Having an anaesthetic for your operation - for over 8s

What is an anaesthetic?

An anaesthetic is a special medicine. It stops you from feeling pain when a doctor does an operation. There are two types:

• Local anaesthetic: This numbs a small area, so you stay awake but can’t feel pain there.
• General anaesthetic: This makes you sleep during the operation.

If you feel worried about anaesthetics, you can talk to a doctor or nurse. You can also ask someone you trust to help you understand.

Will I be awake during the operation?

Will I be asleep while the doctors do the surgery?

How do you get the medicine to make you sleepy?

Will I feel anything during the operation?

No, you will not feel anything during the operation. The doctor will give you special medicine so you do not feel pain. This is called anesthesia. It helps you stay asleep and feel comfortable.

If you feel worried, tell your nurse or doctor. They can answer your questions and help you feel better.

You can also bring a favorite toy or listen to music to help you feel relaxed before the operation.

When will the numb feeling go away after you get medicine for pain?

Do anaesthetics have any side effects?

Anaesthetics are medicines that stop pain during surgery. Sometimes, they might cause side effects. This means they could make you feel different for a short time.

Here are some common side effects you might feel:

• Feeling sleepy or tired
• Feeling dizzy or wobbly
• Feeling sick or wanting to throw up
• Getting a sore throat

If you feel any side effects, tell a doctor or nurse. They are there to help you feel better. You can also talk to someone you trust about how you feel. Remember, if you're scared, it's okay to ask questions or use tools like pictures or videos to understand better. These can make things easier to know what to expect.

Is anaesthesia safe?

Anaesthesia is medicine to help you not feel pain during a surgery or a procedure.

Anaesthesia is mostly safe for most people. But like any medicine, it can have risks.

Doctors are trained to give anaesthesia safely. They watch you closely during the procedure.

It is important to tell your doctor about your health. This helps choose the best anaesthesia for you.

If you are scared, you can ask your doctor questions. It can help to have someone with you for support and comfort.

Using calming techniques, like deep breathing or listening to music, can also help.

Can I eat or drink before having an anaesthetic?

Before you have an anaesthetic, you should not eat or drink anything. This is very important. Make sure to ask your doctor or nurse what time you need to stop eating or drinking. They will tell you exactly when to stop.

If you have trouble remembering, you can set an alarm or ask someone to remind you. Also, try writing it down so you do not forget.

What if I'm scared about getting an anaesthetic?

It's okay to feel scared about getting an anaesthetic. Here are some things you can do to feel better:

• Talk to your doctor or nurse. They can explain what will happen and answer your questions.
• Ask if a family member or friend can stay with you to help you feel calm.
• Practice deep breathing to help you relax.
• Think about or look at things that make you happy before the anaesthetic.

Remember, you are not alone, and there are people who can help you feel safe and comfortable.

Will I need to stay in the hospital after the operation?

Will I have to stay in the hospital after the surgery?

The doctor will tell you if you need to stay in the hospital after your operation.

Some people stay in the hospital for a while to rest and get better.

Other people can go home the same day.

Ask your doctor what will happen after your operation. They will give you instructions.

If you find it hard to remember things, you can:

• Write notes on paper
• Ask someone you trust to help you
• Use a voice recorder on a phone

Can I have someone with me when I get the sleepy medicine?

You can ask a friend or family member to stay with you when you get the sleepy medicine. You feel less worried when someone is with you.

If you need help understanding, you can use pictures, videos, or ask someone to explain things to you.

Will I remember anything after the anaesthetic?

An anaesthetic is medicine that helps you sleep during an operation. It makes sure you don’t feel anything.

When you wake up, you might not remember what happened during the operation. This is normal and okay.

If you have questions, you can ask your doctor or nurse. They can help you understand.

To help you feel better, you can:

• Ask someone you trust to explain things to you.
• Write down any questions you have before the operation.
• Use pictures or drawings to help understand.

What if I have an allergy to the medicine that makes me sleep during an operation?

Some people can get sick from the medicine that helps you sleep during an operation. This is called an allergy.

If this happens, the doctors and nurses will help you right away.

They know what to do to make you feel better. They will give you medicine to stop the allergy.

It is important to tell your doctor if you have any allergies. You can use pictures or ask someone to help explain your allergies before the operation.

What to Do if You Feel Sick After Your Operation

If you feel sick after your operation, tell a doctor or a nurse. They can help you feel better.

Here are some tips:

• Rest as much as you can.
• Drink water and eat healthy foods.
• Ask someone to help you with things you find hard to do.

If you still feel sick, call a doctor or go to the hospital.

You might find it helpful to use a notebook or a voice recorder to remember how you feel. This can help the doctor understand what you are going through.

Can I join in activities after having an anaesthetic?

After you have an anaesthetic, your body needs time to rest. It's like after waking up from a big sleep. Here are some tips:

• Take it easy. It's good to sit down and relax.
• Ask someone to stay with you, to help out.
• Wait a day or two before doing big activities like sports or riding a bike.
• If you feel dizzy or tired, stop and rest.
• Drink water and eat light foods.

Remember: Always ask the doctor what is best for you!

What is an anaesthetic?

An anaesthetic is a special medicine. It stops you from feeling pain when a doctor does an operation. There are two types:

• Local anaesthetic: This numbs a small area, so you stay awake but can’t feel pain there.
• General anaesthetic: This makes you sleep during the operation.

If you feel worried about anaesthetics, you can talk to a doctor or nurse. You can also ask someone you trust to help you understand.

Will I be awake during the operation?

Will I be asleep while the doctors do the surgery?

How do you get the medicine to make you sleepy?

Will I feel anything during the operation?

No, you will not feel anything during the operation. The doctor will give you special medicine so you do not feel pain. This is called anesthesia. It helps you stay asleep and feel comfortable.

If you feel worried, tell your nurse or doctor. They can answer your questions and help you feel better.

You can also bring a favorite toy or listen to music to help you feel relaxed before the operation.

When will the numb feeling go away after you get medicine for pain?

Do anaesthetics have any side effects?

Anaesthetics are medicines that stop pain during surgery. Sometimes, they might cause side effects. This means they could make you feel different for a short time.

Here are some common side effects you might feel:

• Feeling sleepy or tired
• Feeling dizzy or wobbly
• Feeling sick or wanting to throw up
• Getting a sore throat

If you feel any side effects, tell a doctor or nurse. They are there to help you feel better. You can also talk to someone you trust about how you feel. Remember, if you're scared, it's okay to ask questions or use tools like pictures or videos to understand better. These can make things easier to know what to expect.

Is anaesthesia safe?

Anaesthesia is medicine to help you not feel pain during a surgery or a procedure.

Anaesthesia is mostly safe for most people. But like any medicine, it can have risks.

Doctors are trained to give anaesthesia safely. They watch you closely during the procedure.

It is important to tell your doctor about your health. This helps choose the best anaesthesia for you.

If you are scared, you can ask your doctor questions. It can help to have someone with you for support and comfort.

Using calming techniques, like deep breathing or listening to music, can also help.

Can I eat or drink before having an anaesthetic?

Before you have an anaesthetic, you should not eat or drink anything. This is very important. Make sure to ask your doctor or nurse what time you need to stop eating or drinking. They will tell you exactly when to stop.

If you have trouble remembering, you can set an alarm or ask someone to remind you. Also, try writing it down so you do not forget.

What if I'm scared about getting an anaesthetic?

It's okay to feel scared about getting an anaesthetic. Here are some things you can do to feel better:

• Talk to your doctor or nurse. They can explain what will happen and answer your questions.
• Ask if a family member or friend can stay with you to help you feel calm.
• Practice deep breathing to help you relax.
• Think about or look at things that make you happy before the anaesthetic.

Remember, you are not alone, and there are people who can help you feel safe and comfortable.

Will I need to stay in the hospital after the operation?

Will I have to stay in the hospital after the surgery?

The doctor will tell you if you need to stay in the hospital after your operation.

Some people stay in the hospital for a while to rest and get better.

Other people can go home the same day.

Ask your doctor what will happen after your operation. They will give you instructions.

If you find it hard to remember things, you can:

• Write notes on paper
• Ask someone you trust to help you
• Use a voice recorder on a phone

Can I have someone with me when I get the sleepy medicine?

You can ask a friend or family member to stay with you when you get the sleepy medicine. You feel less worried when someone is with you.

If you need help understanding, you can use pictures, videos, or ask someone to explain things to you.

Will I remember anything after the anaesthetic?

An anaesthetic is medicine that helps you sleep during an operation. It makes sure you don’t feel anything.

When you wake up, you might not remember what happened during the operation. This is normal and okay.

If you have questions, you can ask your doctor or nurse. They can help you understand.

To help you feel better, you can:

• Ask someone you trust to explain things to you.
• Write down any questions you have before the operation.
• Use pictures or drawings to help understand.

What if I have an allergy to the medicine that makes me sleep during an operation?

Some people can get sick from the medicine that helps you sleep during an operation. This is called an allergy.

If this happens, the doctors and nurses will help you right away.

They know what to do to make you feel better. They will give you medicine to stop the allergy.

It is important to tell your doctor if you have any allergies. You can use pictures or ask someone to help explain your allergies before the operation.

What to Do if You Feel Sick After Your Operation

If you feel sick after your operation, tell a doctor or a nurse. They can help you feel better.

Here are some tips:

• Rest as much as you can.
• Drink water and eat healthy foods.
• Ask someone to help you with things you find hard to do.

If you still feel sick, call a doctor or go to the hospital.

You might find it helpful to use a notebook or a voice recorder to remember how you feel. This can help the doctor understand what you are going through.

Can I join in activities after having an anaesthetic?

After you have an anaesthetic, your body needs time to rest. It's like after waking up from a big sleep. Here are some tips:

• Take it easy. It's good to sit down and relax.
• Ask someone to stay with you, to help out.
• Wait a day or two before doing big activities like sports or riding a bike.
• If you feel dizzy or tired, stop and rest.
• Drink water and eat light foods.

Remember: Always ask the doctor what is best for you!