Sometimes unusual things can happen while under anesthesia. From cognitive to physical changes it is sometimes uncertain what can happen before hand.
Here are some of the strangest encounters with anesthesia.
Feeling Sick After Surgery


After undergoing surgery, itโs common to experience nausea and vomiting as your body gradually recovers from the effects of anesthesia.
These discomforting symptoms are a typical side effect that occurs when you wake up from the procedure.
Sore Throat
Just like feeling nauseous, you might also have a sore throat after being under anesthesia.
This happens because you couldnโt drink fluids before the procedure. Donโt worry, itโs a normal side effect, and your body will need some time to heal.


Shivering
When you feel nauseous and vomit after surgery, you might also start shivering.
This happens because your body is trying to regulate its temperature and cope with other side effects. Shivering can also be a result of anxiety or feeling panicked after the procedure.


Headache
Another common side effect is getting a headache. This happens because you havenโt had enough fluids and food before your procedure.
If youโre sensitive to the bright lights in a hospital, it could also give you a headache.


Aches and Pains
After your procedure, you might feel pain all over your body, especially in the area where you had the procedure.
The anesthesia used during surgery relaxes your muscles, so you may experience a deep, throbbing pain and feel a bit heavy in your muscles.


Soreness and Bruising
If your anesthesiologist had trouble finding a vein for the injection, you might notice a lot of bruising on and around the injection site.
These bruises could be darker in color and may take your body longer to heal.


Memory Loss and Confusion
While not very common, itโs still possible to experience memory loss after the procedure.
This can make you feel disoriented, confused, and unaware of your surroundings. It may even make it difficult for you to recognize your friends and family.


Infection Of The Chest
If you smoke or have existing health conditions like asthma, bronchitis, or respiratory issues, youโre at a higher risk of getting a chest infection due to the anesthesia.
If this applies to you, make sure to inform the medical staff right away.


Bladder Problems
After your procedure, you might have bladder issues that can be really painful and uncomfortable.
It might not happen right away, but it could develop a few hours or days later. If the pain doesnโt go away within a reasonable time, itโs important to reach out to a doctor.


Difficulty Breathing
Before your surgery, you might have trouble breathing, especially when you enter the operating theater and get ready for the procedure.
If youโre prone to panic attacks, high anxiety, feelings of being trapped, or if you have asthma, itโs more likely that youโll experience difficulty breathing.


Teeth, Tongue, Or Lip Damage
The use of general anesthesia often leads to this side effect. It happens because a breathing tube is put into your mouth for the surgery.
Thereโs a chance of damage when the tube is inserted or removed, and thereโs not much you can do to prevent it.


An Already Existing Condition Worsening
This really only applies to medical conditions such as: asthma, bronchitis, COPD, diabetes and any conditions that affect your blood pressure.
This is due to the overall effects that anaesthetic has on your breathing. Again, this is something that should be discussed with a medical professional.


Eye Damage
This side effect typically occurs after the procedure. Sometimes your body may react negatively to the anesthesia, and it will try to deal with it in different ways.
One of these ways could affect your eyes, such as excessive tearing, eye infection, blurred vision, or even temporary loss of vision.


Allergic Reaction
If you have a long history of allergies, especially to medications, thereโs a high chance that your body will react to any type of anesthesia.
This can cause rashes, general irritation, and, in severe cases, anaphylactic shock.


Nerve Damage
During your procedure, itโs possible for nerve damage to happen, and you will notice the effects of it during your recovery.
This damage can be caused by the anesthesia injection and may result in lasting harm to the nerves in that specific area of your body.


Death
In some cases, people have died while under anesthesia. This can occur before, during, or shortly after the procedure.
Although itโs a rare side effect, it does happen, and itโs important for you and your loved ones to be prepared for this possibility.


Equipment Failure
There is a possibility of equipment failure during your procedure, including both the operating equipment and the medical devices that keep you stable during the operation.
Unfortunately, this is something you have no control over, and only a medical professional can handle it.


Becoming Aware
In rare cases, you may become aware of your surroundings even though you are medically unconscious.
Your senses might become more sensitive, like hearing the sounds of equipment and medical staff. This type of โawarenessโ could be similar to what a patient in a coma might experience.


Unable To Control Your Own Speech
Before and after your operation, you will likely experience this side effect.
Since anesthesia is a numbing drug, you will feel very sleepy and your muscles will be very relaxed, which can make it difficult to control your speech. This side effect should generally go away within a day or so.


Constipation
You will probably experience this side effect as you recover. It happens because your body didnโt have enough fluids and food before the operation.
If youโre having trouble with bowel movements, you can ask your doctor for medication that you can take to help.


Muscle Spasms Or Twitching
As mentioned before, anesthesia relaxes your muscles.
So after the operation, when the drug wears off, your muscles might ache, feel heavy, and occasionally twitch unexpectedly. This side effect usually lasts for a few days before subsiding.


Hallucination and Dreaming
While youโre under anesthesia, you might have very vivid and somewhat confusing dreams or visions.
When you wake up after the operation, the drowsiness can lead to unusual visual and auditory hallucinations. Although this side effect may be worrisome, itโs not harmful.


Waking Up Emotional
After a procedure, you might wake up and suddenly feel very emotional. This side effect can happen along with feelings of confusion, difficulty speaking, and potential hallucinations.
Any unusual or intense emotions should usually go away within a few hours.


Trouble Urinating
You may have difficulty urinating after the procedure. This happens because you havenโt consumed enough fluids before the procedure.
Donโt worry, your ability to urinate should come back within a few hours after the operation.


Haematoma
A hematoma is when you have bleeding under the skin. This can happen in the area where the anesthesia was injected or around the surgical site.
It may spread and should be treated as soon as possible once youโve started recovering, to prevent any complications.


Pneumothorax
Pneumothorax happens when an injection accidentally goes into the lung, causing it to collapse. This can occur if the anesthesia is injected in your chest or near your ribcage.
Itโs something you canโt control, but a doctor will take care of it appropriately.


Waking Up During The Surgery
While itโs not very common, there have been instances where people wake up during surgery.
This happens when the anesthesia dose is incorrect for their weight, height, and other factors.
For instance, heavy drinkers or smokers may require a higher dose of anesthesia compared to an average person.


Paralysis
Paralysis is a rare side effect, but it can happen and have long-lasting effects.
You may experience temporary paralysis initially, but thereโs a possibility of periodic or permanent paralysis even after the operation.
Suitable physical therapy can help treat paralysis.


Itchiness
You may feel itchy once the numbing medicine has completely worn off and your body is healing.
Your skin might get irritated and very sensitive, leading you to scratch it and get rashes from time to time. Itโs a good idea to avoid scratching to prevent further irritation.


A Dry Mouth
Not drinking enough fluids and being under anesthesia for a long time can result in a dry mouth.
To prevent this, itโs important to drink slowly and regularly after your procedure. However, be careful not to drink too much or too quickly, as it may disrupt your bodyโs recovery process.


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