When you have laparoscopic surgery for weight loss, you will need to have a general anaesthetic to put you to sleep during the procedure.

What is a General Anaesthetic?

An anaesthetic is a medication that can stop signals travelling along your nerves. When you have a local anaesthetic, it can block the pain signals coming from a particular area of your body. However, when you have laparoscopic surgery, you will need to have a general anaesthetic. A general anaesthetic can block pain signals from the area that is being operated on, but it can also block other signals that are travelling along your nerves. This stops you from feeling anything during the procedure or being aware of anything during the operation.

What Does It Feel Like to Have a General Anaesthetic?

Your general anaesthetic will be given to you by a specially trained doctor known as an anaesthetist. You will meet the anaesthetist before you go into the operating theatre for your laparoscopic surgery. The anaesthetist will usually need to give you an injection and fit an oxygen mask over your nose and mouth. You will quickly begin to feel drowsy and you shouldn’t be aware of anything else until you wake up after the operation. You will probably feel drowsy for a while after you wake up. It might be difficult to focus and your memory could be a bit foggy. It will take you some time to recover from the anaesthetic, so you won’t be able to drive or go to work even if you are able to go home the same day. Your throat might feel a little sore and dry because of the breathing tube that was put in place during the surgery, and the incision site could also be a bit sore. You should mention any pain to the nurse, who will be able to help you with pain relief.