Waking up during surgery sounds like something out of a horror movie, but it’s more common than you think. In fact, a study published in the online journal Anaesthesia in January 2021, shows that one in 250 women undergoing pregnancy-related surgery under general anaesthesia temporarily experience consciousness.
For the study, researchers studied over 3,000 women from the UK and found 12 reports of awareness. Of those, seven were distressed, five felt paralysed, and two women felt paralysis with pain.
This got us wondering how many Australians might have experienced this, so we asked readers from the Starts at 60 community to share their own real-life experiences of waking up during surgery.
“Yes. Having my knees replaced. I had a nerve block and felt no pain. Couldn’t see anything, heard the saw, and people very quickly working away. I said ‘boy you people do work hard’. Then silence. Next thing I was out to it again. I thought it was interesting.” – Leanne
“I had a total knee replacement, and yes I heard them sawing!” – Christine
“Yes, felt the cutting.” – Joan
“Yes, during an emergency caesarean I could feel something like my guts were being pulled out. I could not move or speak so was so terrified. Heard my baby cry and someone say it was a little girl. Later in recovery the midwife was quite shocked when I told her I knew the sex of the baby because I heard them talking. When I went in for second birth I was really scared of going through the sensation again, but it did not happen then.” – Carole
“Yes, woke when they were making incision for caesarean. [The] pain unbelievable, [I] thought I was dying when they pulled my son out. Passed out when being stitched. Doctors talking golf, nurses discussing my son. Postnatal depression followed. Anaesthetist would not acknowledge, but I was able to repeat his conversation.” – Vicki
“I became aware during an emergency caesarean. It’s a very strange thing, my teeth were buzzing. I heard the monitor and my pulse rate rising, then the anaesthetist moved suddenly, obviously aware of what was happening and I went back to sleep.” – Deb
“Yes, during [a] C-section. No pain, just aware. Struggled to move my finger to tell them. Apparently I moved my whole arm … so quickly asleep again.” – Lynne
“I woke up during surgery once and I never want it to happen again! I was being stitched up and my body was paralysed but my mind was awake! I could hear the staff around me talking and laughing but couldn’t alert them because I couldn’t move. I felt every stitch that went into my tummy. It was a painful burning sensation and very scary. I tried to alert them somehow and it wasn’t until someone said ‘oh no, she’s awake’ that they gave me relief from the pain again! I was kept sedated for two days afterwards . I will never forget it and always beg the anaesthetist before any operation to please make sure I don’t wake up! I’ve had 15 operations and have only had that experience on one and it was the second one!” – Lyn
“At beginning couldn’t open eyes but realised I wasn’t out. I grabbed the ward man next to [the] bed, then they realised I wasn’t out and put [a] mask on me with more anaesthesia and I was out then.” – Debbie
“Yes, many years ago I woke during an op. Surgeon just asked if I could feel anything. I just said no and went back to sleep.” – Valda
“Yes, happened to me. I could hear them talking about what was happening with the operation.” – Jeanine
IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. That means it’s not personalised health advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a health-related decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get professional medical advice.