Anesthesia, Resuscitation, and ICU: Q&A

Scott Allen10 said:Honestly, what you're describing is exactly how every single patient feels when they head into surgery. The only difference is that some people admit it easily, while others struggle or try to act tough to hide their nerves. But make no mistake—everyone experiences that fear, without exception. Anyone claiming otherwise is just being dishonest. You aren't a unique case or some outlier here. There isn't some secret psychological ritual you need to perform. You simply decide to face it, go to the hospital, and there's a massive chance everything will turn out fine.
Good luck.

Thank you for those supportive and encouraging words. I intend to follow your advice. I was just waiting for a few things to fall into place so that if anything were to go wrong, I could have peace of mind regarding my affairs. I can't go into specifics, but at the very least, I want to know I won't leave things unsettled. It’s a long story, and perhaps an irrelevant one.
Once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

velvetmoose9 said:The anesthesiologist will have it.
Just bring all your medical records to the pre-op appointment. Any competent anesthesiologist will know exactly how to handle things to ensure everything goes smoothly. 😉

Thanks! However, I was really hoping to get some insight from someone here—maybe an actual anesthesiologist or just someone who’s been through something similar. One doctor at the hospital told me they don't perform surgeries if there's an active allergy, but then I heard a private practice would go ahead with it. I'm planning to have this procedure done privately, so I'm looking for general opinions rather than advice regarding my specific doctors. To give you some context: I've had an allergy for a year now, but we haven't identified the trigger yet. As long as I take antihistamines, I'm fine, but once I stop, the hives come back, and occasionally I get some swelling in my eyes or lips. My breathing is perfectly normal and my tests are clear. I've been putting this surgery off for a year because of this. Has anyone else dealt with this?

Honestly, dealing with some random allergy where you can't even pinpoint the cause is pretty unsettling... but it’s usually not a dealbreaker when it comes to surgery. I mean, if we were all too terrified of every little thing we've ever reacted to, nobody would ever step foot in an OR—we've all had those weird run-ins with something at some point. Velvetmoose9 mentioned that once the anesthesiologist reviews your charts and sees that note, they have plenty of time to prep, so there really isn't much more to say about it.
Look at it this way—if you actually ended up having an anaphylactic reaction, there isn't a better or safer place on the entire planet to be than right in the middle of an operating room with a full anesthesia team standing by and a cart loaded with adrenaline just waiting for you.

Hey everyone, I’ve got surgery scheduled under general anesthesia for next month. The thing is, it looks like my period is going to hit on the exact same day as the procedure. Should I call the hospital and try to reschedule, or does it really not matter? I mean, there's a chance it could start a day late or even happen right when I'm being prepped for the OR.

So, how does general anesthesia actually work when you're getting wisdom teeth pulled? Like, is it just some mask where they blow gas in your face until you drift off, or are there actual injections involved too?

Good afternoon.
I’ve been scrolling through all the previous posts on anesthesia, but I still have a few lingering questions that I’d really love to get some professional insight on 🙂

I have a general anesthesia procedure coming up soon at Dubrava Basketball Club for some laparoscopic abdominal surgery. There are just a few things weighing on my mind that I can't seem to shake...

1. Since this is a procedure that should last about an hour, is a urinary catheter actually necessary? And would it be okay to ask them to remove it before I'm fully awake?
2. I am genuinely terrified of that feeling of being conscious during anesthesia—waking up while the muscle relaxants are still active. How can I deal with this fear, or what can I do to ensure that doesn't happen?
3. What exactly determines the timing for when they pull the breathing tube?
4. I suffer from allergies and asthma. I've had local mandibular blocks for wisdom tooth extractions and similar procedures many times without any issues. Does that give me any hope that I won't have an allergic reaction to general anesthesia?
5. Does anyone have any thoughts on the anesthesiologists over at Dubrava Basketball Club? I did an internship there many years ago, and if I recall correctly, I don't remember ever hearing anything negative regarding their anesthesia team...

Thanks in advance for any answers or help you can provide! 🙂

Taylor Reed4 said:5. Thoughts on the anesthesiologists at Dubrava Basketball Club? I interned there ages ago and can't recall anyone ever saying anything bad about them...

Thanks in advance for any help! 🙂

Read somewhere that Dubrava Basketball Club has the best anesthesiologists in the US🙂
Had a surgery myself once—pretty minor, nothing crazy—and I was happy with it. So yeah, probably holds some truth.

Thanks, Scott Allen10, 🙂 it’s honestly really great to read that...

Taylor Reed4 said:Hey there.
I’ve been scrolling through all the old threads on anesthesia, but I still have a few things on my mind that I’d love to hear from the pros about... 🙂

I’ve got general anesthesia coming up soon at Dubrava Basketball Club for some laparoscopic abdominal surgery. There are just a couple of things weighing on me...

1. Since the surgery should only take about an hour, will I actually need a catheter? And is it okay to ask them to pull it before I’m fully awake?
2. I’m honestly terrified of being conscious during the anesthesia—you know, waking up while the muscle relaxants are still kicking in. How can I deal with that fear or make sure it doesn't happen?
3. What determines when they finally pull the breathing tube?
4. I deal with allergies and asthma. I’ve had dental work with local anesthesia plenty of times and never had an issue, so does that mean I'm likely safe from any allergic reactions to general anesthesia?
5. Any thoughts on the anesthesiologists over at Dubrava Basketball Club? I did an internship there years ago, and if I recall correctly, people always spoke highly of the anesthesia team...

Thanks so much in advance for the help! 🙂

On point 1:
It really depends on what they're doing, but for something like a hernia repair, you usually don't need one.

On point 2:
Seriously, don't sweat it. People talk about it so much it makes it sound like every second patient is wide awake and staring at the ceiling while they're working on them... which, let's be real, isn't how it works.🙄

On point 3:
It basically comes down to how well you're breathing on your own once you start waking up. It's all up to the anesthesiologist's call.

On point 4:
Yeah, it definitely helps.

On point 5:
I'm totally with the previous poster who has such a cool username...

Taylor Reed4 said:Thanks, Scott Allen10! 🙂 That’s honestly really wonderful to hear... I'm glad it resonated with you.

No worries at all... oops!🤔..🙂

Well, thanks Scott Allen10 😁 (it really feels like déjà vu at this point)

I have another question, though. I’d really love to have continuous analgesia after the surgery—honestly, I just don't have the mental energy to be constantly checking in to see if the incision is hurting or how much pain I'm actually in. Because of that, I’m planning to pay for an extra day or two in a private suite just to stay comfortable. Does the anesthesiologist handle the pain management until I'm fully awake, and then does the surgeon take over the prescription from there, or how does that work? 🙂

Yeah... honestly, you have no idea how complicated of a question you just dropped on us... I mean, it’s complicated when you consider how PCA (patient-controlled analgesia) is actually handled here in the States.

You can only get PCA analgesia at places where they actually have the PCA pumps on hand—which makes sense—but beyond that, the staff really needs to be trained and comfortable using them. And unfortunately, that kind of hands-on experience isn't always common in every hospital...

The whole thing is prescribed by an anesthesiologist, and it basically functions as an extension of anesthesia services for a patient staying on a different surgical floor. The pain management has to be precisely titrated... it has to be closely monitored by the anesthesia department, meaning there needs to be some kind of dedicated "pain service" in place... and ultimately, the nurses and doctors on your main unit have to be willing to support it and work with the equipment.

So, to be totally blunt, I’m not feeling super optimistic (though I don't know which hospital you're headed to)... but in principle, you’ll have to voice your request directly to the anesthesiologist. You might even have to deal with them brushing you off with stuff like, "Oh, we don't do PCA for this, it’s a minor procedure," or "A few shots of something will be plenty; once I've done my job, you won't feel a thing, though you'll probably be a little sore after surgery..." and all that nonsense. Even if you get past that, you still have to win over the doctors and nurses on your primary ward. They sometimes lose their minds when they see some random pump and morphine sitting there; they start getting all anxious about whether you'll stop breathing because "some guy back in the Stone Age was given morphine and stopped breathing"... and they carry that fear with them.

Anyway, good luck.

Hmm... I’m having my surgery at Dubrava Basketball Club (which, as you mentioned, has top-tier anesthesiologists). My plan is to coordinate with the surgeon so I can actually meet the anesthesiologist before the procedure—I figure we could sit down and hammer out a solid pain management plan for the recovery period, though I know that probably sounds like some kind of pipe dream. Truth be told, I have a pretty terrible tolerance for pain, no matter how much I try to tough it out.

It’s honestly a relief to realize I’m not losing my mind if people start trying to convince me that I am...

Whenever an anesthesiologist tells me, "Well, you've had surgery, it's bound to hurt a little," I just can't wrap my head around it. I mean, for heaven's sake, that person literally specialized in the science of making sure patients feel absolutely nothing...

As for the nursing staff back on the main ward, I’m not going to go looking for a fight; I'll just find a way to get on their good side😁 (hopefully)

I did consider traveling abroad to get this done elsewhere, but honestly, it’s just too much of a hassle and way too expensive... so I guess I'm stuck trying to squeeze every bit of quality I can out of what we have here in the States...

Taylor Reed4,

If you don't mind me asking, what exactly are you having done at Dubrava Basketball Club?

Back this past summer, I had surgery for inguinal pain syndrome over at Merkur Basketball Club. During my consultation, the anesthesiologist and I had agreed that I would undergo general anesthesia. However, once I was actually in the operating room, they informed me that for this specific procedure, they don't perform general anesthesia, but rather spinal. So, there were moments during the operation where I was essentially conscious. You know how it goes—drifting in and out of sleep, waking up here and there... it was quite 😁
something. Anyway, once the anesthesia finally wears off, it’s perfectly normal to deal with some intense post-op pain. It's to be expected, really. After all, it is still a surgical procedure, isn't it?

Abdominal surgery—honestly, I don't think it's anything to be terrified of, but they're definitely going to have you under general anesthesia 🙂

Also, looking at the massive array of medications available these days, I can't imagine anyone should actually have to suffer through intense pain after the procedure... Post-op pain is totally manageable if handled right; the real question is how things actually work within our healthcare system here (or if they work at all, frankly). If any medical professionals out there are reading this, please feel free to set me straight if I'm off base 🙂

restlessbadger2 said:Basically, once the anesthesia wears off, you're going to feel that post-op pain—it’s just part of the deal. It was a surgery, after all.

🙂

But see, that’s exactly where the whole issue lies. I mean, maybe that kind of mindset was acceptable back in WW2 or even just a couple of decades ago...

But it's 2013 now, and honestly, being expected to just sit there and suffer through pain after a procedure isn't okay anymore. You hear people talk about it constantly, but that "well, you had surgery, so you're supposed to hurt" attitude is just a lazy excuse. It’s totally out of touch with how modern medicine works today, and frankly, it shouldn't be tolerated in any American hospital setting. Still, I know it'll take a long time before things actually change in practice on the ground here...

Scott Allen10 said:🙂

And you see, that is precisely where the core issue lies. Perhaps that kind of mindset was acceptable during WW2 or maybe even twenty years ago...

But today, in 2024, it simply isn't acceptable to endure intense pain following surgery. You can debate the nuances of pain management all day long, but the idea that "well, you had surgery, so of course you're going to hurt" is just an excuse. It’s an outdated stance that flies in the face of modern medical standards and shouldn't be part of our daily hospital routine here in the States. Unfortunately, it feels like we have a very long road ahead before these practices truly change in our local hospitals...

Personally, once my spinal block wore off, I was in absolute agony. They administered IV Ketorolac to me around 4:00 PM and again at 8:00 PM. For about fifteen minutes after the medication hit, I felt fine, but then the excruciating pain returned. When I called the nurse at 11:00 PM asking for more pain relief, she told me it wasn't possible because I had already reached my maximum dosage. So, I spent the entire night moaning and tossing in pain. 😁 Luckily, I was able to head home in the morning... if I had stayed in that hospital bed, the pain might have driven me completely mad.

Yeah... honestly, it’s the same old story you hear everywhere. It feels like surgeons and the rest of the surgical staff just couldn't care less about how much pain a patient is actually in. They just hide behind this attitude of "well, of course it hurts" and act like everything is perfectly fine. On top of that, things like anesthesiology services, PCA pumps, or even morphine are light years away—I wouldn't be surprised if most hospitals don't even offer them properly. Just the same classic, frustrating situation over and over. I feel like this is one of the few places where people actually talk about stuff like this, though I wonder how much of it actually works in the real world, how useful those medical breakthroughs really are, and who was actually involved in making them happen.

Hello People. So, here it is. My first time going under general anesthesia. They have to break my nose because I can't breathe properly. Honestly, the whole idea always creeped me out, but since my insurance is covering everything, I figured I might as well make good use of my job benefits for once.

Everything would be fine if I hadn't gone down a rabbit hole online. Google is the worst.

First thing I stumbled upon was stories about people being paralyzed but conscious and feeling everything. It scared the hell out of me. I tried to back out of the surgery, but I couldn't make it happen—it’s already scheduled for this Saturday.

Then, because I clearly love suffering, I searched again and found accounts of people having memory issues, or even dying after the fact.

Now I'm freaking out and honestly just want to run away from the whole situation.

Please, let me know what you think. Any advice or actual experiences?

anything that can help!

thanks 🙂

Chris Gonzalez3 said:Hello People. So, here’s the deal. My first time going under general anesthesia. They’re actually going to break my nose because I literally can't breathe through it. Honestly, the whole idea has always creeped me out, but since my insurance is actually covering the costs, I figured I might as well put my employment benefits to some good use for once.

And now, everything would be totally fine if I hadn't gone down a rabbit hole on the internet. Google is a cruel, cruel mistress.

The very first thing I stumbled upon was those horror stories about people remaining paralyzed yet fully conscious while feeling everything. I absolutely lost my mind and tried to back out of the surgery, but no luck—it’s already scheduled for this Saturday.

Then, because apparently I have a masochistic streak, I went back to searching and found tales of people dealing with memory loss or, you know, just kicking the bucket entirely.

So now I’m just completely spiraling and honestly, I’d love nothing more than to just bolt and run the other way.

Please, give me your thoughts, advice, or any actual experiences...

anything that can help!

thanks 🙂

Look, I don't have any firsthand experience with getting a nose broken, but if I'm being totally honest, I’d probably be way more terrified of the pain when I wake up—and more importantly, how I'm going to look afterward—than I am about just sleeping for a few hours. 😬 It’s going to hurt, obviously, and the aesthetic part is the real kicker. 🥳
I’ve been put under a few times for other things, nothing major, and I wasn't even remotely scared for a single second. You have to go through all the pre-op tests and sit down for a consultation with the anesthesiologist, so you’ll definitely be in good hands. 👍 As for that weird stuff people claim happens to them? Just forget about it. Focus on that cute little button nose you're going to have instead. 😁