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What is longer-term recovery from general anesthesia like?


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I mean over the next few days, for example? I'm having a procedure that involves general tomorrow morning, and we're trying to make some decisions about plans we had for Friday. I asked my doc about how long the recovery period would be and he said I'd be back to my regular activities the next day (the procedure is invasive but shouldn't be painful), but my mom said that it took her at least three days to recover from the anesthesia from her gall bladder surgery. She said she was exhausted and a little nauseated the whole time.

 

Is that typical? Will I need to plan for at least a few days of laying around? Or is it likely that I'll feel relatively normal the next day?

 

Thanks.

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I was back to regular activities next day after having a lump removed from arm. Actually hosted dd's 12th birthday slumber party after two days. I was more tired than normal and took a nap during day which I never do but otherwise fine. So for me just tired more easily for a couple of days.

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Everybody responds differently, but in my experience:

I am groggy for a few days, but the run-down feeling lingers for a while. Yes, I am up and around, but I tire easily and take naps for a few weeks.

I also have always gotten terrible pains in my shoulder, which I have heard is common. I know my DH also had shoulder pains, post-surgery.

I think doctors tend to make things sound easier/rosier than they are, sorry to say.

It also really depends on the procedure and how healthy you are going in.

I was very healthy when I needed my gallbladder out, but due it being misdiagnosed, I got severely dehydrated and very ill for two weeks before emergency surgery. I had an awful recovery. My sister had her gallbladder out under better circumstances and her recovery was a breeze. She was still tired, but she went to a movie the next day.

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I just had outpatient surgery on my wrist to put pins and plates in. I have had terrible nausea with every procedure before, both wisdom teeth removal and spinal with my c section. I mean, it was not pretty at all. My anesthesiologist gave me a patch to put behind my ear about 2 hours before surgery this time. I felt one small wave of nausea in the recovery room, but by the time I said something, they were putting meds in my iv. They were very diligent. I had no nausea after that.

 

There are things they can do for nausea if you insist. The patch stayed behind my ear for 48 hours. I'm sure it helped. She said it was something they generally used for motion sickness. You might want to ask. I was fine the next day, well aside from the arm.

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I had general anesthesia for gall bladder surgery. I was miserable that very day, feeling very nauseous (getting some meds prescribed for nausea would be a great idea). I was up and walking the next day, with no lingering effects from the anesthesia, just some local pain at the incision sites.

I took one single of the Vicodin pills they had prescribed, and it made me sick; I was much better on just OTC pain killers.

Edited by regentrude
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Part of it depends on how long you're under. If this is who I think it is, your procedure will be short. You should feel better in a day, but may be easily fatigued for a week or so.

 

Ha, yep, it's me, still stressing. I'm actually feeling much, much calmer today though. I'm hoping I can hang onto it. I suspect the PMS was not contributing in a positive way to my state of mind!

 

One thing to keep in mind, though, is that you don't want overdo it and do anything risky that 'disturbs' the wound. I can't imagine a much worse scenario than having to go back in to get the surgeon to patch up what he'd just fixed. Yuck.

 

Thankfully, I won't have a wound. I'm having a ureter stent placed, so it's just a tricky catheterization that I'll need to be out for. I don't expect to be discomfort-free, but I won't undo anything if I manage to get up and around. Small favors, right? :tongue_smilie:

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I had general anesthesia for gall bladder surgery. I was miserable that very day, feeling sick (getting some meds prescribed for nausea would be a great idea). I was up and walking the next day, with no lingering effects from the anesthesia, just some local pain at the incision sites.

 

That is great news, because my GB removal is next up to bat!

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