Any one else had experience waking up during surgery?

14 Apr 2011

No, but it is my biggest fear. I have had 6 bowel surgeries and need another one ; just the thought of that totally freaks me out. So scary! Hope you are ok. I did wake up during a carpal tunnel surgery but had local anesthetic so all I could feel was pressure, but that's so minor that I don't really count that as waking during a major surgery like some awful stories i have heard where people wake up and feel the doctors hands in them and smell their own burning flesh.

14 Apr 2011

I woke up during an exploratory abdominal surgery. I didn't feel the surgery or have any pain - I think it was near the end of the surgery, but I felt the breathing tube in my mouth. I ran my tongue over it and moved my lips so I could feel it, then I was back out again. It wasn't scary. Another time I had twilight sleep sedation while a Medi-Port was put in. They put a covering over my face and my head was facing to the side. I was wide awake and really freaking out because I could not move or talk! I couldn't get anyone's attention! This went on for what seemed to be a long time and I could feel pressure from where the Mediport was being installed. I was awake for a long time and really surprised the surgeon by telling him things he said during the procedure. Now this was a scary experience that I would not want to go through again!