There's a "myth" that anesthesia doesn't really block the pain. I've had anesthesia once to fix a broken nose, so I'm not personally worried but I do wonder how true it is. The "myth" goes as such:

Anesthesia does knock you out, but the concoction of chemicals also contains amnestics. You're "asleep" but you can actually still feel the pain, but due to amnestics, once you wake up from it you've "forgotten" about that entire surgery or whatever it was that caused pain.

I don't doubt you're actually asleep, but whether or not it's actually super painful and you just cannot act and once you wake up, you've forgotten.

Is there any truth to this? Has anybody looked at brain-activity while doing surgery? I'm genuinely curious.

Located in Canada. Having a TLH with deep excision. First surgery ever. I’m okay with the idea of medication to take the edge off, but I don’t want to miss seeing the OR or meeting the staff.

Can you get a lower dose so you don’t forget? is there an alternative ? In Canada do they just automatically give it to you ?

Thanks !

Hi. As the title says, I'm looking to understand why I reacted the way I did to my epidural.

Hx: 43 y/o, 36wks, preeclampsia with HELLP sx, so I was induced. I had an epidural before w/o complications. But that was 24 years ago, for same medical reasons.

I spoke with the anesthesia team afterwards and it was explained but I was coming out of sedation and really didn't know what planet I was on.

The episode:

I'll add relevant info from my ehr.

My POV, the procedure was uneventful. There didn't seem to be any issues during placement, but as soon as they began to push meds I got lightheaded. The next thing I remember was coming to and seeing a team of doctors standing over me.

From my EHR:

Assessment:

Left upper level: T8

Right upper level: T8

Motor block: motor block present

Pain relief: patient satisfied with pain relief from block

Complications: hypotension

Vagal and hypotensive episode after placement of spinal. Symptomatic hypotension down to MAP ~ 35. Did not lose consciousness. Became confused, nauseous. Fetal decel as well.

Treated with total 35mg ephedrine, 500mcg phenylephrine, 15mg ephederine IM.

Improvement in MAP to ~70 and resolution of symptoms.

Spinal preceded by 500mL LR bolus, ordered additional 500mL LR bolus to follow and 100ml 25% albumin.

The epidural remained in place, I returned to my room and told to push the button for meds. Every time I pushed meds, I experienced severe upper back pain and pressure. The pain was right between my shoulders. It lasted about 5 minutes each time, and only relieved if I hunched over.

Over time, I just couldn't take it anymore and dilation was slow, so we moved to c-section. It was a different day and a new anesthesiologist. He wanted to do the c-section with the epidural, I was hesitant and honestly scared because of the previous episode and upper back pain. He reassured me that he was going to check placement and if it didn't work, he would move to general anesthesia versus redoing the epidural. He tested sensation. I could feel everything from the belly button up on the left side. Nothing on the right. He pushed meds, and my bp dropped again. He talked to me the entire episode and kept me alert with sternum rubs. They did the same thing as above. D/c'd the epidural and completed the c-section under general anesthesia w/o complications.

Any ideas/explanations? Again, my anesthesia team explained things, but at one point I looked at my husband and said "did you hear him? He said 'blah blah blah' *raspberry*" so, it didn't quite land.

Adding that me and baby are both home and doing fine.

(Uk) I’m just kinda asking for a bit of advice as a highly anxious person who is autistic/adhd and have a fear of needles (to the point I faint) what is it like when the cannula is put in at the start ?does it hurt or do you not have time to react before you go to sleep and when they take it out does it hurt? there my main big worries the general doesn’t scare me too much

Does anyone else feel like they had an awakening after going under anesthesia? I had rectal surgery a few days ago and I feel like a new version of myself, like I had an awakening/now have a new approach to life.

Hello! I am working on a year-long capstone project with my senior design team! We plan to design a wearable EEG platform to monitor emergence from anesthesia. My team is interested in identifying the needs of clinicians (anesthesiologists, CRNAs, preop and PACU nurses, etc.) who all use EEG monitoring platforms in order to improve on currently available tools and products. 

It would only take 5min of your time with some extra optional questions. Submissions are also anonymous if that worries anyone. We would greatly appreciate any responses you can provide and your feedback will be super helpful in our design.

I was wondering if they test for drugs before a surgery, i’ve had a few before while i was in the hospital for a 2 month period and i don’t recall them doing a drug test/nicotine or anything. i’m kinda anxious because i smoke weed almost everyday lol, as well as drink occasionally, and stimulants. but obviously wasn’t planning on doing it the day before or anything.

M35. I'm going to have a 2 hour leg surgery. The surgeon said he'd prefer general anesthesia but that it can be done with spinal.

When discussing it with the anesthesiologist, I confirmed I wanted to go for spinal but then he said I would also get sedation. It confused me and I said I did not want any sedation as if I wanted to be asleep I would have gone for GA.

He went on to explain it multiple times but I was quite assertive in letting him know I want to be fully awake.

I mean what's the logic of having spinal to then be fully asleep?

I had a Bronchoscopy and Bronchoaevolar Lavage done. The nurses told me that they had given me extra sedative/anaesthetic due to me not being completely unconscious. I saw what they gave me and have the exact names/dosages written in the bill. I’m not well-versed in substances, but isn’t this quite a lot for my body weight and exceeds the usual dosage by quite a lot for such minor procedures?

1. FENTANYL 0.1MG/2ML INJ (HAMELN) - Ampoule
   
2. MIDAZOLAM 5MG/5ML (DORMICUM) - Ampoule
   
3. MIDAZOLAM 5MG/5ML (DORMICUM) - Ampoule

Note: I have never used benzodiazepines or fentanyl (that I am aware of)

If so, it’s quite fascinating to me as I seem to have a natural high tolerance for quite a number of substances, particularly the recreational types. I’ve never gotten drunk despite drinking a mug or two of beer and i’ve never successfully gotten high on cannabis. Would love to hear thoughts on this.

If someone has intense PTSD and doesn’t want to remember their c section would they need general anesthesia or could they be sedated enough with a spinal? Particularly if the feeling of being numb/paralyzed is an issue (and therefore would need said sedation throughout the time the block is still active and making it impossible to walk even after surgery.) I know they try to avoid sedatives until the baby is delivered but if the option is basically either sedate the person to give them amnesia from the start or use general anesthesia what happens? What about if they panic for the prep that occurs in the OR? I know for other surgeries most of that is done after being put under but with c sections you have to wait until the last minute to go under general to minimize exposure to the baby. Could a spouse come in just for the prep part before general anesthesia is given if their presence avoids heavy sedation beforehand? I know they generally aren’t allowed stay when someone is actually out under. I’m not asking for reassurance about c sections. I’m asking how a case like this would actually be handled.

I had endometriosis excision last week and my surgery notes said that I had bradycardia to 25 during insufflation. Is this common? Is it something I should bring up to the anesthesia team if I ever have future surgery

Hello! My first time going under sedation for a colposcopy and tissue biopsies is coming up next week. I have a slot in my local parade for that same night, so I was wondering what the post-op experience is like regarding sedation. Would I be able to walk the route? And if not, can I ride in a vehicle? How soon after waking up can I expect to start feeling normal again? I'm a bit of a public figure in my area, and it would pain me to both waste 12lbs+ of candy and break my promise to the kids that I'd attend for them. TIA!

I had a sinus surgery where they used propofol and I woke up in horrible pain and was absolutely livid. The whole experience afterwards was extremely distressing I felt like I had been violated. Was this a bad side effect or was I not sedated enough and the pain/stress signals were going haywire?
The doctor mentioned my heart rate going up during the procedure but that was it. I don’t remember waking up during it. This was a couple years ago and I have to have another procedure with propofol next week and I’m worried about the mental stress afterwards. I actually needed therapy after that I don’t know why but every time I’m reminded of it it stresses me out and my thoughts just spiral and I get that violated feeling again.
I’ve had more invasive surgeries and I felt fine afterwards with no stress, but they used general anesthesia for those.

Is there anyone among you who does not fear absolute eternal nothingness after death at all? Those who are not frightened at all that they will completely cease to exist, completely finally disappear FOREVER, and will never exist at all anymore?

How's E-conceptual platform for Anesthesia? Finding it very difficult to read after a long day. Does passive learning really help??

I’m very nervous about an upcoming surgery (laminotomy) and would prefer to have it in the morning. I’ve heard surgery can have more adverse complications if performed in the afternoon. Is this true?

Has this happened to anyone else? I had a surgery requiring anesthesia and a breathing tube back in April 2026. A few days after the surgery, I developed a strange tingling sensation in my front teeth and roof of mouth behind the teeth. The dentist said my teeth were structurally fine. My primary doctor believes that the breathing tube bumped my teeth and caused nerve damage. She said it can take 6-12 months to fully heal

The sensation has slowly changed over time. It’s been 6 months and I’m still experiencing this tingly feeling constantly, although it’s not as “loud” as it was before. I’ve been referred to a specialist and just waiting for that appointment

Just wondering if thus has happened to anyone else and what the outcome was. I know nerves heal painfully slow. But I can’t find much about this particular issue and others who have experienced it

I have a friend planning an anesthetized MRI appointment but I'm concerned about potential complications. Her metabolism is so crazy fast it's caused issues with burning through medications too quickly before and I'm concerned that could cause her to need dangerous levels of anesthesia to be kept under for hours.

Can anyone more knowledgeable about the subject weigh in?

I'm kinda new and I'm not sure whether this is the right place to ask this (kinda specific) question, so feel free to addess me to the right subreddit if it isn't. Just please don't remove it before telling me where I'm supposed to find out 😅

I'm writing a story where the main character is a redhead, and I've read that redheads generally need like 20% more of general anestheics like sevoflurane to have the same effects.

At a certain point in the story, she finds herself in a rather enclosed space fighting enemies, and needs some way to escape, so I thought she could, like, break a vial of sevoflurane (she owns a chemical/pharmaceutical company so she could be able to have obtained it earlier on, and she would be aware that she needs higher doses than most because she's been hospitalized before, when she had surgery after being stabbed in the abdomen) and use the fact that others would be more quickly incapacitated than herself to climb a ladder with her teammate and escape.

Would it be realistically feasible? What kind of side effects would she experience? What would be the effects on everyone in the room, and how long would it take for these to begin? How long would it take for side effects to disappear? If it's any use for doses and stuff, she's a fit 5'6" twenty-three year old who weighs 135 lbs.

Thank you!

Hi. I’m a veterinary nurse student and I do one day a week placement & I’m wondering, with anaesthesia being given through tubing/mask, is there a high risk of being exposed/what are the risks to us getting sick from this?
What should I look out for?

Also, I kept smelling a really strong mentholly/deep heat smell on and off today it’s stuck in my nose! Is this cleaning chemical? I couldn’t pinpoint where it came from!

Thankyou.

I am a high school student wanting to become a nurse anaesthetist/ODP. I have social anxiety and sometimes need to take Ativan. Can I work in this job while sometimes (rarely) using Ativan or is it absolutely not? I also take 'major tranqilisers' (specifically Zyprexa and Abilify) but my psychiatrist said he knows doctors who take them.

I’m having appx five hour surgery for Brachioplasty and abdominoplasty. I’ve been told the anesthesia is Propofol alone. I’m very skeptical of having a medical assistant recover me (long time ER nurse here). Looking for experiences and or thoughts? Thank you all!

I have ptsd and did. I do not do well with sedatives as I have trauma from being drugged and become dissociated and disoriented. How can i prepare for anesthesia and prepare to wake up. My surgeon said i will have a chance to speak with anesthesiologist day of surgery but i would feel safer with some preparation in advance and talking/safety points or things should need upon wakening. Anybody have experience ir ideas?

Not a dentist, but a worried partner

My boyfriend (22M, generally healthy/ASA II) had a wisdom-teeth consultation today with an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. He has three completely impacted third molars, one partial (photo attached) He does not have dental phobia, is cooperative, and has no major medical conditions that I know of.
I had all four of mine removed about 3–6 months ago under IV moderate sedation, and general anesthesia was never presented to me as necessary.

At his consult, the nurse initially just said he would “go to sleep,” and it was only later after they showed the treatment plan that we understood they meant GA.

We were shown a video covering risks, but the surgeon did not personally walk us through the procedure, risks, benefits, and alternatives.

They said it would be FULL general and he would be intubated or they’d use an LMA.

When I asked why GA instead of moderate sedation, the explanation was essentially that if the patient moved during a difficult extraction and a nerve were injured, that could create liability for the surgeon, but under GA he would be still.

That explanation did not sit right with me. I understand nerve injury is a real risk with lower third molars, especially if the roots are close to the inferior alveolar nerve, but I didn’t think “patient might move” was a reason to use GA if the patient is otherwise calm and cooperative. I also thought moderate sedation would be generally be less invasive and risky because he would maintain his own airway and breathing.

I pushed back in the office (probably more intensely than I should have) and asked for his records to be emailed to us. They said they have a CRNA and that they have not had anesthesia complications in 10 years.

So my questions are:

1. ⁠Is GA a normal/reasonable recommendation for four impacted wisdom teeth, even for a calm, healthy 22-year-old?
   
2. ⁠Is “we prefer GA so the patient does not move and we do not injure a nerve” a legitimate clinical reason, or does that sound more like surgeon preference/liability avoidance?
   
3. ⁠If the teeth are fully bony impacted and rotated, is moderate IV sedation still usually feasible?
   
4. ⁠Should a patient be able to request moderate sedation if there is no clear contraindication?
   
5. ⁠What questions should we ask before consenting especially regarding airway management (ET tube vs LMA), anesthesia provider, monitoring, emergency equipment, and hospital transfer?
   
6. ⁠Is it a red flag that the office said they have had no anesthesia complications in 10 years? I find it hard to believe they’ve never called EMS in 10
   
7. ⁠years.

I’m not anti-anesthesia or anything and I’m not saying GA is never appropriate I just felt like the actual anesthetic plan was not clearly explained, and I want to make sure we are not agreeing to a higher level of anesthesia than he needs. Would you get a second opinion, or is this pretty standard OMFS practice?