Two weeks tomorrow is my surgery date. I am so nervous. Please tell me about anaesthetics. That's the thing I fear most. Think I'll be ok with any pain...

Literally, anesthsia puts you to sleep so that you don't experience any pain. You'll meet the anesthestitist (spelling?) probably in the prep room before surgery. Tell him or her about your anxiety and they'll give you something to calm you down if you're nervous.

You get the easy part of surgery. You get to go to sleep and wake up what seems like a minute later and it's all over. I was worried because I had a couple of bad anesthesia episodes as a kid with getting sick, but they've improved it so much that I had no side effects from the anesthesia at all.

You'll do fine. Cross this worry off your list and start imagining all the pretty new clothes you'll buy when you're thinner!

Thank you Lissa. I never had surgery before and have never been "knocked out". I heard scary stories of people claiming they were awake during surgery and felt everything . But they were paralysed by the anasthetic so could shout out. Doctors say this isn't possible....

I've been put out three times. The first time I woke up and was just thirsty as all get out. I had a brief feeling of nausea on the way from recovery to my room. The second time I don't even remember oddly enough - it was an out-patient procedure to remove screws from my hip. The third (sleeve) was not too bad. I remember being wheeled down the hall but I have no memory of the surgical room so it must have been a long hall from prep to surgery! When I woke up I sort-of remember feeling really drugged and a little uncomfortable but it's all a blur now. The nurses in recovery talked to me quite a bit and were very encouraging. Good nurses make a world of difference! Talk to them about your feelings of anxiety. They're used to helping people through these feelings.

They can give you something before they put you out to calm your nerves. I tend to get nauseous, so I tell them that and they give me something for that too

You have the easy part...just sleep for what feels like a moment then wake up. There is no pain. The last thing I remember was telling the nurse my feet get cold. When I woke I had leg warmers on and several heated blankets. Best rest of my life!

Keep us updated. You will do great!

Oh, I'm sure that some people have experienced being awake without being able to say anything, but pain drives your blood pressure up quickly, so they would realize that something was going on and fix it quickly, I'm sure. Aside from that, most of the relaxing agents they give you beforehand last long enough to complete the surgery. I had an IVC filter installed and removed surgically before and after my VSG surgery. I figured I'd panic because I did too much internet reading on it. But, the combination of Versed and phenergan that I was given in the OR let me lay there calmly and joke with the technicians while a doctor did the installation and removal three weeks later. Outside the OR I was a basket case, but those drugs made me so calm and laid back that even I was surprised.

You'll do great!!

The anesthesia is nothing to worry about...you will be out before you know it and be sleeved in a matter of minutes