Sorry if this does fit here, or make sense couldn’t find an ask docs community with my tired 1am brain.
Just had cosmetic surgery yesterday and wondering what the typical time is for remembering things. Also if you could add when you felt you could function (sit up without feeling dizzy, think straight, text anything but gibberish) again. Thanks in advance!
I’ve never lost memory as part of a surgery, so I’m not sure how that side of things works. I pretty much just wake up like a light has been turned on post surgery. It’s not quite that quick of course, but I don’t really have a confused phase.
It could just be that I’ve had so many surgeries and my body is used to it by now?
Thank you for your perspective! We’re they cosmetic surgeries as well?
Some of them were, but most of them weren’t
I had emergency cosmetic surgery after my accident and remember up to the anaesthesia counting down from ten to about four, and then waking up afterwards.
It may depend on your age. My mom had confusion after a surgery. Her doc told me it can take 2-3 weeks to fully clear the anesthesia and up to twice that for an older person. Her surgery was the week before Thanksgiving (mid November) and by Christmas i could see her fog clear.
I am pretty young (25) so I think it’s less likely of a factor. But good to know and prepare for the possibility of being foggy for a while!
For context this was my first cosmetic surgery. From what I know, I was finished surgery around 3pm (haven’t gotten a chance to ask my caregiver theexact time yet as it’s 1am) and only started to remember things around 7 or 8 pm that night. I was also still very dizzy/out of it and texted my caregiver gibberish that weren’t even typos just random strings of letters. I could not sit up or walk by myself either. Now at 1 am I finally feel more normal. Starting to worry if o had an averse reaction to the anesthetic!
It just sounds like anesthesia and opiates to me. I think you are worrying about nothing. I’m assuming you are on pain medication and it is not uncommon to forget things when on higher doses.
Also temporary loss of memory is not really a serious side effect of anesthesia. It is a known effect that is not dangerous to you.
Thanks for the insight. All these symptom I googled were for the elderly which I am far from! This does make me feel a whole lot better. Thank you!
You certainly don’t need to answer this, and I’m sorry if it’s rude to ask, but what was the surgery? You seem like you were pretty excited about it!
Extremely excited! Until 2 days prior to surgery lol. I had genioplasty and rhinoplasty. I think it’s going to make a hugely great difference!
And we’re all anonymous here so I don’t think it’s rude!
Congrats! Enjoy your altered face, I hope it’s everything you hoped! :D
I was put under for wisdom tooth removal (wasn’t complicated, but small military clinic things differently than civilian hospitals)
I remember seeing the iv go in the waking up to being told to breath. (Side-effect of the anesthesia, not scary in the moment, but you do need to consciously breathe). I regained memory right away. I got up after I was cleared, about 20 minutes. My legs were a bit noodly. I walked out to the car and talked with my dad all the way back.
Your might be different because I’m am young and quite healthy. But my advice is to try not to panic. It makes it easier for everyone involved, and if you die to some freak accident, you die in peace :)
For context this was my first surgery. From what I know, I was finished surgery around 3pm (haven’t gotten a chance to ask my caregiver theexact time yet as it’s 1am) and only started to remember things around 7 or 8 pm that night. I was also still very dizzy/out of it and texted my caregiver gibberish that weren’t even typos just random strings of letters. I could not sit up or walk by myself either. Now at 1 am I finally feel more normal. Starting to worry if o had an averse reaction to the anesthetic!
I don’t know how long it takes, but for over a decade since I had a second open heart surgery I have felt there are plenty of memories from before then that are pretty blurry. Blurrier than they should be, as in some things I definitely should remember I cannot.
It hasn’t had any major negative impact on my life, but it is kinda terrifying.
