Waking up from surgery.....

So, what's it like? Any nausea? I was reading something on the OH webpage where people were saying what the worst part of surgery was, many said waking up with the tube that was in their nose to their stomachs! What the heck??? Hopefully, that is an old technique. Somebody? Anybody??

I suppose it depends on where you have your surgery done. I was in Mexico and remember not a single little thing about recovery. But when I had my gallbladder out several years ago I had a hard time coming out of recovery. I didn't have tubes in me, but I had a hard time breathing. Felt like I was not able to inhale, but apparently it was the anesthesia that numbed my chest and I couldn't feel the air filling my lungs. Odd feeling. Anyway, the tube in the stomach many people have. It doesn't hurt at all. Not everyone has one, but many do. It's really no big deal. Sounds like a bigger deal than it feels like when you're in the moment! Dina

Uh-duh! If I had looked at your name before I posted I could have told you exactly what to expect from Dr. Aguirre! LOL! As I said, I did have 2 tubes. 1 was incisional drainage and they take that out before you leave the hospital. The other is attached to your old stomach and drains out bile. Whooie...fun! LOL! I didn't really have too much trouble with draining it myself. It was gross to look at but I didn't get nauseous or sick or anything. As for nausea, I got frothy in my pouch after surgery from saliva. I guess it's kind of common. That was the only nausea I had, but when I said the magic word "nausea" they jumped on that very quickly and had me medicated quickly. I didn't feel that bad, but it was better to be safe than sorry. As I said, I didn't remember a thing from recovery. My friend Char said I did try to talk to her when they still had a tube in my mouth, but I was so looped I don't remember a thing. She said I didn't seem distressed - just that I didn't realize I had something in my mouth and was trying to talk through it. I got my "tequila" from Dr. Gomez around 7:30 or so in the morning and about 10 minutes later I was drifting off to sleep. I remember moments of waking up as they were taking me to the OR but I was super looped. I remember the half round ceiling cutout as you enter the elevator and I *think* I remember being wheeled through the first set of doors for the OR and someone saying something to me. I was dreaming as far as I knew. I don't remember going into the OR at all. Just being outside the doors. The very next thing I knew, I woke up in my bed and felt suprisingly well. I had no idea how much time had gone by but I figured it might have been 1 or 2pm. Nope. It was 6:30pm by the time I woke up! Wow!!! But that was perfectly fine with me. Meant I was comfortable and doped up enough to sleep through my thirst! In fact, I only had minor discomfort and was just gingerly in getting out of bed. I only really wanted the pain meds so I could sleep through my thirst - which became much less of an issue by the second day. You don't like it, but you start to get used to it. Hope that helps give you some insight. I know I was terrified of the anesthesia because of my gallbladder experience. This was nice to be able to have such a positive experience...in Mexico no less! Dina

I am pre-op, but have had surgery before, and I remember them telling me to wake up, and me just wanting to go back to sleep, it was the best sleep ever, by the way! I had no nausea or anything. I just was tired, and wanted everybody to shut up leave me alone, LOL!