Awake during surgery...

[beeniesmom]

This morning there is an article on MSN about people waking up during surgery. According to the report, this occurs in 1 or 2 out of every 1000 surgeries. I didn't think it was that common.

It did happen to me several years ago but it wasn't unpleasant.
I did not feel pain.

I was having surgery on the back of my leg to remove a very large birth mark/mole/Nevis (whatever you want to call it). It wasn't malignant but the dermatologist recommended that I eventually have it removed to avoid a scare in the future.

Anyway, I remember waking up close to the end of the surgery. They were just starting to sew me up (4 inch cut) UGH and I remember the Surgeon and his assistants joking about what they were going to have for lunch later that day and someone said "I had some really bad Thai food last night that gave me the $hit$" and everyone started laughing, including me. That's when they and I realized I was awake. They asked me if I was feeling pain, I said no, because I wasn't, just pressure and they knocked me out again anyway.

It wasn't a bad experience. I actually remember it fondly because usually Drs are so formal and you never actually hear them joke around.

Anyone have an experience like mine or similar?

[Catty1]

I know about something called 'anesthesia awareness', where people wake up earlier...it happens during abdominal surgery usually, where a muscle paralytic is used along with the 'knock-out' stuff. This is VERY rare - though a Baptist minister who went thru it killed himself later. It means you are conscious and feel the pain - but you can't move, including moving your jaws to speak.


I asked about it before my hyst last year. These days, they have many ways of monitoring if a person is 'waking up' - heart rate, EEG patterns, etc - that they would know to conk them out again.

My mom had a hyst back in 1971 - she swears she was conscious for the last bit - and could not cry out! She told my dad, and her doctor thought it was her imagination.

I had to smile at your story - "hey, she's laughing! Knock her out!"

Yeah, those Thai red peppers can really keep you MORE than regular!

[jackie]

I was awake for both my knee surgeries, I thought it was more common just to use local anesthetic now for shorter operations.

I wish they had knocked me out, I watched the whole this on a live feed TV above my head. YUCK!

[Flatcoatluver]

I woke up at the end of my mouth surgery, (they put chains in my gums.) I remember thinking that I am not supposed to be awake, and trying to pretend like I was asleep. Like you, I didn't feel any pain.

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Oh my gosh , I am glad I didn't know that BEFORE my back surgery

[sasvermont]

When I had to have my ankle surgery, after breaking three major bones as a result of a fall, I woke up while they were concluding the proceedure. I begged them to put me back under and they did. I could feel them tugging and it was mighty uncomfortable at best. I didn't wake up again until I was in my room! I cannot say I was in pain, but I surely did feel it. It really gave me the creeps.

[lizbud]

I was awake for both my knee surgeries, I thought it was more common just to use local anesthetic now for shorter operations.

I wish they had knocked me out, I watched the whole this on a live feed TV above my head. YUCK!

I have read about this condition, but never experienced it myself.

If I ever watched myself in surgery I would certainly pass out anyway
and wouldn't need to be put under. Seeing blood makes me faint.

[Jessika]

I've only ever had to be put under twice in my life that I can recall (once for tubes in my ears and second more recently for my wisdom teeth removal), and it has never happened to me. BUT I have woken up at night before when I was just physically exhausted. My mind was awake, but I could not move anything, not even my eyes to open them. It FREAKED ME OUT. Thankfully my body usually wakes up maybe ten or so seconds after my "brain" does, but I hate it, HAAAAATE it, when it happens, it really scares me

[elizabethann]

Yikes, I can't believe you woke up! I can just picture the faces of those people who heard you laugh. They must have been like, what the heck?

I've never had that experience.

[petslover]

Yikes. I would freak out if that happened to me especially if it had to do with my bones. I would probably pass back out after I realized I was awake lol.

[K9karen]

I had a twilight sleep decades ago when I had foot surgery. It was my first surgery ever and my fears were either having to pee or waking up as they revved up the saw. Well, yep, I opened my eyes right as the saw went on and screamed "Is that the frickin saw???" Maybe I did pee myself, I don't remember, but the surgeon yelled "Knock her OUT!". No pain, but the sound was horrendous.

I think I'm more afraid no not waking up due to anesthesia problems. But I can't imagine waking up during surgery. Freaks me out just knowing it happens.

[Laura's Babies]

Years ago (back in the old days) when we had babies, you went to the hospital to have a baby, they knocked you out and you woke up with a baby.

I had went in to have my baby. In the delivery room, I woke up and heard the nurse saying "What are you doing?'... Doctor said, "She has her baby, I am done!" Nurse, "But there is another one in there!" Doctor, "No there isn't, I am done" and I was knocked out again...... I have always wondered if the nurse delivered the second twin...

[shepgirl]

I went through it and felt every single cut and tug. I thought I was screaming at them that I was awake and could feel it but they have a tube down your throat so of course no sound came out. I repeated the entire conversations the docs had, the 3 next operations they had to do etc. Those doctors had no clue of the pain I was in. When I reached the recovery room I went into shock and they almost lost me. This was 23 yrs ago and I still have nightmares and wake up sweaty from that ordeal, the doctor said I would always have them.
And to top it all I could have sued for a handsome sum, but didn't feel up to the trouble, was still too sick....lol. Can you imagine how rich I could be now....lol.
I've been operated 4 times since then and I was never afraid of a repeat, I knew they would be extra careful.

[RICHARD]

I watched the whole this on a live feed TV above my head. YUCK!

That would make me look into satellite TV!

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I was having mouth surgery at the time. I felt the Dr. pulling on me/my jaw, so I put my hands of the armrest and started to follow the tugging.

I heard, "Hey, he's waking up!" and then nothing.

Didn't hurt or anything, but it was is a funny story,

[lizbud]

I had went in to have my baby. In the delivery room, I woke up and heard the nurse saying "What are you doing?'... Doctor said, "She has her baby, I am done!" Nurse, "But there is another one in there!" Doctor, "No there isn't, I am done" and I was knocked out again...... I have always wondered if the nurse delivered the second twin...

Wow, that would really freak me out. I'd have a long talk with that Doctor.