Hi, yes it was me! Yup, i got some silly replies from person who was MEANT to be awake for an op, just sedated (very different in loads of ways!). Done loads of research since & found out so much (& on my op aswell). Very interesting (& this aspect is VERY covered up!): although they admit that 70% of cases of 'awareness' occur due to 'errors' made by the anesthesiologist, this includes such errors as 'drug swaps' - some of these 'swaps' are 'wrong-route' drug errors which introduce neurotoxins into the wrong system (muscle/venous/arterial) in the body - which can cause CNS toxicity & damage/brain damage aswell as PTSD. To awaken in recovery is normal - IF the paralysing drugs have been reversed correctly you're OK - this is not anaesthetic awareness. More problems occur if you are disconnected fom the ventilator BEFORE you are able to beathe for yourself, this is truly terrifying as you are awake, paralysed & suffocating: there are occasions when muscle-paralysing drugs are left in the 'dead space' in the IV line & inadvertantly injected later when other drugs are given, occasionally when their reversal is given. Latest stats on drug errors in the UK run at up to 20%, with at least 5 drugs routinely given during general anaesthesia, can then be 100% chance of a drug error! Of course many are not serious, but others are... The medical community is STILL in denial as to frequency of awareness, 1 in 500 appears a realistic estimate now (ref: Sandin). And although some medics actually do now admit this happens, they try to use the excuse of 'too light' anesthesia, 'just one of those things' - part of the 'balancing act', whereas that actually accounts for far less awareness than previously thought. Most cases of awareness are caused by trainees, often in conjunction with a 'crisis' they have caused by their lack of expertise: moral of the story: pre-op, don't check out your surgeon, check out the anaesthetist FIRST - it is the ANAESTHETIST who keeps you asleep & alive! And ask for a brain monitor to be used that measures depth of anasthesia!
Oh and after this trauma, to then be told you 'dreamed' it or that you are 'lying' by the medics you just tusted with your life is very damaging, betrayal from fear & their self-interest. Anaesthesia is also one of the biggest causes of anoxia/toxic anoxia (which can both cause brain/neurological & cell damage - as awareness can occur with a 'crisis' it's possible to be left with brain damage AND PTSD from the terror/trauma AND from losing yoiur vision, half your brain & all the abilities you had pre-op. Loads more could tell, but guess that's enough for now!