Do you really feel pain in surgery? 

It was panic for me. I was having spinal surgery, warned the anesthesiologist that I need more since I under-react to anesthesia for some reason. He blew me off and woke up mid surgery and tied down, unable to see etc. I am not a panicky or anxious person but being tied down and unable to move freaked me out. My Dr (I'd been seeing this particular Dr for over 10 years and this wasn't the first surgery he'd done on me) realized it and they immediately tried to put me back under. As I was going under I could hear my Dr ripping that anesthesiologist several new holes. He did NOT put up with people risking his patients. I never saw that anesthesiologist again, even when I had multiple procedures after that surgery. Dr made sure it was noted prominently in my chart about needing more meds than normal.

I woke up in the middle of surgery with my nose itching, my anesthesia Dr scratched my nose for me.

After waking up after a hysterectomy. They left me for hours without pain meds. I was in so much pain kept telling the nurse they said well we will give you something when we get you to your room . So after a few hours and then another 45 minutes after getting to my room they finally came in and gave me something. To e this is abuse to patients. There is no reason any patient should be left the way I was.

I woke up during open heart surgery. I felt nothing . I was looking into the surgery light, lifted my head up, looked down, and saw everything in my chest cavity. I looked up, and a nurse was the first one to notice I was awake. Then the whole room, about 20 people, looked at me. I looked at them, and then the gas mask was back on my face.I was young and count it as an amazing experience.

I sat up and yelled owowowow! Then was passed out again. I asked the doctor about it and he said yes and I scared the crap out of everyone!😂

From someone who has anxiety about surgery, I just wanted to say that I have great respect for anestesiologists. The ones I've had have been amazing.

I woke up and felt pain during a umbilical hernia operation. The Anesthesiologist finally noticed me looking at him because some miraculous way I was able to open my eyes even though they were taped. I was looking at him but couldn’t move. He eventually looked over at me and jumped and did something and nite nite I went. This was 36 years ago and I still remember it to this day.

22 years ago when I had my c section, I wasn’t under anesthesia of course, but my epidermal wore off and I felt the Dr. Finishing up and I screamed so loud “ I can feel that, and the then the anesthesiologist knocked me out in seconds. My husband said I went from calm, to screaming to snoring all within a minute.

Yes I did feel pain that is what woke me up. Yes knocked me out but woke up 2 more times stating that hurts. After I was talking to the person who came with me and Dr over heard what I was saying "oh I think you dreamed that", no I spoke of other things he said during my procedure think he was alittle uncomfortable that I could repeat them.

I work up screaming during a colonoscopy....horrible pain, totally indescribable. The anesthesiologist told me I wouldn't remember it...I did.

I woke up at the beginning of eyelid surgery when the surgeon was injecting my eyelid with something. It wasn't the worst pain ever but it didn't feel good. More than that I couldn't get my voice to say I was awake! I finally got my hand to move and I mumbled "I feel you"...then all I remember is waking up!

I've had ten surgeries and I never woke up under anesthesia once. I'm so grateful. I always just remembered breathing in the gas and the next thing I knew I was waking up in post-op. The first operation was the most painful and I couldn't speak or even see what was around me while I was waking up from anesthesia so, I just kept spelling the word pain in sign language. Finally one of the nurses noticed what I was doing and asked me what was wrong and I croaked out, pain. I think if I had awakened during surgery, it would have upset me a lot and I wouldn't have gone into a surgery again feeling as safe as I always did.

I woke up during my colonoscopy and felt a lot of pain. They had to pause until they had given me more pain meds and more meds to knock me out again.

Someone I know had heart surgery and said it was so traumatic, she prefers to die of a heart attack before ever reporting to ER again. Now that should have been cause for a lawsuit.

This happened once with dental surgery. I remember being in agonizing pain all over my body. I remember my abdomen really hurt. I fought the medicine and woke up enough to try and move from the pain. I was scared shitless. I looked over to the dentist who smiled as he put a needle into my arm. I felt soooooo much better and let myself fall back asleep. To this day I have no idea why my body hurt so bad. Maybe a reaction to the gas. What ever happened is now in my medical charts to never ever use sleeping gas.

My son woke up in ICU, intubated and alone during Covid. No hospital staff either. Terrifying for him. He has uncontrolled pain history, both during surgery and post-op. Redhead gene too. He is now going to a Pain Management doctor and having genetic testing to see if he has redhead gene and how he metabolizes medications. Docs believe his pain experiences may have also triggered Central Pain Syndrome with Fibromyalgia - both very debilitating. These traumatic experiences are very debilitating

I have dealt with so many people over the years and read countless comments. I understand how easy it is to mix up the different types of surgery. I always tried to explain the type of anesthesia they would be receiving, with the assistance of the CRNA. Often they confuse MAC or TIVA with general anesthesia. There's also a spinal. There's even moderate sedation. The "bad" waking up WHILE your surgery is going on is the serious one. This would be with general anesthesia. You would be intubated, possibly paralyzed, etc. That would be looked in to. There would be paperwork for that incident. It is what patients are fearful of and rightly so. It is quite common to wake-up with the other types of anesthesia. More and more, people are having their TKRs with a spinal. I have had many patients that didn't want any IV meds. No problem, unless they begin having issues like fluctuations in their vital signs. Patients will describe waking up during their colonoscopy. Some are done with general anesthesia, but not often. Usually the patient receives IV meds, but not enough to take away their ability to breathe on their own. I would tell the patient that they may remember hearing voices, etc with this particular surgery and that it's normal. I have also told my patients that it's like a plane crash. If a plane goes down, it's newsworthy. But what about the hundreds of successful flights ✈ that occur every day in just this country alone? I feel this is an apt comparison. I'm sorry for this long monologue. I just hope it can reach a few more people and maybe ease their mind.

Oh, I felt pain. They didn’t properly kill my sciatica nerve during knee surgery and I woke up during surgery screaming and her the doc say put her under “NOW”…..Stanford University 2008…. Had it redone by USC in 2022 by an awesome Doctor. Dr. Heckmann is the best! Thank You Doc🤙🏽

I woke up mid wisdom tooth extraction. Felt the doctor actually ripping out my tooth from the root. I was squirming- screaming trying to get away. I told them that I was sensitive to pain but they never took me seriously. I remember the pain still and that was years ago. It gave me so much anxiety. The next time I needed to have surgery I was so anxious that I almost couldn’t go through with surgery because my blood pressure was so high they eventually gave me Valium to calm down and that was the only thing that helped. Thankfully I guess these doctors listened to me cause I don’t remember waking up during since I told them that I woke up before and felt everything.

I've woken during surgery twice. As soon as I opened my eyes, the anesthesiologist put me back under. One smiled and did finger wave.

I woke up during surgery, and yes, there was pain! Imagine how I felt when I found out the anesthesiologist was prejudiced against certain people, and did this to them on purpose. He eventually lost his job because of it.

I've never woken up during a surgery but when I had my tonsils taken out they woke me up before they extubated me. I was told they did that because they want to make double sure you can support your own airway before they pull the breathing tube out because it could be difficult to re-intubate you after an adult tonsillectomy if for some reason you have trouble waking up and breathing fully on your own. That was slightly traumatic mainly because I wasn't prepared for it...they could of told me before the surgery. I guess most people although awake, don't really remember it but I sure do!

Ive had 37 surgeries and another tomorrow (I'm also only 30...lucky genes I guess!😂) and have woken up once during a gastroscopy with the scope camera down my throat in my stomach. I naturally tried to pull it out and the nurses quickly grabbed my arms and held them down, and then the anaesthetic dr gave me more meds and put me out again. I also once during an ENT surgery had a super rare complication at the end where my lungs got negative pressure and filled to the top with foamy blood. I had to be re-intubated and woke up a few hours later in ICU on the ventilator. I was slightly sedated but not enough to panic about the breathing tube being in. I tried to pull it out and got held down and knocked out for another couple hours before they tried to wake me up again. The feeling of the breathing tube in whilst being awake for hours and hours was truly traumatic for me. Swallowing around the tube was so hard and doesnt actually work. And having air pumped into your lungs unnaturally was so weird. I told my Mum (i was only 21 at the time) if i ever got put in an induced coma again or on life support I would want to be turned off rather than go through that for any length of time again. Makes me nervous for every surgery now. 😢

When I got up from surgery I asked the dr please kill me as I can’t deal with the pain. It was a spine surgery. They lied to my family that everything went well except they couldn’t awaken me for 3 hours. So when you anesthesiologist telling me that you’re charging by the minute, shame on you, it was one of your colleagues, who did me wrong, and I had to pay for it. You are informative. Less bragging.

I woke up and could feel the surgical team moving me to the procedure table, in a jack knife position. I could hear everyone talking. I felt the left side of my face on the procedure table. I concentrated on trying to move my fingers so the anesthesiologist could see I was awake. I went fully under then snd as soon as I woke up I said. I was awake. The anesthesiologist said, I know. I saw you and out you back under. I felt no.pain while I was aware.

I didn’t feel pain, I heard my surgeon talking and I tried to speak and move then I heard she’s waking and I was out again. Bizarre feeling and I’m a nurse.

I woke up during a colonoscopy when he was going through an inflamed part of my bowel. I moaned and groaned at him , and heard him say “ give her more “ they replied “ her heart rate is barely holding 50 , he said she will be fine. Then I don’t remember anything else.

I felt the pain!!!! Yelled, "Help me" at least 20 times before somebody did something. It was post op

After my heart Transplant I remember the gratitude that I had for the anesthesiologist. I was terrified for months while waiting on the transplant list knowing that day was coming. After I woke up I remember feeling drowsy,back pain and lots of crying. My nurses made sure that I always had sufficient meds in my body to knock out the pain.

I woke up in the middle of my C-section. I didn't feel pain. First I heard a baby cry. Then I heard people talking, at first I didn't know what they were saying. Then I felt a weird sensation going back and forth across my abdomen. Many years later I learned that I was being suctioned out. Next I realized what they were saying and the baby I heard cry was my baby, but I couldn't open my eyes or move. I started freaking out and they knocked me back out. When they were done they fully woke me up before moving me off the operating table and I felt the worst pain I have ever felt - like every bone in my body was on fire!

I felt fear, paralyzed, could hear radio playing, people walking, talking, metal objects banging.

I woke up twice during my knee replacement. First time I thought I was at the ocean (blue sheet lol); second time there was a lot of hammering. I started laughing. I felt no pain because they did a spinal tap. She said, "Time to go back to sleep" I was in twilight lol

I've woken during a few of my surgeries. During my jaw surgery I woke, was aware but couldn't move, and felt some sharp jabs (kind of like when you get dental work and they don't use enough Novocaine). The others I didn't feel anything, just aware, but it induced panic attacks. I have loooong conversations with my anesthesiologists now because it's turned into a huge fear to wake. When I used to say that I've experienced waking during procedures, it was brushed off like it's normal and "it won't happen this time".

Almost 7yrs ago, my C-sec was with general anesthesia (blood complication) When I woke up (c-sec done but still in the op room) I could feel the pain for what I'm sure were only a couple of seconds BUT that was more than enough to remember it for the rest of my life 😫 I could here someone saying "GIVE ME THE MORPHINE! GIVE ME THE MORPHINE!" On my way home I remembered the pain and I started crying in the car out of the blue. I was bawling, unable to talk and my hubby didn't know why 😳

My mom had her knee replaced. She said she woke up during surgery and heard the doctor hammering on her knee. But she didn't say anything about any pain. She said he was using a lot of force to do what he had to do. Eerie but what u said is true

it depends on the reason the patient woke up. i have anesthesia resistance, and have woken up during surgery. because the local anesthetic didnt work as intended, i could feel it

I have woken up twice in the midst of major surgery. I felt everything. As in pain off the charts, not to mention panic. It is most certainly not ideal. There's nothing to be upset over, but yeah, it was unfortunate.

I wasn’t put under anesthesia, but I had to have an emergency C-section and all I had was an epidural in for maybe 30 minutes. And they rushed me back to the OR room and I have the anesthesiologist in behind me asking if I wanted nerve medicine and pain medicine. And he could tell that I was in so much pain and I couldn’t speak. Thankfully, he dosed me up with something. Because after that, I couldn’t feel anything.

Depends on my surgery. Honestly my major surgeries when I wake up feeling no pain really. But due chronic face pain I get twilight sleep and the due an ablation in my face. And that is almost the worst pain EVER waking up to. Worse than the issue that caused me to need that procedure. But in the long run it’s well worth that week to 3 week pain. Last about 6-12 months. Not kidding I’d love for you to be my on call being personal anesthesiologist. Except for the twilight sleep procedures. My nurse anesthetist (Brad) is awesome and I’m not afraid at all when I go there.

I woke up in a panic and tried to get up. Idk what they socked me with, but they were NOT playing with my ass. I was back down in about one second 😂

Fell happy that the surgery is over and I am still alive 😊

I woke BECAUSE I felt pain. Once I was having a blood clot in the arm the IV was in. I couldn't tell anyone where the pain was but it helped to straighten my arm, which was slightly bent. Apparently I managed to communicate that by moving my arm? I woke two other times and groaned from pain. I was immediately given more of something.

I was feeling pain first. After a few minutes I started to wake up because the pain was unbearable at that point.

I had a hemmorhoid removal surgery and I felt the pain before I even opened my eyes. It was so intense burst I into tears and tried to sit up.

I wish more anesthesiologists were like him!

I just had a total hip replacement, with spinal anesthesia and Propofol for sedative.I recall becoming aware and grumply saying "what the hell is all that hammering racket" .. but with no pain.

I felt like straight out of a story of "tales of the crips" I couldn't speak,I had a hard time breathing ,very scary

Well I have had surgeries in past like spine surgery and my jaw surgery and let me tell i definitely felt a lot pain when I woke up from anesthesia.

I started having a full conversation with my doc, he responded then I remember NOTHING - your anesthesia video was super enlightening, especially when I have to be prepared for a surgery in two weeks

Never woken in pain after 9 surgeries. Though the pins & needles from an arm block in recovery is intense

Light sedation for cataract surgery. I was aware of everything happening. First surgery, zero discomfort. Second surgery, felt a tugging sensation without any pain. Kudos to my anesthesiologist. 🙂☮️💞🙏

Never quite fully fell asleep for my first surgery as a teenager. I remember getting two doses through the IV, which did not make me unconscious. Followed by some oral medications that were supposed to do the trick. I don't remember the name of either Med, but I do remember listening to the doctor and nurse talk about the Laci Peterson case, and I remember feeling excruciating pain from the tourniquet on my arm. I was actually very curious to see them work on my hand, and I must have made a sound which alerted them that I was awake, so up went the curtain. No show for me, just memories of that terrible pain and later to be disregarded by the surgeon 😥 turns out I have hEDS, which may explain that and other adverse reactions to anesthesia

I've had 32 renal surgeries, hysterectomy and hand surgery. At first it took a while to put me out so I got more lessons of what happens. Now I just want to be out. But one surgery I had to be put back under three times because they would wake me up and my pain and BP would get out of control. Was a intense one. But I had the best anesthesia doc ever who stayed with me until I was ok. He also told off a smart asz student in another surgery. She cracked jokes about my renal condition and he kicked her off the floor. Was sad when he retired .

I woke up during a knee replacement and didn’t feel pain yet I did get to hear them hammering the piece into my bone. The Drs said I do a mean Michael Jackson as they had the radio on and I sang during the surgery

I felt pain and I knew exactly what they were doing to me I wanted to tell them i needed more anasthesia.

I woke up during at least 3 different surgeries. It was painful and frightening at first and it caused nightmares for years. I was never on opioids before surgeries. However, I do have two red headed children and I have guessed that, although I am not a redhead, I must have the gene mutation for red hair as I have to even have more numbing for dental care. I feel that I have had to endure more pain because it takes more to anesthetize me and to ease pain. Since I was 5 years old, all of these incidents has been extremely traumatic as I have also had multiple broken bones that required surgery.

I woke up or became alert during my partial nephrectomy. Still traumatized to this day.

I woke up during my tonsil removal procedure. I was like 9 and all I remember is the lights and some people leaning over me. Next thing I remember was waking up no pain, swallowing sucked for weeks

I always have severe pain when I first wake-up since I had a lumbar fusion. It's like the pain had disappeared and now is slamming back into me. Sucks

Woke up during jaw surgery, squinted my eyes at the heart monitor, met eyes with anesthesiologist, thought he was looking cute so I winked and dozed off because winking took all powers I had lmao Was absolutely calm despite sounds and vibrations of my bones crushing but was slightly irritated by lights 10/10 would go under again

Zero pain during and after my C section. I woke up in the middle of my surgery when i heard my baby cry and felt no pain i know my tummy is still open. My brain told me it should hurt but i said im on anesthesia so it should not hurt. Even after the anesthesia wore off still no pain .

Yes! I woke up during my knee replacement and said that I could hear a metallic thudding sound and feel tapping on my leg at the same time. I didn't feel pain.

I had a full abdominal hysterectomy (TAHBSO)and woke from the op in the most horrendous pain I’ve ever felt. It seemed to take an age for them to get it under control.

I felt burning searing sensation as the doctor was cutting me. I will never forget this. I did hear the doctor tell the anesthesiologist that I wasn’t under. Imagine being awake and, getting surgery done on you at the same time. Amazing

Thought I was abducted by aliens! Swear I have known my Dr's for a very long time but I did not recognize them or the situation and yeah I was abducted by aliens lol

I had a d and c and felt pain tried to tell drs but couldn’t speak 😢 lifted my head up so they’d see I was upset to no avail 😢

I woke up In the middle of hip replacement. No Pain but a lot of noise and tools Moving around!! Then that was it

I woke up during a total knee replacement. I felt no pain ; but I heard a loud hammering sound striking metal 3 times and then out again! Thank goodness!!😊

I have a harder time coming out of anesthesia. I was described as constantly kicking and turning my head sideways rapidly. I can almost remember it but i know that i had no control. Nurses told my mom if i didnt settle down they would force me to wake up(via medicine )and I'd be in a lot of pain.

I actually herd the surgeons chatting whilst operating I can’t remember waking up up but I definitely listened to a conversation

I felt major cramping during my colonoscopy. I distinctly remember the conversation I had with the nurse! Never again.

I felt/heard painless metal clinking and grinding in my skull. I probably winced and tried to move my arm (which was tied to a board with an iv in it. ) Then I saw my anesthesiologist stoop over and look me in the face (I was on my side) and said “ooh you’re awake “ and pushed a hypodermic into the iv port and then I woke up transporting to recovery. I

I remember pain from my tendon surgery, horrible, horrible pain. The pain from my knee replacement was bad enough I felt it through the epidural.

That's true. I had spinal cord stimulator battery installed in my hip. I woke up but felt no pain

Tugging pulling my medical team was really rough but the worst was them joking about my body or leaving something behind like some other doctor. I've woke up numerous time and some teams are very serious but that is rare.

I’ve had 8 of 9 surgeries under pain blocks or local anaesthetic, I have memories of sensations such as the scalpel on my skin, or a limb being manipulated a certain way (explains why other muscles are sore for days 🤦🏻‍♀️

Just had my wisdom teeth out today. I was sedated. Thankfully everything went well. I have some memories. I think at the beginning they started opening my mouth to prep it for the surgery and I was still going out. I remember trying to ask them what was happening (no clue if it was all in my head or not) next thing I know, I’m waking up, crying, and one of the nurses is wiping my tears away, telling me it’s all done and I did so well 🥰 loved the oral surgeon I went to. I got lucky and woke right up. Was groggy for a few minutes, but my husband was able to come back in and I was pretty normal. Groggy and wobbly, but coherent. And was able to communicate. I was expecting to be all loopy and stuff but I never was. I’m not sure if it’s because of how they sedated me? Either way. Cool experience. Recovery good as of today, still have a ways to go before I can enjoy all the chewy tough foods 😂

I woke up with no pain after my 3 spine surgeries. I woke up shaking from pain after my knee replacement.

I woke up during my wisdom teeth extraction. They had put a blindfold on me, but I opened my eyes underneath the blindfold and felt them tugging on my teeth. I immediately realized what was going on and thought to myself "well this isn't good. Time to go back to sleep," and I went back to sleep.

I think if you do wake up you don't always remember after

I was in the middle of a heart attack 14 hrs of surgery. Everytime i was aware (not dead with no heart beat) i felt the pain of the catheter moving throughout my veins( trying to remove clots and adding stents) plus i was paralyzed or stuck in my body (where i can hear and feel and see everything but i couldnt respond) it wasnt until they shocked my heart that i was able to move and feel the pain receding. So yeah i felt the pain.

I had a total knee replacement and had already undergone multiple spinal fusions prior to this particular surgery, I explained to my knee surgeon the pain complications I suffered during my spinal surgery and the severe anxiety knowing that I was going to be in immense pain, she was the best surgeon who meticulously asked me what medications I was on what didn’t work during my last surgery’s and went the extra mile to ensure I was adequately given higher than typical pain relief based on my medical history she was amazing knowing my pain tolerance was higher than the standard pain control protocol for my knee replacement, she placed me in a higher pain therapy than what is normally given to a non tolerant patient, absolutely game changer, she gave the pain management team a right shake down to ensure my pain was controlled

I felt the sensation of my wisdom teeth getting pulled but it didn't hurt at all. I could just subconsciously feel this little pressure

My sister had a C-section, was paralyzed so could not move or speak but felt every cut, pull, tug and stitch. It was terrible. In her head she just wanted to die to make the pain stop.

I woke up during one of my back surgeries. I remember panic, excruciating pain, and hearing my own scream before I went back out.

I didn’t wake up under anesthesia, but I did have an epidural needle that did not freeze my entire abdomen. It was like a line straight down the middle of my body 1/2 froze and the other half did not. They had to put me under quite quickly because I could feel the tearing as they were working their way toward my baby.

I woke up while my surgeon was drilling my knee for a knee replacement. I had a spinal and didnt feel anything. The anesthesiologist knocked me back out.

PAIN!Coming aware as surgery was done on my face, I managed to speak, tell the surgeon who was flirting with the young female intern that I was feeling pain, the surgeon said 'No, you are feeling pressure'.No! I was feeling PAIN. I went into shock, no idea where the anaesthetist was, it took over an hour in recovery being given everything available to reduce my pain.I have the red haired gene, ptsd, anxiety and depression.The surgeon botched the job and stole my self esteem in just 20 minutes.Now, I have to go through it again. This time I know what to say beforehand.Thank you for helping me learn this,Doctor.

Thank goodness that I'm getting answers to questions that I have. While I haven't gotten any news, I believe that I have a hernia and I'm aware that surgery might be in my future. I want the anesthesiologist to make sure that I'm under and stay under until I'm supposed to wake back up.

My sister felt it. Caused her to have a heart attack. Thankful she survived. But died when they wanted to operate on her again. And she said dying would be better...

1991, woke up to the most excruciating agony during my C-Section..felt my lower half moving back and forth and felt them pulling my daughter out of my abdominal cavity....thank merciful god, I went back under again. 😢😢😢😢

I had so much pain after a hysterectomy, but dr didn't believe me, all night. I was bleeding to death. Even the nurses told me to stop bothering other patients. That's what started my terror of drs. 23 yrs ago. Today I could have gotten help. Luckily today I can help myself.

I'm very grateful for the anesthesiologists who tended to me over the years. I've had several procedures, the mist serious being a quintuple heart bypass. The anesthesiologist visited me in my room the day before surgery. He was attentive and listened about my history, my difficult airway, and other medical issues that concerned me would affect his job. I stayed asleep, according to him anyway, during my 7 hour procedure. Because if my difficult airway and ither medical issues, he had told me i would stay in recovery for 8 hours, much longer than normal, with the intubation tube still in my throat. I was more frightened if being conscious with that tube in place than the bypass surgery! He had said he would use drugs that would keep me relaxed with no anxiety about the tube. His wirds were "you'll know the tube is there, but you won't care." And i didnt care for those many hours. Bieve it or not, the only pain I had was during a cough; and then it was intense but short lived. I had some discomfort when getting out of bed. He and his team took great care of me. I am so thankful.

This happened to me last week. I woke up and thought the surgery was over. Saw a largish syringe being added to the IV and the nurse told me I’m gettin ketamine. Before I could ask why I was then out again. No pain at all. 😅

I woke up during an eye lid surgery asking “is that my skin burning? It smells awful”.

I woke up in middle of my surgery crying telling them I was hurting than I was back to sleep lol

No feeling, no pain, just saw the bright light and was told to go back to sleep.

Last time I woke up from anesthesia it took 8 people to hold me on the table until I was coherent. Avoid opiate abuse folks

I woke up during my wisdom tooth extraction it was very brief, and by the time i was really aware the doctor knew and was telling me to relax and breath. And that he would have me back to sleep. I didnt feel pain but pressure. And it felt very warm. Best description is like biting down on a warm spoon. with it against my gum. Honestly it was kindof a nice sensation. But no later did i feel the sensation I was back out. And had no other issues through surgery or post op.

The only time I've felt pain was during conscious sedation. At the time I had an EXTREMELY high fever because of a serious infection from a septic kidney stone, and I think they thought it might be safer to put me into conscious sedation vs general. They did a ureteroscopy to place a stent and I remember waking up just briefly, and I did feel intense pain, but only for a second until they put me back out again. Looking back now I think they were pulling the scope back out at the time, because the surgeon was like "Hold on, we're almost done." And then the next thing I remember is the recovery room.