louder until they heard me and freaked out. All is well now though! Heart is fully functioning and all.
#3
In the 90s I woke up during knee surgery. Like just fully snapped awake and sat up. All of these wide-eyed masked faces just turned and stared at me.
I looked down at my clamped open leg, looked at one of the masked faces that everyone seemed to be deferring to and said "I don't think I want to be awake for this."
They put me back under and as a drifted off I started to feel pain.
Woke up after the surgery and the doctor came in and apologized. I had specifically mentioned that I require more anesthesia than most people (the redhead thing thatcis finally being acknowledged in modern medicine) but they didn't believe me and gave me a normal dose.
Bored Panda also wanted to get Dr. Carroll's take on what kind of support can help medical professionals deal with the stress of their job. "The administrative burden placed on physicians by insurance companies, hospital administrations, etc. are major contributors to health professional stress," the doctor said.
"Physicians are used to the stress of managing patient care and helping people through their health issues. We can do that all day long. However, administrative burdens make our job so significantly difficult that many physicians are considering early retirement. Removing those burdens will improve healthcare delivery, and not just in the United States," he pointed out that those burdens also affect physicians in Canada, the UK, and elsewhere.
According to the American Society of Anesthesiologists, only one or two in 1,000 medical procedures that involve general anesthesia involve a patient becoming conscious. Other research indicates that the actual odds might be far, far lower.
“The condition, called anesthesia awareness (waking up) during surgery, means the patient can recall their surroundings, or an event related to the surgery, while under general anesthesia. Although it can be upsetting, patients usually do not feel pain when experiencing anesthesia awareness,” the ASA explains.
#4
I woke up during surgery to remove a bone spur from my big toe. I must have made a sound because the doctor looked at me and said what are you doing up? Go back to sleep. I said do I have pretty bones? And he said yes now go to sleep. And then I went back to sleep. I did not feel any pain at allAnd I was so drugged up I wasn’t even scared
#5
I woke up while they were putting a metal plate in my arm. They used a block which basically made my entire arm from shoulder to hand numb. When I woke up I could remember hearing a drill and a slight pressure in the arm they were working on. I just said "This is awesome" followed shortly by someone saying "oops." Quickly went back to sleep.
Derek Clark 2 years ago
I had a block once too, but I was awake for the surgery. As they were starting, I told them that I didn't think it was working. They didn't believe me until I said I could feel the surgeon leaning on the inside of my elbow. Since I couldn't see what they were doing and I felt it correctly, they quickly decided to put me under all the way. What a scare, for a moment I thought they'd cut into me while I'd feel it.
#6
I was 14 and had to be put under for a hernia surgery, and as they were stitching me up I woke up and demanded that I have a cup of Coke with “the good ice”? I don’t remember any of that but I do remember waking up craving Coca-Cola and being pleasantly surprised that I had one in the cup holder on the way home.
I don’t actually like Coca-Cola that was the odd part
Susan S 2 years ago
Nowadays, at UCSF Medical Center anyways, they give you something that gives you temporary amnesia. With my 2 surgeries, I remember them rolling me on a gurney after hooking me up to some sort of medical drip, but never remembering arriving to the surgery room. I am pretty sure they do this so that, should you do wake up in pain in the middle of surgery, you won't remember it. Therefore, they avoid lawsuits, but that is just my speculation...
Awareness during surgery isn’t the same as remembering what happened before the anesthesia started working. Some patients even dream during surgery and think that they were conscious during the procedure when actually they weren’t.
Some patients are more likely than others to regain consciousness during surgery. “It can be more common in patients with multiple medical conditions, and certain surgeries or circumstances increase the risk of awareness because the usual dose of required anesthesia cannot be used safely. These surgeries are often emergencies, such as emergency C-sections, certain types of heart surgery, and surgery that’s needed after a traumatic injury,” the ASA explains.
#7
I woke up in the middle of gall bladder removal surgery. I couldn't look down, but I know I was cut open on the operating table by the bloody knife and vacuum tube in the surgeon's hand. The thing that bothered me most, though, was the fact that there was a tube down my throat and it was really difficult to breathe. There were a lot of "Oh my God"s and "Please don't move"s, some said very loudly and near the edge of panic. Finally the doctor yelled for someone to give me another dose of anesthetic, and bonk I was out like a light.
#8
I was having surgery on my ankle in 2005, getting a few pins placed because I'm super graceful and broke it. I woke up to hearing what sounded like a drill, and feeling a lot of pressure at my foot. I didn't feel any pain, thank goodness.
I opened my eyes and looked directly at the anesthesiologist, who immediately said "hold on. She's waking up." Everyone kind of stopped what they were doing, and then I went back under.
When I came to again, I was in the recovery ICU with the doctor. I asked her how long into the surgery I woke up, and she told me I was only out 15 minutes before I needed more anesthesia. She also told me I'd scared the s**t out of her, because it was the first time anyone had ever woken up on the table in her experience. Granted, she was fairly young so I don't think it's all that uncommon.
She was really cool about everything though. She asked if I'd been afraid and needed someone to talk to, and I told her no. I was never scared or in pain, so as far as I was concerned it was just a weird experience during my otherwise successful surgery.
Lazy Panda 2 years ago
I didn't even notice it because it seemed so normal! LOL
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#9
I had 4 wisdom teeth remove (all impacted).
Funny thing was I counted all the way to 10, looked at the Doctor and was like... uh, is this it?
Doctor was shocked, nodded for another hit and i managed to make it to 7.
Woke up during the operation with a giant vice in my face to keep my mouth open. "Hit him again!"
Woke up a second time, as he was yanking on my jaw, "What the f*ck? Hit him again!!!"
The gas wore off right as he was cleaning up.
I vaguely remember chatter during the procedure too.
While some patients only vaguely remember what happened when they woke up, others vividly remember specific details. Naturally, this sort of experience can be disturbing or even traumatic for some. The ASA recommends that patients speak to their physician anesthesiologist after their surgery if it happens to them. Counseling can help deal with confusion and stress.
The more the anesthesiologist knows about your health conditions, the medication that you use, your history of alcohol and drug use, and previous experiences with going under, the better they adapt and the lower the risk of anesthesia awareness. In short, the more open and honest you are with medical professionals, the better they can do their jobs.
#10
I wasn't put under for my wisdom teeth extraction, just given halcion to make me loopy and out of it (I wasn't supposed to remember most of it) and of course local anesthesia. But halfway through the procedure I vaguely remember beginning to cry as I felt the dentist struggle to get part of a tooth out, and it literally felt like he was just trying to rip the damn thing out of my head. Horribly painful and traumatic. He was like, "Oh gosh you gotta tell me if it hurts!" Well I tried sir but I'm more drugged than I've ever been in my life and your hands are in my mouth.
similarly 2 years ago
I sympathize! Both my bottom wisdom teeth were horizontally impacted and required surgery. They were both partly covered by the jawbone (which had grown up around the tooth), and in the case of the last tooth, they actually had to remove parts of my jawbone to get it out. During surgery, I didn't feel much pain, but I remember that poor dentist working SO hard to get the tooth out, I honestly thought he was about to put his knee on my chest, but then he thought better of it.
#11
I was having surgery to repair a pneumothorax (collapsed lung). I vividly remember waking up in the middle of it and looking up at the doctor. I looked him right in the eyes, lifted my left arm (they were working on the right side) and tapped the facemask. He nodded and I was out again.
I've actually had a few similar instances. I've got the ginger gene that makes drugs and anesthesia and such less effective. Problem is, unless I have facial hair you'd never notice I was ginger. My beard is bright red, but my hair is blonde. I have to warn doctors and dentists that they might want to up the requirements because it doesn't work very well.
Catie Marie 2 years ago
Also was told by idiot dr that clearly I had an addiction problem since I can rattle off med names and their effects on me. B***h, pls. First of all I have some major health issues and have cycled thru A LOT of meds. Secondly, I'm a damn vet tech and aced pharmacology. Of course I can rattle off meds. What a twat.
#12
I woke up during surgery to repair a shattered Humerus. My whole shoulder was dissected open and a dude was using a screwdriver and a drill to attach a steel plate to the bones pull the parts together.
Me: ahhhhh! (Screaming through O2 mask) Doc: (turning pale) I thought you were out ! Me: Im not f*cking out you stupid motherf*cking son of a b*tch. AAAhhh! This f*cking hurts ! Stop that ! Goddammit..... (continued to scream curses in five languages at the poor doc, who is looking at the anesthesiologist....) And then I was out. My wife, who was in the waiting room, said she knew it was me screaming, and really, really had to keep herself calm and not run back there and start kicking as*es.
I felt so bad at the nasty s**t I said to the poor doc that I looked him up and apologized a week or so later when I was in for a post hospital stay checkup.
Me: Um, I'm really sorry at the stuff I said to you. Doc: You remember that ? Me: Yeah, and I'm really not like that. I'm sorry. Doc: (Chuckling).. it's OK, it happens. I'd yell too. So.. how are you ? Me: Better
Thanks again, Doc. Without you I'd have a stainless steel joint and be even more f*cked up than I am with just some screws and rivets and s**t. Or have a plain pinned up sleeve and no arm at all. Because that damage was epically bad.
Who Panda 420 2 years ago
I didn't wake up under anesthesia but when I woke up from it I was 12 years old and had gotten my tonsils out I remember the feeling of darkness and not being able to breathe. I was screaming to get this f*****g dog off my chest. For some reason in my head I thought my golden retriever was laying on me and that's why I couldn't breathe lol. My Mom said she could hear me cussing down the hallway and was so embarrassed but the doctors and nurses laughed it off and said it's normal.
#13
Broke my arm (very close to the wrist) during a dirt bike accident but me being me, I was just like "naaaww, its just a sprain and it will heal". It did heal but VERY crooked. Went in for surgery to have it broken a set straight. Mid way through surgery i'm woken up by a tugging and a muffled thud. I open my eyes to see numerous doctors and nurses pulling my arm in oposing directions and there is one doctor hitting my arm by the "breaking point" with a mallet. Next thing I knew im waking up on the recovery room. Apparently a nurse was on standby with a hardcore sedative just in case as I seemed to be initialy resisting the gas.
#14
I was having a triple bypass. They were taking the graft artery out of my arm, and I woke up and heard the sounds of the operating room. People talking, metal clanging against metal. Heard someone say close up that arm now, and I was thinking it was over; I had made it. But I still couldn't open my eyes, my mouth felt like it was full of tubes, and my arms were strapped down. Then, I heard the man's voice again and he said, 'OK, I'm going into the chest.' Well, that got my attention. I had agreed to the open heart surgery, but I didn't want to be awake for it. I tried moving as hard as I could to let them know I wasn't asleep. I felt pressure on my chest, and it moved. As the pressure moved, I felt a coldness where the pressure was as he was cutting into me.
I worked as hard as I could to get moving and was able to flex my butt and leg muscles just a little bit. I started doing that in rhythm and got the gurney rocking a little bit, head to toe. The pressure stopped, and I heard, 'This man is not asleep!' Someone else said, 'OH!' In about three seconds, I was out again and didn't wake up until I was in recovery. After I was moved to ICU and the hoses were pulled out of my throat, the doctor asked everyone to leave the room, and he asked what I remembered. I told him about when I woke up. He said the 'art' to heart surgery is keeping you enough under the anesthesia so you don't know what's going on, but not so deep that they can't get the heart started again. I'm just glad he noticed I was awake before he started spreading ribs!
Who Panda 420 2 years ago
OMG truly terrifying. I don't know why I'm reading this thread with medical procedures scheduled.
#15
I woke up partway through having all 4 wisdom teeth removed. The assistant had wrapped her arms around my forehead, the dentist had his knee on my sternum and was yanking two handed on the largest pair of pliers I have ever seen that somehow fit into my mouth. He stopped, nodded to the anesthesiologist and then thankfully I didn't remember anything else.
#16
They were talking about buying vintage lunchboxes on eBay. I wasn't properly awake or in pain, but I could 'feel'/had awareness that their hands were inside me. The anesthesiologist noticed my eyes were open, and I woke up again properly when they were wheeling me into recovery.
#17
I woke up, felt really peaceful. Couldn't really see anything, I think my eyes were just cracked open a bit, so I had the impression of people moving around.
Then I tried to take a breath. Couldn't do it. All my muscles were paralyzed. I started to get air hunger so badly, my mind was racing, I was in a panic, but I could not make my lungs take in air and I couldn't tell any of these shadowy doctors and nurses around me that I was dying. It was horrible. I think someone noticed my heart was racing because there was a sudden feeling of extra attention and alarm from the shadowy figures and I was put under again.
When I spoke with my doctor about it later he admitted there had been a bit of a problem with the anesthesiology, but that I had never been in danger. He apologized and I appreciated both that I hadnt imagined this horrible situation, and that he hadn't tried to pretend I imagined it. My brother is a nurse and some of the crappy things he's told me he's seen happen in the operating room are never admitted to patients afterward, I guess because of fear of lawsuits.
Biofish23 2 years ago
During one of my c-sections I got that I can't breath feeling. I was fully awake with a spinal block. Anesthesiologist assured me I was breathing just fine and my O2 was good. However I was numb enough that I couldn't feel my diaphragm moving, so my brain decided to hit the I can't breath, I'm dying panic button.
#18
Had to have a lumpectomy done about 3-4 years ago. The anesthesiologist came in to speak to me about general and how I would be put under for the procedure, blah blah blah. Fast forward to the surgery room- I'm wheeled in, some medication is given to me through my line, I start to feel kind of loose. Enter as**ole surgeon. Anesthesiologist starts to tell her he's about to start my general. She gives him the look of death followed by "She's not going under for this." He looks at her kind of funny, says no I've told the patient we would do general and I think that's best for this situation. Surgeon doesn't agree, says twilight only, I try to speak, I'm vetoed. In goes local and I wake up mid-surgery attempting to speak and lifting my head up freaking out. Anesthesiologist flips his s**t, grabs my line, in goes general. He paced through my recovery room for the next two hours waiting for me to wake up. I make eye contact as I come to, he lets out a HUGE sigh and leaves the room. Never again do I see that surgeon.
Scotira 2 years ago
A lot of surgeons are entiteled as*holes who think themselves Gods gift to humankind (seems a bit to come with the territory) BUT a lot of them are really nice, too! You need to find one you can trust though. Usually I prefere the as*hole who knows his sh*it before a nice one who doesn't.
#19
Woke up during a form of gastric bypass in 2001. I remember feeling the worst pain of my life. I couldn't hear anything and knew my eyes were taped shut. The only thing I could thing to do was move my hands as I could feel the restraint. I started rolling my hands as much as possible and that was it. I had gall stones the size of golf balls in my gall bladder, broke my leg during roller derby and walking on it to take myself to the hospital, and got to almost 8 cm dilated before I requested the epidural. Waking up during surgery is my 10. Nothing has come close to that pain.
Who Panda 420 2 years ago (edited)
Wow! Gallstones and birth are supposed to be two of the most painful things so I can't even imagine what this poor person went through.
#20
I was getting an ablation done to my heart because of an irregular heartbeat.
I woke up at apparently entirely the wrong moment because I moved a bit, and the doctor/surgeon started screaming 'SIR!! DO NOT MOVE THIS IS A CRITICAL PART OF THE PROCEDURE' Something like that anyway.
A nurse appeared next to me and literally held my shoulders down until they put me under again.
Was a scary 30 seconds or so.
Paul V Fleming 2 years ago
i underwent the same ablation procedure, but there seemed to be something wrong with the anesthetic, as i thought i could feel the wire going to my heart and having the procedure done (burning a part of the heart muscle). it was a lot of pressure/discomfort. afterwards the doctor told me i couldn't go completely under as i would fall asleep and snore, which made the ablation more difficult to do. so, i was only part way under. the doctor apologized and said i was a real trooper for going through that. they said my heart anatomy was a little odd, so it took four hours instead of the usual one or so. i just remember being in a lot of dull pain from pressure for a quite a while. after the procedure, didn't feel any pain.
#21
When my father had his hip replaced, he woke up in the middle of his surgery. He said "it sounded like someone was building a house" because of all the sawing and hammering. Luckily he was still numb, so he just looked over at the anesthesiologist and said "I think I'd like to go back to sleep now". My father said the guy looked like he s**t himself when he realized my dad was awake, and quickly put him back under.
#22
I woke up when they were removing a small bone from my foot that was broken. Remember feeling them poke around in my foot so decided to take a look. Remember seeing the incision and just then, a nurse noticed me with my head up. She just lightly pushed my head back down, told me to close eyes, and the next thing I know I was in the recovery room. Pretty weird.
Julie Cipale 2 years ago
I don't remember doing this, but MDsays that when they cut into my foot to remove a growth, I said, "Ow!! That hurts!"
#23
I woke up when I was getting my wisdom teeth removed. I remember the doctor looking down at me and saying something along the lines of, "Oh, hello." Before asking the nurse to put me back under.
Next thing I remember was the nurse trying to take the cotton out of my mouth but I'd swallowed it all already like a champ.
#24
I woke up in the middle of a root canal. I remember opening my eyes and not knowing what the hell was happening I grabbed the dentist hand and doing so I scared the life out of him he ending up screaming and yelling for the nurse to increase what ever cocktail iv I had. After he was done and I was fully awake we laughed about it and he told me I was his 1st patient to wake up in the 15 years he's been practicing
Midoribird Aoi 2 years ago (edited)
I don't get why they would put you under for a root canal. If you are healthy, that is. I had one two months ago and it was just local. Glad doc realizes I am a redhead...
#25
I chose to be sedated and knocked out for an endoscope when I was 17. This was the first time I'd ever been put under, and it didn't go so well. I now know that I have the gene redhaired and pale people get that causes us to metabolize narcotics and sedation differently — basically, it takes more drugs to knock me out. The sedation they gave me put me out for about 10 minutes. I woke up suddenly and violently during the procedure. I started kicking and punching and trying to pull out the endoscope. The doctor and nurse tried to hold me down, but I kept fighting them.
At the time I just remember thinking, Why are they so upset? I'm just laying here doing nothing. They had to give me a ton more sedative to put me out again. A couple months later when I had my wisdom teeth out at the hospital, they did the whole 'breathe deeply and count back from 100' thing. I got down to about 65 when they realized they needed to administer more. They said I took more than most grown adults.
Aline Cahill 2 years ago
I woke up during my first endoscopy too, I just remember gagging and them rushing around
#26
I woke up halfway through my circumcision (26, medical complications made it necessary)
Thankfully I was paralyzed from the waist down still but apparently I said "uh... guys?... I think the sleep s**t wore off..."
Two beeps and like 30 seconds later I was unconscious again.
Also holy s**t there's a lot of blood in a d*ck during circumcision. Like... scary s**t!
Chris Ramage 2 years ago
I had the same thing happen to me. I woke up and looked down and I remember loudly saying HOLY SH*T ITS HUUUUUGE! as I look down at my very swollen member before then put me back under
#27
I woke up during foot surgery--I had conscious sedation and local anesthesia in my foot. I remember feeling super chilled out. I felt like me, the surgeon, and all the other people in there were buddies. They were sawing off part of a bone and I remember thinking that it felt kinda good, like a foot massage. I asked the surgeons if I could see what they were doing and they said something like "no, go back to sleep." I think I asked this question more than once during the surgery.
I remember waking up right after the surgery as they were preparing to transfer me to the recovery room. The surgeon said something like "haul your a*s onto this stretcher."
Not gonna lie, it was pretty awesome.
whodunnitfan2013 2 years ago
After my surgery two years ago, a bunch of people at the surgery center had to physically pick me up off the gurney and put me in another one, then again when transferring me from the second gurney to a wheelchair, then I crawled like the world's slowest sloth from there into the car to take me home. I was awake during all that. I know someone who managed to punch an anesthesiologist while on sedatives, and I don't get it, because I was completely helpless on anesthesia and couldn't hurt a fly, even after I had woken up.
#28
I was 14, getting my elbow replaced. I woke up and started choking on the airway tube down my throat. All of the people in the OR just kept saying "it's ok it's ok we're finished" Then they took the tube out and I knocked back out.
When I was in recovery, the surgeon (or someone, I was fkd up) told me I woke up halfway through. They told me my surgery was finished so I wouldn't freak out any more than I already did.
The man asked if I'd felt anything. I just told him I felt my throat was extremely dry and I didn't like all of those people hovering over me. He was relieved to know that I didn't feel the half of the bones in my arm were gone.
It was a 15 hr surgery because the part they had didn't fit and they had to get a new part flown in while I was under. I woke up while everyone was just kind of sitting around, making sure I was still under.
It wasn't as psychically uncomfortable as it was panic-inducing. You're out completely, then you wake up thinking you've been abducted by aliens.
Amy Sadler 2 years ago
The point of waking up after an op is strange, I dreamed i was being attacked by a group of people and was in severe danger...maybe sub conscious memory of the op? Apparently children wake up fighting with the nurse...
#29
I actually opted to stay awake during my wisdom teeth surgery because my dentist suggested it. The painkillers he kept giving me didn't work so he had to inject directly into a nerve- that was probably the most painful thing I've ever experienced. But it's really weird being awake for that surgery. The dentist took what I can only describe as a hammer and chisel and broke my teeth up into smaller pieces that he picked out, and I saw and felt the pressure of it. I also felt him sew up my gums. It wasn't traumatizing like it would have been for other types of surgery, but I wouldn't say it was fun either
#30
I woke up during a routine colonoscopy. It felt like they were shoving a board through my intestines...the pressure was unreal. I remember I was finally able to say “please stop!” Both the nurse and the doctor’s eyes got as big as saucers, and that’s the last thing I remember. Normally, you wake up in recovery, get up and go home pretty much alert. I slept for 24 hours because of the extra bump they had to give me to put me back under to complete the colonoscopy.
What do you think ?
similarly 2 years ago
One of the scariest cases I ever read about was an anesthesiologist who got addicted to their own anesthesia drugs, and started stealing the drugs from the hospital, but in order to cover up their habit, instead of just stealing bottles of drugs, they were siphoning out the drugs and then diluting the rest. People started waking up during surgeries, often in terrible pain, or reporting after the surgery that they weren't fully under. It was discovered after an investigation by the hospital, but it really makes me wonder how often it happens.
Miss Frankfurter 2 years ago (edited)
Had surgery on both ears one time. I dont remember, but you can wake up & they don't know. Well, that's what happened. Doing s*** to your ear is used as torture where it's the kind of place where they torture people. I had both ears done. I woke up in a massive panic but hid it because I worked in Day Surgery & knew everyone in Recovery. I didn't want to look like a wuss. Whenever the doc came to see me in Day Surgery he said I had a hyperstartle reflex whenever he woke me up. Days later I started with horrific lengthy panic attacks, especially if I tried to sleep. When you go to sleep bad things happen. This went on for months. I lost 20lbs. I I started at 110lbs. My next ear surgery at another hospital, the anesthetist & I had a long talk. Knocked the hell out of me. I ended up the last person in recovery room. Once I woke up though, I was totally awake in minutes. Thank God every doc believes me about this now. Some folks are just resistant to the stuff.
I'mNotARoboat 2 years ago
Are you or anyone related to you even partially a redhead/ginger by chance?
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Beth S 2 years ago (edited)
I don't really remember this because I fell asleep after my son was delivered by C-section, but apparently I tried to get up off the table as they were trying to stitch me back up. With my second son, they secured me to the table with velcro straps so I wouldn't try to get up and run away in the middle of surgery again.
Cindy Snow 2 years ago
Pretty sure i was awake for the first 5-10 seconds of my emergency C section.
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Amanda Day 2 years ago
I had to have an emergency hernia surgery. I had a chest infection so they said they couldn't give me general anaesthetic and it had to be done that day so couldn't wait otherwise it could kill me They gave me some drug tho to make me kinda woozy but I was awake for most of the surgery It was actually quite fascinating to be awake! The staff were all amazing and I had a guy holding my hand throughout and reassuring me. I couldn't see of the actually work down there as they put this green cloth wall up at my waist but I could feel them inside with tools etc but it mostly just felt like a tickle It was weird to see them picking up the tools and discussing the surgery but they also just had general chit chat throughout and atmosphere was really calm and they were singing too They asked if they minded if they played
Hope Mukami 2 years ago (edited)
I have had multiple surgeries from childhood althrough adulthood and my last in 2020 was the worst. My caserean section was really weird firstly cause it was a forced emergency c/s as i had to threaten to sue the doctor because i couldn't feel her movements anymore after 34hrs of labour. As they were struggling to extract my child i felt like something was puncturing my liver and the pain spread like hot flames. I told the surgeon and anaesthetist who said it was my imagination and gave me a shot of pethidine and ketamine but the pain i will never forget.
Annabelle 2 years ago
When they extract your child it can (not always) be really painful. It is because they put pressure on your upper abdomen when they extract the child (at least in my country). That is near your liver. I think you also had spinal anesthesia?.
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Jill Bussey 2 years ago
I obviously don't have the red head gene, although my hair is strawberry blonde. I tend to go deeper than they intend, so I take a while to come out and have a very slow, chilled-out heart rate. I do remember having an abdominal operation when I felt when they cut across my groin. I knew where the scar was going to be.
Monday 2 years ago
I'm somewhat overly sensitive to medications so on the few occasions I've had to have surgery they've given me the correct dose for my weight which always led to them having trouble waking me up afterwards.
Load More Replies... Scotira 2 years ago
Waking up during surgery can happen to anyone! Every patient is different and reacts different to medication. What a patient gets is the "estimated average" and needs to be adjusted for each patient. One even might remember things about the surgery even though one has not been awake. Our conciousness is weirdly resistant in giving up all its secrets! Patients often recall conversations that have taken place during surgery or music being played, weird noises... All this should be explained before the procedure to take away the scare though.
Lucky2BAlive 2 years ago
I didn’t actually wake up so much as I’d been given the wrong medication first. I was given a paralytic drug first instead of second and when I tried to breathe I couldn’t. I heard one person address me and say “oh relax”, followed by another doctor saying “oops”. I drifted off. In the recovery room my first comment was “oops? Oh relax?” And about a day later, I was visited and it was an enormous apology. After that I assure you I was treated like a rock star *L*. (It is not uncommon for the use of a paralytic to keep a patient not only from moving but providing the ability for easier intubation. ). I hold no grudge, as the use of Versed (milk of amnesia) is often combined with Fentanyl because, just because your body is sleepy your brain is still hanging in there. So, multiple drugs are often used,
Lian Beijers 2 years ago (edited)
In the university hospital I got my ablation (minor heart surgery) they don't put you under for the procedure and you can go home at the end of the day - very useful in pandemic times because there wasn't as much delay as with cancer surgeries for example. Anyway, they did say they would give me local anesthesia and something to help me relax. And the latter might cause memory loss. I was expecting periods of darkness or dreaming or something but it wasn't like that. I thought I was aware through the whole thing, and I got upset because they weren't telling me what they were doing like they had promised. Turns out I just lost parts, so it went a bit like: I'm laying on the table joking with the staff [blink] hey, they're already working near my groin (to put the tube in the vein that goes to the heart) [blink] my heart is extremely irregular because they're stimulating it with electricity [blink] a burning pain is happening in my chest
Lian Beijers 2 years ago (edited)
Turned out later they gave me extra because I was breathing too deeply, which can disturb the procedure. The medicine is supposed to make your breathing shallow but because they didn't inform me this was important and I practice a lot of meditation so I instinctively started breathing more deeply to calm myself.
Load More Replies... Who Panda 420 2 years ago
Great! I just mentioned in another post that this is one of my worst fears is waking up during anesthesia and not being able to do anything and feeling trapped. Now this post comes out and I have to be put under for an upper endoscopy in a month or so. Not feeling great about it at the moment. I know it's extremely rare for this to happen but it happens often enough for there to be a post about it.
Disgruntled Pelican 2 years ago
I'm having surgery on Monday and now I'm ✨ terrified ✨ even though I've had surgery before.
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sturmwesen 2 years ago
My sister and I both woke up at the dentist. I make sure to tell them they need to be ready to administer more before especially since i seem to wake up fighting :-/ I would never be able to get brain- or eye surgery while awake it scares the c**p out of me how I would go in panic mode.
Sheryl Logan 2 years ago
I've had 2 surgeries and I've scared the docs both times. 1st surgery was a breast reduction so no idea how it's going to affect me, but I had asked a friend of mine who was an ER nurse to be in on my surgery. He said I woke up in the middle of it and they hit me with more anesthesia because I was trying to get up. Then they hit me with a little more about 3/4 of the way done. They wheeled me to recovery told my mom and a friend that I'd be there for a few hours to go get something to eat mom said that after hearing about me trying to go for a walk during surgery that she would eat later..... she was right I woke up in recovery talked to the recovery room Nurse asked for a coke and 30 minutes out of major surgery they where wheeling me to my room where as we got to my room I decided I had to PEE! Badly! So I hop off the gurney walk to the bathroom go pee and walk to my bed all the while giving the nurse a heart attack. Got myself settled and asked for a coke again. I got it
Melissa 2 years ago
I had my gall bladder taken out several years ago. I have no recollection of this but the nurse told me she and another nurse were trying to move me from the operating table to a bed. Apparently I just hopped off the table and put myself into the bed scaring the c**p out of them. Also I said my name was lasagna when they were checking on me.
Deep One 2 years ago
My dad woke up during surgery and remembers them saying: "this isn't good this isn't good!" Then they Oded him and had a hard time getting him back. They tried to deny it but it came out. My mom knew something was wrong when a priest came and sat down in the waiting room near her. It was the middle of the night and she was the only one there.
BonnyDK 2 years ago
I'm hyper sensitive and need a lot less. I get locals ever since I was 14. Eye surgery-local. Watched the scalpels coming towards my eye. Didn't feel any pain. C section. Local. I remember talking to the anesthesiologist during. I pass out completely and come to intermittently. From a local. I told him I was freezing. He said I was butt naked on a steel table that's why. I could feel the pressure of them pulling my daughter out of my stomach but no pain. Then passed out again. Count back from 100 to go under? I'm lucky if I get to 4. Several weird or scary times- ankle surgery w/ young Dr. I woke up from local to find him taking one of my legs up and putting my left ankle on his shoulder. There was no nurse in the room. Just him and a anesthesiologist. I talked to them. He quit after the surgery and moved away. Lap band surgery the Dr didn't believe me. Full General. I flatlined. Hard time getting me back. Woke up in recovery and could not breath at all. Really scary.
Mad McQueen 2 years ago
Ginger gene too. I require a lot of pain blockers. I've told dentists that as soon as I can't feel anything to start because a few times they would inject me an walk away and by the time they came back to start I'd start feeling the work being done 5 min in. So I just tell them start as soon as I'm numb because by the time I'm fully numb it's also wearing off. I've needed 6 shots of novicaine to do a cleaning sometimes. Sensitive teeth to hell. I'll tell them if they are using that water pick cleaner to use almost hot water. The cold is what lessens the drugs too. I did wake up durning my hall bladder operation. I looked around and someone saw me an added some more drugs. I felt tugging and pushing but not pain. My fall bladder calcified to my liver and dr couldn't get it off an was tearing at it. Said he would have done one more tank then cut me open. Instead he tore my liver and now I can't have more than two drinks before I'm in pain.
whodunnitfan2013 2 years ago
I think if I woke up during surgery, I'd be completely helpless, probably cracking a weird joke or two, or revealing my deepest, darkest secrets. I've had two surgeries, and need two more, so maybe my time to shine will come!
Mohammad Ammar 2 years ago (edited)
I woke up towards the end of a septoplasty. My body was still paralyzed and I was starting to freak out because at the time, I had no idea how far into the surgery I was. Fortunately it was just about done, I think they were packing my nose or something.Also, they'd noticed I'd gained consciousness, and helped adjust my mouth tube which I felt was choking me as I panicked. Overall, not a nice experience.
similarly 2 years ago
One of the scariest cases I ever read about was an anesthesiologist who got addicted to their own anesthesia drugs, and started stealing the drugs from the hospital, but in order to cover up their habit, instead of just stealing bottles of drugs, they were siphoning out the drugs and then diluting the rest. People started waking up during surgeries, often in terrible pain, or reporting after the surgery that they weren't fully under. It was discovered after an investigation by the hospital, but it really makes me wonder how often it happens.
Miss Frankfurter 2 years ago (edited)
Had surgery on both ears one time. I dont remember, but you can wake up & they don't know. Well, that's what happened. Doing s*** to your ear is used as torture where it's the kind of place where they torture people. I had both ears done. I woke up in a massive panic but hid it because I worked in Day Surgery & knew everyone in Recovery. I didn't want to look like a wuss. Whenever the doc came to see me in Day Surgery he said I had a hyperstartle reflex whenever he woke me up. Days later I started with horrific lengthy panic attacks, especially if I tried to sleep. When you go to sleep bad things happen. This went on for months. I lost 20lbs. I I started at 110lbs. My next ear surgery at another hospital, the anesthetist & I had a long talk. Knocked the hell out of me. I ended up the last person in recovery room. Once I woke up though, I was totally awake in minutes. Thank God every doc believes me about this now. Some folks are just resistant to the stuff.
I'mNotARoboat 2 years ago
Are you or anyone related to you even partially a redhead/ginger by chance?
Load More Replies... Beth S 2 years ago (edited)
I don't really remember this because I fell asleep after my son was delivered by C-section, but apparently I tried to get up off the table as they were trying to stitch me back up. With my second son, they secured me to the table with velcro straps so I wouldn't try to get up and run away in the middle of surgery again.
Cindy Snow 2 years ago
Pretty sure i was awake for the first 5-10 seconds of my emergency C section.
Load More Replies... Amanda Day 2 years ago
I had to have an emergency hernia surgery. I had a chest infection so they said they couldn't give me general anaesthetic and it had to be done that day so couldn't wait otherwise it could kill me They gave me some drug tho to make me kinda woozy but I was awake for most of the surgery It was actually quite fascinating to be awake! The staff were all amazing and I had a guy holding my hand throughout and reassuring me. I couldn't see of the actually work down there as they put this green cloth wall up at my waist but I could feel them inside with tools etc but it mostly just felt like a tickle It was weird to see them picking up the tools and discussing the surgery but they also just had general chit chat throughout and atmosphere was really calm and they were singing too They asked if they minded if they played
Hope Mukami 2 years ago (edited)
I have had multiple surgeries from childhood althrough adulthood and my last in 2020 was the worst. My caserean section was really weird firstly cause it was a forced emergency c/s as i had to threaten to sue the doctor because i couldn't feel her movements anymore after 34hrs of labour. As they were struggling to extract my child i felt like something was puncturing my liver and the pain spread like hot flames. I told the surgeon and anaesthetist who said it was my imagination and gave me a shot of pethidine and ketamine but the pain i will never forget.
Annabelle 2 years ago
When they extract your child it can (not always) be really painful. It is because they put pressure on your upper abdomen when they extract the child (at least in my country). That is near your liver. I think you also had spinal anesthesia?.
Load More Replies... Jill Bussey 2 years ago
I obviously don't have the red head gene, although my hair is strawberry blonde. I tend to go deeper than they intend, so I take a while to come out and have a very slow, chilled-out heart rate. I do remember having an abdominal operation when I felt when they cut across my groin. I knew where the scar was going to be.
Monday 2 years ago
I'm somewhat overly sensitive to medications so on the few occasions I've had to have surgery they've given me the correct dose for my weight which always led to them having trouble waking me up afterwards.
Load More Replies... Scotira 2 years ago
Waking up during surgery can happen to anyone! Every patient is different and reacts different to medication. What a patient gets is the "estimated average" and needs to be adjusted for each patient. One even might remember things about the surgery even though one has not been awake. Our conciousness is weirdly resistant in giving up all its secrets! Patients often recall conversations that have taken place during surgery or music being played, weird noises... All this should be explained before the procedure to take away the scare though.
Lucky2BAlive 2 years ago
I didn’t actually wake up so much as I’d been given the wrong medication first. I was given a paralytic drug first instead of second and when I tried to breathe I couldn’t. I heard one person address me and say “oh relax”, followed by another doctor saying “oops”. I drifted off. In the recovery room my first comment was “oops? Oh relax?” And about a day later, I was visited and it was an enormous apology. After that I assure you I was treated like a rock star *L*. (It is not uncommon for the use of a paralytic to keep a patient not only from moving but providing the ability for easier intubation. ). I hold no grudge, as the use of Versed (milk of amnesia) is often combined with Fentanyl because, just because your body is sleepy your brain is still hanging in there. So, multiple drugs are often used,
Lian Beijers 2 years ago (edited)
In the university hospital I got my ablation (minor heart surgery) they don't put you under for the procedure and you can go home at the end of the day - very useful in pandemic times because there wasn't as much delay as with cancer surgeries for example. Anyway, they did say they would give me local anesthesia and something to help me relax. And the latter might cause memory loss. I was expecting periods of darkness or dreaming or something but it wasn't like that. I thought I was aware through the whole thing, and I got upset because they weren't telling me what they were doing like they had promised. Turns out I just lost parts, so it went a bit like: I'm laying on the table joking with the staff [blink] hey, they're already working near my groin (to put the tube in the vein that goes to the heart) [blink] my heart is extremely irregular because they're stimulating it with electricity [blink] a burning pain is happening in my chest
Lian Beijers 2 years ago (edited)
Turned out later they gave me extra because I was breathing too deeply, which can disturb the procedure. The medicine is supposed to make your breathing shallow but because they didn't inform me this was important and I practice a lot of meditation so I instinctively started breathing more deeply to calm myself.
Load More Replies... Who Panda 420 2 years ago
Great! I just mentioned in another post that this is one of my worst fears is waking up during anesthesia and not being able to do anything and feeling trapped. Now this post comes out and I have to be put under for an upper endoscopy in a month or so. Not feeling great about it at the moment. I know it's extremely rare for this to happen but it happens often enough for there to be a post about it.
Disgruntled Pelican 2 years ago
I'm having surgery on Monday and now I'm ✨ terrified ✨ even though I've had surgery before.
Load More Replies... sturmwesen 2 years ago
My sister and I both woke up at the dentist. I make sure to tell them they need to be ready to administer more before especially since i seem to wake up fighting :-/ I would never be able to get brain- or eye surgery while awake it scares the c**p out of me how I would go in panic mode.
Sheryl Logan 2 years ago
I've had 2 surgeries and I've scared the docs both times. 1st surgery was a breast reduction so no idea how it's going to affect me, but I had asked a friend of mine who was an ER nurse to be in on my surgery. He said I woke up in the middle of it and they hit me with more anesthesia because I was trying to get up. Then they hit me with a little more about 3/4 of the way done. They wheeled me to recovery told my mom and a friend that I'd be there for a few hours to go get something to eat mom said that after hearing about me trying to go for a walk during surgery that she would eat later..... she was right I woke up in recovery talked to the recovery room Nurse asked for a coke and 30 minutes out of major surgery they where wheeling me to my room where as we got to my room I decided I had to PEE! Badly! So I hop off the gurney walk to the bathroom go pee and walk to my bed all the while giving the nurse a heart attack. Got myself settled and asked for a coke again. I got it
Melissa 2 years ago
I had my gall bladder taken out several years ago. I have no recollection of this but the nurse told me she and another nurse were trying to move me from the operating table to a bed. Apparently I just hopped off the table and put myself into the bed scaring the c**p out of them. Also I said my name was lasagna when they were checking on me.
Deep One 2 years ago
My dad woke up during surgery and remembers them saying: "this isn't good this isn't good!" Then they Oded him and had a hard time getting him back. They tried to deny it but it came out. My mom knew something was wrong when a priest came and sat down in the waiting room near her. It was the middle of the night and she was the only one there.
BonnyDK 2 years ago
I'm hyper sensitive and need a lot less. I get locals ever since I was 14. Eye surgery-local. Watched the scalpels coming towards my eye. Didn't feel any pain. C section. Local. I remember talking to the anesthesiologist during. I pass out completely and come to intermittently. From a local. I told him I was freezing. He said I was butt naked on a steel table that's why. I could feel the pressure of them pulling my daughter out of my stomach but no pain. Then passed out again. Count back from 100 to go under? I'm lucky if I get to 4. Several weird or scary times- ankle surgery w/ young Dr. I woke up from local to find him taking one of my legs up and putting my left ankle on his shoulder. There was no nurse in the room. Just him and a anesthesiologist. I talked to them. He quit after the surgery and moved away. Lap band surgery the Dr didn't believe me. Full General. I flatlined. Hard time getting me back. Woke up in recovery and could not breath at all. Really scary.
Mad McQueen 2 years ago
Ginger gene too. I require a lot of pain blockers. I've told dentists that as soon as I can't feel anything to start because a few times they would inject me an walk away and by the time they came back to start I'd start feeling the work being done 5 min in. So I just tell them start as soon as I'm numb because by the time I'm fully numb it's also wearing off. I've needed 6 shots of novicaine to do a cleaning sometimes. Sensitive teeth to hell. I'll tell them if they are using that water pick cleaner to use almost hot water. The cold is what lessens the drugs too. I did wake up durning my hall bladder operation. I looked around and someone saw me an added some more drugs. I felt tugging and pushing but not pain. My fall bladder calcified to my liver and dr couldn't get it off an was tearing at it. Said he would have done one more tank then cut me open. Instead he tore my liver and now I can't have more than two drinks before I'm in pain.
whodunnitfan2013 2 years ago
I think if I woke up during surgery, I'd be completely helpless, probably cracking a weird joke or two, or revealing my deepest, darkest secrets. I've had two surgeries, and need two more, so maybe my time to shine will come!
Mohammad Ammar 2 years ago (edited)
I woke up towards the end of a septoplasty. My body was still paralyzed and I was starting to freak out because at the time, I had no idea how far into the surgery I was. Fortunately it was just about done, I think they were packing my nose or something.Also, they'd noticed I'd gained consciousness, and helped adjust my mouth tube which I felt was choking me as I panicked. Overall, not a nice experience.
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