Aspergers and surgery...

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I had eye surgery when I was around 3; I think that was also a strabismis, or that my muscles were going around in my eyes (the way my mom put it). I'm not perfectly sure what it was. I remember waking up in a dark room with the door open, and I remember just zonking out or something when they gave me something to drink before the surgery; they wanted me to drink this tylenol-colored stuff first, then this orange juice, but instead I drank the orange juice first. That was my only 'serious' surgery, except when the dentist gave me a root canal; that dentist was sure talented, because my brother fell asleep during one of his root canals, and I couldn't even tell that he was even doing anything besides the tools were buzzing and and stuff.

When I had my surgery to remove my appendix, I was scared that the anesthesia wouldn't work well and I'd be able to feel everything going on and I would wake up. But when it happened, I literally blinked and the procedure was over. Of course you'll feel sore after any operation, but you won't even know what hit you!!

I've had a colonoscopy and a proctolectomy (removal of the colon) about two years ago. Just talk to your doctor and the anesthesiologist. Most people say you stay awake for a colonoscopy. Every time I've had one they have administered an IV of something called Versed which knocked me out.

For my actual surgery, I have little recollection of the three day span afterward. They gave me something before the surgery to clam my nerves. Whatever it was it worked, because the gown I had on was the kind you could hook up to a heater thing to keep you warm. I was told that I figured out how to keep all the air in so I managed to blow the gown up like a balloon.

I was operated during c-section delivery
i just shut my eyes close

i was quite frightened

Being conscious is better, so you can tell them if you need more anesthesia

It all comes down to how you feel. As others have told you, discuss this matter with your anesthesiologist and the surgeon that will perform the operation. If you're extremely scared to be conscious, then you have every right to be asleep during the procedure (though I'm not sure how it works in the U.S, I guess it depends on your insurance?).

I myself have been through five open-heart surgeries due to a complex congenital heart disease, plus three angioplasties under general anaesthesia. I didn't wake up during any of those. I've also had several painful procedures done under local anaesthesia, a few which were so painful that not even the sedatives they gave me to calm me down worked. I was in full panic, but couldn't do anything about it but try to scream.

One interesting thing is that they always give you sedatives and other things to "make you forget" before you go under general anaesthesia. They've never worked on me! I've always remembered everything, up to the point when they sedated me. When I was little, the sedatives actually made me even more hyperactive... Back then, they didn't know about my AS, so they attributed this to the fact that I was born a red-head. But now it all makes sense!

I also had to get my head stitched up twice when I was two and three, plus my lip stitched when I was four, because I fell a lot (clumsiness). This was done under local anaesthesia. I don't remember that it hurt, but then again, I was so little that it's hard to remember.

I've never had surgery with a local, but people who have, have told me that they don't remember it really. They can give you some versed or something and you will be technically awake but not really "there". In other words you will be as high as a kite.

I took my oldest daughter to get four teeth pulled for her braces and they gave her versed and something else. I stayed with her until they gave her the meds. They started an IV and when they got ready, they pushed the meds and about 15 seconds later she was wasted! Thats the only word I can use to describe it. She was able to answer them in a slurry voice and had a half smile on her face. When they told me I could go out to the waiting room I kissed her on the forehead and asked if she felt ok and she said "OH YEAH!" They brought her out to the car in a wheelchair about 30 mins later and she was awake but still groggy. She didnt feel so great then with a numb mouth stuffed full of cotton, but they gave her 30 Lortab 10, so she wasn't in pain. That was more than enough to keep her comfortable until she healed. Four teeth is a lot, and they were all over her mouth so there wasn't a comfortable spot.

I have had dental work like that too. It used to be called "Twilight sleep". All my actual surgeries though, they knocked me out.

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I'm giving it another shot. We will see.
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There is a middle way between local and full anesthesia: local anesthesia plus a strong sedative that makes you sleep through the procedure. You might wake up for a moment if something is particularly painful (happened to me during a colonoscopy, when they tried to force the endoscope through a patch of inflamed, stenotic tissue), but that shouldn't be a concern with local anesthesia. You won't feel sick afterwards, just dizzy and weak-kneed.

At the dentist, I opt out of anesthesia. The anesthetic used by dentists contains adrenaline. I tried that once for a root canal, and almost jumped out of the chair and ran out of the door when it kicked in. My heart was racing, my social anxiety increased tenfold, and I was a panicky, wide-eyed mess. I'd rather deal with the pain.

I got to sleep by anesthetic before and it worked fine on me.