question about surgery and waking up

[Lizzy]

I have one horribly impacted Wisdom tooth, it is sideways under another tooth and am having oral surgery on Friday. They will also be removing the extra Wisdom tooth I have on the top on the same side.

They are putting me under general anesthesia for the procedure. I have never had any kind of anesthesia before, my children were both born without an epidural. So this will be my first time! I am very nervous. What is it like when you are waking up from this? My boyfriend has been joking with me saying how he is going to ask me all these questions that he thinks I wouldn't normally answer. I really don't think I will even be able answer him with something that resembles an answer

Also, the surgeon said that the 3rd day is the worst for pain. Is this true? I really want to go back to work on Monday as I am out of PL time and will be taking Friday off as Leave without Pay.

Prayers and Pixie dust are much appreciated as well! I'm nervous!

[Bethis26fan]

When I woke up from it, I was fine it was just like waking up from a nap a little before you want to. It didn't take anytime at all and the groogy part of it wore off. I had all 4 of mine cut out on a Friday & didn't go back to school till Wednesday. I had friends that after the first couple of days they were eating again. So i guess it is how you deal with pain.

[MNNHFLTX]

I had anesthesia when two of my wisdom teeth were removed years ago. It felt like I had just dozed off under it's effects and then they were waking me up already. Very strange feeling! I was a little loopy for an hour or so afterwards.

More recently my son also had anesthesia for his wisdom teeth removal and he responded similarly. We had to stay in the office recovery area for a prescribed time afterward and my son was very talkative and also forgetful about what had been said. He must have asked me a dozen times how he had gotten from the procedure room to the recovery room. And I think if I had wanted to delve into the secrets of his teenage mind, he would have answered any questions I asked at that time (but I didn't, don't worry). Anyway, your boyfriend is right that you may say some zany things until the effects of the medication wear off.

As far as going back to work on that Monday, it may be iffy. Based on my son's experience I would say that the night after the procedure was the most painful, the but by the 3rd day the bruising and swelling were at a peak. So even if you don't feel bad, you may look like a black-and-blue chipmunk. The oral surgeon here said that they advise their patients (who have the procedure on Friday) to take the following Monday off of work or school.

[Ian]

I have to have all four of mine out, too, but they don't anticipate my needing a general. Only one is modestly impacted, so I'm hopeful it will be relatively simple.

I have, however, had a general more times than I'd like to admit (I've had six major operations during my lifetime!) and whenever I'm coming out of it I'm always pretty loopy and groggy. In fact, it's a legendary story in my family that in the recovery room one time I woke up with some kind of Rocky and Bullwinkle fetish and was shouting "MOOSE AND SKVERRELL!" at everyone.

[ChipDale2708]

I had my wisdom teeth out under anethesia as well - all four at once . That time I woke up fine, but the first time I was knocked out I woke up crying hysterically. I don't know now if I was in pain or if it was the effects. Granted I was only 18 at the time and scared so that could have had something to do with it. I've had a few surgeries since then and never had the same reaction. Usually it's just like others have said, waking up groggy. Good luck!

[magicofdisney]

I had an emergency appendectomy a few years ago and that was my first time under general anesthesia.

The last thing I remember was them rolling me to the OR. I SO, SO wish I could remember actually going in the OR and them setting me up but I lost that memory.

I remember the nurses waking me up in recovery and my mom being there, checking on me. She wanted to make sure I was OK because the prognosis wasn't great.

Coming out of anesthesia, I was extremely groggy. Kind of like when a phone call wakes you up in the middle of the night and you're trying your hardest to understand what's being said and respond accordingly (assuming that's ever happened to you ).

It probably took a good 2 hours from the end of surgery till I was cognitive. But my procedures was at least an hour long.

[Lizzy]

II woke up with some kind of Rocky and Bullwinkle fetish and was shouting "MOOSE AND SKVERRELL!" at everyone.

My boyfriend just had his wisdom teeth out and the dentist just did it with a local. His tooth was already broken and bad, but whent he dentist when to break it to take it out he noticed it was abcessed. They decided to keep going even though the dentist would rather have given him antibiotics and have him come back later. My poor boyfriend was shaking and sweating after, and he is a big dude. The dentist said that was the worst procedure he had ever done.

Groggy I can do. I bet I have a lot of bruising because I do bruise easily.

[vorpalswrd]

There is really no way anyone can say how your experience will be, especially because anesthesia is as much an art as a science. I went under the first time last year and have been under two more times since (once for 2 tooth extractions). Most dentists will only put a patient under twilight sedation instead of full, deep anesthesia. I have only had nausea once when waking up and it passed after a few minutes. I felt being sedated for my recent tooth extraction was fantastic. It made me not want to do it any other way again. When I woke up I was a little dizzy but otherwise fine. Under deep anesthesia the wake-up is a little more disorienting and takes longer. I wouldn't worry about it. People who have had poor experiences with anesthesia are usually admit afterwards to being very nervous about it before hand (i.e. waking up during the procedure, nightmares, etc.).

As far as the worst pain on day three...
A. No one can say how your pain response will be.
B. Take your meds, keep the spot clean, and you should be fine.
C. Most dentists say you should be feeling like yourself by day three or four.


Good Luck and PM me if you have any questions.

P.S. My husband has to have 8 teeth pulled soon and they are planning on anesthesia and we just got home from the consult 1 hour ago + my own experience = anesthesia-go-to-gal of the day, lol.

[MidnTPK]

I've had general twice (knee repair and gall bladder-ectomy). I remember rambling about weird things quite a bit. In the future I'll ask the nurses not to let anyone see me until this phase is over.

[cather74]

You'll be fine witht he anesthesia. Don't worry. Everyone is right....it is like waking up from a nap.

I had mine out too and the best advice I can give is put ice on it even more than they recomend and sleep kind of propped up. (Like on a couch.) I avoided the chipmunk look altogether by doing this. Good Luck!

[WRWDisney]

Like everyone said, you'll be fine

As for the swelling; the best advice I have heard is to have two ice packs (one for each side if teeth are being extracted from both sides) and keep them on until you go to bed the first night. Both my sisters and I did this and when we went back to school, people did not believe we had our wisdom teeth extracted.

Hope this helps; all will come out right in the end

[Donald]

Most extractions are done in a oral surgeon's office using IV sedation (ie: conscious sedation or twilight sedation). You are able to respond to people/Dr. but you won't remember or care.

After the extraction, you will be monitored by the assistant. Your mouth will probably be packed with guaze and an ice pack will be placed on your cheeks. You will feel very groggy or "intoxicated" at first and you will probably need assistance walking to your car.

As for your boyfriend asking you a lot of questions while you are sedated, he may not be allowed in the surgical/recovery area. (privacy law) If he were to be allowed in, your mouth will be packed with guaze and you may not be able to talk clearly.

As for recovery time-everyone is different. Just make sure you follow the Dr.'s instructions. Do not smoke. Do not drink through a straw. Do not do any strenuous activities. These actions will cause the clot to come out of the socket and can be very painful!
(dry socket)

Take your antibiotics until they are gone, and use ice to keep the swelling down.

GOOD LUCK!

[meldan98]

When I had mine out, I cried a lot when I woke up, but I have to agree with everybody else. Everybody acts differently. Also, follow your doctor's instructions. That is very important. Another really important point is to not drink from a straw or slurp things from a spoon, cup, bowl, etc. When you do, this can cause the blood clot to blow out and can cause dry socket. I ended up with dry socket in all 3 teeth that had been extracted and I was in horrible pain.

[Tink2002]

I had all four impacted wisdom teeth out when I was 16; I lost all of my teeth really early so I guess they were ahead of schedule, too.

It all depends on the person how you'll respond - I'm pretty petite, don't know if that's why, but I was LOOOOPY when i woke up. I don't really remember much of the several hours afterwards. I do know that I talked incessantly, tried to chew the gauze in my mouth, walked across the parking lot with my hands up in the air when my mother told me not to touch my mouth, and then sent myself flying backward with the reclining lever in the car seat and passed out for the ride home. They gave me vicodin for afterwards, too (no clue why, again - I am a SMALL person - and many of my friends only received tylenol with codeine). The vicodin put me on a little trip, too, so after about a day mommykins flushed it down the toilet.

My recovery went very smoothly - two days later I actually went away for the weekend with a friend. I think this is because I kept ice on my face CONSTANTLY for a couple of days and took ibuprofin regularly. I only swelled a little bit and didn't really have any pain to speak of.

Good luck!

[Nascfan]

My experience was much like Texas Beth's, feeling like I had just gone to sleep and they were waking me up already. Groggy, very groggy. Apparently I fell back asleep in the car on the way home and my wife was afraid she wouldn't be able to get me in the house! I must have woke up enough to walk in though, because I remember waking up on the bed.

I don't think you'll be answering any questions coherently, so your boyfriend can probably forget about that!

Follow all instructions including the pain meds and any antibiotics and you'll be just fine.

[dnickels]

I had mine out when I was about 16. I got to two in the 'count to ten' thing and the next thing I remember is walking out to the car and falling asleep again for the ride home.

As far as healing, I was back to normal pretty quickly, but like everyone else has said, recovery time is also a really individual thing. If you're the type who bruises easily or if a minor sprained ankle makes your foot look like a purple basketball then yeah it's probably going to hurt and take awhile. Listen to the Docs and hope you're a quick healer!

[Stitchahula]

When I get knocked out I usually am just really tired when I wake up. Kind of like you just didn't get enough sleep and just want to roll over and go right back to sleep. I do however get sick to my stomach too. I found that out after my 1st knee surgery and they ended up giving me something and I was fine. Good luck.

[MNNHFLTX]

Hope your procedure goes well today, Lizzy. Check in when you're feeling up to it!

[Jasper]

I have had 9 serious back operations in the last 10 years as well as cancer surgery, heart stint implant, and pacemaker installation as well as having all four of my wisdom teeth cut out. I can tell you there is a HUGE difference the type, intensity, and length of time you will be under with having dental surgery vs. other surgery.

The odds of you being in any kind of weird state where you will say things you wish you hadn't is very slim with oral surgery. And if you do have things you don't want others to find out about then make sure those people are not allowed in the operationg room.

[Robert's Dad]

I was 18 when I had all four wisdom teeth removed; when I was under I must have asked the dental tech out on a date. Because she asked me when I was more awake if I still wanted to go out. No we did not go out on a date.