Going Under: What Does Anesthesia Feel Like?

There is a certain mystery, and for some it elevates to fear, related to undergoing general anesthesia.  It captures our imagination, this period of unconsciousness or sleep, where we are unaware or ourselves and our surroundings.

I’d like to share with you my personal experience “going under”.

When I was 17, I tore my medial meniscus during a basketball game and I could not walk without limping.  A few weeks later, I was scheduled for outpatient surgery.  Even though that was many years ago, I remember the anticipation of that day.  I was nervous about being in a hospital, having someone cut on my leg, and how the anesthesia was going to feel.

But as far as the day of the surgery, I remember being there with my parents in the morning and then I remember being at home sometime after the surgery.  That’s it.  There may be some foggy memories here and there that don’t add up to anything.  The anticipation of the surgery was actually the only stressful part.

General anesthesia means that you will be unconscious and unaware of your surroundings while it is being administered.  Recently, there have been some fears relayed to the public by the movie “Awake.”  I have not seen this movie, but I know the general premise.  This movie describes anesthesia awareness, which is very rare.

When talking about other anesthetic techniques, the experience can be slightly different, but still pleasant.  But for general anesthesia, what does it feel like?  The beauty of it is that I don’t even know!