I wouldn't recommend it. I had my chest done awake with a local, and even though my surgeon was great, I had nightmares about it for months. They put a drape up to you can't see what they are doing, so needles weren't an issue. What was an issue was the sensation of my body being lifted off the table by my chest tissue. It didn't hurt exactly, but it was distressing. I remember thinking that I wished they would wait to do the other side. My surgeon was attentive, and would keep looking over the drape. if he saw any hint of pain, he would put in more local.
I have a peripheral nerve stimulator to help me deal with my migraines, and have had several procedures to get the leads where they need to be. I used to have it done partially awake. They would put me out, get the leads to where they thought they should be, then wake me up to check if I was getting the electrical pulses. I would never remember it afterwards. Then, one time i had a different anesthetist, and he gave me no sedative or medication for pain. The surgeon put a little local when the lead went in and started screwing the lead in. The lead was encased in a sixteen gauge needle, and after about 15 minutes of using a screwing motion, I couldn't stand it anymore and lied and said it was in the right place. By then, nurses had left the room because they couldn't stand watching it. It was literally torture. That was when I learned that the anesthesiologist controls what they give you and not the Dr. I've never let anyone do anything awake since then. I know it didn't have to do with my transitioning, but knowing what I do now, I think it would be a mistake.
sam1234
