Anyone not have general anesthesia?

I was just wondering if all surgeons use general anesthesia? I was just trying to figure out why general anesthesia is used when I had an epidural for my c-section? Just curious if anyone knows :)

Kristie

In the good old days they would do gallbaldder surgery without a general if the patient was too ill. They would leave the gallbladder in and just remove the stones. And hope the patient could be operated on when they were better.
In this day and age, your surgeon is working with very precise instruments and is doing it via TV screen. No way does the doctor want you making any sudden movements. It also can take a few hours if anything unforeseen--such as pre-existing adhesions--complicate things. The surgeon does not need you to be freaking out during the surgery.
Some patients do have an epidural during and after surgery instead of an IV. But that is not the same thing as a C-section. This is major abdominal surgery.
And you will be fine.

What Fleur De Lis said

In addition, I think that one reason they do the epidural during the C-section is so that you can be a part of the birth of your child. General anaesthesia would not be good for the lil baby before it's born, and if you had it, you'd wake up with no memory of the birth ofthe child. This way you get to be a part of the birth, see the baby once born, and no adverse affects from drugs on the baby

No baby to worry about with gastric bypass.

I recently had my tailbone removed. SOME folks who have this surgery do it with just a local and an epidural..... that freaked me out, and I was glad my doc did the general anaesthesia.... as it's hard enough to think of them taking a chunk of spine out, without thinking of it as something while awake! 

B/c in GA they use a paralytic medication.  They don't want your arms moving or any other movements when they are cutting your stomach etc.  A c-section is done much lower down in your abdomen and not so close to your liver.

I believe they can't do an epidural due to where they have to operate.  I think they are working up higher than your uterus.

I asked my doctor about an epidural or spinal block (I had a spinal for my C-Section) and his response was that RNY is higher in the abdomen and the epidural or spinal would not be effective for that area.

I had never heard of a surgeon NOT using general anesthesia for RNY.
In saying that I had a surgery that they used an epidural for. I had a endometrial tumor (very rare it wasn't on my uterus it was a good 5 inches away from it) They used part of my c-section incision for the cut. I also ended up with 2 drains from it. This was when I was still 300 pounds. I was having severe asthma that morning and they didn't want to put me under.

I've never heard of them doing any WLS without General Anesthesia, and IMO it would be pretty barbaric if they didn't, epidural/spinal block/sedation included.  I certainly would not want to be awake while they were messing with my guts and stapling my stomach.  (I know you were just curious, but this freaks me out) ewe

You already got some great answers, but I can't imagine them NOT putting me under!  I did have an amazing spinal block for my c-section though.  I didn't feel crap.  They told me I'd feel pressure and I felt nada.  It was nice until about an hour later I wanted to walk and was still numb.  

I've never heard of them NOT using general anesthesia.  I think since it takes so long I'd want to be knocked out.  My c-section was less than 30 minutes from spinal to the recovery room.

HOLY CRAP!!  Would you want to be awake while they were cutting you open inside and rearranging your digestive system?!?!?!  I had a spinal block with my csection and could still feel them moving my uterus around, can't imagine what RNY would feel like!