anaesthetic

[FATHERTED]

is there any chance anaesthetic will not knock me out? is there anyone it hasn't worked for?

[jake-the-peg]

About 0.1% according to this work

http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/174_05_050301/leslie/leslie.html

I guess whether you think a thousand to one chance is good odds or not depends on your point of view.

However this relates to "some awareness" that's not the same as being what you might think of as not knocked out.

Personally if I was ill enough to need an operation under general anasthetic I'd take those odds without a second thought but if you're worried why not see if you can talk to the anaethetist about the precautions they take.

[Toureman]

There are cases where the anaesthetic has not worked at all! When you are anaesthatized you are also given a paralising drug so all your body is completely relaxed.

Some people have been wide awake and felt everything done to them during the operation, it is impossible for you to anything at all to stop them as you are paralised!

Good luck with your Op.

[mycatis]

ROFL
"Some people have been wide awake and felt everything done to them during the operation, it is impossible for you to anything at all to stop them as you are paralised!
Good luck with your op"
Gee Toureman, have you ever thought of going into nursing or any other caring profession?

[Eels]

Most anaesthetics are not used in combination with paralysing drugs - it's the anaesthetic itself that causes your body to relax. If you become awake enough to feel anything you'd be awake anough to move, but any anaesthetist would spot signs of this looong before you were ever conscious.

Only a few specific operations would require paralysis too, and even then, things like high heart rate and some reflexes will alert the anaesthetist to a problem.

Don't worry about this, it will be fine!

[gazzawazza]

I've just been in hospital for an op under general anaesthetic and had heard all the stories. I chose not to worry about them at all as worrying can't do an ounce of good or change the outcome. If you are worried mention it to the anaesthetist beforehand (he/she will come and speak to you prior to the op) and put your mind at rest.

In the past I've been anaesthetised and felt a sudden surge of panic in the very last split-second before I went under. This time, however, I was determined not to feel that sense of panic and was actually put under by a student anaesthetist. My permission had been sought on the consent form and of course she was being supervised by a fully qualified anaesthetist. I remember him saying, "Ok, just you go ahead and I'll just step in if you have any problems." I can honestly say it was actually very relaxing! Please don't worry, they are experts in their field and do this all day everyday.

[WendyS]

I have had several operations under general anaesthetic and never felt a thing - out like a light. However, I had to have a lumbar puncture under local anaesthetic and think I got the work-experience trainee as that was one of the most excruciatingly painful experiences I've ever had. It took three attempts before I was properly anaesthetised and is a procedure I would never undergo again.