33 Funny Things People Said To Medical Staff Before Their Anesthesia Started Working

Since we’re talking about hilarious things to say before getting sedated, you should know that patients also say really funny things when under anesthesia. Bored Panda interviewed Dr. Anthony Youn, who is known as America's Holistic Plastic Surgeon, to learn about some of his experiences with such patients. He shared that: “This happens occasionally. I had one patient who just woke up after surgery and was quite groggy and said, ‘How does Dr. Youn have so much hair when he's so OLD?’ Now, she was in her 60s, so who's calling who old?”

He also added, “I had another patient say after surgery, ‘I didn't soil my pants, did I?’ She was worried she would have a bowel movement during surgery! I've had many patients wake up crying, but they had no idea what they were crying about! Just blubbering crying!”

Most people who go under anesthesia know that it will make them feel loopy. But what does that actually mean? The sedatives that are used affect certain parts of the brain and their chemicals, which can alter your state of consciousness and, therefore, your behavior. For example, the inhalation of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) can block certain neurotransmitters that cause anxiety. It also leads to the release of norepinephrine, a brain chemical that can reduce your pain and discomfort.

In general, anesthesia can reduce anxiety and discomfort and make you feel more relaxed during the surgical process. Some sedatives can even have a longer effect, which is why patients are asked not to drive heavy machinery after the process, or told to bring someone along with them. It also explains why there are so many videos of people acting strangely after surgery.

General anesthesia has changed the game for surgeries because it helps people stay in a relative state of bliss while they are operated on. But that’s only because we’ve come a long way from the sedatives of before. Before the medicines of today came into use, the best “pain-killer” solutions people had were biting down on a stick or taking a shot of whiskey.

In 1842, a man named Crawford Long administered the substance called ether to a man undergoing surgery for a tumor. He found that it helped alleviate the patient’s pain and he later published his discoveries for people to use. It’s funny to think that the brilliant minds behind anesthesia also indirectly helped create a funny genre of video.

Dr. Anthony Youn, the surgeon we interviewed, also told us about a humorous encounter he had with a patient during surgery. He said, “most of the time before surgery they are pretty with it. They might get a little loopy, but that's it. I once had a patient who was in the inner circle with one of the rappers in the whole Tupac/Biggie scene, and once they were under the influence I asked who killed Tupac and Biggie and they told me!”

An interesting fact about sedatives from an anesthesiologist is that people who smoke often need extra anesthesia. A study found that women who smoked needed 33% more anesthesia during surgery than female non-smokers. This is because they have irritated airways and, as a result, need higher doses of pain medication to improve their tolerance to the breathing tubes.

Another thing about anesthesia is that it may take a little time to wear off with people even displaying the (hilarious) after-effects of it. Some folk experience nausea and vomiting after going under. But, luckily for them, research has found that smelling ginger or lavender essential oils for 5 minutes could lessen the severity of those symptoms. Even if that doesn’t work, these effects aren’t permanent and often wear off after a few hours at most.

Anesthesia isn’t something to be fooled around with, but if you are going to be put under during a surgical procedure, you can make it so much more fun by trying out some of these interesting suggestions. Who knows, you might make your surgeon's day! Have you thought of something funny to say to your doctor before the sedatives kick in? Let us know in the comments.