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.

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.

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.

Intendo chiaramente quello che è avvenuto anni prima.

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

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 🤷

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?

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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?

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!

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

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?

Okay so this may come across as really intense, but I don't mean it to!

Basically I have a very run of the mill septoplasty and turbinate reduction surgery coming up, I really am not worried of something going wrong. However, I am due to talk to the anaesthetist in the coming days and I kind of want to say that if anything does go wrong that I'd rather they don't intervene. Mainly because I'd rather not spend my life as a vegetable.

Obviously I dont expect this to happen, but is that an intense thing to say, would he be like wtf?! But more to the point would he allow the surgery to proceed agreeing to what I had asked or would he be like nah I can't do that ethically or something etc.

Would love to hear from anyone but particularly anyone from Australia.

Gift ideas for an anesthesia resident?

Hello,
I have an upcoming surgery in a couple of weeks and I'm feeling quite anxious about it.
I completed the consent form today and read that while complications are rare, high blood pressure increases the risk.
I had uncontrolled hypertension however it's been controlled well now for about a year, with meds (ranges from 105/70 - 130/85, commonly around 120/80 at rest).
I'm wondering if this still puts me on a higher risk group? Would appreciate anyone's input who may have more insight that me!
Thanks ☺️

Ester anesthetics give me extreme burning and systemic toxicity. I've now had this experience with tetracaine, benzocaine, and procaine. No problem with lidocaine (amide!), thankfully. Possibly of interest: I have the same reaction to most sunscreens, bug repellent, and epinephrine, though the latter was all the toxicity without the burning.

Based on the above and some family history, I'm thinking of asking to test pseudocholinesterase with dibucaine and fluoride inhibition, and perhaps genetic testing for BCHE variants. Does this seem reasonable? Should I ask to be referred to some sort of specialist? Not an allergist. None of this presents as an allergy,

I realize this may be beyond an anesthesiologist's scope, but y'all were so helpful before I thought it was worth a try. My doctors have been dismissive. I've obviously been talking with AI, but trying to do my own research I keep hitting walls. The best information is in journals I can't access.

Thanks in advance!

An anesthesia resident in southeast Michigan looking for occasional, program-approved external moonlighting within driving distance of Detroit metro.
Open to supervised anesthesia/periop, pre-op/PACU, procedural, teaching/simulation, urgent care, or inpatient roles that accept residents. Not seeking independent unsupervised anesthesia practice.
If you know of resident-friendly opportunities, I’d appreciate a DM with the system/group and any details on eligibility, licensing, malpractice, shift types, pay, and credentialing.

I was told to drink 8 oz of Gatorade or Powerade 2 hours before going to the outpatient surgery center. I am fine with it— but don’t understand the rationale for this, so am curious. It is for joint replacement surgery. Also, I am not a fan of sports drinks— would apple juice or hot tea with honey work too? If not I’ll use the Gatorade but I’m hoping an anesthesiologist can help with this.

Thanks!!

I remember having anesthesia and things going black after I closed my eyes and it took close to a minute last time I counted in my head to calm down during hydrocele surgery and honestly it does scare me less to have it nowadays.

It starts with consciousness and being there for a minute and then waking up as if brought back from an infinity stone only remembering the anesthesia and the back to reality as if not being alive but dead for a bit but not dead but not there for that time.

No dreams, no nothing until waking up.

Hi! I’m scheduled to have my breast argumentation tomorrow and I started freaking out. I’ve never been under and I’m afraid I’ll never wake up or I’ll have a negative experience. I am a very anxious person and a med student, which makes me overthink every single detail. I had an adenoidectomy performed under local anesthesia and I remember shaking so bad and crying while being wheeled into the OR.
No first degree relative in my family has ever gone under general anesthesia so I have no idea if malignant hyperthermia runs in the family.
At the end of september I will have to go under again for a maxillofacial surgery and I wonder whether or not it’s safe to do so? (that will be 5/6 weeks between the surgeries).
23F, 5’2, 53 kg, former smoker, diagnosed with UARS, frequent extrasystoles and high heart rate,history of H pylori chronic gastritis. I’ve read all relevant posts on this subreddit but I still feel like I need some soothing.

\*\*Peds PACU — typical sequence for emergence after deep LMA removal?\*\*
For those who work in Peds PACU, I’m curious how you typically approach emergence in the following \*\*hypothetical scenario\*\*:
A pediatric patient arrives in PACU following deep LMA removal with an OPA and supplemental O2 in place. They are spontaneously breathing, maintaining a patent airway and appropriate oxygenation, and are otherwise stable, but remain deeply asleep. After an appropriate period of undisturbed emergence, they still aren’t arousing much spontaneously.
How do you typically approach the transition from deeply asleep → beginning to emerge → awake?
Specifically:
If airway, ventilation, oxygenation, and VS remain appropriate, do you generally allow the patient to wake spontaneously, or is there a point when you begin actively stimulating them?
If you begin stimulation, what do you typically start with? Verbal stimulation, gentle touch, repositioning, etc.? When, if ever, would you progress to more vigorous stimulation?
How do you approach positioning/HOB elevation during this process? Do you change positioning while they’re still deeply asleep or wait until they’re beginning to emerge?
How do you approach weaning/removing supplemental O2 during emergence?
With an OPA in place, what clinical signs tell you it’s time to remove it? Do you generally wait for evidence that the patient is beginning to reject/tolerate it poorly (coughing, gagging, purposeful movement, etc.)?
If a patient remains significantly sedated longer than expected despite otherwise reassuring respiratory/hemodynamic status, what factors determine when you ask anesthesia to reassess them?
I’m mainly interested in the \*\*general sequence and clinical cues\*\* experienced Peds PACU nurses use for positioning, stimulation, supplemental O2, and OPA removal during an uncomplicated emergence.
Obviously this varies by patient, anesthetic, procedure, anesthesia plan, and facility policy. I’m looking to better understand the general thought process rather than advice about a particular patient.

So June 11th I went in for a L5 S1 micro disectomy

I’m 5,11 32 year old male 266 lbs. during the shaving and prep I was very panicked but eventually accepted it

Once under anesthesia I desaturated to 77%

They pulled the plug on the operation and woke me up and sent me for 2 months of testing. Sleep study echo, stress test, lung x ray. All come back good besides the obvious need to lose weight which I have been since.

There doing the surgery again Wednesday and I’m scared because I have no answers on what happened the first time and from research 77% was pretty low. I’m scared it’ll happen again and wonder what made it happen the first time