Anaesthesia
General anaesthesia: what to expect
General anaesthesia uses medicines to create a state of controlled unconsciousness, so you are unaware of your procedure and feel nothing while it takes place. A specialist anaesthetist assesses you beforehand, stays with you throughout and oversees your recovery.
Before
- You will be asked about your health, any previous anaesthetics and any allergies.
- Tell your team about every medicine you take, including herbal remedies and supplements. Some, such as blood thinners and certain diabetes or weight-loss medicines, may need adjusting. Do not stop any medicine unless advised.
- Follow your fasting instructions exactly. Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, have nothing to eat or drink from midnight before your procedure.
- Arrange for a responsible adult to take you home and stay with you for 24 hours.
On the day
- Your anaesthetist will meet you, check your details and answer any questions.
- A thin plastic tube (a cannula) is placed in a vein, usually in your hand or arm, to give the anaesthetic.
- In theatre, monitors measure your heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen levels throughout.
- Your anaesthetist stays with you for the entire procedure.
After
- You wake in our recovery ward under close nursing observation, often with oxygen through a light mask.
- Drowsiness, a sore throat, nausea or shivering are common and usually short-lived. Tell the staff so they can help.
- You go home once you have recovered well. For 24 hours, do not drive, operate machinery, drink alcohol, sign legal documents or make important decisions.
This is general information. Always follow the specific instructions given to you by your doctor and anaesthetist.