Anesthesiologists have a confession to make: people under medication say some truly bizarre things. A thread compiled by a netizen asking anesthesiologists to share stories from sedated patients has amused readers, with tales ranging from the laughably awkward to the genuinely absurd.
The collection comes from posts by anesthesiologists responding to the request. The thread, titled “Anesthesiologists Spill The Tea On 75 Of The Most Bizarre Things People Said Under Medication,” draws on individual posts from healthcare workers who have witnessed the effects of anesthesia firsthand.
A Man Who Made Tender Chicken
One story involves a man who came out of surgery for a brain tumor. When asked if he remembered his name, he replied, “It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken.”
The recovery room staff was understandably confused. His wife, who shared the anecdote, noted the irony: “He said this in response to being asked if he remembered what his name was. 🤦♀️.”
The Post-It Note Between the Cheeks
Another patient left a folded note behind after a colonoscopy. The gastroenterologist unfolded it and read aloud: “We’ve been trying to reach you about your car’s extended warranty.”
The story was shared as part of the thread, offering a surreal moment in an otherwise routine procedure.
The Freddie Mercury Look-Alike
One patient told her anesthesiologist that he looked like Freddie Mercury as she went under. The nurse in post-op later recounted the joke, noting that the whole team had started calling him “Freddie” because they all agreed.
The story illustrates how sedation can blur the line between patient and observer. Everyone in the room noticed the resemblance, and the nickname stuck.
The Radio Announcer Who Welcomed the Doctor
During a colonoscopy, one patient addressed the proctologist and the students attending with a mock radio announcer voice: “Welcome to my b**t.”
The delivery was theatrical, and the story stands out in the thread as one of its most memorable entries.
A Great Grandmother’s Cataract Surgery
A great-grandmother underwent cataract surgery at age 100, living to 104. When the bandages came off, she looked at the surgeon and quipped, “If I’d known you were this handsome, I would have done this YEARS ago!”
The story captures the unexpected wit that can emerge under anesthesia. Even at her advanced age, she remained sharp-tongued.
The Scope Mistaken for a Lover
In one story, a wife worked in the GI lab and recounted a patient who waved her hand as they inserted the scope. The patient thought her husband was getting frisky with her.
The story was relayed as part of the thread, offering a moment of confusion in a routine procedure.
Delirium During Emergence
Emergence delirium (ED) and emergence agitation (EA) are abnormal mental states that develop as patients transition from unconsciousness to wakefulness. According to Medscape, these conditions affect 4-31% of patients overall, rising to 50-80% in children.
Sedative anesthesia aims for a “twilight sleep” state where patients remain relaxed but can wake up if they need to speak. Even so, many patients do not remember the procedure afterward.
Not Every Story Is Funny
Not all stories are lighthearted. One account involved a young, muscular patient with a military background who woke up swinging at the staff. Fortunately, the team anticipated the behavior and held him down until he could be reoriented.
Another anesthesiologist admitted that in over a decade of practice, they had never seen patients behave hysterically or comically like those shown on TikTok. They wondered aloud what they were doing wrong.
Sleep and Wake
Anesthesiologists noted that patients rarely say anything unusual during induction. They are too nervous or sedated to speak.
At the other end of the process, patients are too sleepy to speak. The middle period, where the bizarre stories happen, is the time between unconsciousness and full wakefulness.
Comparing General Anesthesia and Sedation
| Type of Anesthesia | Key Feature |
|---|---|
| General Anesthesia | Combination of medications that makes surgery more bearable, reduces pain, knocks patients unconscious |
| Sedative Anesthesia | Makes patients feel so relaxed they might take a nap but wake up if they need to say something |
The two approaches serve different purposes. General anesthesia affects the entire body and is used for major surgeries and invasive procedures for the brain, chest, or abdomen. Sedative anesthesia, meanwhile, aims for a “twilight sleep” state where patients remain relaxed but can wake up if they need to speak.
What Scroll Down Reveals
The thread’s introduction promises that some stories might bring tears of laughter, while others might make your eyes bulge with their absurdity. Scroll down to see what I mean!
The stories are a reminder that anesthesia is a powerful tool, but it is not always predictable. Patients can say things they would never say sober.
Whether it brings tears of laughter or bulging eyes, the collection offers a window into a world where the line between consciousness and unconsciousness gets blurred in the funniest ways possible.
Source material: “Anesthesiologists Spill The Tea On 75 Of The Most Bizarre Things People Said Under Medication,” Bored Panda.
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