Anesthesia, Resuscitation, and ICU: Q&A

I promised I’d post an update, so here it is:
They actually approved general anesthesia for me 🙂 🙂
Honestly, I’m still in a bit of shock—like, total disbelief mode. Mostly because all I did was mention how much I hate pain and ask what my options were, and then the doctor just casually brought up general anesthesia herself like it was no big deal. 🙂
I don’t even know what to think. Everyone kept telling me that people don't usually get this option in cities like Rijeka, but now I’m wondering if any of them even bothered to ask... anyway, regardless of that, I feel amazing right now. Just super relaxed, like I’m totally down to tackle whatever comes my way. It’s exactly how I should be feeling. Though, I guess there’s still that tiny little nagging doubt in the back of my mind that things might go sideways... you know how it goes with us sometimes...
Now I have to rush out to get my referral for the "basic labs." I have no clue what that entails, but apparently, I need bloodwork done... I’m really hoping they can wrap everything up in a single day. Does anyone actually know what those tests involve?

Is it possible for general anesthesia to cause a delay in my period?

Angela Martinez said:Can general anesthesia cause a delayed period?

I guess I can't give you a straight answer on that, but I can tell you that general anesthesia mixed with those hospital pain meds—not pills, but the stuff they pump directly into your veins—totally messed up my cycle. Then again, maybe it's just because my body reacts pretty badly to general anesthesia. Meanwhile, the girl next to me in the hospital got her period the very next day. The nurse told her the IV fluids actually triggered it...

Uh... so, how long were you guys actually under anesthesia? Mine is supposed to be pretty short, maybe around 15 minutes or so, but now I'm starting to overthink things because, given what I'm having done, I really don't want anything messing with my cycle.😢
I mean, I'm guessing my gynecologist would probably mention any potential issues if there actually were any...

Unfortunately, I’ve had about six surgeries so far, and the only thing that really sticks in my mind is that awkward, groggy delirium you hit right as you're waking up. It ranges from those moments where you're convinced you're head over heels in love with your surgeon, to the times you're ready to lose your cool and snap at a nurse because they're tugging on your hair. Honestly, I think those of you working up in recovery probably have a field day laughing at us.😁

coppernomad7 said:Uh... how long were you guys actually under anesthesia? Mine should be short, maybe around 15 minutes, but now I'm starting to worry. Given what I'm going in for, I really can't have anything messing with my cycle.😢
I guess my OB-GYN would probably flag any potential issues if there actually were any...

I was there for a few hours. My labs were all fine—the only real issue is that my blood pressure runs a bit low, but that’s just how I’ve always been. Honestly, the anesthesia absolutely wrecked me. It was brutal. I could barely keep my eyes open, and even though it was June and pretty warm out, I couldn't stop shivering. Then I spent two straight days puking my guts out day and night. I didn't manage to eat anything until the third day. Those first two days felt pretty damn awful.
Don't mean to freak anyone out—everyone reacts differently, I guess.
When I walked into the OR, the anesthesiologist tried to push a spinal on me—you know, just numbing the nerves—but I dug my heels in and insisted on going under completely. Even though she wasn't exactly thrilled about my attitude, she kept circling back to the general anesthesia option. I guess she really wanted to go that route.

urbanscout50 said:For pain relief!

Thanks... now what? 😉😁

...Fine, pain relief. I guess that means after surgery... which is a problem because I'm allergic to Tylenol. Plus, I have bad gastritis, so my stomach can't handle stuff like Advil or Voltaren at all. If ibuprofen is out, what am I actually left with?

urbangull25 said:thanks...now what's next? 😉😁

...alright, so if we're talking pain management... I'm guessing they'd give me something after surgery? The thing is, I'm allergic to Tylenol, and on top of that, my stomach is super sensitive—gastritis is a real nightmare for me—so things like Ketoral or Voltaren just don't sit well at all (and definitely no Ibuprofen)... so if those are off the table, what kind of options am I actually left with?

Analgin, Tramal, Dolantin (IV), Fentanyl (IV), or even a Fentanyl patch...

It’s been about twenty days since I had my surgery, and honestly, this might sound like a silly question to most of you, but I can't help myself—I'm such a hypochondriac at heart:
On my hand, right where they used the needle (it was a Braun needle, I think?), there's this area just above it on the same vein (I'm assuming it's the same one) where there's this cord-like thing, maybe about 3 cm long. It feels a bit firmer and swollen, almost like a bulging vein. It doesn't really hurt unless I accidentally bump my arm or press on it, which causes a little discomfort, but it doesn't seem to be fading away at all.

Should I be worried? Why is it taking this long to go down? Does it have anything to do with the anesthesia they used? Is there anything I should be doing to make it disappear?

Sophia Hill22 said:I had surgery about twenty days ago—and look, this might sound like a silly question, but I can't help it when I'm such a hypochondriac:
I had an IV needle in my hand (it was a Braun, right?) and just above that spot—but on the same vein, I assume—there's this cord-like thing about 3 cm long. It feels a bit firmer and swollen—sort of like a bulging vein—and it only hurts if I accidentally press on my arm... nothing too intense, really—but it doesn't seem to be going away at all.

Do I need to worry? Why is it lasting this long? Could it have anything to do with the anesthesia? And what can I do to make it disappear?

For me, that spot was tender to the touch for about a week, maybe even a little longer... but honestly, I think after 20 days or so, it should be clearing up. 🤷Maybe try stopping by your primary care doctor just to have them take a quick look...

It is possible that the vein is inflamed, so you really should see a doctor for an examination; in the meantime, you can apply cold compresses

Thanks, everyone—I actually checked in with the doctor who performed my surgery, and they advised me to start applying heparin to the area.
But I have to say, it feels really strange how incredibly slow the recovery process seems to be moving 😢

frozenhawk0 said:I can't give you a definitive answer, but I'll tell you this: general anesthesia mixed with heavy-duty painkillers (not pills, I mean the IV stuff they give you at the hospital) totally messed up my cycle. Then again, I had a really bad reaction to general anesthesia. Meanwhile, the girl next to me in the hospital ward got her period the very next day—the nurse even told her the IV fluids would kickstart it...

I had surgery on a broken collarbone back on November 5, 2010, after a car wreck. Right after, I got my period, but it only lasted two days and was super light. On the flip side, my friend's period lasted three weeks—absolutely maddening, seriously.
Does anesthesia affect your cycle? And what about those three blood thinner shots I got? Plus, I was on some antibiotics while staying at the hospital after the surgery.

Speaking of anesthesia—this was my second time going under. I remember the first one (an inguinal hernia repair) went totally fine during recovery. No vomiting at all, just felt incredibly sleepy. But this second one? It felt like a coma. I had general anesthesia (not sure of the exact name), and I remember starting to drift off and babbling nonsense within seconds.😂😂😂Everything was fine during the procedure; I didn't feel a thing and slept like a baby. But once the surgery wrapped up and I woke up later that day, I threw up five times. So now I'm wondering: why was the first surgery fine, but with this collarbone surgery, I puked my guts out? I’m supposed to go back for another procedure this summer to have the screws removed. I'm honestly terrified of the anesthesia. I have a feeling it's gonna be rough.

Also, I heard that anesthesia shortens your lifespan. Is there any truth to that?

James King9, the options for general anesthesia are actually quite broad, so you don't need to worry about your next procedure being ruined by nausea. Just be sure to let the anesthesiologist know you had a rough time after your last surgery; if you're healthy enough, they should be able to use agents that won't trigger vomiting, and even when using the same anesthetic, there are ways to prevent that nausea from happening.

Sophia Hill22 said:thanks guys - I asked the doctor who operated on me which cream to use, and he told me to just rub some heparin on it.
but man, it feels like this thing is taking forever to heal 😢

just seeing this post now...

honestly, heparin cream is basically just a glorified placebo designed to bleed you dry.

Also, one more thing on my mind... How is anesthesia going to affect pregnancy in my situation???

...because I honestly didn't even get a chance to sit down and have a proper chat with my anesthesiologist before the surgery, despite being told that was the plan, and since this was my very first time undergoing anything like this, I had quite a few specific questions and anxieties bubbling under the surface...
Basically, I needed a relatively short anesthesia session for a procedure lasting about an hour, so I filled out all the necessary paperwork. They assured me that either the evening before or just before the operation in the morning, an anesthesiologist would come by to check in on me and address any concerns or things I wasn't clear about...

In my own mind, I naturally assumed that the dosage would be calculated based on body weight. What makes my situation a little unique is that I'm quite an athlete, so I carry significantly more muscle mass than your "average" woman. Don't get me wrong, I have some body fat, but compared to my weight, I definitely have much more muscle—I'd say maybe 5 or 6 pounds more than someone else my size...
What really weighed on my mind was the thought that if they don't actually see me or talk to me, they might end up giving me a slightly incorrect or miscalculated dose, especially since I've read that one type of anesthetic is administered based on total body weight (accounting for how it dissolves in fat tissue), whereas another type is dosed according to "ideal" or target weight, focusing on the muscle mass where the anesthetic actually settles...
To give you an idea, I weigh about 143 pounds, which means I probably have maybe 10 or 11 pounds of fat, whereas another woman weighing 143 pounds at my height would likely have closer to 22 pounds of fat and look a bit softer or more slender than I do...

So, without rambling too much—and please excuse me if I sound silly because I don't know all the medical jargon—could someone please let me know if it's actually okay that they skipped the pre-op interview? It really spooked me, even if that fear might be unjustified, because I tend to overanalyze everything... and also, does that information truly impact how they dose the medication?
I did try asking some questions, but I didn't actually see the anesthesiologist's technician until I was already being wheeled into the operating room, and since I was already feeling a bit groggy from that sedative pill they gave me, everyone was just laughing along with whatever I said and joking around with me...

By the way, everything went totally fine and I didn't deal with any dizziness or nausea, and I just drifted off for a nice two-hour nap after the surgery. The only thing is, my menstrual cycle seems to be acting up and my hormones are going a bit haywire; I was supposed to start my period the day of the surgery, but nothing has happened yet... I’d love to hear from a professional on this, is that a normal reaction?

Rachel, don't worry about the surgery or the anesthesia. Dosing based on body weight is just one of many parameters considered when administering anesthetics, and even then, it's really just a rough guideline. Ultimately, dosing is highly individualized; it's actually part of an anesthesiologist's skill to balance various medications to achieve the best possible anesthesia. Even between two people of the exact same weight, medication dosages will typically vary quite a bit, as every case is unique.

Alright, I’ll jump in and share my experience regarding anesthesia... Two weeks ago, I had gallbladder surgery. They put me under with general anesthesia... Once I got into the OR, they gave me some kind of little blue pill... No clue what it was, haha. Anyway, the day before, I was getting blood thinner injections in the morning and evening.
I'm posting this in response to those questions about monthly cycles... While I was at the hospital, I was also on quite a bit of IV fluids. Well, I actually started my period yesterday—exactly when I expected it to. Overall, the whole surgery didn't mess with my cycle at all, which surprised me since I was seriously stressed out for weeks leading up to it... not to mention all that waiting around at the hospital. Just wanted to share my story.
And about the anesthesia... there was another woman in my room who had the same surgery. We were both put under, but she slept the entire day after the procedure, while I was wide awake, thank God! She was actually baffled that I wasn't sleepy. Hehe, I guess I was just too happy to finally be done with the surgery and those stupid gallstones. 🙂 Cheers everyone, hope this helps even a little!

Sam Hall15 said:Rachel, please don't stress about the surgery or being put under, because dosing based strictly on body weight is really just one small parameter doctors consider when administering anesthesia, and honestly, it's more of a rough guideline than a rule. Ultimately, finding the right dosage is incredibly individual, and it’s actually a specialized skill for every anesthesiologist to balance various medications perfectly to achieve the ideal level of anesthesia. Even if two people weigh exactly the same, their medication needs will almost always be quite different since every single case is its own unique situation...

Well, that's exactly how it turned out in the end, everything went just fine
but, don't you think the anesthesiologist should have at least popped in for a quick moment to say hello?
Everything seemed fine—he calculated the dose based on my bloodwork and that dietary questionnaire, and since all my vitals and blood pressure were normal and nothing was checked off incorrectly, I thought we were set. But then, just as I was being wheeled into the operating room, he suddenly asks me, "Oh, are you an athlete?" So, clearly, there was some mention of my fitness level somewhere in my charts, yet somehow it completely escaped his notice...