What can I do after the anaesthetic?
There is a variation from person to person and procedure to procedure in terms of how you will feel after general anaesthesia and sedation. Some people “bounce back” quickly, and others can be quite drowsy. In general however, your reaction time and judgement will be affected for the first 24 hours. Therefore we advise the following:
- Do not drive
- Do not operate machinery
- Do not do any cooking
- Do not sign legal documents or make important decisions
- Do not drink alcohol.
If you are booked for day surgery, a responsible adult should take you home and stay with you for the first night. If this is not possible, discuss with your surgeon and arrange to stay in hospital overnight. If neither of these options can be met, your procedure will be cancelled, so please be prepared.