My General Anaesthetic: What's Going To Happen? Sarah's Story at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

Why do we use a general anaesthetic?

A general anaesthetic is a special kind of medicine. It helps you sleep during an operation. You do not feel any pain.

Here is how it helps:

• It makes you sleep so you don't feel anything.
• You stay asleep until the operation is done.

If you are worried, you can talk to your doctor or nurse. They will explain everything to you.

Getting Ready for Going to Sleep for Surgery

Before you have surgery, the doctor will give you medicine to make you sleep. This is called a "general anaesthetic." Follow these steps to get ready:

• Follow Instructions: The doctor will tell you when you need to stop eating and drinking before your surgery. It is important to listen to these instructions.
• Wear Comfortable Clothes: On the day of your surgery, wear clothing that is easy to take off and put on.
• Talk to Your Doctor: Tell the doctor if you are taking any medicines. The doctor might tell you to stop taking some of them before the surgery.
• Ask Questions: If you are worried or confused, ask the doctor or nurse to explain what will happen. They are there to help you understand and feel safe.

These steps will help you be ready and safe on the day of your surgery.

What happens on the day you have the surgery?

Who will give me the medicine to help me sleep during my operation?

When you have an operation, a special doctor, called an anaesthetist, will give you medicine. This medicine helps you sleep so you don’t feel anything. The anaesthetist will stay with you and make sure you are safe.

If you want to learn more, you can:

• Ask your doctor questions.
• Watch videos for kids about going to the hospital.
• Read books with pictures about hospitals.

How do doctors give a general anaesthetic?

A general anaesthetic is medicine that makes you sleep during an operation.

There are two ways to get a general anaesthetic:

• Breathing: You wear a mask and breathe in the medicine.
• Injection: A doctor puts the medicine into your arm through a small needle.

When you wake up, you might feel sleepy, and a nurse will be there to help you.

If this is hard to understand, you can:

• Ask someone to read it with you.
• Look at pictures or videos about general anaesthetic.

What can happen with general anaesthesia?

General anaesthesia is medicine that makes you sleep for an operation. Most people are okay with it, but sometimes things can go wrong.

• You might feel sick afterwards.
• You could have a sore throat.
• Sometimes people feel dizzy.
• Very rarely, there can be more serious problems.

Always talk to your doctor before having anaesthesia. They will tell you what to expect and how to stay safe.

Ask someone you trust to help you understand. You can also use pictures or videos to learn more.

How will I feel after waking up from the medicine that makes me sleep?

How long until I wake up after the surgery?

After the surgery, you might feel sleepy for a while. Most people wake up in an hour. Sometimes it can take longer.

If you're worried, you can ask the doctor or nurse about it.

It helps to have someone with you after the surgery. They can help you if you feel too sleepy.

Can a person be with me before and after my surgery?

Yes, you can have someone stay with you. They can be with you before and after your surgery to help you feel better.

It is a good idea to tell the hospital if you want someone to stay with you. They can let you know what to do.

If it's hard to ask, you can use a picture chart or write it down.

Will I stay in the hospital after my surgery?

After your surgery, the doctor will tell you if you need to stay in the hospital. Sometimes, people go home the same day. Other times, they may need to stay for one or more nights to rest and get better.

If you feel worried, you can talk to your doctor or nurse. They can tell you what will happen and help you feel better.

Use simple sentences and ask questions if you do not understand. Family or friends can also help you understand and remember what the doctor says.

What can I expect about pain management after surgery?

After your operation, you might feel some pain. Doctors and nurses will help make the pain better.

Here are things that can help:

• Medicine: Doctors can give you medicine to stop the pain.
• Tell someone: If it hurts a lot, tell a nurse or doctor.
• Relaxation: Try deep breathing to feel better.
• Support: Ask your family or friends to stay with you.

If you have questions, ask your doctor or nurse. They are there to help you.

What happens to your body when you have a general anaesthetic?

When you have a general anaesthetic, it makes you fall asleep so you don’t feel anything during surgery. But it can also cause some side effects.

Here are some things that might happen:

• Feeling sick or throwing up.
• Sore throat because of the breathing tube.
• Feeling dizzy or having trouble standing up.
• Being sleepy for a while after you wake up.
• A slight headache.

If you have a smartphone or tablet, you can use apps that help read the text out loud. This might make understanding easier.

Can I eat or drink right after my surgery?

After your surgery, you might need to wait before you can eat or drink.

Ask your doctor what is best for you.

If you're not sure, try these things to help you:

• Use a clock or timer to remind you when you can eat or drink.
• Talk to family or friends if you need help understanding when to eat or drink.

When can I start doing my usual activities again?

What if I have more questions about my sleep medicine for surgery?

If you have more questions about the medicine that helps you sleep during surgery:

• Ask your doctor or nurse. They are there to help and can answer your questions.
• You can write down your questions so you don't forget them.
• Bring a family member or friend with you to talk to the doctor. They can help you understand.
• Use pictures or videos to help explain what you want to know.

It is okay to ask as many questions as you need to feel better and safe.

Why do we use a general anaesthetic?

A general anaesthetic is a special kind of medicine. It helps you sleep during an operation. You do not feel any pain.

Here is how it helps:

• It makes you sleep so you don't feel anything.
• You stay asleep until the operation is done.

If you are worried, you can talk to your doctor or nurse. They will explain everything to you.

Getting Ready for Going to Sleep for Surgery

Before you have surgery, the doctor will give you medicine to make you sleep. This is called a "general anaesthetic." Follow these steps to get ready:

• Follow Instructions: The doctor will tell you when you need to stop eating and drinking before your surgery. It is important to listen to these instructions.
• Wear Comfortable Clothes: On the day of your surgery, wear clothing that is easy to take off and put on.
• Talk to Your Doctor: Tell the doctor if you are taking any medicines. The doctor might tell you to stop taking some of them before the surgery.
• Ask Questions: If you are worried or confused, ask the doctor or nurse to explain what will happen. They are there to help you understand and feel safe.

These steps will help you be ready and safe on the day of your surgery.

What happens on the day you have the surgery?

Who will give me the medicine to help me sleep during my operation?

When you have an operation, a special doctor, called an anaesthetist, will give you medicine. This medicine helps you sleep so you don’t feel anything. The anaesthetist will stay with you and make sure you are safe.

If you want to learn more, you can:

• Ask your doctor questions.
• Watch videos for kids about going to the hospital.
• Read books with pictures about hospitals.

How do doctors give a general anaesthetic?

A general anaesthetic is medicine that makes you sleep during an operation.

There are two ways to get a general anaesthetic:

• Breathing: You wear a mask and breathe in the medicine.
• Injection: A doctor puts the medicine into your arm through a small needle.

When you wake up, you might feel sleepy, and a nurse will be there to help you.

If this is hard to understand, you can:

• Ask someone to read it with you.
• Look at pictures or videos about general anaesthetic.

What can happen with general anaesthesia?

General anaesthesia is medicine that makes you sleep for an operation. Most people are okay with it, but sometimes things can go wrong.

• You might feel sick afterwards.
• You could have a sore throat.
• Sometimes people feel dizzy.
• Very rarely, there can be more serious problems.

Always talk to your doctor before having anaesthesia. They will tell you what to expect and how to stay safe.

Ask someone you trust to help you understand. You can also use pictures or videos to learn more.

How will I feel after waking up from the medicine that makes me sleep?

How long until I wake up after the surgery?

After the surgery, you might feel sleepy for a while. Most people wake up in an hour. Sometimes it can take longer.

If you're worried, you can ask the doctor or nurse about it.

It helps to have someone with you after the surgery. They can help you if you feel too sleepy.

Can a person be with me before and after my surgery?

Yes, you can have someone stay with you. They can be with you before and after your surgery to help you feel better.

It is a good idea to tell the hospital if you want someone to stay with you. They can let you know what to do.

If it's hard to ask, you can use a picture chart or write it down.

Will I stay in the hospital after my surgery?

After your surgery, the doctor will tell you if you need to stay in the hospital. Sometimes, people go home the same day. Other times, they may need to stay for one or more nights to rest and get better.

If you feel worried, you can talk to your doctor or nurse. They can tell you what will happen and help you feel better.

Use simple sentences and ask questions if you do not understand. Family or friends can also help you understand and remember what the doctor says.

What can I expect about pain management after surgery?

After your operation, you might feel some pain. Doctors and nurses will help make the pain better.

Here are things that can help:

• Medicine: Doctors can give you medicine to stop the pain.
• Tell someone: If it hurts a lot, tell a nurse or doctor.
• Relaxation: Try deep breathing to feel better.
• Support: Ask your family or friends to stay with you.

If you have questions, ask your doctor or nurse. They are there to help you.

What happens to your body when you have a general anaesthetic?

When you have a general anaesthetic, it makes you fall asleep so you don’t feel anything during surgery. But it can also cause some side effects.

Here are some things that might happen:

• Feeling sick or throwing up.
• Sore throat because of the breathing tube.
• Feeling dizzy or having trouble standing up.
• Being sleepy for a while after you wake up.
• A slight headache.

If you have a smartphone or tablet, you can use apps that help read the text out loud. This might make understanding easier.

Can I eat or drink right after my surgery?

After your surgery, you might need to wait before you can eat or drink.

Ask your doctor what is best for you.

If you're not sure, try these things to help you:

• Use a clock or timer to remind you when you can eat or drink.
• Talk to family or friends if you need help understanding when to eat or drink.

When can I start doing my usual activities again?

What if I have more questions about my sleep medicine for surgery?

If you have more questions about the medicine that helps you sleep during surgery:

• Ask your doctor or nurse. They are there to help and can answer your questions.
• You can write down your questions so you don't forget them.
• Bring a family member or friend with you to talk to the doctor. They can help you understand.
• Use pictures or videos to help explain what you want to know.

It is okay to ask as many questions as you need to feel better and safe.