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Comment by bobowzki | Hacker News Reader

I'm an anesthesiologist so I frequently inject people with hypnotics and sedatives.

There's definitely a sweet spot where people will say things they probably otherwise wouldn't. Much like alcohol I guess but perhaps a bit more potent.

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I had a spontaneous pneumothorax a couple times in highschool, so I ended up having a lung surgery to prevent them when I was 18. To this day my mom refuses to reveal the things I said to her while I was in recovery, and the following days when I was on Demerol. It drives me crazy because there is a lot I could have said, did I mention I was 18? I know she's probably doing me a favor, but it seems unfair.

I've since wondered if I have a big mouth when I'm dosed because that's who I really am underneath my impulse control, or if that's how everyone is.

Honestly being partially anesthetized and saying something horrific might be my biggest fear.

We are used to it. :-)

Of the people I'm worried about hearing my confessions or fantasies, people with whom I exclusively have a doctor/patient relationship are the bottom of the list. It's the early visitors I receive in recovery that scare me :)

Hehe understood.

I came out of knee surgery and after waking up, my first sight was of two female nurses just staring at me hard. I have no idea what I might have said and I don't want to know.

They know the drill. Sounds like they were just being jerks.

It won't surprise me if we start seeing videos on Twitter of post-op people saying offensive things. Followed by the requisite mobbing, cancellation, etc.

There was a spy in the USSR during the cold war who had to have some procedure done. He refused anesthesia. His pretense was that he might reveal state secrets or something. He was given an award for his bravery or something. Interesting story. I wish I could remember more of the details.

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