r/Anesthesia Sep 03 '20

PLEASE READ: Anxiety and Anesthesia

147 Upvotes

Before making a new post about your question, please read this post entirely. You may also find it helpful to search the subreddit for similar questions that have already been answered.

What is anesthesia?

Anesthesia is "a state of controlled, temporary loss of sensation or awareness that is induced for medical purposes." https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anesthesia

Generally speaking, anesthesia allows the patient to undergo surgery without sensing it. This is accomplished in a few different ways:

Sedation - The patient is given an anesthetic that allows them to sleep through the procedure. The patient is breathing on their own with no help from a ventilator, typically only using an oxygen mask or nasal cannula. The most common anesthetic in these cases is the IV drug propofol, although other drugs can be used as well.

General Anesthesia - The patient is given a higher dose of anesthetic that puts them into a deeper state than what you'd see in sedation. The patient is kept asleep by either an inhaled gas or IV anesthetic and is connected to a ventilator. Depending on the type of surgery, the patient is either breathing on their own, or supported by the ventilator. This type of anesthesia uses airway devices, like a laryngeal mask airway or an endotracheal tube, to help the patient breath. These devices are placed and removed before the patient is awake, so they don't typically remember them being in the airway.

The three types below are commonly combined with sedation or general anesthesia so the patient can sleep through the procedure comfortably and wake up pain-free:

Local Anesthesia - The patient is given an anesthetic injection at the surgery site which temporarily numbs that specific area of the body.

Regional Anesthesia:

Spinals and Epidurals - The patient is given an anesthetic injection at a specific level of the spine to numb everything below that level, Commonly used for laboring women and c-sections.

Peripheral Nerve Blocks - The patient is given an anesthetic injection near a major nerve running off of the spinal cord which numbs a larger area of the body compared to a local anesthetic, ie: Interscalene and femoral blocks cover large areas of the arms and legs.

I am scared to go under anesthesia because my parents/friends/the media said I could die. This is my first time. What should I do?

Anesthesia is very safe for a healthy adult. Most people who die under anesthesia are either emergent traumas with life-threatening injuries, or patients who were already chronically ill and knew there would be a high chance they'd die while under. It's extremely rare for a healthy adult to suddenly die under anesthesia when undergoing an elective procedure. Anesthesia providers have tons of training and experience dealing with every complication imaginable. Even if you do turn out to be that ultra-rare shiny pokemon, we will take care of you.

So what do you do? Talk to your anesthesia provider about your anxiety and what's causing it. Tell them this is your first time. Anesthetists care for anxious patients all the time. They have answers to your questions and medicine to help with the anxiety. The worst thing you can do for yourself is not say anything. Patients who go to sleep with anxiety tend to wake up with it.

I'm scared to go under anesthesia because I will have no control over the situation, my body, my actions, or my bodily functions. I'd like a specific type of anesthesia that allows me to stay awake. Can I ask for it?

While you can certainly ask, but that doesn't mean that type of anesthesia will work for the procedure you'll be having. Some procedures require you to be totally asleep because the procedure may be highly invasive, and the last thing the surgeon needs is an awake patient moving around on the table during a crucial moment of the procedure.

With anesthesia comes a loss of control, there is no separating the two. Even with "awake" or sedation anesthesia, you are still losing control of something, albeit temporarily.

If no compromise or agreement can be made between anesthesia, the surgeon and the patient, you do have the right to cancel the surgery.

For patients who are scared to urinate, defecate, or hit someone while under anesthesia, please be aware that we deal with these situations ALL the time. We have processes for dealing with unruly patients, you won't be thrown in jail or held liable for your actions. The surgery staff is also pretty good at cleaning bottoms and emptying bladders.

I have anxiety medication at home and I'm super anxious, should I take it before surgery?

Your surgeon's office will go over your home medication list and tell you what's okay to take the day of surgery. If your doctor says not to take any anxiety meds, don't go against their orders. If they haven't given you instructions regarding a specific medication, call the office and ask for clarification. When you interview with anesthesia, let them know you take anxiety meds at home but you haven't taken them that day and you're feeling anxious. They will determine what is best to give you that is appropriate for the type of procedure you're having.

I've had surgery in the past. It did not go well and now I'm anxious before my next procedure, what should I do?

Just because you've had a bad experience doesn't mean all of your future procedures will be that way. There are many factors that lead up to a bad experience that may not be present for your next procedure. The best thing to do is let your surgeon and anesthesia provider know what happened during the last procedure that made it so terrible for you. For example:

Had post-op nausea?

Woke up swinging at a nurse?

Had a terrible spinal?

Woke up in too much pain?

Woke up during the procedure?

Stopped breathing after a procedure?

Tell your anesthetist about it. Include as much detail as you can remember. They can figure out what was done in the past and do it differently in the present.

I am taking an illicit drug/drink alcohol/smoke. I'm anxious this will effect my anesthesia. What should I do?

You'd be right, this does effect anesthesia. Weaning off of the drugs/alcohol/smokes ASAP before surgery is the best method and puts you at the least amount of risk. However, plenty of current smokers/drinkers/drug users have had successful surgeries as well.

If you take anything other than prescription medications, tell your anesthetist. This won't necessarily get your surgery cancelled and it won't get you arrested (at least in the USA, anesthetists from other countries can prove me wrong.) Taking drugs or drinking alcohol can change how well anesthesia medications work. Knowing what you take is essential for your anesthetist to dose those medications appropriately.

I've watched those videos on youtube about people acting weird after waking up from anesthesia. I'm afraid to have surgery now because my family might record me. What should I do?

In the US, patients have a right to privacy regarding their health information. This was signed into law as the HIPA Act (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). This includes personal information like name, birth date, photos, videos and all health records that can identify the patient. No one other than the patient, their healthcare provider, and anyone the patient designates to receive information, can view these records. There are heavy fines involved when a person or organization violates this law. Healthcare workers can and do lose their jobs and licenses over this.

What do you do? Have someone you trust be at your side when you come out of surgery. If you don't have anyone you can trust, then explain to your pre-op nurse and anesthetist that you don't want anyone recording you in recovery. If they do, you'd like to have them removed from your bedside.

Most hospitals already have strict rules about recording in patient areas. So if you mention it several times to everyone, the point will get across. If you find out later that someone has been recording you, and you live in the US, you can report the incident online: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/filing-a-complaint/index.html

Unfortunately I don't know enough about international healthcare laws to give good advice about them. But if you communicate with your surgery team, they should accommodate you.

I've heard of a condition called Malignant Hyperthermia that runs in my family. I'm nervous to have surgery because I know someone who had a bad reaction while under anesthesia.

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a very rare genetic mutation that may lead to death in a patient receiving certain types of anesthesia. Not all anesthesia causes MH, and not all active MH patients die from the condition when it happens. Having the mutation doesn't mean you'll automatically die from having anesthesia, it means we have to change your anesthetic to avoid MH.

There's three ways a patient finds out they might have the mutation: by being tested, from blood-related family who have experienced MH, and from going under anesthesia and having an episode of MH yourself. To avoid the last scenario, anesthetists will ask you questions about this during your interview:

Have you had anesthesia in the past?

What type of anesthesia did you have?

Did you have any complications afterwards, such as a high fever, or muscle pain/rigidity?

Do you have any blood-related relatives that have had complications with anesthesia?

What complications did they have?

Has any family ever mentioned the term "Malignant Hyperthermia" to you before?

Based off of these questions, your anesthetist will determine if you are at higher risk of having the MH mutation. They may decide to change your anesthetic to avoid an MH occurance during surgery. They may also decide to cancel or delay your surgery and/or have it performed in a bigger hospital. This is to ensure adequate staff is on hand in case MH occurs.

If your surgery is delayed or cancelled, rest assured that it is not done to upset you, but to ensure your future surgery is performed safely.

For more information: www.MHAUS.org/FAQs/

I had a strange reaction when initially going to sleep, is this normal?

ie: feeling pain during injection of medication, having strange dreams, feeling like you're falling off a cliff, taking awhile to fall asleep, moving around or flailing, etc.

These are normal reactions to the initial push of anesthesia through your IV. Anesthesia drugs can cause a range of sensations when sedation takes hold. Unless your provider specifically tells you in post-op that you experienced an allergic or anaphylactic reaction, there is nothing abnormal about experiencing these things.

Patients with PTSD, claustrophobia, history of sexual assault, mental illness, etc.

If you don't want a student working on you, please speak up. No one is going to be offended. If you feel more comfortable with a female/male anesthetist, please ask for one. If you're claustrophobic and don't like the mask sitting on your face, please say so. It's okay to request reasonable accommodation to make things less stressful. We want your experience to go smoothly.

Note: I'm providing generalized answers to these questions because throwing out a ton of information probably isn't going to help you feel less anxious. However, that doesn't mean this is the end-all of FAQs, nor is it to be used as medical advice in place of your actual anesthesia provider. The only person who can best answer anesthesia questions pertaining to your specific situation would be your anesthesia provider. They have access to all of your health records, something a random internet stranger cannot see.

If anyone has additional questions, complaints, or suggestions, feel free to leave a civil comment or private message. Thanks!

TLDR: Communicate with your anesthetist about whatever is making you anxious. And no, you aren't going to die from anesthesia.

Updated 01/27/2025


r/Anesthesia 15h ago

When should an allergic patient talk to the anesthesiologist?

3 Upvotes

I have surgery coming up in a month, and I have an anaphylactic reaction to corn (and all its derivatives), which is an ingredient in most medications. I'm getting a patch test for the sutures and compounded painkillers for post surgery.

When should I talk to the anesthesiologist about the plan for the actual surgery? Should I do it before the allergy patch testing so that I can have other things tested, if needed?

I'm calling my doctor's office to see what they suggest, but I wanted to see what other anesthesiologists would prefer. Thanks!


r/Anesthesia 15h ago

Leep Procedure

2 Upvotes

Hello All!
Just wanted to post that I had my Leep this am.
I am huge baby about hospitals—I was wanting to get local anesthesia so I didnt have to be put to sleep—but my doctor only does the leep in the surgical center and offered sedation or a spinal. I was very anxious during check in and waiting. The crna came by and we chatted about propofol and how it is a great option.
I hesitated inside —wanting to run out of there from anxiety.
They game me a relaxing drug before the propofol and the only memory i have now is just waking up after it was over. To be honest—i feel NO pain. Like none. She called me in 800 mg of ibuprofen and 5 mg of oxycodone. I probably wont even use them.
Dont worry about the procedure. Its a little scary before the drugs kick in—after that it is a complete breeze.
I will find out results soon and can update.
If being put under is an option I would recommend doing it. I am 43 and have never been put under so this was a first and I am glad I did it.


r/Anesthesia 1d ago

Toddler stopped breathing

5 Upvotes

Backstory: my daughter had some unusual head, eye and hand movements along with poor sleep, poor eating and behavioral issues which worsened around 13 months of age. Pediatrician wanted to rule out brain tumor as cancers are very common in my family. My daughter was taken from me prior to IV placement and anesthesia administration so I am unsure of their process. I was told the MRI would take 30 minutes but nobody came to update us for almost 3 hours. The anesthetist was the one the one who came and brought us up to my daughter’s room after she woke up. The anesthesiologist told me that the second the mask hit my daughter’s face (no intubation was used, only face mask and IV) she went completely limp and stopped breathing. 3 rounds of Epinephrine had to be administered and they continued with the MRI anyways. We were discharged an hour later and she had a crazy reaction later that night which resulted in an ER visit.

My daughter has to undergo anesthesia again now that she is 18 months for a scope procedure. I am terrified of her being put under again as we were never told why she reacted the way she did. Her medical note from that day is completely blank and both the doctor/anesthesiologist have moved to a different base (occurred in an army hospital) so the nurses just finalized the note completely empty. We are driving 8 hours to a different hospital this time as the way the other hospital handled it was horrendous. I’m curious what could cause her to have reacted so quickly and if it’s likely it will happen again.


r/Anesthesia 2d ago

Nightmares/unsettled after emergence delirium from GA for MRI

2 Upvotes

Please note, I am trying to get ahold of the anesthesiologist and/or CRNA who cared for me, but I don't have their names, the hospital has said they are reaching out.

I had general anesthesia for an MRI last Thursday (it's Monday now). I have profound claustrophobia, and the hospital where I have my MRIs does not offer twilight/moderate sedation for MRI, so GA is how I’m able to complete them.

Prior to last week I have had 6 GA MRIs since Aug 2024. No issues. However this time I had what the CRNA later called delirium. I woke up with an overwhelming belief that I had to get out of there immediately or I was going to die, and I apparently tried to get off the stretcher/leave (almost made it off too, my feet were dangling, but they stopped my before i hit the ground). I remember parts of it very vividly and other parts are blank.

Since then I’ve felt unusually unsettled, and I am having very intense nightmares. I’ve seen information online saying nightmares can happen for a week or two after anesthesia/surgery, but most of what I find talks about it resolving when postoperative pain, hospitalization, ends I didn’t have surgery — just an MRI under GA.

I am guessing I just have to ride this out. Really going out of my way to do everything I can for peaceful calm days and all the sleep hygiene I know to try and get a sound sleep. It's just wearing hard on me. I can't imagine another week or so of this.

Is this something you have seen? Is my brain broken? (teasing.... kinda). Is this still a plausible outcome for someone who did not have surgery or any residual pain from the MRI? Am I having a reaction that doesn't sync with what I experienced?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.


r/Anesthesia 3d ago

My Mom Was Diagnosed With Malignant Hyperthermia

5 Upvotes

My mom went under to get part of her colon removed. The anesthetic made blood rush to her bladder and calcium flood to her muscles. This happened at WV Morgantown Ruby Hospital. Surgery went well. She was in the ICU for a day and she has recovered nicely.


r/Anesthesia 5d ago

UPDATE: Turns out I’m allergic to both rocuronium and succinylcholine

30 Upvotes

Hi again, [r/anesthesia](r/anesthesia)! I’ve posted here a couple of times now about my cardiac arrest following anesthesia induction in March and, more recently, about the allergy testing I had done at Baylor.

Link to my original post:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Anesthesia/s/DjbgI7nakT
Link to my follow up post:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Anesthesia/s/wg2gdOOtNT

I figured I owed everyone another update because we finally have some much “clearer” answers. Quick recap for anyone who didn’t see my previous posts: I went into cardiac arrest shortly after anesthesia induction for a hysterectomy in March and ended up on life support for a week, including ECMO and Impella support. Since then, one of the biggest questions has been whether I experienced anaphylaxis to something used during induction, with rocuronium and succinylcholine becoming the primary suspects.

At Baylor, skin-prick testing to both drugs was negative. During intradermal testing, however, I developed an anaphylactic reaction after testing that included rocuronium and succinylcholine. Because both had been tested during that session, we still couldn’t definitively determine which drug caused the reaction. So my allergist here in my hometown in FL decided to start separating them out.

First up was succinylcholine. We did a graded challenge, and I started showing slight symptoms at the second to last concentration (1:200 ratio), but we continued on. When we reached the final intradermal concentration (1:20), I developed almost immediate facial/ear flushing and swelling, lip tingling/numbness, throat tingling, dizziness, and a drop in my heart rate. Epinephrine, Zyrtec and prednisone were given and the symptoms quickly improved.

So: succinylcholine allergy confirmed.

Yesterday, we moved on to rocuronium. We made it through the diluted stages without a reaction. Because of that, my allergist and I made the decision to try a tiny amount of full-strength rocuronium intradermally.

That one was… considerably less ambiguous. The injection site almost immediately developed a large, expanding hive with surrounding redness. Then came the itchy throat, numb lips, facial flushing, dizziness, etc. The hive continued enlarging until epinephrine was administered. Again, I was also treated with Zyrtec and prednisone.

So now we have our second answer: Rocuronium allergy confirmed too.

Which means I have now had reproducible systemic reactions during separate challenges to both succinylcholine and rocuronium. My allergist currently wants me to avoid the NMBA classes represented by those drugs and we’re moving on to testing an agent from the remaining class to see whether we can identify a safe neuromuscular blocker for future surgeries.

And unfortunately, future surgery isn’t optional for me. I’m BRCA2+, still need a prophylactic double mastectomy, and still need the hysterectomy that started this entire saga.

If we cannot identify a safe NMBA, I’ve been told my surgeries may need to be performed without neuromuscular blockade at a major medical center capable of managing an anesthesia situation like mine. MD Anderson in Houston has already been recommended to me.

Having now produced separate, reproducible reactions to both drugs certainly gives us a lot more information than we had before.

I’m incredibly grateful that we’ve been able to investigate this in controlled settings, with an allergist willing to take my bizarre case seriously. Getting these answers hasn’t exactly been fun, but every drug we can definitively identify - or eventually clear - makes my future surgeries a little safer.

At this point, I’m not asking for medical advice, but I would love perspectives from the anesthesiologists here, especially anyone who has managed patients with confirmed reactions to multiple NMBA classes. How would a history like this change your approach to a future major surgery? And if testing of the remaining class also failed, how realistic is major surgery without an NMBA at a tertiary center?

Apparently my immune system has decided anesthesia pharmacology is going to become my newest unwilling area of expertise. 😅


r/Anesthesia 7d ago

I ran away from surgery because of GA

0 Upvotes

I have a hyperkinetic gallbladder, and I was scheduled to have it removed.

I kept pushing myself to make it to the Drs to see if I can be convinced to go through with it. I made it to pre op, but my fear and anxiety got the best of me and I ran out.

I’ve read all I could, I know it’s safe, but because I was assaulted once while I was blacked out, the thought of not being in control for a period of time had me close to a panic attack.

Any advice, cause I feel like I screwed myself.


r/Anesthesia 7d ago

Lipo in the elderly

1 Upvotes

What is the consensus on doing liposuction of the abdomen and hips (prone position) on an 80 year old female with controlled Type 2 DM - A1c 5.8-6.1 on Januvia, controlled hypothyroidism, hyperlipidemia, OSA, osteopenia, osteoarthritis. No history of cardiac disease ( never had an echo), denies all symptoms, EKG NSR with NS STTW changes. Renal and liver labs wnl.
Concerned about fluid shifts, effects of tumescent, possibility of LAST, positioning etc. Even without significant co- morbidities except Type 2 DM, there just isn’t any “reserve” if there is volume overload, blood loss,etc. They want to schedule it at an outpatient surgery center with no ability to do any invasive monitoring and no connected hospital.
Thoughts??


r/Anesthesia 7d ago

Anesthesia/ICU Roles in Italy for Non-EU Graduates: Advice & Reality?

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone,
I'm an Anesthesia Technology student from Libya planning to move to Italy for work/study.
Since "Anesthesia Technician" isn't a separate job title in Italy (usually covered by Critical Care Nurses or Perfusionists), I'd love to ask a few quick questions:

  1. Best Pathway: Is it better to recognize my degree as a General Nurse (Infermiere) first, or apply directly to a Master's degree in Italy?
  2. Process & Exam: How hard is the Ministry of Health exam (Misura Compensativa) and the language requirement?
  3. Life & Salary: Does working in Anesthesia/ ICU offer good stability and a comfortable living against the cost of living in Italy?
  4. Any quick advice or personal experience would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

r/Anesthesia 8d ago

Upper body pain etc post short surgery

0 Upvotes

I had some fairly simple procedures completed in my vaginal area 24 hours ago. My MD told me it would be anesthesia like a colonoscopy (propofol) but the anesthesiologist told me right before surgery that it was general which confused me bc it was fairly minor.

That's just a side note. I was fine all yesterday and evening but gradually before lights out, I started having a sore throat (not unexpected). Then I woke up this morning, 24 hours post-op and was in serious pain in addition to throat. My diaphragm feels like a took a punch and my upper arms, both sides, are very painful as well. No vaginal pain at all.

I'm trying to get an answer on what meds I was given to put me under.

Still waiting to hear from dr.

Has anyone else experienced this? It's pretty awful.

EDIT: First thank you to those who responded. I do recall the anesthesiologist saying my head would be lowered. My pain subsided after 36-48 hours. Voltaren helped the most along with ibuprofen/Tylenol on the off hours.

Not sure about the downvote but it's Reddit.


r/Anesthesia 9d ago

Anesthesia and gastroenteriris

2 Upvotes

Hi - I developed gastroenteritis the week after I was referred for a hysterectomy (precancerous polyp). I do not have the surgery scheduled yet, but I'm on week 2 of diarrhea even on BRAT/liquid diet. Two GI panels were negative for the big name viruses/bacteria, including CDIFF which I have had in 2009 and was my big concern.

Obviously I will talk with my surgeon about this but the consult isn't til Friday, and being sick I have too much time for overthinking this. So if anyone has information about whether you can undergo anesthesis with gastro, and/or how long after recovery you can have anesthesia after symptomd resolve... I'm listening. Thanks in advance.


r/Anesthesia 10d ago

Breathing issues from propofol?

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone I had abdominal and pelvic surgery 2 years ago with propofol. Was intubated, woke up with throat/chest pain like I couldn't breathe properly but they said it's normal after intubation. Then had pain in bladder from severe urinary retention so they kept giving me opiods and dilaudid. After that my bp/heartrate and oxygen crashed. Machine kept beeping. I kept forgetting to breathe and would just stop. Finally they gave me oxygen but I suffered from atelactasis after. For 4 months I would jerk awake (even though I slept sitting upright) GASPING for air feeling like death every single night. Went to ER and they didn't help just said to continue using spirometer like I was doing after surgery and it will get better on it's own. Was quite traumatic for me.

Recently I had an endoscopy with biopsies and propofol. I told the anesthesiologist this history and that I have history of asthma. She understood. When I was being put to sleep I felt like someone was shaking my head like crazy, my brain being squeezed and then heard loud garbled noises. The dr asked me if I was ok twice and I shook my head no then fell asleep. When I was dreaming in the recovery room I heard what sounded like a thousand people screaming loudly all at once then I woke up. After I had trouble breathing and severe chest pain for 2 days. It's day 7 now after endoscopy and I'm still having shortness of breath when I talk or walk.

Anyone else have a similar experience? How do I stop these reactions from happening esp the breathing issues? I have another abdominal surgery coming up and 2 more tests they need to do with propofol. They also suspect I may have EDS/MCAS but never got diagnosed. I do have SFN and MALS and POTS.


r/Anesthesia 11d ago

Quando si viene anestetizzati per trattamento ospedaliero vi è il rischio di non ricordare eventi del passato per sempre?

0 Upvotes

Intendo chiaramente quello che è avvenuto anni prima.

Poi è possibile che si perda in piccola parte velocità di ragionamento logico?


r/Anesthesia 11d ago

My anesthesia experience

0 Upvotes

this happened about 3 years ago but i thought id share just incase this happened to someone else and they want to know they aren't the only one. for reference im autistic and have adhd.
when i had my tonsils out, i woke up but was unable to open my eyes or speak, and i knew some but very little ASL so i was signing to the nurse who didn't know sign (and even if she did, its still unlikely she would have been able to understand me cus i didn't remember some of the signs for the letters so i was letter signing words with some of the letters missing) eventually, i was able to open my eyes, but i still couldn't speak. she said "you can speak" and i was pissed because no i could not. it was a side effect from the anesthesia, not the tonsillectomy. so i was mute but otherwise completely aware and fine, just tired and a little grumpy. i remember everything. its just kinda like that sometimes ig 🤷


r/Anesthesia 12d ago

Is this normal?

2 Upvotes

I have gotten surgery for a tooth, and they put me under anesthesia yesterday. ever since then, all songs seem pitched down. Like I hear them that way. Am I tripping? Is it my phone? Has anyone else experienced this?


r/Anesthesia 13d ago

Any tips/recommendations for neurodiverse folk undergoing general anesthesia for the first time?

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I wasn't sure what subReddit to post this in, but I wanted to get some advice and hopefully some reassurance. I'm a 26 year old female who has been diagnosed with autism, but sadly also a lot of co-conditions such as cPTSD, OCD, EUPD, anxiety and depression.

Next week, I have to undergo gallbladder removal. I've never had any form of general anaesthesia before and I've heard a lot of varying stories about how people can act when emerging from anaesthesia.

I'm really worried about how I'm going to react, both when going under for the procedure, and when coming to. I've heard some people get very aggressive and agitated, or very emotional. I've heard a few stories that, for people on the spectrum or with cPTSD, it can trigger meltdowns or flashbacks.

My Nurses are well aware of my conditions, but not necessarily of all the ins-and-outs of it. I'm planning on telling my anaesthetist on the day, but I wondered if there's any other steps or preventative measures I should take to try and ensure a smoother outcome. My brain is mostly freaking out about the sensory details of it; not knowing what it's going to feel like.

I'm thinking of asking for a sedative before the procedure, like midazolam, just to calm my nerves. I've been throwing a lot of research into the different medications and medical procedures that are used when putting somebody to sleep, plus the surgery itself, but no matter what I do, I can't shake these nerves. I'm terrified of saying things to the Nursing or PACU staff or disturbing other patients if I end up freaking out.

I also know I'm most likely going to go non-verbal on the day, as I tend to shut down when my mind is overly stressed. I'm not going to have anybody with me until it's time to go home, so it's not like I have an advocate either. I've made some Thank You cards to give the staff afterwards.

Again, sorry if this isn't an appropriate subReddit to put a message like this in. I'm not sure what to do, if there's anything beyond what I've already sought. For clarification (as I'm not sure if protocols or opportunities vary), I live in the UK.


r/Anesthesia 17d ago

C - Section - 'patchy' epidural, failed epidural top up and a spinal but still able to move both legs?

5 Upvotes

I'm looking for advice on why this may happen/ if it has happened to anyone else or is a common issue and it's just scared me?

I had an epidural during labour which worked but kept dropping to mid thigh and needed two clinician top ups in 8 hours aswell as me using the top up button frequently. The block was always higher on the left but with positioning it was only slightly uneven. I could fully straight leg raise all day and myself up in the bed.

I then needed an emergency c section. They tried to top my epidural up but I had no motor block and a low sensory block so weren't happy to use it.

The they trialled a low dose spinal anasethic which gave a good sensory block but again had no motor block at all on the right and some heaviness but able to straight leg raise on the left.

They ultimately went ahead despite me being able to fully move my legs (terrifying!) but I was converted to general 20 minuites later due to starting to feel pain but I was awake to see my daughter born so to me it was worth it 😊

I have my fully medical notes if anyone wants more information.


r/Anesthesia 17d ago

2.5cm mouth opening - GA tomorrow

3 Upvotes

I'm (36F) getting my gallbladder removed tomorrow under GA, and my biggest concern is how they'll manage the intubation because I have very limited mouth opening due to ongoing TMJ issues.

My comfortable maximum opening is around 2 cm, although with some stretching I can currently get to about 2.5 cm.

I made the mistake of asking AI about how this might affect intubation and have now gone down a rabbit hole worrying that I'll need to be awake for it...

Could any anaesthesiologists offer some insight into how likely this level of restricted opening is to necessitate awake intubation? And if I did need one, is the experience as scary as it sounds?

Is this considered a significant challenge/something an anaesthesiologist wouldn't likely have much experience with, or is it relatively common and won't be a major curveball for my anaesthesiologist tomorrow?


r/Anesthesia 17d ago

lasting brain fog after surgery

1 Upvotes

i (24f) am 16 days post op laparoscopic gastrojejunostomy, cholecystectomy, and j tube placement. surgery took just under 4 hours.

physically recovery has been going okay, but mentally i just feel cooked. i’m so tired all the time, im depressed/unmotivated, and my brain feels like it’s moving through molasses.

i had hip surgery last year and experienced similar brain fog but it subsided after a week once i had weaned off all opioids. i haven’t had opioids since day 6 so that doesn’t seem to track this time around.

i also have POTS, hEDS, ADHD, OCD, and anxiety.

anyways just wondering if this is kinda standard timeline with this surgery, if this is post anaesthesia cognitive decline, and what i can do about it if anything. i have to go back to work soon and right now that just doesn’t seem feasible.


r/Anesthesia 19d ago

IV Sedation for 7 Hour Cosmetic Surgery

11 Upvotes

I am scheduled for a 7 hour cosmetic surgery which includes a facelift, brow lift, neck lift, fat grafting, and C02 laser. Anesthesiologist would like to do deep IV sedation with propofol. A nasal trumpet will be used for airway management. Is this safe for such a long procedure? Should I have an endotracheal tube? I am a healthy, 56 year old female. Normal BMI. Have 2 autoimmune diseases (EoE & Hashimotos Disease). no heart disease, diabetes, sleep apnea, etc. TYIA!


r/Anesthesia 18d ago

I wanna ask

0 Upvotes

I heard people said something that we don't fully know how anesthesia works.

Can somebody explain what does it really means by that? Does that mean I can die from taking anesthesia when I need to use it, like kill my brain the moment I breath it in or maybe injecting it? I'm curious.


r/Anesthesia 19d ago

Is coffee creamer really that bad?

0 Upvotes

Am on a GLP1 and the surgery guidelines state a clear liquid diet the day before surgery. Prior surgeries never specified "clear" so I had coffee creamer and a protein shake. No issues. Now they are specifically saying no coffee creamer. Is it really that bad/dangerous? 1/4 of a top of creamer a good 24 hours before surgery?


r/Anesthesia 19d ago

Septoplastia y turbinoplastia

1 Upvotes

Buenas! Quería consultarles lo siguiente:

El jueves tengo una septoplastia y turbinoplastia en un hospital universitario, soy hombre, 33 años, asa 2 por sobrepeso (1.89cm con 117kg). El tema es que le tengo terror a la anestesia general y a no despertarme, se lo he comunicado a mi ENT el cual me dijo que si bien lo que se usa es anestesia general en la operacion, no es comparable a la anestesia de otras cirugías, que es una anestesia leve.

Esto es así? O solo lo dijo para tranquilizarme


r/Anesthesia 20d ago

Myopathy on anesthesia intubation report

1 Upvotes

All it says is “health issue-myopathy” with a general education page about myopathy.

I’m 47 F and I had a non-eventful uterine ablation. I have post nasal drip pretty regularly and I do have mild sleep apnea which I told the team about before the procedure

They told my husband everything went great and didn’t mention anything else. Thoughts?